𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 | zuko

EPILOGUE

"Izumi!" said Jin frantically, searching around the throne room for her daughter.  "Dear spirits Izumi, it's not funny anymore.  Come out, please."

There was a giggle from one of the pillars some feet away.  Zuko had been searching on the opposite side of the room.  He turned around with a smile toward Jin, then turned to where Izumi's voice had been heard, tiptoeing.

Jin rolled her eyes.

"Izumi!" said Zuko, pulling her out from behind one of the many pillars in the room.  The five-year-old smiled and laughed as her father picked her up and put her on his shoulders.

"Daddy!" she said.

"Zuko, it's not funny!" said Jin, pointing her finger at the two.  

"Oh, come on, it's a little funny."

Jin sighed.  "Okay, fine.  But we do have places to go, you know," she continued.  "And it's not me that they want to see, it's the Fire Lord."

"I'm sure they'll like seeing the Lady Jin just the same," said Zuko, taking Izumi off his shoulders and putting her on the ground.

Jin smiled.  "Alright, we should get going."  She took Izumi's hand and led her down the hall, watching her husband walk next to her with great interest.  He noticed.

"Like what you're seeing?" he asked with a smile, as a guard opened the door to the outside for the family.

"Always have," I said.  "I like your hair that length.  You should keep it."

In the seven years that had passed, Zuko had grown his hair to the traditional length, just to his waist.  It was almost as long as Jin's.

"You just like playing with it," he smiled, getting into a carriage that would take them to the ferry.

"Not just me," smiled Jin, as she heaved Izumi inside. "Izumi likes playing with it too."

Zuko rolled his eyes.  "And, um, remind me why we're going to Cranefish Town?"

It was Jin's turn for an eye roll. "Republic City, Zuko." The two went inside the carriage, and it went off. "And they're finally opening the Government Building there, making the name official."

"Right," remembered Zuko, dragging out the word.  

They got there by sunset, where Zuko, Earth King Kuei, Aang, and Sokka, the new chief of the Southern Water Tribe, were to declare Republic City the capital of the United Republic of Nations.

There had been a lot of trouble to get themselves this far.  But it had all been worth it.  Together, the group had united not only themselves, but the whole world.  They had brought all four nations together to create this city. This new nation would be open to anyone who wanted to move there and be governed by a council with a representative from each of the four nations, the representative being chosen by the ruler of each.  

"This place is going to be a metropolis for innovations," said Zuko, looking up at the tall buildings and streets of the city.  People gathered in one of the particular areas near the center, where the government building was.  Their ferry passed the statue of Aang in Yue Bay, and a couple of minutes later came to a stop at the docks.

Jin, Zuko, and Izumi were met by Katara, Toph, and Suki at the docks.  Next to Katara stood her son Bumi, who was almost two years younger than Izumi, yet already more energetic.  The two were friends, they liked to chase each other around.  

"It's amazing to see you both again," said Katara, placing her arms around Jin for a quick hug, then smiling at Izumi.  

"It really is," commented Jin, after greeting Suki and Toph.  "Have you seen Kyra?  She told me she would be here."

"She's here," said Katara, looking over her shoulder for Jin's best friend.

"I saw her and Aruye near the front of the stage, talking with Sokka."

"Thank you," said Jin, handing Izumi over to Zuko.  "I'll see you in a couple of minutes," she said to him.  

Kyra and her now husband, Hakan had a one-year-old daughter, Aruye.  They lived in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, where Hakan's parents had bought them a house there as a wedding present.  They enjoyed it there, and Kyra's parents could easily come to visit when they pleased. 

"Kyra!" said Jin, waving toward her friend.  

"Jin!" exclaimed Kyra. "How's the Fire Lady doing?" she asked.

"It's so great to see you," said Jin, finally reaching where she was near the front of the stage.  "I've been amazing.   How's Aruye?" Jin asked, letting the baby grab her finger.

"She's walking all around the house," said Jin.  "She's everywhere, we've had to move everything breakable high up."

And that was a lot of stuff, considering all the glass things they had from Kyra's father.

"Well, good thing she's short," smiled Jin, looking into the baby's gold eyes. "Has she shown any signs of bending yet?"

"Not at all," said Kyra.  "But when the doctor came, he said she'd definitely be a bender, he just doesn't know which yet."

"Well, that's --"  Crowds got quieter around them, and groups of people turned to face the stage.  "Oh, actually, I have to be up there," said Jin, pointing behind her at the stage.  "I'll talk to you in a couple minutes, yeah."

"Oh, sure," said Kyra.  "Have fun, Fire Lady."

Toph and Suki joined Kyra in the front row of the crowd as Jin went up the steps to the platform in front of the shiny new Government Building.  It wasn't much taller than the ground, but Jin felt as if she could see so much more from up here.  Maybe it was because she could see so many people.  There were people from all the nations, even Air Acolytes, who followed the customs of the Air Nation without being benders.  

Jin took Izumi from Zuko and held her hand as she stood next to her mother.  Katara stood next to them nearer the back of the stage, as they were not the ones making speeches. 

Aang started to speak, but people were still conversing in the crowd below. Zuko cleared his throat loudly, and everyone turned to face the stage, chatter fading away completely.  He nodded to Aang, who now began speaking.  

"After everyone's hard work over these past years, so much has happened," said Aang.  "And I'd like to thank every single one of you, from all four of the nations, because without you, none of this would have been possible.  So, people of the United Republic of Nations..."

Zuko, Sokka, and Earth King Kuei joined him in saying this.

"Welcome, to Republic City."

the end, everyone!

i really hope you loved this story as much as i liked writing it

this was a shorter story, but i think it's really impactful.  

i just love jin way too much, so i decided to write this

shes way underrated, hope this book gives her the love she deserves

thank you for reading,

molly