5 Banishment and Goodbyes

Xiao watched from the stands as Zuko approached the stage where his Agni Kai would be taking place. Zuko glanced up and saw him, giving a weak smile. Xiao smiled back and gave an encouraging thumbs up.

Zuko's smile became more real and mouthed a silent thank you before entering the stage. The cloth covering his shoulders slid off of his back, landing on the ground behind him.

Xiao watched as Ozai did the same, and they both got into fighting stances.

By the stances alone Xiao could see the difference in skill between the father and son. So when the announcer started the match he had already predicted what would happen. However it was much worse than he originally thought.

Without giving his son even a chance, Ozai fired a large stream of fire. Zuko quickly tried to block it, but Ozai was simply too strong.

With a pained scream Zuko fell to the ground, holding the right side of his face as his shouts of agony filled the silent room. "You are not fit to be my son. I hereby banish you from the Fire Nation. The only way you may return is if you are able to capture the Avatar." Ozai said with a cold tone as Iroh sprinted to the stage and picked up Zuko.

Xiao's master looked his brother straight in the eye with rage covering his normally calm, kind face. "Then I shall go with him. I have not desire to be a part of a Nation whose ruler would do this to his own flesh and blood!" Iroh shouted.

"If you weren't my brother I'd kill you where you stand, Iroh. Very well. You shall be banished as well." Ozai said, no emotion except coldness present on his face.

'Damn for a Fire Lord Ozai sure is cold…' Xiao thought to himself, trying to cheer himself up. He looked sadly at Iroh and Zuko, the only two people that had treated him kindly other than his family, who were dead.

With one final glance at Iroh and Zuko, Xiao walked away from the arena and out of the palace.

Iroh watched him go with a smile, before bringing Zuko to the medical ward to be treated.

When Xiao had looked at the specifics of his promotion to Elite Soldier earlier in the day, he had seen something that surprised him. He had a document signed by Iroh that said he could go wherever he pleased.

And even though his master was now banished, since Iroh Had written it while he was still a general, it was technically still valid. Not even the Fire Lord could do anything about it.

That is when Xiao had decided to leave this very night. He would be meeting Zuko and Iroh in a bit to say goodbye and then he would go to the Earth Kingdom to train.

Xiao couldn't stand another moment in this shitty nation. When he got to his room in the west wing, Xiao saw a slip of paper with something sitting on top of it at his desk.

He went over to it and picked it up. It was a piece of Iroh's favorite game, Pauli Sho, the white lotus. 'Strange…' Xiao thought, until he read the contents of the paper.

It consisted of many locations with corresponding secret codes. At the bottom was a note in Iroh's handwriting.

~If you ever need to find me or need help with something, go to one of these places and speak the code to the person who receives you. They will help you.~

Xiao smiled and folded the paper, pocketing both the piece and folded paper. He then grabbed the leather satchel he had containing his only two other sets of clothes and left the room, heading towards the medical ward.

When he got there, Xiao saw Zuko and Iroh chatting. Zuko had bandages covering the right side of his face, wincing in pain every once in a while.

"I know you told me not to, but are you sure I can't beat Ozai's ass master?" Xiao asked as he walked up to the pair. Zuko chuckled lightly and Iroh frowned. "No. You cannot defeat him." Iroh responded.

Xiao nodded before his face turned sad. "This is goodbye." He said. Zuko and Iroh both nodded slovenly and the three hugged. Xiao stepped back. "We will meet again, I know it…" he said as he started to tear up.

"No little Xiao, don't cry! If you do I'll cry!" Iroh said as he too started to tear up. Zuko looked away but Xiao could see a tear rolling down his left cheek. "Until we meet again! Next time I see you Zuko, I'll beat your ass even harder than normal!" Xiao said, laughing as he left.

"Bastard…" Zuko muttered, but he still smiled. Iroh smiled too.

Xiao waved from the door and disappeared. "Uncle, is he ready?" Zuko asked Iroh once Xiao left. "More so than you think. I may have created a monster now that I think about it… it should be fine… i think…" Iroh mused while Zukos sweat-dropped.

Meanwhile. Xiao was leaving the palace and heading towards the docks. He had already hired a Earth Kingdom merchant ship to take him away from the Fire Nation Capital to Ba Sing Se. As he strolled down the busy streets that came with nighttime in the Capital, vendors shouted advertisements for their various wears and people talked.

One big topic was how the prince was banished and scarred by his father. Xiao clenched his fist. 'Maybe not today, but later, I'll beat his ass…' he thought as a figure of Fire Lord Ozai appeared in Xiao's mind.

{A/N}

Three years until cannon!

MC is thirteen currently btw.

MC height is 4'8 rn btw. He's a shorty.