What is Fate?(Closed: Lovely Firelord Shula.)

Mako smiled lightly, "It's not that...it's more like...being here is a vacation for Kichiro.", he said. "And I think he'd be happier here." He smiled, "I'm going to grab my travelling clothes, alright, um, just, send your bags over there, and I'll meet you at the main gate out of the city.", he said, as if he'd been planning it for weeks. He kissed Shula lightly, hugging her tight.

Mako smiled again, offering one last kiss on Shula's right hand before returning to his room. He changed into his travelling clothes, talking to Kichiro, "You're going to get to stay here.", he said. "You deserve your time to feel like a king, and not have to hunt all the time for your meals." Kichiro whimpered. "I'll be back within a couple weeks.", he said, leaving the room after retrieving the bags Mai had brought. He was surprised, he'd expected more.

He slipped out of the palace, carrying the bags afterward, stopping at a blacksmith's place. He offered a gold piece, his own lucky silver piece and two others. "Inscribe it with the words 'To my one true love.'" The man nodded, and Mako left, heading for the gate.

Mako walked slowly, tapping his fingers against eachother. He'd hardly made it five steps from the shop when he began wondering about Shula. Maybe he'd be pushing a little too hard. He shook his head, it wouldn't matter, whether she liked it or not that's where his heart belonged. He had never really loved anyone. He certainly enjoyed himself, it's not like there was a shortage of people to fall in love with. But the flings were just that, flings.

He didn't love them anymore than he loved eating his favorite food. But Shula wasn't like that, she meant more to him than just a beautiful face and body, she was intellectual, and passionate, and cared as much for the things she enjoyed as he did. And best of all, she accepted Kichiro as part of her life, and felt the way he did about the dragons, a dying part of the Fire Nation culture, returned to serve alongside their former allies again. He closed his eyes, and sighed, it was going to be a memorable reunion.

Mako managed to avoid running into anyone, which he usually did when he thought about things too much. He almost formed his own little bubble, and hardly recognized what he was doing or where he was. It was actually terrifying for himat times, especially when he used to walk from town to town, losing track of time, and distance until he found himself lost in a rural village without any real direction. Those were the time when he met the most interesting of people.

He snapped from his stupor, looking around, he was nearly at the gate, and began searching for Shula. He walked past a pair of children, who seemed to stare at him like he'd down something wrong. A rather puffed up woman appeared, looking from Mako's feet to his face, a twinge of red appeareding in her features. she had taken the children, by one arm each, "Oh, it's you." Mako hoped he didn't look as shocked as he felt, "Um, yes, it's me." She smiled smugly, "My husband had said you were handsome, but I thought Firelord might have done a bit more to make you look like less...afterall, it's not everyday exotic young men like you show up to grace the Firelord.", she put extra emphasis on the word 'grace'.

Mako's face reddened, 'Is that what they think I am?!' He turned away, the woman added a bit of salt to the wound as he did, "Be sure to be extra gracious on your little trip, can't have our Firelord's time wasted, can we?" Mako had to close his eyes, and count down from ten, children or no children, woman or otherwise, he couldn't tolerate such well aimed jabs at his own, and Shula's character. She was a respectable woman, and he was not here as a service to Shula. These people lacked respect, at least, the women did, if she was anything to run on. He opened his eyes slowly, erasing the flame of anger from his mind.

He resumed his search, deciding to keep that little bit of information to himself for the time being. She was probably just jealous of Shula. Mako shook his head, 'Is that really possible?', he thought to himself.

Mako was glad that he could calm down at a moment's notice. It was something he enjoyed greatly, usually when something bad would happen if he weren't calm. His thoughts on the subject were cut short, however, when two hands covered his eyes, and the one voice he was happy to hear asked, "Guess who?"

He smiled, "Hi Shula.", he said lightly. "You ready to leave this place behind, and go have some fun?", he asked, and he knew the answer was undoubtedly 'yes'. He didn't bother uncovering his eyes, he didn't really want to see how everyone else might be looking at him or Shula at the moment. He prefered to imagine them in their own little bubble, seperate from the world.

Mako smiled, "Just a jealous old woman with nothing better to do.", he said. "Anyway, she doesn't matter." He leaned closer, "The only girl I care about right now is you, and I myself am also looking forward to our trip to the Southern Air Temple." He grabbed Shula's hands, "So, if you're sure you've got everything, let's get out of here.", he said.

Mako smiled, turning, and dragging Shula behind him as he made his way out the front gate, and onto the road heading south. He had the bags on his back, Shula's hand in his, and an astounding build-up of a desire to roam. He looked back at Shula, smiling in only a way Mako who'd just been set free from palace expectations could, and he said, "This is going to be a lot of fun."

Mako eventually slowed his pace, finding no reason to rush. He hummed lightly as he walked, "You know, once we get to the Temple, we might be able to find Avatar Aang's room...", he said. "I wonder if he would ever go there as a spirit..." He seemed to be allowing his mind to wander now.

Mako glanced at Shula, "I guess that's a bit random, eh?" He chuckled lightly, "I was only curious, if all the Avatars are technically one spirit reborn over and over, then wouldn't that mean seeing the spirit of an Avatar anywhere except in the Avatar's presence is impossible?"

Mako nodded slowly, he had said quite a lot, he realized. Hardly any of it made sense when he really thought about it. Then again, sometimes things just don't make any sense.

Mako glanced back at Shula, "Maybe, then again, we could always find a nice little spot to climb up.", he said. "I'm sure that if the Airbenders didn't build a way to climb up...then the Fire Nation would have, even if it was just a little path..." He shrugged, "We'll find a way."

Mako walked for a bit, pondering Shula's comment. "No...the palace won't be big enough for him, and the danger of being attacked for a title are too high..." He sighed, "The mountains...nearby would be best. I saw the Masters once...it was...astounding...so old, and the wisdom they knew radiated around them...I felt stronger, like just being in their presence was enough to...change me. They lived in caves, I don't see why Kichiro wouldn't be happy with one too..."

Mako smiled, listening to Shula's song. He drifted behind her, hugging her lightly as he walked. He lightly kissed the top of her head, still wondering how he intended to get them to the Southern Air Temple. The Firebenders of Sozin's time had done it without war balloons, so they must have either climbed or walked. It wouldn't be too hard.