Sennin of the Four Nations

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Naruto x Harem

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Author's Note

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A long awaited update. Long awaited Azula and Mai discussion. Next chapter we get to see the characters cut loose a bit.

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Story Start

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This was definitely going to be difficult.

Far more difficult then any kata.

More difficult then anything test.

Nervousness was not a feeling that Azula was used to.

Stepping into the room she had to confront her long time childhood friend.

"What do you want?" Mai's question was emotionless as expected of the composed girl. "Well?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"I want to talk Mai. I want to bury the hatchet." The Fire Nation beauty shifted uncomfortably as she spoke her name. Mai simply sat unmoving in her chair. The clothes she was wearing were wrinkled and her hair was a bit unfettered. Azula pushed back the thoughts that came to her mind that would have resulted in her being in that state.

A look of apology crossed her expression as he continued staring at Mai She felt something slam into hers chest. "I'm….I'm sorry…." The words felt so foreign to her lips. An unfamiliar dull ache coursed through the girl. "You're my friend. And that is a bond I did not wsh to lose."

"Why now? Why now am I friend?" She somehow managed to keep her voice void of emotion but the quickness and sharpness of the question was not missed."All these years where I should have been your friend and I don't hear so much as a word from you until you needed a new entourage to hunt for the Avatar."

"Mai, I didn't exactly have the time to drop by for a visit. You know what my father expects!"

The expression on Mai's face soon morphed into a hawkish scowl. "A scroll! A messenger! A package! Even a simple message on my birthday to show you cared would have sufficed!" For a moment her handle trembled before she steeled herself. "Ty Lee ran off to join the circus and still found time to send me a gift. You expect me to believe with all the resources you had princess that you couldn't find time to send me a simple message?"

"Mai..."

"Are you even here because you care or are you doing this to make Naruto happy?" Her expression grew bitter as her fingers duck into the arm of the chair. "Did you ever think what sort of message that sent? That you were only nice to us to make him happy and you never cared about us at all!"

"That is not true."

"Then why did you throw away everything we have!?" Vestiges of an emotion began leaking through as Mai's voice rose slightly. "Because it took him coming back for you to start treating us as something more than lackeys and I refuse to be a mean's to an end. I've had to endure that my entire life from my family and I'll be damned if I let it continue any more. At the end of the day, I have always been a tool to you and without being able to understand each other how could we have ever believe we were anything more."

"You're wrong you know." There was one very important way that he understood Mai's feelings. "Because both of us have been screwed up by our father's so if there is anyone who understand your feelings its me." Azula took another moment to compose herself. "I clung to my teaching's because I felt he was the only one that cared."

"Why would you think that?"

The room's temperature began to rise as Azula began to tremble. "Because everyone I cared about in my life left!" Her voice raised and tears threatened to fall. " I can tell you one thing Mai, your mother may treat you as an afterthought, but its step up from being considered a monster!" Mai's eyes widened as she realized that they were going into sensitive territory as Azula never willingly talked about her mother. "The day my mother left, she said goodbye to my brother. I had to find out from Zuko that my mother was gone and she didn't even love me enough to say goodbye."

A bead of sweat rolled down Mai's face. The only thing that kept her for voicing out to Azula that she was losing control of herself was trying to process the feelings the other girl must have been going through.

"Then Naruto left, and without so much as a message throughout the years and I began wondering? Was it me? Did I do something wrong? Surely he wanted to keep in contact with his pupil but my expectations were dashed. The people I loved kept leaving me and I didn't have the power to stop it. You can figure out the rest at that point I imagine."

An emotionally hurt girl who only had her father to turn to. Despite her strength. Her cunning. Her heritage most people had forgotten during that time Azula was a child and currently now a teenager.

It was simply too easy to see her as just the princess or Ozai's daughter. Too easy to see her as a last cause.

"No matter how you look at it, we were never truly going to be friends." Mai's statement felt like a stab to Azula's gut.

She should have expected it. Mai was a rather merciless person.

"But, I guess that what second chances are for." The statement had shocked the princess. "Just don't make me regret this."

"You won't, this time things will be different." She promised Mai.

A week had passed and the city of Ba Sing Se was stabilized. With a trustworthy governor in place the traveling group began their journey. With Mei and Zuko having been left behind to keep a watch on the settlement that left Naruto, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Toph to visit some colonies in preparation for Azula's eventual rise.

When Naruto had left the Fire Nation he had spent a good deal of time exploring the world. A majority of that time had been spent in not only the fire nation outskirts and the fire colonies. He had found himself developing a friendship with the inhabitants as well as setting up the pieces for a change.

As such they were in a moderately sized village by the name of Khaozin. The man in charge was an inhabitant born from the colonies by the name of Zhēngrén. As they entered the village they were greeted by its inhabitants in a formal bow that most of the group didn't recognize.

"During my travels I came across many people with potential. I thought them enough of my teachings so they would be well equipped to defend their home." As he explained this they continue their stroll up to a two story home made from birch wood.

Greeting the servant they were soon informed the master of the house would be coming down.

Soon enough a man in his forties with short dark hair and a goatee dressed in rural style fire nation top and work slacks came trailing down the steps. "I welcome you back lord Naruto."

"Nice to see you again, Zhēngrén." He replied in greeting, casually waving his hand.

"What has brought you back? Excuse my matters, I have not given you time to introduce your companions."

"Many things, but first, I would like to introduce my entourage. Her royal highness Princess Azula and our traveling companions Ty Lee, Toph Bei-Fong and Mai."

"Princess Azula!" He exclaimed before bowing down before her. "I am terribly sorry for not taking notice of your presence sooner."

"That is…quite alright." While the old her would have reveled in this groveling, she knew her reputation truly did not equate to respect, at least now she did. As she was coming to learn that level of fear only meant if the opportunity was presented one would need little prodding to betray and try and eliminate the object of their fear.

The others gave their greetings as well. Ty Lee greeted with a happy chirp while Toph answered with a more blunt 'yeah hey' and Mai just gave a casual waving.

"Zhēngrén, I have taken the role of the Princess's tutor in regards to her destiny so I can ensure you the more extravagant quirks you've learned about in passing rumors have been ironed out."

The men seemed to visibly relaxed at that. There was no shortage of stories about the maliciousness of the fire nation royal family. "In that case, have you made arrangements for your stay? I would be happy to house you. "

"That is quite the generous offer. We shall have to take you up on it." Azula affirmed the request. Azula wasn't sure what the blond had planned, but she was looking forward to whenever he revealed it. He had urged them to come here for a reason so whatever the reason was it had to be good.