Little Soldier Boy (Iroh II)

Chapter 6

"Iroh! Iroh get up!" Cho exclaimed.

Iroh bolted up, cracking his head on the metal ceiling once again.

Cho winced, hissing through his teeth.

Iroh groaned, "What Cho?"

"Sorry," Cho said quickly. "We're about to dock in the Earth Kingdom. Commander Bumi wants us above deck now!"

Iroh cursed and rolled off his bunk, landing on the floor with his bare feet, "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

"I tried!" Cho spat defensively, "But your insomniac butt wouldn't get up!"

Iroh growled, "Curse my grandfather's hereditary habits."

"I borrowed one of your suits again," Cho said, pulling on his hat.

"Don't care," Iroh said, quickly getting dressed.

Cho threw Iroh his hat.

Iroh caught it and shoved it on his head, before quickly grabbing his tile and medals and following Cho out the door.

The two ran up deck and stood in the lineup.

"All right!" The Commander roared. "We will be docking within the next five minutes!"

Iroh watched the man with his amber eyes as he slowly paced down the line. He could see how desperate his father was for a chance to break his strict act.

"You are not to engage in or cause any uproar when we are docked," Commander Bumi spat when he reached the end of the line.

Bumi had to hold down a smirk when he realized he had spit on Private Yuku's face.

Bumi turned on his heel towards the bow when they reached the docks of the Earth Kingdom. He walked to the end of the boat.

Iroh bit the inside of his lip, knowing the man's desperation was about to win over his strict act.

"Di-smissed," Bumi shouted.

With that, the Commander vaulted over the wall of the bow.

Everyone but Iroh and the higher ranked officers released a gasp.

Iroh held his breath in an attempt to keep himself from laughing.

He loved his father's antics, he wasn't afraid to admit he seemed to have picked up the mannerism of his father as well: one example being when he was fifteen and lept out a palace window once when having a playful battle with Suki on the second floor.

"Did the Commander just kill himself?" Cho whispered to Iroh.

"I'm honestly surprised he lasted this long," Sin leaned towards Iroh since she was directly to his right.

"I said dismissed!" They heard the Commander shout from the docks.

Yuku and a few other privates looked over the edge of the ship.

Commander Bumi was already across the docks and had scaled a thirty foot statue.

All of the recruits except for Iroh watched in shock.

Iroh couldn't hold his laughter any longer when his father stood tall on the top of the statue.

Bumi pointed a finger at the boat, "Get to work!"

All the recruits began to scramble around the deck, all seeming terrified.

Iroh and most of the others stepped off the ship to gather supplies from the market.

Iroh stepped aside, standing at attention as the Earth Kingdom recruits passed him to board the ship, each one wearing a green suit and carrying a green duffle bag slung over their backs.