Book Four: Air

Sokka watched as the Colonies' fate was hotly debated. After awhile, however, he stood up and spoke formally like his Father taught him, "Avatar Aang is one of my best friends. I traveled the world with him to save the world from Fire Lord Ozai. On the way, I kept getting an earful of balance. Wouldn't making a new nation upset the balance?
How about the Colonies practice self-rule with the more Fire Nation-like colonies falling under the jurisdiction of the Fire Nation and the more Earth Kingdom-like colonies falling under the jurisdiction of the Earth Kingdom?"

IC: Samanya

He stood quietly outside the door, listening to the debate raging inside. Despite how much he wanted to go in, the guards had remained adamant that the warrior had to remain outside. Something about offikals only. What was an offikal? He didn't know, but they must have been important.

Like cheifs, or war cheifs. Samanya pressed his ear againest the wall, trying to catch some of the strange words being thrown about.

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IC: The Voice of Agni & Drakon

"Gursh."

The deep rumbling noise emanated from behind Ozai, sounding like the death cry of some beastial animal. A figure was beside him in a instant, and the snarling visage of a dragon stared at Ozai, it's eyes dripping with respect.

"Lord Ozai! It is truely an honour to finally be in your presence!" The woman's voice was as cold as iron, as her golden eyes watched the face of the mighty man before him. "It is so good to see you have been freed from your imprisonment, milord."

She bowed flawlessly before him, keeping her head far below his. "Where are my manners? I am your humble servant, the Voice of Agni, and my armoured companion is named Drakon."

Again, the deep rumbling sounded behind Ozai. "Gursh." The armoured figure stepped past the former Fire Lord slowly, before looking at him from behind it's helm. "Gursh."

Wuong

Wuong laughed at the idea of Sokka's. He sneered at the boy, "You have no idea what you are talking about, Master Sokka. It cannot be as simple as that."

Wuong's voice took on a more darker and angry tone as he continued, "Tell me, do you know what it is like to be betrayed by the one you call 'leader'? Fire Lord Ozai betrayed the people of the colonies! He was going to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground, and he gave no warning ot us whatsoever. We could have all died! The people of the colonies are demanding for succession against this corrupt and oppressive government. Fire Lord Zuko, Fire Lord Ozai, it makes no difference for us. Zuko is the son of that monster! For all we know, he could end up just like him! My people do not want to stay with the very nation that tried to kill us all."

Wuong took a breath and tried to calm himself. He faced the Fire Lord. "My apologies, milord. I can...get over emotional sometimes. However, that fear is very real in the hearts of my people. Of your people. Your family has been cursed for generations. Look at Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai. Look at Iroh, before he redeemed himself. Look at your sister. Tell me Fire Lord...should the people really trust you, after generations of madness? Just a glance at your family will make people question whether or not you will end up like them."

Jing

"I see....very well then, getting the Bei Fong girl to work for us will be acceptable. Tell me...what exactly do you have in mind?" Jing asked, curious. While it was going to be dangerous to work with Toph, it may also be a one time chance. If it was possible, she would eliminate that girl once her usefulness was over. Master Long Feng would be most pleased that one of his main opponents was dead.

Zuko

Zuko listened to Wuong, felt blows to his pride, and glared at the man. His temper was rising, and it took a lot to keep his voice from shouting. "Fire Lord Sozin, Fire Lord Azulon, and Fire Lord Ozai were all wrong, terrible people. I belong to that family, and I went through much pain there because I wasn't like them. Can you see my scar, Representative Wuong? My father gave it to me for trying to protect soldiers from being slaughtered. I have done much to redeem myself and my family, and I know that the stain of their rule will taint the Fire Nation for many years, but I am not Ozai, or Sozin, or Azulon. I won't destory innocent lives for the sake of expanding an empire."

Sokka frowned at the man. He may have had a similar opinion of Zuko, but the man was wrong. He wasn't about to allow someone insult Zuko like that. He stood up, "It's you that don't understand, Wuong. Zuko is a different person than Ozai. Despite what you believe, people are individuals. I mean, look at your own family. I'm sure you're bound to be related to murderers or rapists, as are all people from the colonies. Your ancestors were just as bad as Zuko. People choose who to follow.
Besides, if you don't trust the Fire Nation, then what is wrong with the Earth Kingdom? Have they ever wronged you?"

Wuong

"The people of the colonies have no vendetta against the Earth Kingdom. Now, at any rate. Yes, I see your scar. I have one of my own. But...I do not want to tell you of it. The colonies are willing to work any type of compromise with both nations, so long as we can gain our independence. You cannot deny the Will of the People, Fire Lord. I besiege you to allow us to succeed. It will be for the best." Wuong asked again. He was soon going to be forced to use his truimph card, one he hoped could settle this. If not...Agni help them all.

Zuko

"I'm sorry, Representative, but I cannot allow a secession now. If you are more patient, we can work out something that will please everyone," Zuko said. They hadn't even worked through everything with the Earth Kingdom and already the colonists wanted secession, it just wasn't right. But he would do what was best for his people, and that was not secession.

"Well there's no way of her helping without hurting her sanity a bit more. I suppose that means I should end this soon...." Mai realized as she looked at Azula, her expression staying the same but her fingers began tapping even faster against the knives in her sleeves. "Then again, the strategist has to exist somewhere in her mind does it not?" Mai guessed as she stopped tapping her weapon.

"Yes I simply can't wait...how about we do it next week?" Mai asked as a little bit of the softness she had put in her voice began to fade away. Mai's eyes glanced across the room and took in all the wreckage that had been caused by Azula. The guards were obviously uneasy at the moment but she knew they wouldn't leave her alone. And then there was the table, it was one of the few things in the room that wasn't burned a bit, something Mai thought was rather odd.

"Azula, would you like to play Pai Sho?" The Fire Lady asked as she looked back at her Sister-in-law.
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Aang quickly did everything he could to keep the Beast's attention as he launched Fire, Sand, and water in quick succession at the monster. "Here boy!" He shouted before airbending over the beasts head in a rather large jump before landing behind it and launching another stream of fire at it.

IC: General Narrative

"I stand beside Fire Lord Zuko," said the Earth Kingdom man--a merchant--who had spoken before. Some of his comrades glanced at him in surprise, not for his support against the wishes of the representative, but for announcing so boldly his support for Zuko. Other simply shrugged and nodded their own agreement. "Asking this of us, and so soon, is foolhardy, Representative Wuong. Surely you recognize this. It will cause more harm than good. We are still in the midst of repairing our countries!"

A Fire Nation noble cleared his throat. "Too true. And dividing the Fire Nation's land would only destroy us. Too soon after the War... There is civil war brewing in our nation. We all know it, and yet you would have us break even further? We need a united front to defeat the loyalists of Ozai. We cannot accept your secession, Representative Wuong."

Toph focused on Wuong. She was irritated with the man now, but not so much for his decision and desire. She was angry that he would dare insult Sparky and Sokka the way he had. What right did he have?

She noted something.

"He's not saying something. He's holding something back," she said, aloud, for the first time.

"Who, Lady Toph?" asked the Fire Nation noble. Lord Shang, and most of the Fire Nation council for that matter, liked and respected the little earthbender.

"Who else? The guy I'm supposed to be guarding," she said.

***

IC: Beast

The creature growled, its entire head seeming to turn to face Aang even as he vaulted behidn the beast. Hissing, it managed to escape its icy-manacles seconds before the flames passed by. Its fur was singed, however, and it grew angrier.

Instead of attacking Aang, however, it focused on the sky bison rising into the air. It ran and jumped, and sunk its teeth and claws into one of Appa's legs.

***

IC: Maku

"Well first we got to find out where she's at," said Maku. "Then it's all a matter of getting her alone and defenseless. Once we have her, we can work together in convincing her that helping us is in her best interests."

***

IC: ?

Iroh's abductors threw the former general into a steel cell in the back of their cart. They quickly rode through the Rings of Ba Sing Se, and past the Inner Walls for the countryside and farms on the outskirts of the great city.

They did not slow their pace. They had a ship to catch.

Iroh woke up, without remembering where he was. He just remembered the men in the tea shop, and the girl…

“The girl!” Iroh yelled as he came back into consciousness. He looked around and he was trapped. He was inside some kind of bag. With a little flame, he made a hole in the bag, from which he started to rip, but for nothing. Just to find himself locked in a steel cage.

Fire Nation soldiers abducting me? Why? This is not the work of my nephew... who’s might it be?

The former General started to think as to who would send to kidnap him, who had enough power to send fire nation soldiers to do that.

IC: Ozai

Ozai had raised his hands as soon as the two appeared, and now lowered them with a distrusting expression.

"What is this?" he asked impatiently.

"How did you find me? I had no knowledge of followers such as you. Which tends to mean you are lying."

He raised his hands.

"I have no time for traitors."

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IC: Azula

Azula stared at her, her eyes twitching back and forth as expressions crossed her face. Then with one sweeping motion of her arm she pushed the contents on the table to the ground and dropped a bag of Pai Sho pieces onto it.

"A game fit for his fat, tea loving cookiness!" she shouted, but smiled wide at the Fire Lady.

"Don't I look beautiful Mai?"

Jing

"My master keeps tabs of the whereabouts of important people. Toph Bei Fong, along with Sokka of the Water Tribe and Fire Lord Zuko, are at Whail-Tail Island negotiating with the Earth Kingdom about the colonies." Jing reported. Lord Long Feng had spies checking the whereabouts of his enemies much of the time, since the defeat of the Fire Nation.

Wuong

"Yes, I am hiding something. Fire Lord....I would like to wait. If it ensured our eventual succession, I would be glad to wait. But my partners and the people are demanding succession now. They have pressured me to have us succeed immediately. Fire Lord Zuko....that letter is not just a decleration of our independence. It also serves as a decleration of war, if need be. The Fire Nation colonies are willing to fight for our independence. I did not want to pull this card...but I have no choice." Wuong stated. He knew this statement would cause even more of an uproar. Still, he had no other choice now.

IC: The Voice & Drakon

"Your lordship, we are not traitors. If you wish to find traitors..." The woman looked over her shoulder towards Crater Capital, and smiled darkly beneath her mask. "...you must simply look upon your throne."

She moved over to Ozai's side, her eyes watching his intently. "Fire Lord Zuko, the whelp not worthy of your throne, is currently on Whale Tail Island having peace talks with the Earth Kingdom. He has cast aside the glorious future of the Fire Nation, and now strives for a world of balance!"

Drakon remained still, watching Ozai and The Voice in silence. Moving around behind him, she continued. "Your daughter, lost to the bowels of insanity...and your brother, off in the Earth Kingdom, running a tea shop. All of them have tarnished your family name, Lord Ozai! You alone hold the power to redeem it, and I would rather die than see the Royal Family of the Fire Nation continue to be disgraced by these...imposters."

"Agni himself has sent me to aid you, my lord. He wishes for you to rise again, to take back what is yours, and bring the world under the rule of the superior element! You must rise again, as the Phoenix King, Lord Ozai, and then the world shall be made to bow at your feet. Myself and Drakon are here to aid you in that cause, Lord Ozai. We are here to help you, and to crush those who would dare to oppose you."

IC: Ozai

"I do not care what a fabled Spirit wishes," replied Ozai.

"If you are loyal to me, then no one else shall hold your obedience."

He looked down at the girl with narrowed eyes.

"And you inform of things that I already know; as if I am unaware of the traitors within my family. As if I am a helpless child who does not know what to do."

He continued his ascent to Crater Capitol.

"All you have done is stall me and remind me of my failures. What use do you have, girl; other than be an annoyance to me?"

IC: The Voice

She was before him in an instant, her eyes locked coldly on his face. Drakon moved after her, his hand coming onto Ozai's shoulder to stop the man from moving. "Gursh." The metal titan groaned, as The Voice twirled one of her Chakras around on her finger.

"Your lordship, I have not stalled you...I have simply prevented you from meeting with any off the numerous patrols that are sourrounding the capital. As mighty as you are, milord, the elite guard have not been collecting dust in your absence. A single attack on any of the patrols would be noticed, and you would be fighting the entire guard alone, which would only bring you back to your prison cell, no matter how powerful you are." Her voice was soothing, and seemed to still the air around them.

"My lord, to assault the capital so soon after your escape is foolish. Civil war is brewing, Lord Ozai, between those who support you, and those who support your son. If you come with me, I will take you to the very heads of the rebellion, and you may proclaim your return to the world, and your people will flock to you!" Her words flowed like fine silk, and whispered sweet, hidden promises of power to Ozai, of unimagineable strength, and of total dominion over the entire world.

"Then you will know truely who supports you, and who must be destroyed. You will be able to bring cleasning flame to those who are unworthy, and unite your people once more to crush the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. The time for vengance will come...but now is not the time, Lord Ozai. Now is the time to amass an army to crush your son, and once he is gone, you can set your sights on the one who took your throne from you...forced you to rot in that cell...stripped you of your power..."

"The Avatar. At your command, I will destroy everything he holds dear...I will kill everyone he has ever loved...and if you so wished, I would bring him to you...and you could have the vengance that you so truely deserve..."

IC: Ozai

Ozai actually gave a heated chuckle.

"Announce my return?"

He brushed Drakon's hand from his shoulder and glared down at The Voice.

"The entire world believes me to be a weak and frail man wandering about the Fire Nation; no threat to anyone. My Nation is full of traitors, those that would follow my son as long he remains upon my thrown. Lead a rebellion? And do what? Rage war against my cities? Destroy my Nation in order to regain control?"

He looked up towards Crater Capitol.

"If I chose to crush my son's armies with those of my own, then I would be leaving myself weak once I was victorious. The Earth Kingdom would invade my shores the very next day; the Avatar would be charging into my Palace."

He glared down at The Voice.

"But if my son were to loose all control...find himself unable to continue on his thrown; loose everything, like my Azula...then the traitors of the Fire Nation would fall to chaos."

IC: The Voice

A demonic smile spread beneath her mask. Prison had changed Ozai for the better, it appeared. "It is not so, my lord. For you see, the Earth Kingdom already has a thorn it must deal with. The Colonies. They are leaving the Fire Nation, Lord Ozai. They wish to be their own free state, without the affairs of the other Nations dragging them into war."

"They are prepared to wage war for their freedom. If the rebellion has no use here, why not send them overseas? Make them battle Weaken both the Earth Kingdom, and the traitorous Colonies in one deadly strike. As your son loses control of your nation, your enemies will be unable to aid him as they are consumed by war." She paused for a moment, before sighing as if some unpleasent thought had just occured to her.

"But what of the Avatar, my lord? He will answer your son's call for aid for certain. Things will be made clear, and he will hunt you. Do you have a plan to stop this from happening?"

Aang ran back towards the monster with quick speed before pausing around twenty feet away. That Avatar wasted no time and bended the sand around the monster so it would suck him down before quickly changing poses and pulling a great deal of water from the ocean beside him and throwing the water at the Beast towards it's mouth.
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"Of course you are." Mai replied simply as she set up the board. "Remember how good you were at this game. I never actually saw you lose." She stated as the pieces were finally all in place. Mai had decided that if Azula actually showed some form of strategy or skill with this game then continuing to try and get the Princesses support would be entirely worth it. To be honest Mai was hoping Azula would just freak out and break the rules to show that Mai was right and the girl was lost to her own mind, but there was a part of her that doubted that would happen.

"Would you like the first move Azula?"

IC: Ozai

"There is rebellion in the Earth Kingdom?" said Ozai in surprise, he walked a few paces away.

"I was unaware...it fits so perfectly...a second chance, that's what he said."

He turned towards The Voice.

"The Avatar may have all the power in the world, but his one flaw makes him weak. He will not kill, nor will he let anyone else be killed if he can prevent it. He puts the sake of his friends, above the sake of the world."

He made his way towards the two.

"I require only one thing to crush my traitorous son and hold back the Avatar at the same time. There is a new addition to my family, and I have yet to congratulate her."

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IC: Azula

With a steady hand Azula lifted a Pai Sho piece, and set it upon the board. She did not flinch, or scream, but watched Mai steadily with her makeup stained eyes.

"I would love to, Mai."

Zuko

"War," Zuko asked, completely surprised. "We just ended a 100 year war, and you want to bring around another one? This can't be the will of the people, Representative." He was incredulous at this statement. He was dealing with the threat of two different Civil Wars, one in the Fire Nation and now one with the Colonies.

Katara

The beast had attacked Appa, but Aang had distracted it again, and Appa rose into the air high out of its reach. "Aang, come on," Katara shouted down to him.

Aang


Aang simply nodded in reply and jumped high nto the air, using airbending to make him land on top of Appa. The Avatar looked down at the Beast as they flew away from it, curious as to what it might be. "So that was.....nostalgic." Aang told Katara as he looked at her, trying to make light of the situation.
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Mai


"Hmm....the Arrow's always been considered a good piece to start with, but then so has the white dragon...." Mai thought the issue over before deciding to go with the Arrow as she set the tile piece down on the board. "So Azula.....what do you think about moving closer to the palace?" She asked, ignoring the guards disturbed and worried expressions.

IC: Azula

"I should be closer, shouldn't I?" replied Azula, placing another tile upon the board.

"A member of the Royal Family should be close to her subjects. I've been so busy here, so many things to do; pictures to draw, nails to pain...royal duties."

She looked up towards Mai, her messy hair hanging around her eyes.

"Your move, Mai."

Mai grabbed the white lotus tile and studied it for a second before setting it down on the board, trying to remember a small move that Iroh had shown her. "Very true, your people want to see you Azula, they need to." Mai said calmly as she began to feel uncomfortable inside again. "The festival of Agni is starting in a few months, that should be interesting to see again after all these years." She stated before looking up at the Princess with the same false and proud smile she had been wearing during this meeting.

IC: Azula

"Yes," replied Azula, placing another tile upon the board.

"It will be so much fun. You, Me, and Ty Lee...all together again...."

Her voice was dreamlike, like an echo far away. Her orange eyes were dull as they rested upon the board, before they looked up at the Fire Lady.

"Your turn."

Instead of adding a new tile Mai grabbed her White Lotus tile and switched it with one of Azula's, starting the move that she had seen Iroh use to win countless times. "Azula? I would like some of your......counsel." The Fire Lady asked as she let the sentence fade off.

"If Ozai was to leave his home and disappear, where do you think he would go? We want to invite him to the festival as well, so the people can see the family all together, so everyone can be happy." Mai stated in a calm tone as though she were asking for the answer to a mathematical problem. But inside she hated what she was doing, having to actually speak to Azula, and then having to lie through her teeth the entire time.