One The Battle Plan

The sun rises, and The Princess moves to her feet. She casts a disinterested glance at the destruction of her room, and moves to her wardrobe.

Later, her hair neatly kept, her nails done, and dressed in a new outfit, The Princess feels refreshed, the strange, feverish dream of last night naught but a memory.

She does not acknowledge The Huntress as she leaves her room. The Princess has much to do. Her search for the escaped prisoners, for The Traitor, for The Avatar, none of them are going well.

A very small part of her realizes that she is losing her mind, but that voice; the same that misses the two traitors, that misses the Princess' brother and fat, womanizing uncle, that even misses Mother, that voice is weak, and The Princess crushes it gleefully.

But all throughout the day, The Princess cannot help but feel lonely and scared.

"They're staring at me." Zuko mumbled as he sat down next to Katara. She took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

They were seated in a small auditorium with the leaders of the army, and their friends, waiting for Sokka and Hakoda.

"I'll pound 'em for ya later." Toph said from Zuko's other side, leaning against him. Moments later she was snoring.

"Ignore them." Katara whispered. "They have no right to judge you or us."

Aang turned around in his seat. "What is taking them so long? I'm bored. I want to go out gliding with the Glider Wing."

"Me too!" The Duke spoke up. "Last time was fun."

"Last time, you almost fell down the canyon." Haru chided. "Luckily, Aang was there to catch you."

Aang laughed, but there was something forced about it. He was distracted, anyone could tell, but whatever was wrong with him he wasn't sharing.

Hakoda came walking in, carrying a map stand. Sokka appeared a moment later, looking nervous.

Katara smirked. He was going to try public speaking again.

Hakoda set up the stand, and hung several maps from it. Then he took a seat, and waited.

Sokka swallowed, and when he spoke, his voice cracked. Then he closed his eyes, took a breath, and started again. His next words were strong and clear, and that encouraged him. "The Fire Nation knows we're coming. One thing I learned is that the Fire Lord and his daughter aren't stupid, so yeah, they know we're coming.

That's why we're going to attack head-on." Sokka stopped, and listened to the angry muttering. "I know, I know. It sounds crazy, but with Zuko's help…"

"You'll be leading us into a trap!" Someone shouted, standing.

Sokka faced the speaker, and his eyes narrowed when he saw who it was. "Is that so, Hahn? I trust my brother-in-law with not only my life, but all of my family's, as well. Sit down, and don't speak until someone tells you too."

The snobbish Water tribesman glared dangerously, but took his seat. Sokka continued. "We've developed a plan that will work. Our goal is simple: Keep Aang alive until he fights Ozai. I don't like to admit it, but the rest of us are pretty much less important than him right now."

Aang squirmed uncomfortably, feeling eyes landing on him. Sokka grinned at his friend. "The first stage of this attack is for a small group on Appa to strike several small villages on the outskirts of these islands. The point is not to do any real damage but to make them think we've invaded again. We want the entire army called up. No surprises." Sokka used a twig to mark the places he spoke of.

"The next stage of the plan is for us to take this island here. Its small and uninhabited because its barren, but it's only three miles offshore of the main island. From there, we will once again use submarines to land on the far side of the capitol island. We'll leave a strong security force to protect the medical camp that will be in place.

The rest of us will split into three infantry groups, and strike the capitol here, here, and here." Sokka pointed with his twig. "No static fighting, just push through. We need to cause enough chaos for the real strike force to slip through to the palace.

We'll begin moving people and supplies to the fallback island tomorrow, and select the guerilla fighters. The very day the Comet is here, we will attack the heart of the Fire Nation." Sokka took a deep breath, and waited.

A few people stood up, clapping, then more, and finally, everyone rose to their feet, cheering.

Aang turned to Zuko and Katara. Speaking under the cheers, he asked them a question. "Can I speak to both of you in private? Please, its important."

"I uh…I need to apologize." Aang said uncomfortably. They had moved out of the auditorium, and were alone. "I know you've forgiven me, but it's a point of honor." Aang swallowed. "Katara, Zuko, can you forgive me for being so selfish?"

"Of course." Katara said, looking at Zuko, who nodded.

Aang smiled. "Good. I, er…I found out how I tapped into the Avatar State, and it was the doorway to mastering it. Guru Pathik told me that although I had begun to let go of Katara in Ba Sing Se, my chakra was still sealed while I was emotionally connected. It took a stronger emotion to unseal the chakra. Guru Pathik wasn't sure if is was jealously or rage, but…well, it was because of you two I was able to restore my own balance."

Zuko blinked. "I'm not sure how to feel about that."

Aang laughed. "Good, because I'm not, either." He turned to Katara. "Can I steal him long enough for a lesson? Iroh taught me a lot, but I think Zuko has something else to teach me."

Zuko looked at his friend, and realized what Iroh would not have taught him. "All right. I'll teach you how to redirect lightning."

Aang sat on a bench, watching as Zuko used a stick to mark the dust. "You, I'm sure, are aware that there is a balance in everything." Zuko made a cross, and began to trace the symbols of each nation in the corners formed by the crossing lines. "Fire is the element of power. Earth is the element of substance. Air is the element of freedom, and water is the element of change. A truly skilled bender will learn from each element, and grow in their skill. Uncle created the technique for redirecting lightning by watching waterbenders."

Aang leaned forward, interested. "When did he do that?"

Zuko shrugged. "He never told me." Zuko used his boot to erase the marks he'd made. "Lightning is created by creating an imbalance of positive and negative." Zuko told Aang. "You don't control it, you simply give it its focus the moment it comes crashing back together. But to form lightning, you have to have a clear, focused mind. Redirecting lightning is a little different."

Aang watched as Zuko's movements became graceful, like Katara's. "Waterbending deals with the flow of energy. Their defense becomes their offense, turning their opponent's energy against them. That is the principle behind redirecting lightning."

Aang reached behind his back, and traced the rough skin where he bore the scar from Azula's attack. "So, you can really teach me to do it?"

Zuko smiled. "You must let the energy in your body flow. Create a path from your fingertips, along your arm and down into your stomach." Zuko traced the path with his other hand, circling it around his stomach. "The stomach is the source of energy in the body."

Zuko looked up, smiling slightly at the memory this lesson stirred. "It is called the sea of chi…although in my Uncle's case it is more like a vast ocean."

Aang blinked, and then began to laugh. After a moment, realizing he'd made a joke, Zuko joined in.

Sobering after a bit, Zuko began his lesson again. "The path through the stomach then leads out along the other arm." Zuko poked Aang in the chest, over the heart. "The path through the stomach is critical, because if the lightning passes through you heart, you could die."

Aang swallowed. "So…how do I practice?"

"Stand up." Zuko stood with an arm outstretched. "Uncle showed me a way to get a feel for the flow of your energy."

He showed Aang the motion, and they went through it, again, and again.

This is the first chapter of the final installment of the Tears and Fire series. I want to mention to YourAngelStandingBy, if you are still reading this, that I finally answered the question.

Aang was able to break the seal on his final chakra because both rage and jealousy overrode the sense of love he felt for Katara. So literally, it was because of Katara and Zuko that he was able to access the Avatar State.

For those of you who wonder why there is so little Iroh, just wait until i get to the actual invasion. He gets...occupied.

Adversus solem ne loquitor.