Gladiator: Mark of the Rouge
This story was inspired by Seyary-Minamoto. Her story gladiator gave me the idea for how to make a story I have been trying to wright.
Chapter one
The universe is full of choices which each choice made changing the course of it in ways unseen and sometimes inconsequential. An example of an inconsequential choices would be Aang eating a custard tart instead of a fruit pie before leaving the southern air temple. An example of a consequential choice is Azula running away to become a nun.
This story deals with a consequential choice that will have long reaching consequences that will change the very course of the world of Altus.
Southern water tribe early winter ASC 94…
Hakoda was a man of medium height with brown mid length hair and a beard. Hakoda just finished smashing two Fire Nation soldiers' heads together when he saw something heading into the village.
Having a bad felling Hakoda fallows his gut and starts running to his family hut. Hakoda arrive to his home to find his daughter running into him. Hakoda catches the girl before she falls. "Daddy there is a scary man inside with Mommy help her."
Katara tells her daddy. "Katara go find Gran-gran and stay with her till I come get you." Hakoda tells Katara. "Ok." Katara tells Hakoda as she takes off running. Meanwhile inside the hut Yon Rha hears a man's voice outside the hut so he grabs the woman he has been intaragating to securer his escape.
They could easily send an assassin to kill the waterbender now that they knew who the last waterbender was. But when he saw who came through the door he figured he might be able to work this situation to his advantage.
"Hello Chief Hakoda it is a pleasure to meet you." Yan tells the chief of the village as he holds a hand to Kya's throat.
"Give me your unconditional surrender or this woman dies a fiery death. You will then come with me to the Fire Nation to discuss the terms of your surrender with the Fire Lord." Yan Rha knew there was no way the man would accept this offer and the fact that he was bluffing did not help.
But it was best to start high when negotiating like this. "I accept your terms." Hakoda tells the man as he gets down on his knees as a sigh of surrender.
"What?" a shocked Yon Rha asks the man.
"I said I except your terms just do not harm my wife." A defeated Hakoda tells Yon Rha.
With that Yon Rha concord the Southern Water Tribe. And instead of being demoted from to Lieutenant Commander to Lieutenant Yon was promoted to Rear Admiral.
Two weeks later Fire lord's palace.
Hakoda who was dress in his finest furs had his head to the floor in a submissive bow. In front of him was Fire Lord Azulon an old but powerful firebender. Form what Hakoda understood there were only two other fire benders who could match him, his sons.
Azulon's first born was the famous Dragon of the West, General Iroh who was starting to enter retirement age at fifty nine. Youngest son was head scientist of the Fire Nation Technology Research Institute, Ozai the Phoenix of Science. Ozai was as just as famous as his elder brother in some circles do to his scientific achievements.
Some of Ozai's achievements include the design and development of the RX-78 armored transport tank train and the RX-78-2 land battleship. He also developed a way to heat water for indoor plumbing. Ozai was the same age as Hakoda and was one of the few people in the world who could match Hakoda's intellect. Ozai also had a son and daughter the same age as his own children.
"Rise Chief Hakoda I like to look into the eyes the people I negotiate with. Come I have made some tea for us to enjoy well we talk." Azulon might be called a cruel man but that was only to his enemies. The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe was no longer an enemy to his people and allies. Azulon was known as a kind but firm ruler to his people. Hakoda was now one of his people.
"I am honored my lord, I have herd you are an excellent tea maker and am glad you have given me a chance to find out for myself." Hakoda says as a servant brings him the cup of tea the fire lord pored him. Hakoda was surprised by what he tasted.
"This is frost kelp tea which happens to be my favorite tea. I am not however familiar with what you used to remove the bitterness it's not sea lime but has a similar taste. Forgive me for speaking out of turn my lord." A surprised Hakoda exclaims to the fire lord who laughs to the Hakoda's shock.
"That's quite all right my boy good tea should always be appreciated. And to answer your question its orange lemon juice. Now let's start with the boring part of the meeting. First of all I want the secret of water tribe steel. You will also begin working with my son Ozai to help develop new weapons to aid in the war effort with the earth kingdom and then the Northern Water Tribe." Azulon tells Hakoda turning from kind old man to the powerful leader of the Fire Nation.
"That is fair my Lord." Hakoda tells Azulon.
"Next I demand your Tribe's help in improving are current navel tactics and navigation. I also demand that your Tribe begin using the Fire Nation schooling system. Since you gave us unconditional surrender I will allow your people to keep your traditions. We will of course infuse Fire Nation laws to your people as well. Now here's what you will get. Your people will have access to Fire Nation technology, I will release all Southern Water Tribe prisoners and will help fund a waterbending school to help your tribe learn there lost art. I would be pleased if you could have one of the water bending healers work with one of my firebenders to develop fire bending healing arts if possible. Finally your tribe will switch to fire nation currency I will send some with you to change out your tribe's currency. These are the terms of your surrender. Your family will have to be relocated here but I will let you chose a Waterbending teacher should any member of your family be a waterbender." Azulon tells Hakoda shocking him.
Hakoda never thought the terms he would halve to agree to would be so fair.
"I graciously accept your terms my lord and if I may ask a question." Hakoda tells Azulon.
"You may Hakoda." Azulon tells Hakoda knowing what he will ask.
"Why are you being so fair to us?" Hakoda asks the old man.
"I am being fair because you only surrender to save your wife's life. I know what it is like to lose the woman you love and I would give anything if it would bring her back. But alas nothing can bring my beloved back. So I respect those who treasure their loved ones above themselves. And if anyone in this chamber repeats what I just said you will be exacted. Now my son Ozai and his family will accompany you to pick up your family. I want at least one new ship design when you two return. Housing for your family will be ready upon your return. It should take you minimum of month to get there and back. You family will also be accepted to dine with my family upon your return." Azulon tells Hakoda.
"But it should only take three weeks to get there and back?" Azulon's statement confused Hakoda greatly.
"I did say I was releasing the prisoners of the Southern Water Tribe did I not." Azulon tells Hakoda causing a goofy grin not unlike his sons to appear on the younger man's face.
Two weeks later in the new southern fire nation…
Hakoda had enjoyed the long journey home. Hakoda and Ozai did not get along at first giving each other rather clever insults. Hakoda calling Ozai pampered princess and Ozai insulating that Hakoda was an uncivilized savage.
Hakoda decided to get all the bad blood out of the way by challenging Ozai to a sparring match with practice spears. And the two proceeded to beat the shit out of each other.
…
Hakoda held his spear in his stance as he regarded his opponent, a tall stern looking man with long black hair and a long goatee. His opponent's gold eyes glared into his own blue eyes holding a similar wooden spear in a more aggressive stance.
Hakoda's opponent is Ozai the youngest son of Azulon. Ozai is the genius behind most of the technology of the Fire Nation in the last twenty five years an impressive feat for a man of thirty three.
Ozai struck first going for a thrust to Hakoda's chest, Hakoda blocks with his spear but was struck by Ozai's follow up strike with the bottom of his spear. Hakoda responds with a hard slash that made contact with Ozai's ribs. But Hakoda's follow up blow is blocked by Ozai who counters with a straight punch to Hakoda's face.
Hakoda answers the punch with a kick to Ozai's sternum knocking the wind out of the man. Ozai responds to the kick by sweeping his spear in an attempt to knock Hakoda to the ground. Hakoda jumps over sweep and slashes at Ozai with his spear and Ozai who was in a crouch barley rolls away. As Ozai rolls he thrusts his spear connecting with Hakoda's left thigh causing Hakoda to collapse.
Hakoda rolls out of the way of a down word thrust before getting back to his feet. Hakoda begins spinning his staff and swings it at Ozai's spear braking it and hitting Ozai in the face braking Ozai's nose and ending the match.
"That was a good match." Ozai tells Hakoda as he puts his nose back into place.
"I agree let me by you a drink. It's the least I can do after breaking your nose." Hakoda tells Ozai.
"I don't drink." Ozai says as grabs two towels. Ozai throws one of the towels Hakoda before he wipes the sweat and blood off his face.
"I don't either so how about we get one of those 'soda's' they looked good." Hakoda tells Ozai as he wipes the sweat off his face.
"I will buy after all you won." Ozai tells Hakoda.
…
Hakoda and Ozai developed a fast friendship after the match and the two would design a ship on a bar napkin that night. The two were also quite a site to see sitting at the bar of the ship all bruised up and drinking fire nation cola. Soon after they picked up the old Southern Water Tribe prisoners form Dry Rock. And now they were almost to the Southern Water Tribe.
Hakoda did not really see much of Ozai's wife or daughter since both were stuck in a cabin together badly sea sick. But from the small amount of time he did interact with them he found them both to be no nonsense woman just like his wife and daughter.
When he introduced himself to Ursa and Azula the little girl punched him in the gut. This cased Ursa to tell him that if he harmed her children she would castrate him with a wooden spoon. To Hakoda it sounded like she would also enjoy doing it.
Zuko Hakoda thought was a bit dumb, but a good kid. He seemed to be a bit of a mama's boy but Hakoda was to so he did not judge Zuko on that. He did think Zuko was as big a hot head as his daughter and that was his problem. Zuko also seemed a bit fear full of some things.
Hakoda already picked out a Waterbender to teach Katara and Kya combat waterbending. An old woman by the name of Haman. After all Kya have learned waterbending healing from the scrolls left by the same woman. He would have Ursa work with his wife in an attempted to adapt firebending for healing purposes.
Two hours later the ship arrived at the water tribe colony. Hakoda was happy to see his mother, wife and daughter waiting for him. Ozai had went to check on his wife and daughter. Ozai wanted to let them know that the ship arrived at the South Pole.
"Mother, Kya and my Little Beak it's good to see you after all this time." Hakoda yells as he hugs the three woman in his life. Hakoda then grabs his wife and gives her passionate kiss. He missed his wife dearly after all, when he brakes the kiss Kya had a dreamy look on her face.
"Where's Bato and Sokka?" Hakoda asks looking for his best friend and son. When he says this Kya looks sad.
"What happened Kya?" Hakoda asks his wife losing his good cheer when he sees the look on his wife's face.
"Bato and some of the men left the Tribe a few days after you left for the Fire Nation. I fear Sokka went with them." Kya tells her husband.
"Sokka went inland Kya. He came to my hut the night Bato and the others left and asked me to do something for him." Gran-gran says suddenly.
"What did he ask for mother?" Hakoda asks his mother. The man was shocked that his best friend turned traitor. He would have to get a list of names latter right now he wanted to know what happed to his son.
"You don't have to worry about having to hunt Little Sokka down he asked that I give him The Mark of the Rouge." Gran-gran tells Hakoda.
Unknown location deep within the South Pole…
A nine year old boy was walking through a blizzard. The boys blue water tribe furs were keeping him warm but he had ran out of food the day before and could not see where he was going. This is the son of Hakoda a boy by the name of Sokka. Tired and hungry the boy collapses.
Sokka did not see it but he had collapsed in front of the ancient ruins of the lost city of the Southern Water Tribe. All that was left of the city was The Forge. The Forge was were the secret of water tribe steel was first discovered.
It was said the only King of the Southern Water Tribe and a powerful energybender was cursed by La. The king would not be able to die until found and trained a worthy successor. A successor who was worthy of the man who became a king by his own hand.
The name of the lost city was Cimmeria.
A tall, brutish, dark haired man with tan skin and sullen blue eyes was watching the blizzard from the forge a boy collapse in front of him. The man walks to the boy and picks him up to bring into the temple.
The tall man removes the boys now soaked clothes leaving him in his underwear. The man puts a pair of blue pants on the boy before he puts the boy on to a bed. As he covers the boy with a blanket he sees a familiar tattoo on the boy's right shoulder. The tattoo was of a demons scull pointing at the boy's feet it horns in a c shape.
The tattoo was familiar to the man because he had the same tattoo on his right arm. The tattoo had great significant in the water tribe. It was given to those who willingly left the water tribe. It was known as The Mark of the Rouge.
To be continued…