"These people are so ignorant. They are unable to see that they're all surrounded by false peace and hope planted in their minds by the Avatar. Soon though, soon they will all see the truth." A figure hidden by the shadow could be see standing on the top of the outer walls of Ba Sing Se cloaked in a black hooded robe. Ba Sing Se soldiers and the Dai Li were all beaten and unconscious spread out around him. The figure looked around at how easily he had defeated some of the Earth Kingdom greatest Earth Benders.
"I think I've made my point." With that, the robe figure jumped down into the inner wall as he traveled through the farmland heading towards the inner great wall and the ghettos of Ba Sing Se.
It had been five years since the Avatar saved the world from the wrath of the Fire Nation and the Phoenix King. Like the Phoenix, the world was nearly destroyed, but was beginning to rise from the ashes. For so long the Fire Nation installed fear and hate into the rest of the world that at first it was hard for the other nations to come to terms with the Fire Nation's new lease on life. With the combined efforts of Aang, the Avatar, and Zuko, the Fire Lord, the other nations were starting to see the Fire Nation in a different light.
"Aang, we need to hurry up. Zuko said that this is a very important meeting with the Earth King. We cannot afford to be late." Katara yelled to Aang who was in another room. Katara was now nineteen and had grown since the war with the Fire Nation. She still looked roughly the same, but she had cut her hair so that it now came down to her shoulders. She was wearing traditional Earth Kingdom clothes that were appropriate for events like the one she was heading to today.
"Aang come on, we need to be getting a move on." Katara yelled once more into the other room. Aang came out from the other room wearing something similar to what the Monks from his Air temple would wear. He was yawning and rubbing his eyes as if he just woke up. Aang now stood at least a foot taller than Katara. He still held his childlike innocence, but you could see that he had matured over the years.
"Katara, do we really have to? I was having such a nice dream." Aang moaned. Katara couldn't help but laugh at him. This was just like him, always trying to find a way out of his duties. Sometimes she found this to be annoying but it was also something that reminded her of his free spirit, the same free spirit she fell in love with.
"What was the dream about honey?" Katara asked as she finished getting ready for the meeting. She sat down in front of a mirror while she carefully put on her mother's necklace, then she began to brush down her coco brown hair to keep it laying flat on her head. She didn't want to show up looking like she just had woken up. She glanced at Aang thinking how little he had to worry about keeping his hair in check.
"It was about us…starting a family." Aang cheeks became red as the thought of his dream made him blush. Katara showed a little embarrassment too before kissing Aang on the check and then on the lips.
"We still have plenty of time to start a family, but we don't have time to waste right now. We need to get to this meeting, on time." Katara said the last two words with a little sass. Aang let out a small laugh while rubbing the back of his neck.
Aang and Katara left from their house in Ba Sing Si upper ring and made it on time, for once and were greeted by the Earth King personal guards. Aang and Katara were lead into the main conference room as they ran into Zuko and Mai. Zuko was in his Fire Lord attire while Mai was in normal Fire Nation clothing. Both Aang's and Katara's eyes lit up when they saw her belly, the last time they saw her was three year ago, so it was a shock to see her with a round belly.
"Mai, you're pregnant!" Katara squealed as Aang was already playing with Mai's stomach.
"Yeah, shocking isn't?" Mai groan as she watched Aang put his head to her stomach like it was a seashell.
"So you're going to be a father Zuko, you must be so excited!" Aang said still holding onto Mai until Katara pulled him off. He gave a small pout before turning his attention to Zuko.
"Well I am not sure if I am going to be a good father or not. It's not like I had a great role model to practice after." Zuko said referring to his father. Mai walked up towards her husband and kissed him on the check.
"Don't worry, I am sure that you will be a very good father." She kissed him once more just for reassurance.
"Yeah Zuko, I am sure that you will be a great father and if not, you can always come to me or your uncle." Aang said wrapping his arm around Zuko's neck. At first Zuko glared at him, but it quickly turn into a smile.
"Thanks Aang, so how have you two lovers been doing?" Aang's and Katara's eyes met before they answered in unison.
"It couldn't be any better." They said in a cheerful way. Aang and Zuko talked some more catching up while Mai and Katara talk about different names for the baby when The Earth King and his two personal guards entered the room as he took his seat at this throne
"It is nice to have the Fire Lord and the Avatar here; I hope that everything has been to your liking?" He asked crossing his fingers.
Both Aang and Zuko agreed allowing for the Earth King to continue on.
"The reason that I have called for this meeting is because of some urgent news that I've received from one of our strong holds. It was written down in the report that some of our bases in the outer lands have been attacked by a very powerful bender. So powerful in fact that he was able to take out over forty of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom best benders." He paused awaiting their reactions. The group all let out a gasp at what they have just been told. Zuko was the first to speak up.
"What! How is that possible? No one should have that kind of power other than the Avatar." Zuko said jumping up to his feet. Indeed he was right, no one other than the Avatar could have done such a feat, but yet it had been done. Katara wondered who could have done this and for what reason. The world is at peace now, why would someone try to cause more havoc.
"We are not sure on how, but our information is correct." The Earth King responded.
"What type of Bender is he, earth, water or fire?" Katara asked.
"Neither," The Earth King retorted. "It was an Air Bender." The group once more gave off shocking expressions all except Mai.
"But I thought that all the air benders were killed by the Fire Nation. That cannot be true, can it Aang?" Zuko questioned looking at Aang who had his head down.
"I was under the same notion as you Zuko. I didn't know that there were any other air benders other than myself." Aang's voice was a little shaken from the weight of what he had just heard.
"Nevertheless, whoever this mysterious air bender is, he is indeed our enemy." The Earth King stated.
Katara lost focus on the conversation between the Earth King and Zuko and started to focus more on Aang. She had seen this look in his eyes before. It was the same look he had when Appa was taken, and the same look that he had when he thought he failed to defeat the Phoenix King for the first time.
"Honey, are you okay?" Katara asked as she put her hand around his shoulder pulling him a little closer. Aang was trapped in his owned world. His mind was racing with different ideas and questions. How could he have not known that there was another air bender out there like him? For so long he thought that he was really the last of the airbenders next to Appa, but now that was not the case. There was another airbender out there and he was now attacking the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom warriors.
"So what are we to do now?" Zuko asked the Earth King. The Earth King sat in his throne trying to think of their next plan of action.
"We will track him down and find out why he is committing crimes against the two nations." Aang spoke. "Zuko and I will take care of this Earth King." Aang bowed to Earth King as Zuko followed suit.
"Fine, I will leave this to you two." The Earth King said when a Dai Li agent appeared in the middle of the room.
He turned to the Earth King and bowed to one knee before speaking. "Sir I am here to report that someone has defeated our guards that protect the outer wall." The Dai Li agent said.
"What! Who is this person?" The Earth King shouted nearly jumping out of his throne.
"We are not sure Sir, but some of our defeated brethren said that he was indeed an air bender."