Summanary: Book three Fire. takes place afther the crossroads of destiny. There are, or should be four books in the CANON so I'm not going to end the war in this story (unless I let the Fire Nation win, then there only would be rebelion.) Well that's about all I'll say about the plot. Ships I like to write, number one favorite Taang dirrectly followed by Sukka don't care much for other ships but if I would need to make a top four the third one would be Maiko I'm really not sure who I match to Katara, perhaps Zutara (I don't think I can write that.) perhaps Haru (it might be hard to put him in the storry).
I would be ashamed of myself if I would grow Taang to fast. There not going to be a couple before chapter 10 and I think I would start as slow as I can early in the story. Sukka has already started I only need to continue it. I need to start Maiko early in the story for the plot.
It's rated T since I have very cruel ideas for the characters in mind. espesially for Suki.
P.S. this summanary is written without a spell/grammar check. the rest of the story is and I promise the langue will be much better then this.
Intro
Water
Earth
Fire
Air
Long ago the four nations lived in harmony, then everything changed when the fire nation attacked. Only the avatar master of all the four elements could stop them. But when the world needed him most he vanished. A hundred years past and my brother and I found the new avatar. A young air master named Aang. And although his airbendings are great he has a lot to learn before he can save anyone. But I believe that Aang can save the world.
Book three: fire
Chapter 1: the awakening
The messenger tried to walk a softly as he could but he couldn't stop his footsteps from echoing through the throne room. This was the most terrifying moment of his life. He had heard many stories about how Princess Azula took bad news. He gave a slight nod to Long Fang a small bow to Prince Zuko and kneeled before Princes Azula before he spoke. "Your Highness the ship which would take the prisoners to the fire nation has been attacked and defeated at the mouth of chameleon bay."
"Yes I almost forgot about that little fleet of water tribe ships." She coldly replied enjoying the fact that the messenger feared for his live. Then her voice hardened. "Sent a new ship, but this time it will be escorted with three times the force needed to crush that fleet! These so called warriors need to been dealt with. Tell the captains to show no mercy." She could practically feel the messengers fear grow while she let more and more anger sound in her voice.
"But now we've a little problem, no ship to take the prisoners. And we've got one very special and dangerous prisoner which should be taken as quick as possible to the Fire Nation for his execution." She smiled in herself when she saw the effect of the word on Zuko's face. "Zuko!" she said with disgust in her voice "If you still can't be proud for choosing the fire nation above your uncle then I don't want you to be in the throne room. Come back when you are proud again to sever our nation." Zuko looked at her and he looked if like he was about to say something but he didn't instead he turned away and left for his chamber.
"Your Highness if I may". Long Fang said with much doubt in his voice. Was this his place to speak?
"Yes, Long Fang." She replied smiling of Long Fangs uncertainty.
"Don't you fear that Prince Zuko might still change his mind and turn against you?" Now he wished he hadn't said that, basically he was accusing her brother for treachery.
"That's what I'm hoping for." Azula replied with a cruel voice.
Long Fang was surprise by this but he succeeded not to show it. "And if you still reckon the Dragon of the West as dangerous wouldn't it be easier to just execute him her in Bad Sing Se, in stead of giving him the undeserved honour of execute him in his homeland."
"Yes it would". She enjoyed Long Fangs hesitation about the question which she knows would come.
"Then forgive me for my confusion but why don't you get rid of Zuko and his uncle". Again he wished he hadn't said that, this was clearly out of line.
"How would it look in the eyes of my enemies if I killed my uncle even if he is a traitor, and even worse if I killed my own brother who is in eyes of many on my ally?" She asked. She was quite pleased that Long Fang didn't saw her intentions of killing her brother. Long Fang was a coward but also a smart man and if he wouldn't see it, it was a hard to see plan.
"Strong and merciless your Highness''. Long Fang answered and being very relieved Azula didn't punished him for his question.
"Indeed and although I like the strong part I need my enemies to think I'm merciful." Again she saw confusion in Long Fangs eyes so she explained more. "You are no doubt aware that the warriors on the outer wall are still fighting."
"Yes they where never loyal to me and they don't care much about the fact that their King has fled". He replied still not understanding why she wanted to look merciful.
"Of course not Long Fang you're disappointing me!" She said angrily now his ignorance was irritating her. "These warrior are like their element, stubborn and standing their ground. You should have known that. In order to defeat them I'm forced to send Fire Nation soldiers and lay siege on them, much like I would have done on the city itself. It will take months, before they have weakened enough through hunger and lack off new troops to been overthrown. It would be much easier if they surrendered. And for that I'll need to look merciful". Long Fang's lack of knowledge about his people didn't bother her that much anymore. After all he was probably still planning something to regain the city. The less Long Fang knew about those who might fight for him, the less of a threat he was. "No I can only take my brother out if he turns against me and people will see him as my enemy." Her voice became frightening when she said. "And I hope that will be soon."
XXX
They where now three with little days of travel from Ba Sing Se, and considering they where flying on a giant air bison that was a big distance. So they finally decided to rest and stay put for a while.
"Finally sweet solid land and a bit of rest" Toph said while she dropped on the ground and made earth tent around her.
"Don't get too excited about it" Sokka said, sounding really depressing he added. "You never know how long we can stay her." But he didn't get a response from her, apparently she was sleeping already.
"Well we will need to stay here for a little while. I need a safe place where I can take care of Aang. He is still in pretty bad shape." Sokka didn't saw her eyes but if he did he would be shocked about the fact that a teenager could hold so much worrying in her eyes.
"Katara can't you heal him on Appa like you did when we escaped out of Ba Sing Se." he asked quietly. He may not have seen her eyes but her voice told him enough.
"Not properly, it only had so much effect because it was the water from the spirit oases. But now I have to heal him with normal water and that isn't easy on Appa."
"Whmmm how long have I been unconscious." Aang asked with a weak voice.
''Aang !!'' they all shouted even Kuei who had been silent since they've left the city.
"You finally woke up" Katara said she almost sounded cheerful again.
''And to answer your question sleeping beauty, you have been away for 2 months now.''
"What!!!" Aang yelled feeling a lot more awake then he did 10 seconds ago.
"Toph this isn't the time for jokes! And I thought you were sleeping." Katara said firmly
"I couldn't sleep I was too worried about Aang." Toph was shocked about herself she hadn't realized this until she had said it. "Anyway don't worry Twinkletoes it's only been three days, still quite a long time but not too long."
Eeeum now that Aang is awake ''Kuei said ''shall I go and try to get some food.'' It was obviously that he felt a little excluded and didn't want to be the fifth wheel of the wagon.
"Yea that would be nice Kuei" Katara said. And he left quickly.
''So twinkletoes, how are you feeling." She didn't get an answer since Aang was already a sleep again.
''you think he is going to be like that for long?'' Sokka asked. He wasn't showing it but he was almost as worried about Aang as his sister was.
''I don't know Sokka.'' Her answered came in such tired words.
''well you're the healing girl if you don't know then who should!?'' He knew it wasn't fair to take out his worries on his sister, but he couldn't stop himself.
''I'm not the healing girl and you know it! I'm the water bending girl who just happens to be able to heal people with water!! I haven't developed my healing capabilities and I'm not a skilled healer!!" She wasn't taking this from her brother right now.
"You two stop picking on each other! Don't you think you got something better to do!'' Toph yelled at the fighting siblings.
''Like what?'' Sokka and Katara both said both ashamed about themselves.
Toph rolled with her eyes. Really how stupid can people be? ''Sokka you need to find some food, remember last time when Kuei came back with only a few poisonous berry's scarcely enough for one person. Katara you said it yourself Aang is still in pretty bad shape you need to heal him. I'll stay here and guard the camp.'' See didn't used to take the lead often but she sensed it was necessary right now.
"Okay Toph you're right, Sokka I'm sorry could you go and search for some food?" Katara apologized.
"Don't be sorry I started it, and don't worry about the food I'll get some." He replied
'' you're okay with guarding the camp on your own Toph?'' Katara asked slightly worried for her little sister.
''yea I'm fine just go heal Aang.''
XXX
Ihro's lack of activity caused a very tense atmosphere at the prison blocks. Of course there was always such an atmosphere but this one was different. This one wasn't caused by the fear of the prisoners. No this one was caused by the fear of the guards.
''Should we go and warn Princes Azula?'' the guard asked worried.
''Are you nuts, she'll really be angry if we disturb her for something like this.'' The second guard replied even more worried.
''yea but if we don't warn her she might kill us for not doing our work.''
The third and most worried guard clearly didn't know what to do. He knew that something was wrong with the prisoner. But he had seen Princes Azula once, and he knew she would hold him responsible. ''I tell you what, if he stays like this for one more hour I declare him in live danger and I'll warn Princes Azula.'' He finally said with what he hoped was a confident voice.
"Why do you want to wait for so long? I know he looks fine but he hasn't moved a muscle for eight hours. Does that sound like he is okay to you?'' The second one replied
''No but what do you want me to do then.''
''Can't you check his pulse or something.''
The first guard was astonished about the ignorance of the second. ''Are you stupid!!! Haven't you heard of him 'the great Dragon of the West? If we're going to check his pulse one of us will need to go into his cell and get close to him. The sun may know what he'll pull of to escape. ''
Ihro wasn't taking much notice of the fierce discussion in front of his cell. In fact his meditation was too deep to be even aware of the guards. He was called in his sleep the other night by an old friend. Now he was trying to answer that call.
XXX
The giant panda greeted him by jumping on him. An act that would probably killed Ihro if he wasn't in the spirit world.
''It is nice to see you again Hai Bay. But I would like to know why you summoned me.'' Ihro said cheerful, happy to see a friend again. The giant panda turned away and started walking. Ihro somehow understood he wanted him to follow him.
''Greeting Ihro, I've hear quit a lot about you.'' A voice from behind him said.
''To whom do I've the pleasure.'' Ihro replied. The fact that he wasn't scared for an unknown voice from behind him in the spirit world proved his courage.
''Avatar Roku, Aang's past live.'' Slightly surprised Ihro didn't sound afraid at all.
''It is an honour to meet you.'' Ihro replied. He didn't show it but he was very relieved, the voice could have come from a much greater thread.
''although I appreciate your politeness, I believe we should just skip the formalities and just rush to the point".
Ihro smiled in himself an immortal spirit in a rush, how ironic.
"Aang isn't safe anymore in your world. And although he is not yet in direct danger he does need protection for the time he is vulnerable.'' Avatar Roku continued.
''Are you referring to the Avatar state?'' Ihro asked.
"Yes. Few Avatars ever had so much and dangerous enemies, and that was in times when normal mortals weren't capable of doing such deadly things as bending lighting. Normally the Avatar didn't need to worry about protection when he is in the Avatar State thanks to their colossal power to wipe out their enemies. But it seemed the times have changed, Aang was nearly killed the last time he was in the Avatar State."
''Yes I saw my niece strike him down with lighting. It is a miracle that he lived.'' Ihro said with his face to the ground. He knew he wasn't responsible for Azula's action but he still felt guilty about what his niece had done.
''Indeed, and as I don't like to count on miracles to happen, I want to have Aang protected when he is in the Avatar state.'' He continued.
''Is that what you've called me here? So you could ask me to protect Aang while he is in the Avatar State?!" How could such a wise spirit suspect that him?
"No I don't think you're capable of that." Roku replied. "I think that there is only one person who in the world who can protect Aang during the Avatar State."
"How?" was Iroh's curious reply.
"Aang, but he has to learn how to do that." Roku answered with a small smile on his face.
Iroh raised an eyebrow "You want him to learn self defence, I think he already mastered that skill."
"The fact he was struck down while he was most powerful proves he hasn't."
"And you want me to teach him more skill in the defending art." Iroh couldn't help to feel proud at the request of this mighty spirit.
"In the fighting art in general really." Roku improved.
"Why me?"
Roku smiled at the humbleness of the man. "There is little more Aang can learn from people other than fire benders. I hoped he would have encountered a wise and well willing firebender to train him. But fate hasn't been in his fortune, and you are one of the wisest and most powerful firebenders who live your earth. I couldn't imagine a better teacher than you."
XXX
Zuko never felt more angered then he did now. Not during the countless times Azula humiliated him, not when the general suggest to sacrifice hundreds of lives just for a tactical advantage, and not during his countless encounters with the avatar. His honour would be restored, he would return home to a father who now would love him and he would be able to live a happy life in the palace. Yet he couldn't be happy, yet he felt he missed an important piece of his life.
He reminded himself a thousand times that Iroh had betrayed him when sided with the Avatar while he should have teamed up with Azula and him, not counter clockwise. But no matter how many times he remembered his uncle betrayal he couldn't lie to himself he didn't loved the old man. In a smallest part of a second he wondered if he couldn't bust his uncle out.
No! he couldn't think like that. Not now he was so close again to his destiny. He had suffered too much to let it go so easily. For too long he had searched for the Avatar in every hellhole in the worlds, for to long the right was taken to have a live. This was his chance to get it all back he couldn't throw it away. He decided to visit his uncle. Perhaps he could convince his uncle to show remorse. If he did he would receive an honourable execution instead of the hanging waiting for him now. He could at least try to give his uncle an honourable dead.
"Hi" she said "are you going to the throne room again?"
"Why do you care?" he said hatefully
"I was just worried about how you felt about your uncle!" she answered looking upset by how Zuko talked to her.
Zuko was shocked by her response. Mai never looked to have any feelings whatsoever and now she was being upset? "Shouldn't you be with Azula?'' he asked a bit kindlier just in case he was actually hurting her feelings.
''No I'll rather be here with you". She replied when she sensed Zuko was trying to be nicer to her.
Zuko look at here her face as always never revealing any emotions. This wasn't like Mai at all. It was fishy and he didn't trust it. "To answer you're question, where I go is my business" now he was being aggressive again against Mai. "But if you're spying for Azula, which I think you are, then you can tell her I'm going to visit my uncle to settle some things out." It was not like Azula wouldn't find about it anyway.
Mai again looked hurt. "I was just trying to be nice! But if that's how you're feeling then I won't try anymore." And she walked away.
XXX
Azula was sitting on the throne actually being bored. She had thought that running the greatest of all earth cities would give you a bit of power. But she had been ordered to lay low someone else would take care of the city for her and she was ordered not to do anything which would alert the citizen. She didn't really cared she didn't get the city, sooner or latter her father would die making her the first female Fire Lord (She had decided not to call herself Fire Lady which just sounded weird.) and she would have all the power she wanted.
"How did it go" Azula asked. Happy that Mai had returned now she had something to do.
"Terrible" Mai answered "He just doesn't trust me, but I think you're right about him he is going to betray us in the future if we're going to give him the time to choose for his uncle."
"I already knew that, I except better result next time. I don't need intelligence about my brother. I need him to trust you so he'll take you with him when he and his uncle are going to search for the Avatar."
"Are you going to let them escape?" Mai was surprised by this, and she wasn't happy with it either. It would be a very hard job to make Zuko trust her enough to take her with him.
"Yes and as I said I need you to go with them." She replied "My uncle is probably going to track down the Avatar to join him, and most likely he will succeed. I'll have a spy in the Avatars group if you can make Zuko and with that uncle to take you with them. It would make things a lot easier."
XXX
Time hadn't passed in the spirit world and the conversation between the mortal and the spirit continued like it never had stopped.
"So we agree then? You will join the Avatar and train him."
"Hhmm there is a small problem." Iroh said feeling sorry not being able to obey Roku "I trust my nephew will turn around and free me sooner or latter, but I'm not sure he will follow me to join the Avatar witch would mean high treason against the Fire Lord. I'm not sure if he can do that and I can't leave him either."
"I understand your feelings and I agree with you, you need to keep Prince Zuko close to you and on the good side. After All he is the only one who can stop this war without having to defeat the entire Fire Nations army or the Avatar and his allies." Roku replied. "But I see a good future for him and the Avatar and his friends. It would be life changing for him to have friends like that. So don't worry you won't have to leave your nephew. Now go''
XXX
The sweet smell of ginseng tea brought Iroh out of his meditation. When he opened his eyes he saw an emotionless Zuko. "I knew this would work. If it wouldn't I would be just as worried as these guards are."
"Aa! Zuko you've come to pay your old uncle a visit." Ihro said warmly, while he was rubbing his new acquired bruises.
"It's Prince Zuko for you now since you're no longer royalty." He tried not to return his uncle's warm voice, he shouldn't be kind to a traitor.
"Then why have you come?" Ihro asked now sounding depressed. His nephew's cold voice hurt him.
"I wanted to offer you my help." He replied as coldly as he could bring these words.
"Your help!?" Iroh yelled surprised and happy. But when he heard Zuko's cold voice he fall back in his misery. "With what he?" he asked defeated.
Zuko never had seen his uncle like this; so defeated so depressed and mostly so weak. He couldn't help but to feel sorry for him. "With the only thing I can; your death."
Iroh gave a horrible attempt of a laugh. "I doubt I need much help for that."
He had suspected this kind of reaction from his uncle. "I think you do." He replied with a dark voice, kinder he continued. "Your death is planned to be a shameful now, with my help it could become a honourable one. If you would show remorse for your treachery then I'll stand out for you. Your execution won't be a disgrace and your honour would go on living even when you've stopped."
Iroh shook his head at his foolish nephew. "I don't think it won't Zuko. I think it would die if I betrayed what I believe in."
"What are you talking about!! Don't you trust me!? I promise you I won't let my father take away your honour if you show remorse!"
"Zuko your father can't take away my honour!" Would his nephew ever learn the lessons about honour?
Zuko wondered if his uncle had gone mental. "Of course he can! He is the Fire Lord he can take away anyone's honour away!"
"No he can't Zuko. True honour can only be taken by you self since it doesn't lie in the way other people look at someone, but in the way one looks at one self."
"Prince Zuko if you could please move aside." One of the nervous guards said. "We have chosen to chain the traitor to the wall in a new cell so he can't go meditating again."
"Make the chains tight, he has deserved it." Zuko said, angered by his uncle ignorance. Finally he couldn't restrain the question burning on his lips all this while. "Why you didn't follow Azula instead of turning your back to the Fire Nation, we could both have returned as heroes!"
"And then what!" Ihro yelled back easily throwing the guards who were trying to stop him away. "You know we would be false heroes, you know the Fire Nation is on the wrong side of this war, you know they are hurting innocent people!"
Zuko couldn't take this, he turned and ran away.
XXX
Mao had lived a hard life and he wasn't the type who needed luxury or style, but why did the instructions always needed to be giving in these small dark rooms. "So what is the will of the White Lotus" he asked
The elderly man sat just on the other side of the room, yet he was hardly visible. "You are being requested to join the Avatar and protect him."
"Why?" Mao asked with as much respect you could put in such a small question.
"Members of your ranking aren't supposed to ask why." The elderly man replied not sounding patience.
"Neither am I supposed to be requested to lose my neutrality or the neutrality of the White Lotus in this war. The Order first and almost only goal has always been its own survival and the survival of his members."
The man realized he owned Mao an answer. "It still is, but Master Ihro has convinced the other masters, that if the Fire Nation won this war it would damage the balance of the world permanently. That would also damage the White Lotus."
Mao made a disapproving sound.
"Do you disagree?" the man asked with a very slightly mocking voice.
"Yes I do." Mao replied firmly. "And I don't need your mocking for this assignment."
"Yet you're accepting it?" The man asked curiously.
"Of course, I've sworn loyalty to the Lotus and I'll never break that oath." Mao answered, slightly insulted by the man underestimation of his loyalty.
"For this mission you will receive any help the White Lotus can provide." The man said admiring the boy's loyalty. "Now leave and serve the White Lotus."
XXX
''How's Aang?'' Sokka asked.
Katara replied. ''getting better.''
An #3. I don't get it. I mean I've reread it again, and it really isn't so bad in my opinion. Most people only read this chapter without continuing the other ones. Please tell me what's so bad about this.