This is my second swing at a post-cannon Avatar fanfic. This may seem odd to most, but I think the core weakness in the first Endless Waltz was a heavy influence by Code Geass. Yes, Code Geass. Long story short, I think the idea behind that was I really loved the concept of Code Geass, but I feel they took it in the wrong direction (I blame Seed Destiny for that!). So I guess I was trying to fix Geass along with write the story Avatar should have been from the start. The other issue is that I underestimated the gravity of the undertaking I had set out on; I was not yet mature enough as a writer to tackle this complex a story. It will be interesting to see if I can find a balance between story, theme, and character, as well as the interplay between narrative and character. I look forward to the challenge.

So what does all this mean to you? Eh, not much. On to the story!

Blood. I hate blood. Why is that all there ever is in this world? People aren't meant to suffer like this. Are they? No! No, I can't believe that! I will be the one to change this world. I will be the one to cure this world's ills. Despotism. Fanaticism. Corruption. I will change human nature itself!

This earth was polluted and scared by the hands of man, not some higher being. And it will be remedied by mortal hands. By my hands. It was the hubris of Fire Lord Sozin and the incompetence of the Earth Kingdom's noble families that brought a hundred years of meaningless wars down upon our little, blue planet. They were all wrong. They deserved to die. But even after they were all swept away, no one had the will or the strength to rectify those sins. My Fire Nation attacked the world at large for three generations. "What of the natural order?" the people cried. What of it? It is not unification of the nations or liberalism that is to fear. Only death. What was gained by the war? By the Avatar's absence? By the Avatar's return? I put it to you. Our world is impossibly backward. It is the responsibility of every man woman and child to think to the future. Reason is the tool that will build the future.

But that in itself presents me with a grand and terrifying paradox. People never make the right choice. Human beings are selfish, stupid creatures. How am I to guide those who don't know to follow? Violence is a tool of those ignorant, backward fools. Those superstitious fanatics who have only just learned to walk upright. My words are lost on them, the enlightened words of the National Assembly are lost to them, but to use force to open their ears and their eyes would only make me a hypocrite. And it would mean rivers of blood. Again.

Zuko. What would you do if you were here? Was it really necessary for you to die? Perhaps. I couldn't keep relying on you forever. But lend me some of your strength if you can. The strength you used to stand against our own homeland's madness. I need that strength. Now more than ever. I'll use all the strength I have to stand against the world, and set it on the right path.

They were all wrong. Ozai, Azulon, Sozin, the Earth Kings, the Avatar. Even Tengo. Even the entire world! So I'll stand against it all. The past, and the present. All to make way for the new future. I'll show them. And I'll guide them into the future if I have to drag them forward, kicking and screaming. I have to do this. I have to do this or the blood will never stop. They said it would stop when the war ended. They were wrong, of course. I told them that. We all did. I was right and they were wrong. That's right. I showed them all that. The whole world. Now people are starting to listen. Not many. Just enough for now. If I can just get a few more to listen. Than a few more. Then a few more, and a few more, and a few more! That's right! I can do it! Only I can do it! No matter the sacrifice, I will do it!

"Sacrifice"? Yes, that's it! Sacrifices will be necessary to bring on the new future. Grave sacrifices must be made. Even if that sacrifice is the blood of those who would threaten the future.

What have I become? I suppose I too am a sacrifice to the future. I can live with that. It's time to change the future!

Akira took brush in hand. Still lost in his whirlwind of thought he began to write his speech. Plucking the best phrases and ideas from his scattered mind he began first draft. It had to be perfect. After all, he was going to change the world. He kept thinking that. Over and over. "Change the world, change the world…" The night dragged on as he wrote draft after draft.

He woke with a start the next morning to a rapping at his door. He had fallen asleep. He cleaned himself up as best he could and answered the door. It was one of his colleagues from the National Assembly. "The meeting is in six hours…"

"I'm aware!" Akira snapped, shutting the door on his friend. He continued to work on his speech until he was finally satisfied with the wording. He was going to change the world in just four and a half hours. After washing up and changing clothes, he practiced his speech. To convince a world already turned on its head that it didn't need a Fire Lord anymore wouldn't be easy.

Two hours left. The new Fire Nation "State's Building" was being prepared for the grand show to come. Akira's closest political allies helped him rehearse the theatrics of his address. The speakers were set perfectly to capture the young man's voice.

Ten minutes. By now they'd all be gathered around the nearest radio. The Avatar, Tengo, Long Feng, the Earth King, and just about everyone else in the world. The meeting had already been underway for more than an hour. Akira steeled his nerves and spoke up, just as he had planned. As he began to speak all but a few representatives were stunned silent. Akira spoke about the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, about royalists and reformists, about the ancient Air Nomads and the new S.E.C. Finally, at the critical moment, Akira's grand ambition was revealed to the world. And, at least in the State's Building, it was met with thunderous applause.

History is about to take a different course once again. This world entrusted to the survivors will see great upheavals. What will be left standing in the revolution's wake? What new things will be built in its place? It's the responsibility of the survivors to decide. The future starts now.

Now that's much better! This is one hell of a challenge, but I think I created a great "overture" to Endless Waltz. Still a lot of Gundam themes, but that's fine. I hope it's clear the switch in perspective was going from thoughts to a more standard narrative (at least 3rd person is standard for me…). Also this "Akira" person I've introduced is supposed to be modeled after a real person, so I'll see if that turns out alright. I really have no idea how this is going to turn out. Time will tell, I suppose…