Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender.
As Appa landed outside Zuko's palace, a huge crowd of people eager to catch a glimpse of the avatar and his friend gathered around. A huge group of heavily armed guards surrounded the gang as they got off Appa. Aang looked Katara and she shrugged. She then took her boyfriend's hand and they walked through the gates, Sokka and Toph following behind them. When they reached the palace, they were greeted by a multitude of servants offering hot towels and various foods. Sokka helped himself to the snacks while Katara and Aang politely declined and Toph just ignored them. A man with a thin mustache and pudgy face came over to Aang.
"Avatar Aang, I will make your presence known to Fire Lord Zuko immediately," he said.
"Oh, um, ok," Aang replied. The man then hurried off in the direction of the Fire Lord's quarters. Minutes later, Zuko walked into the room.
Aang smiled and bowed to him saying "Hello Your Fieriness. Thank you for inviting us to the palace."
"I told you not to call me that," Zuko said.
"No, you told me not to call you Sifu Hotman."
Zuko frowned.
"Okay, okay," Aang said putting his hands up in a sign defeat, "I won't call you that."
"Good," Zuko said, "Now how about some dinner?"
As the gang sat around the table, Zuko told them how things were going with his mom at the palace.
"I think it's a bit hard for her to be here because of all the bad memories, but she is pulling through," he told them.
"That's good," Sokka said except since his mouth was full of roasted turtle duck, it came out sounding more like "Dat's 'ood."
"Sokka, please, don't talk with your mouth full. It's really gross," Katara chided him.
"So Zuko," Aang said, "What was with all those guards earlier?"
"Protection," Zuko simple stated.
"From what?" Sokka prompted, "I mean, I appreciate the thought and all, but I think we can handle a crowd of fans."
"Yeah," Katara said, "I have to agree with Sokka on this one Zuko."
"It's not the crowds I'm worried about. It's the New Ozai Society," Zuko said. The others gave him questioning looks. Zuko sighed and massaged his temples. "After Aang defeated my father, most of the Fire Nation was happy to be rid of him. They didn't like the war anymore than than the rest of the world. But some of my dad's elites went and formed an underground organization designed to dethrone me. It is made up mostly of governors and military officials. Mai's dad is part of it."
"Wait, you mean the guy in Omashu we tricked by pretending we had pentapox?" Sokka broke in.
"Pentapox?" Zuko asked confused.
"When we were in Omashu, we use purple pentapai to make it look like we had a disease and called it pentapox. We tricked the governor to help the rebels escape," Aang explained.
"Oh," Zuko said, "Yeah, Mai's dad governed Omashu when it was occupied by the Fire Nation. Anyway, Mai had a run in with the New Society while staying with her Aunt and she uncovered a new plot and sent me a letter about it. They've decided Aang is the problem, not me." He turned to the avatar. "Aang, they want to kill you."