Fall of the Fire Lord

by D-Chan4

Slightly less then a year after the Fall of Fire Lord Ozai peace is still being fought for and Team Avatar must fight and end a rogue raider group from destroying their peace, first they have to find them.

1. Chapter 1 – A sailing we will go

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar

AN: I am well aware of the rumors of the new season with Avatar Korra? I started writing this story before then. As you can see I have several stories going at once, I squeeze in the time I can and my mood usually dictates what I will write on. I will do my best to update at least once a month.

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Chapter 1 – A sailing we will go...

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Aang sat quietly as Zuko continued on with his political ramblings with the leaders of the other nation. Not that Aang wasn't interested in peace, he was all for it as it was his way of life as an Air Nomad.
Correction, as the only Air Nomad.
He and Appa were the end of the Air Nomads. It was this horrifying thought that had rung true when he was alone. The pain felt most acutely when Katara left to join another tea celebration leaving him with his duties as the Avatar. Truly one of a kind to the last drop of blood. No one person as powerful as him, no bender like him, no tribe to be a part of. He could turn to everyone he wanted, but in the end he was still alone. The beginning of the end in fact. When it was the Air Nomad's turn again to produce an Avatar the cycle would end. The war would start a new, his peace was only temporary.
He had consulted countless avatars and found not a single answer. They could only tell him of the past and their former lives and knowledge gained in that time. Never had the avatar line been so close to ending. Again and again he was falling short of what he was, who he was; he was suppose to be so great and yet... he failed. He winced catching Bumi's attention. The old man gave him an insane smile before turning back to focusing on the meeting. Shaking off his veil of grief determined to listen once more.
"There hav been reports of raiders attacking an outlying village in our nation. No nation has been accused by the villagers so it stands to reason that they are rogue thieves." One of Bumi's general said calmly.
"My suggestion is to send a group consisting of diplomats from each nation to prove our sincerity. As well as judge should the raiders be fighting in our name." A water tribe leader interjected. Aang nodded mechanically letting them know he was willing to go. He was the only delegate for the Air Nomads. Shaking his thoughts free from that depressing path he thought of all the uprisings from nation loyalists trying to seize control of small pockets of land.
With the sudden vacuum of control the Fire Nation people had gone mad with their own ideas. Parts of the Fire Nation army still bent on enforcing their supreme power over people had fled the nation and started their own crusade in the fallen King's name. It's a shame they thought him dead instead of normal. Aang had even tried to speak reason to several soldiers on a raid a few weeks ago. They had called him insane and Zuko's lap dog. They wouldn't let him overthrow years of work.

Some of them had been sent to jail, the others killed in the cross fire. It couldn't be helped as painful as it was for Aang. It was impossible to save everyone in battle. Especially when there were fire, earth, and water benders left and right taking out their own personal revenge when he had his back turned.
A man smothered by earth here, two firebenders that had "accidentally" set fire to each other over there, even the poor fools who had been struck through the heart with ice shards. No one ever spoke up to who killed these people let alone if they saw someone else do it. There was a very long road to travel to get to peace once more. He also had to hope that the it was solved before he passed or that the Avatar, next due to be a water bender, would be able to handle the pressure and not fall into jaded hands.
"Do you object Aang?" Zuko said breaking him from his thoughts. The monk looked up baffled for a moment his mouth moving before his mind could think. "No." Zuko looked surprised for a moment before nodding.
"Then it's settled, Aang, myself, Toph Bei Fong, and Katara will be check this dispute. I'm concerned at the lack of alliance with this group. Political fanatics I can deal with, I will not tolerate rogues thinking they can harm Earth Nation citizens. The war is over, it's time for order to prevail."
Bumi cackled slamming his hands on the former war table. A cup toppled over spilling its contents as the mad King nodded, "Well said Spitefire! Lets get going, I want some more rock candy." Everyone watched the King of Omashu stand up suddenly and lumber away without another word. Aang leaned towards Zuko's throne whispering in his friend's ear. "Whose going to take care of the Fire Nation while your away?"
Zuko gave a simple wave of his hands letting the other nation leaders and general know that it was time to break. They began to talk amongst themselves as he focused all his attention on Aang. "The Fire Lady Mai of course, I trust her to run the nation smoothly. It will keep her from being bored." He smiled proudly.
Aang nodded feeling Zuko's joy spreading. They were both fathers to be and happily married. He had reservations about taking Katara who was pushing four months pregnant with him to a possible battle zone but she could handle herself. Her waterbending could keep her safe if he got side all else failed she could hop on Appa and make a quick escape. Mai was another thing entirely. She was nearly due and sluggish as bison, not that Aang would make that comment twice. He could still recall the pain of Zuko punching him in the face the first time he had said that.
"Right well now that I've gotten us into this mess we should start packing. Katara will be happy to be seeing the sights again." He smiled. Not that he didn't mind the fire nation but it most certainly wasn't home. Not that anything felt like home to him. Not Katara's Southern Water Tribe hut, the refugees in the Northern Air Temple, let alone his old haunting grounds of Ba Sing Se. He wanted a home, but that had died a hundred years ago when he had failed his first duty. Nodding the ill thoughts away again he stood up and left the room.

Traveling in style befitting a Fire Lord and those in his favor, Zuko lounged about on the deck of his private ship. Their final goal was a village on the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom complaining about the raider attacks but there was still some time to pretend paradise was already in their grasp. Katara was sunbathing on the deck while Appa floated lazily overhead with Momo. Aang was no where to be seen but Zuko wasn't concerned. He knew Aang could take care of himself. Not a single person alive had the power to defeat the Avatar. Not without lots of cheating and he had friends close to him to prevent that.
Aang protected them and they protected him. It was how it should be. As the guardian of peace it was their duty to keep the guardian from perishing in his duty. The former Avatar Roku had not kept good company and in his failure he failed everyone else. Zuko wouldn't be Aang for all the honor, family, and riches in the world. He was a beacon of light. Never allowed to fail or be 'human' in others eyes though he himself was a celestial power taking human form to connect with the people it had wanted to protect. One slip, one trip, one false step in company and the world was there to bare witness.
Aang had once confided in Zuko the secrets the Avatars had told him. That he was lucky that the ancient sea turtle loin had taught him energy bending. That if it had not he would have had to kill Ozai. Not that Zuko would have been angry with him if he had. But even when he had told his friend he was truly a Avatar who stood above the rest for his triumphs he didn't seem as happy as he could have been. No doubt he counted his failures twice as much. To Zuko, no matter what Aang thought, he always referred to him in official company as the Fully Realized Avatar. An honor Uncle Iroh had told him was reserved for full fledged Avatars that had mastered all the elements and the Avatar state.
A door clanked open behind him. Looking up he saw Aang and Sokka cross the deck to him. "So I know this sounds lame to you guys but I really want to go under cover for this." Sokka rambled as they neared the pair. Zuko looked at Katara a moment shrugging. He already thought Sokka was out of his melon but the guy had good strategies. He couldn't wait to hear the bright idea. "I know what you are thinking... Why, what's the point?" The warrior shrugged smiling sheepishly at his sister as she attempted to stifle a laugh.
"All the random raids aren't anything to be worried about, but we're prime targets out in the open like this. If we tell everyone who we are we could get into serious trouble. For all we know this is a front by an some nasty Benders trying to get a footing in power. You remember how twisted the Dai Li were, whoses to say there isn't more groups of Benders with their own self interests."
"Thats insane Sokka." Katara interjected with a crooked smile as she stared at her husband. Aang silently nodded at her with a soft smile. Zuko rolled his eyes, the couple was so timid out in public. He had caught them kissing once. It wasn't the first time he wondered how much bending went on in their bedroom. Not that fire benders could enjoy kinky bending games, far too dangerous.
"Insane but possible. We are important political figures. It's still too fresh. It hasn't even been a year since the war ended, I don't want to leave an opening for anyone to abuse our power, or worse kill us. Aang is the only one who can't hide, nothing can be done about that he is the Avatar. That's alright though, there will be more people watching his back then there would be for us. So lets make our new identities so we can figure this all out."
Zuko still thought Sokka was insane, but saw the point in his caution. Shrugged he grumbled out, "I'll be Lee." Katara looked at him for a moment as thought he too had caught Sokka's insanity. He ignored her offering up a apologetic look for Aang. Katara would have made a wonderful Firebender with her wild temper. He sighed shrugging as well looking to Katara in hopes that she would at least play along.
"I'll play along. Call me," She paused for a moment considering what to say, "Kanna. That should be simple enough." She smirked proudly. Aang again nodded silent, his lack of speaking was disturbing Zuko, Aang was never this quiet unless he was thinking undesirable thoughts. Katara must have come to the same conclusion as she smirked, "So who wants to go for a dip?"
"Hey we haven't come up with my name and Toph is still down below complaining."
"Can you blame her," Aang whispered looking up at Appa and Momo. Zuko was tired of this, but he had to approach it carefully. He wanted Aang to be happy, truly happy. Not just a false facade he put on for his friends. He had been there, on Ember Island sorting through what he felt was wrong or right, living on borrowed time. Trying to decide if betraying Aang, turning his back on the plight of the world was worth it. It hadn't been and turning his back on Aang now when he was clearly drowning in his own sorrow was not acceptable. He didn't know what he could do yet, but he would work on it.
"No not really, we'll reach land soon though, she'll feel a lot better being on her own land anyway. We can even stop by the Jasmine Dragon after we figure everything out. I know Iroh is watching over the Fire Nation with Mai but we can message them to come spend a short vacation with us." Zuko said finally sitting up for his lounging chair. "I'm going to go check on Toph. Leave her alone too long in my ship and I'll find pieces of it missing." He chuckled hoping to get a laugh out of Aang. The Avatar cracked a smile and took the seat near Katara in her lounging chair. That was the best he could hope for he supposed. Patting Sokka on the back as he retreated into the ship his mind wandered.
They were all tortured souls in some way, What didn't kill them made them stronger. But how far could you go without killing someone before they were just dolls. He had a deep sinking feeling Aang was far too close to living the motions of life then actually living it. Toph was in a similar state, she was easy to please, but she seemed to be lacking something and it was driving him crazy trying to figure it out. He had found his path, he had to work on his enlightenment now but everyone else seemed to be falling apart. Everyone except Katara, but she was a water bender. It was natural for them to go with the flow so to speak.
Sokka didn't seem to have any problems but Zuko knew better. He had gotten better at watching and seeing things for what they were. Traits of a King is what Uncle Iroh had told him, but he was positive it was just being observant. While he and Suki had a working relationship it was little else passed random meetings, each was absorbed in their own world. He had to find a way to bring the two together beyond dating, the distance seemed to be part of it. Suki didn't want to commit to a man who was never around while Sokka, raised in the water tribes, had no problem with never being home.
It was unfair how much they all had to suffer, in all aspects he had suffered the least and was reaping the most rewards. It sickened him and furthered his desire to aid his friends in reshaping their lives to a post-war bliss instead of this dreaded depression that was slowly sinking into their lives. Looking up he realized he had ghosted to Toph's cabin without really recalling the trip.
Listening to the silence on the other side of the door he fretted. A quiet Toph in a moving ship on the ocean was a bad Toph. He hoped she hadn't lost it and gone tearing through the ships hull on a whim. She was an amazingly smart girl, but he knew when she was backed into a corner without proper 'sight' she turned into a wild creature looking for safe ground again.
Entering the room he squinting trying to see in the darkness. The cabins contain no light on their own and while to a person with sight, Zuko had started to question her choice in lighting when he told himself it made sense. Though he had to admit, he did want to see the wonderful tapesrys and banner he had hung in here. Even if Toph couldn't see them he had hoped decking the room out in Earth Nation colors would at least make her feel a little at home. "Toph?"
"Yeah." Came a horse croak. His eyes finally adjusting to the ill lighting he noticed her shape hunched on her cot as though it were the boat and the room was the ocean. They had been at sea too long for her comfort. That much he could tell. The carefree atmosphere of the trip was more then everyone could take that much was for sure. A lifetime of war and battle and a small breather on a sea voyage was cracking the fine masks they had all made. Not that each one of them couldn't see through the other. They had been together too long not to. If the public saw it though? Strong individuals such as themselves shouldn't dare show weakness.
"You alright Toph?" He was sure to make nice loud steps, which he normally didn't, but for Toph he could give up a little stealth.
"I will be when we get to land." She grumbled quickly kicking her legs over the cot pressing her feet firmly to the floor as a show of good faith to him. He smirked at her actions, she was such a tough girl. Someday she would make a man very happy. Though he pondered it for a moment, perhaps she would make her future husband very fearful if he upset his wife she would send him flying into the air with a well placed bend of the ground he walked on.
"We'll be there before nightfall. Then you can roll around it the dirt to your hearts content." He smirked. She gave a little laughing reaching out to his voice. He took her open hand patting it for a moment. With the closeness of the group Toph had finally given in and gotten as touchy feeling as she liked. Her hands knew Zuko's face intimately, no doubt more then even Mai's hands. She saw them in her way and in the new level of intimacy she reached out and felt them often. "We're going to be wandering around under assumed names so you should think of one."
"Poppy." She answered softly. He nodded mutely for a moment. So that was what was getting her down. She hadn't seen her parents since she had run away months ago. This was her first step back into Earth Kingdom territory since their victory party. They had spirited back to the Fire Nation to right the political mess that the loss of most of the royal family had left.
"That's a good name, not very fitting for you but... a good name." He said trying to force some humor in his voice. She shook her hand free of his soft grip. He had insulted her, biting his lip he considered saying something but he decided against it. She was already strung up from the awkward environment, trying to ease her volatile temper at the moment could just make it worse. "Get some rest, we'll call you when we see land. Appa can drop you off before we get there. He's faster then the ship."
Making a loud ruckus of getting up from the cot he wordlessly left the blind girl to her 'prison'. No doubt the next words she wanted to hear out of his mouth were, 'land' and he wasn't able to say that just yet. A quick trip through the endless red tinted corridors covered in Fire Nation paraphernalia led him to the door of the deck. Pausing at the door he worried for Toph once more. She was the only one who could feel so close and so far away at the same time. In a way not even Aang did. The Avatar was untouchable yes, but he was a completely open map. Zuko could see into his eyes and see the pain his soul was in and try to correct it. Toph with her lifeless eyes and her noble sophistication could hide anything she wanted.
Shaking off the ill thought he pushed the metal door open blinded by the morning light once more. For a moment he surveyed the deck in a blind search. It was more habit then anything else. If he came out of the ship looking blind and confused his men didn't take him seriously. No solider to impress here, well not enough to worry about, other then the ones making rounds on the deck.
Spotting the blurry figures of his friends he made his way to their side once more. "How's she holding up?" Sokka questioned his voice filled concern for their friend.
"As well as can be expected in a loud metal ship with no earth to listen to. I told her we wouldn't bother her until we saw land. Promised her you would let her borrow Appa to fly her to land quicker." He turned to look at Aang who had abandoned his spot in favor of meditation.
"Works for me," he said absently his eyes closed a half smile on his face. That was an improvement over his previous mood.

Toph rocked on her cot trying to get the sound to lull her madness. The darkness was nothing, that was her permanent companion. It was the deafening sounds and the deadness all about her. The sounds of the grating engines below were violent. She imagined what it was like to add the crushing off bones to those noises. She had heard stories of people getting caught in the machinery all the time. It was terrifying. Little girls who were visiting their parents who worked with machines and accidentally got their hair caught in the machines. Some died from the blood loss and shock of having their hair ripped out. Some were lucky and died instantly.

Shaking her head of these thoughts she wondered about the footsteps. Everywhere, little beacons of sound. Five crew men in her section of the boat. Six in the engine room, seven wandering on the desk, four of those her dearest friends, two on the bridge, "The captain and his first mate." She muttered covering her ears but still the sounds reached her. Muffled and further enhanced by the dulled vibrations riding up the wood of the cot.
Silences was all she wanted. The dull sounds of the earth moving beneath her feet, or if she wanted even more silence she would have sat on a rock. Warm and solid, the very rock solid security she needed to keep her madness at bay. At home in Bei Sing Se she had been cloaked in her security, her travels with Aang had been the adventure she had always wanted. Her time away from home, learning metal bending, flying on Appa, living in the Fire Nation, visiting so many new places was slowly wearing her down. She didn't want to go back to her sheltered life, but she did at least want to feel the security of the earth once more. She want off this ship now! All it would take was a few well placed metal bending tricks to make it to the deck, she could get on Appa, how she didn't know. She didn't even hear him on the ship, no doubt he was flying. Then she could Yipp yipp her way to land. She owed it to her friends to keep still a little longer, endure a bit more, just for them.
A small strangled sob escaped her lips as she began to count the number of steps people were taking to keep from going mad.