Day 1 || 12:10PM — Zuko

The Palace came into view. Zuko regarded the high, imposing red walls and sank deeply into contemplation. Emotions buried deep inside him, usually dormant, boiled to the surface; fighting to be released. His head was a mess; this place made him a mess.

It was the center of an important crossroads in his life. So many crucial moments took place right here in front of his eyes. It felt so, so surreal being here. Because in some ways, Ba Sing Se had made him the prince he was today. This place had become an almost mythical existence in his mind— a shrine to all his greatest failures.

During the period he lived in this city, Zuko had been lost in a sea of confusion and uncertainty. He had been confused. He hadn't known what he had wanted. He had no idea what he had to do to reach his goals or what those goals even were. His confusion and indecision had led to so many mistakes he fervently wished he could take back. If he had been more decisive…

Nevertheless, it was quite amazing that he ended up on the path that he had originally planned for himself: as the Crown Prince and future Firelord of the Fire Nation. What his younger self would have done to be in the position that he was in right now... yet he strangely found himself envying that same younger self.

He missed how open-ended his life had once seemed, full of possibilities and paths. He could've done anything, been anyone. Zuko missed those simple days where his only worry was his quest to regain his honor. He missed the open road and the lack of responsibility. This wasn't the first time he looked on his days as the banished prince with an ironic amount of longing and it likely would not be his last. In some ways, Zuko had been freer then.

Zuko forcefully shook himself off this train of thought and appraised the Palace before him again. There were people from all walks of life milling about the front. Zuko's favourite thing about the era of peace was the mingling of the peoples of the world. Seeing people of all nations in one place warmed his heart. It was proof to him that the world had truly changed. That the effort that was being put into repairing the war-torn world was paying off. This is what he had wanted. This is what he had strived to create and now it was this peace he wanted to protect above all else.

Several people were gazing their way; identifying them as Fire Nation Royalty and decorated war heroes, their observers bowed respectfully as they passed. The main courtyard before the palace was immense, but even it was teeming with the thick throng. The swarm grew denser and denser the closer they got to the Palace; there truly was always a remarkable number of people congregating at the Summit. Sometimes Zuko forgot the scale of this annual event and only remembered again when it was staring him in the face as it was currently.

It felt like an eternity before they even made it to the steps, their stride slowed by the masses. And then they were before the doors. Toph halted her stride. "Well the walk here was fun, but this is as far as I'm willing to go. I'll see you all later," she said and they parted sharing their own goodbyes. "Good luck," she called casually over her shoulder.

Zuko grimly smiled; they would need it.

Day 1 || 12:30PM — Katara

Katara cursed her bad luck. The Earth King was already moving towards her. She looked around trying to find an escape route, but couldn't spot one in time to prevent the encounter.

"You look as lovely as ever, Katara. It's so nice to run into you," Kuei said pleasantly.

Katara grit her teeth determined to participate in the conversation despite really not wanting to. "Same to you, of course. We have not seen each other for many moons. How are things in the Earth Kingdom?" she queried while quieting the impulse to 'accidentally' step on his foot.

She giggled at the image that that thought had provoked. "I didn't realize that immigration disputes were so amusing?" Kuei said coolly. Katara realized her mistake quickly, but she didn't get as far as she had by being slow on her feet.

She looked around and saw that her brother had appeared during the time she had been talking to Kuei. "My brother over there nearly knocked into another delegate and I simply found it amusing. Please excuse my momentary inattention," she said while bowing.

"I suppose," Kuei replied dubiously while raising his eyebrows.

"Also, excuse me once more because I must take my leave. I promised to discuss certain matters with him before the start of the meeting," she said. She could tell he was about to respond, so she left before he could say something that would prolong the conversation.

Katara rushed to where she had spotted Sokka and saw him talking to their grandfather. She moved to join them. "Katara! How nice it is to see you!" Her former master exclaimed. She smiled and moved in for a hug.

Day 1 || 12:45PM — Iroh

In the large meeting hall, the people sauntered and swayed in, to the untrained eye, formless, arbitrary patterns, but to those experienced in these dances, to those who participated themselves, they were anything but casual. It was a tense waltz, shown through artful smiles, glitzy glamour, and pretty words.

Iroh had had enough. He was searching for anyone who he could hide out with for the remainder of the time he wasn't due to head inside. He almost reached the point of despair before he spotted a familiar hunch and moved towards it. As he neared, he noticed not just Bumi, but several other members of The White Lotus gathered together in a loose semi-circle.

"Ah, it warms my heart to see so many familiar faces this year," Iroh greeted everyone genially. The group brightened when they recognized the presence of the Grand Lotus.

Bumi turned to him with a broad smile on his face. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. And I can't since I have to be here!" he said and then launched into his distinctive cackle.

"Don't we all, old friend?" Iroh also started to laugh. Their shared glee was infectious and many others started laughing as well. He had missed this particular group of people more than he had realized.

Piandao handed him a refreshment and spoke, "How are things back at the Palace? I haven't had the time to visit lately."

Iroh took the glass and drank before replying. He debated what to say. He settled on something vague, "The state of affairs is currently very complicated. We will not have an easy summit this year. We've worked arduously preparing, but I fear backlash." Piandao frowned. He looked concerned but did not prod further.

Day 1 || 12:40PM — Sokka

"How are things with you, grandfather?" Katara asked as she stepped out of the hug. Sokka noted that he looked happier at seeing his sister than he had him.

Pakku was rubbing his chin and seemed to be deep in thought, seriously considering her question. "It's interesting. Currently, I have the largest class that I've ever had. It seems our people have grown in size greatly," Pakku commented. "It's remarkable how the Southern Water Tribe was only a collection of igloos just a few years ago. To have become what it is in such a short amount of time..." he seemed to be in a nostalgic mood.

He wasn't wrong. To compare the Southern Water Tribe of years past and the one that existed now... they were wildly different places. Thinking about his village's accomplishments erupted a fierce flash of pride in Sokka's heart.

"I loved seeing our village grow and a lot of that is thanks to Sokka," Katara proudly proclaimed with a hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't go that far," Sokka protested. He was rubbing the back of his head. True, he had played a part in expanding the South Pole by leading the reconstruction efforts, but he had had a considerable amount of advice and guidance as well. His father definitely had played a huge role in shaping the new Southern Water Tribe. To attribute most of the credit to him was grossly misleading.

"Don't be so modest! Just the innovations you created alone advanced our tribe significantly," Katara said, raising her eyebrows at him. All the praise coming his way was making him feel deeply embarrassed.

"If we didn't have all those former northern clansmen join us, then none of it would have been possible in that amount of time," Sokka pointed out.

"Those clansmen wouldn't have been useful if they didn't have your detailed plans guiding them," Katara pointed back. "And! Don't forget your forging of the Northern-Southern Alliance. Where would we be without that agreement? Not as far as we are now," she added triumphantly.

"You did most of the leg-work on that if I remember correctly," Sokka said stubbornly, trying to be fair.

Katara got closer to him. "Sokka, please just shut up and let me talk you up to grandad," she hissed in his ear.

Day 1 || 1PM — Sokka

They approached the shimmering, golden doors. They stopped in front and Sokka turned his head to regard the waterbender accompanying him.

"I bet we're the last ones to arrive," Sokka commented casually. "We wouldn't have been if you had taken the bathroom break when I originally planned us to in the schedule I made for today. You know, the one you have no respect for," he continued just as casually.

"Would you quiet down about your stupid schedule, Sokka? I can't believe you're still pencilling in bathroom breaks," Katara put her hands up, exasperated. "And it's not like we're late. We're actually right on time," she said, gesturing at the doors.

"We would have been early—," Sokka started.

"If we followed your schedule. I know, Sokka!" Katara finished for him annoyed, throwing her hands up.

Day 1 || 1:30PM — Zuko

In a gilded room centering on a table circular in shape, sat the most powerful figures in the world. They were currently arguing.

"I'm afraid we will have to withdraw some of our support in that regard," Uncle said.

"That's unacceptable! These reparations are your sworn duty," a delegate from the Northern Water Tribe spoke.

Zuko smothered his instinctive reaction to stare down the delegate and reply something appropriately scathing. Instead, he took a breath and said, "We've been paying them for more than half a decade now, which is past the agreed upon terms. I do not think it is unreasonable for us to start providing less aid. We could have stopped by now, but we decided to continue as a gesture of goodwill."

"Be that as it may, it does not even come close to making up for all the devastation your nation caused the world," the delegate spat back. She may as well have not heard anything Zuko had said, blinded by emotion as she was.

Zuko wanted so badly to bang his head against the table. Dealing with these kinds of people was depressingly common for them. His hand ruffled through his hair. He wasn't surprised; he had expected this very reaction. The Fire Nation was on thin ice with the other powers of the world and could not afford to make any mistakes politically. It was a very tricky line to walk.

"Ying Yue, I think you're going too far. I believe Firelord Iroh and Prince Zuko are being very reasonable here," Sokka cut in. "The Fire Nation has done everything to help whenever aid was needed and have made their good intentions known." Thankfully, the Northern Water Tribe delegate seemed like she was listening to Sokka. 'Probably because it came from a Water Tribe, read non-Fire Nation, source,' a very Toph sounding voice thought in Zuko's head. He was definitely spending too much time with her if he was even hearing her in the privacy of his own thoughts.

Yet, the delegate did not back down, even if she seemed somewhat mollified. "Ying Yue, while I see your point, I have to agree with Prince Sokka. The Fire Nation is now our ally and has demonstrated nothing to indicate otherwise. They've fulfilled their duty and their wish to stop paying reparations is well within their rights," Chief Arnook said while resting a hand on the delegates' wrist. Probably a silent plea for her to sit down.

He was grateful for Sokka's interjection. The Northern Water Tribe delegate had given space for others to make similar objections, but if they said as such now they would be going against the wishes of both Water Tribe Leaders.

As soon as the delegate sat back, Katara shifted the conversation back to the matter at hand. "I agree with my brother and Chief Arnook. It is unfair to expect the Fire Nation to contribute past the agreed upon time, but changing budgets will not be so simple. We will need to ease into it," she began.

Day 1 || 2PM — Sokka

Briskly walking away from the chambers they had just departed, Sokka let out a sigh of relief. The Assembly of Leaders Meeting was over at long last and he was exhausted. The room had been high-tension and the stress of maintaining his Tribe's position wore at him. He had thought that coming as his father's support had been difficult and draining, but it was nothing compared to the position of being the leader. Sokka was glad that it was over and he was already mentally groaning at having to go to the meetings continuously all throughout the week. It was no enigma why his father had foisted this upon him the first chance he got, though Sokka couldn't say he had hated it. Exhausting as it was, Sokka had found it strangely enjoyable.

He moved to check up on his sister and saw that she was walking by his side silently. Her eyes were staring into the distance and she was on edge, focused. He knew not to interrupt her when she was like this. He said nothing, lending only his silent support.

Day 1 || 3PM — Katara

Katara breathed in deeply to center herself and then resolutely walked into the amphitheatre. The walls were dizzyingly high and the seats full; she tried to not let it get to her. She had done this many times before and she would many times again. It was this thought that grounded her.

She made her way to her place. The International Review Council sat before her. She took in their regal bearing and dispassionate expressions. Katara absently swept her hair back. Her grandmother winked at her from her seat and Katara smiled back. She was ready.

The head councillor made a gesture and the room quieted, focusing on a central point— her. "I'm sure no introduction is necessary here; it's a pleasure to have you before my stand, ambassador. You can begin at any time," the audience had given the attention and then the councillor gave her the floor.

"As you all know, waterbending is the only style of bending capable of healing," Katara began. "I believe that The Water Tribes should share this gift with the world," she paused to let the audience and council-members digest her premise and then she continued passionately, "If we had waterbending healers present in all the nations, think of all the lives that could be saved. If there was even just one center for healing in Ba Sing Se, so much suffering could be prevented. I believe that healing centers staffed with capable waterbending healers located in all the major cities of the world would do an incredible amount of good."

Katara surveyed the room. Everyone was paying rapt attention to her. She smiled. She knew she had them. She mentally prepared herself and continued, "As a master of the healing arts, I believe I should oversee this venture. Now, as for what I would need…"

Zuko

Katara was really in her element: giving an impassioned speech that had spectators on the edges of their seats. Zuko was utterly entranced. She had this quality about her that made people actually stop and listen to her; an ability that Zuko envied, but mostly admired. Her proposal was excellent and the council and other audience members were all taken in. Several people's faces were completely slack, eyes looking like they could really envision the future that Katara was describing.

The head councillor in this particular case was Mai. It wasn't immediately obvious to those that didn't know her, but she was actually sincerely invested in what Katara was saying. Zuko was happy. Katara was brilliant and if anyone could make this proposal a reality, it was her.

Day 1 || 3:15PM — Katara

Katara was anxiously waiting for the review board to come back and officially proclaim their decision. It felt like waiting for an eternity to pass before the committee finally retook their seats. Katara eagerly leaned forward to listen to their verdict.

"Well, Ambassador Katara Water Tribe, your proposal is thorough and I believe this is something that will certainly revolutionize the world. It's also an exemplary example of how the Four Nations stand to benefit from each other. You have the full support of the council behind you," intoned Councilwoman Mai. Katara's heart soared. "The proposal has been approved unanimously. The funding aspect will be reviewed by our treasurer and we will call you in a couple of days to discuss how to move forward. Congratulations, Ambassador, and thank you for your time."

"Of course, ma'am. If that will be all?" Katara said as calmly as she could while she mentally cheered. She wanted to shout out her utter glee. Mai inclined her head and Katara took her leave.