Recipient: Avatar Aang

Correspondent: Lady Katara

Aang,

I'm not sure if you've heard… Mai's gone. She's been poisoned. General Iroh has told me that Zuko is not well, and I'm worried about him. He needs his friends near him, right now. He's lost someone he's loved.

I'm going to the Fire Nation. I really hope that you'll be there… Zuko needs all of us right now. Sokka, Toph, and Suki are going to come soon, too. They need to wrap some of the things in the South Pole up, but they'll be coming. We're going to need to talk about the rebels. They're the ones who have done this, I know. Zuko even told me that he was afraid that Mai would be targeted because she is the future Fire Lady. And… you need to be careful, too. Don't think that the rebels won't attack you just because you're the Avatar. It gives them extra incentive. Be careful.

Love,

Katara

Recipient: Lady Katara

Correspondent: Avatar Aang

Katara,

I'm in the Fire Nation right now. As soon as I got your letter, I came to the Fire Nation. Iroh says that you should be here soon, but you don't need to rush. Well… maybe you do. I'm not sure. Zuko seems fine, most of the time. Sometimes he starts freaking out. There's really no real way to describe it, because he isn't really freaking out. He'll either just sit there and stare off into space, or he'll be talking to you just fine one minute, and then he'll get all tight and he won't say much. Sometimes he'll get angry and he'll start yelling and, I swear, the room heats up ten degrees. It's like before he was good, when he was attacking us. I think he needs our help.

-Aang

Recipient: General Iroh

Correspondent: Lady Katara

Iroh,

I'm on my way to the Fire Nation. The captain of the ship I'm on says that we are about four weeks away, but by the time you receive this, I'll be there within two weeks. I believe the rebels have done this to Mai. Zuko's at a weak point right now, and he must get out of it. There might not be much that we can do to make him completely happy again, but we need to try. The Fire Lord is a very important member of the world, and if he is careless now, nothing good can happen. And… he's our friend.

-Katara

Recipient: General Iroh

Correspondent: Toph Bei Fong

Hello, General Iroh,

This is Toph, kind of. Katara's Gran-Gran is writing for this for me, since I'm blind.

It might be a while before Sokka and Suki can come. I, however, am going on the next boat! I don't like it here too much anyway. The ground's too wet. Anyway, how's Zuko? Katara hasn't sent us a letter yet, and Sokka is kinda really freaked.

-Toph

Recipient: Sokka of the Water Tribe; Lady Suki of Kyoshi Island; Lady Toph Bei Fong

Correspondent: Lady Katara

My friends,

I've arrived in the Fire Nation and seen Zuko. He's… sad. There's really no way to put it. He deals with his sadness different than most people. Instead of crying, he gets angry or he gets quiet. He hasn't been sleeping or eating well. I hope that when you come, then he'll start to get better. It's only been a month, but I'm still worried about him.

When I arrived, I met General Iroh and he told me about what the rebels have been doing. Ever since Mai died, there have been more and more attacks on villages that support Zuko in both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. He believes that they are trying to hurt the Fire Nation when its Lord is already hurt, himself. It's serious.

I met Aang, also. He arrived from the Western Air Temple a few days before I did. He's already talked to Zuko about Mai's death, and that he needs to get over it and run his country. Unfortunately, that just made Zuko angry. He said that he didn't ask to be Fire Lord, and that he didn't have to get over her death.

I had a similar talk with him, although it didn't end the same way as Aang's. I asked him if Mai would have really wanted him to sulk over her death. He dryly replied, "Yes, she would." Sometimes, I almost think that Mai was bad for Zuko, even before her death. Maybe he's… better off without her, in a way.

Please come soon.

Love,

Katara

Recipient: Sokka of the Water Tribe

Correspondent: Fire Lord Zuko

Sokka,

It feels strange to be writing this letter. Katara told me that you lost someone important to you… someone you loved. I don't really understand how you got through it so quickly. I need your advice.

-Zuko

Recipient: Fire Lord Zuko

Correspondent: Sokka of the Water Tribe

Zuko,

Whatever Katara told you is true. But, you need to know that I'm still not over it. I wish that Yue was still here, and sometimes sadness just overcomes me and I feel the need to cry. Sometimes I feel guilty being outside at night with Suki because it feels like Yue is watching me.

I think the reason I feel so strongly about Yue's death is because I was given a job to protect her, and I couldn't even do that. You probably feel the same. Don't think that protecting Mai was your one responsibility, because it wasn't. You had no idea that it was going to happen.

Mai was important to you, I can see that. But, the sooner you let her go, the sooner you'll find peace. She's already found her peace, somewhere in the Spirit World, and I'm sure she wants you to let her go and live your life again. That doesn't mean you have to forget her, Zuko. Remembering usually makes it easier.

-Sokka

Recipient: Fire Lord Zuko; General Iroh; Avatar Aang

Correspondent: Lady Suki of Kyoshi Island

We have bad news. We're not going to be able to make it to the Fire Nation, and we're not sure if Toph is even going to get there.

The Southern Water Tribe has been attacked by a large group of rebels. We believe that they have taken refuge on several islands nearby, but we aren't sure which one and we don't have enough people to send out scouts. Every day they send out raiding parties that steal our food and supplies. Many of our warriors have been injured and even a few have been killed.

They're also making it impossible for transport and supply ships to enter the bay. Rebel Waterbenders have frozen water in-between the islands that surround the bay. If a ship happens to pass through, they sink it.

The rebels came the day Toph's ship set sail, and we're worried that she was on one of the first ships that they took over. We haven't received any letters from her, by messenger hawk or by mail carrier. We hope that she's safe… but we can never be sure. Please, when you hear from her, tell us.

-Lady Suki

P.S. Sokka and I are so sorry that we can't come, Zuko. Please, don't let Mai's death hurt you too much.

Recipient: Sokka of the Water Tribe

Correspondent: Fire Lord Zuko

Sokka,

I understand why you aren't here, and I'm sending one of my leftover warships to the South Pole. Before I send it, I'll have it upgraded so that there will be no way that the rebels will sink it. I'll have plenty of soldiers on the ships, also, in order to help out with your situation. The rebels will be stopped, no matter how persistent they are.

Thank you for your advice. I… understand, now. I can't let Mai's death beat me down. I need to show these rebels that they can't get away with a thing like that, or what they're doing to your home. I will stop them.

Thank you, Sokka.

-Zuko

A/N: OH MY GOD, I ACTUALLY UPDATED. Haha, Yeah. I know. I haven't in almost a month because I'm super lazy. I've also had a bunch going on, like finals... Christmas.... Hanukkah... buying things for people who aren't me... I'm still glad I can say that I'll have updated this before the New Year. One of my resolutions is to write more, so (hopefully) this will be updated more. As I said before, it's kinda hard to write. I have to go back several times after I've written the basic letters just to make sure that it's all consistent. If you do happen to find anything that doesn't line up, please tell me and I'll fix it.

I've also been trying to find a new way to organize it. I'm still going to go with the letter format because there's no way that I can change it now, not that I want to. I'm thinking about just having one string of letters in each chapter, you know, between two people/groups of people, instead of having a whole bunch of crap going on at the same time. It might not seem like a bunch of crap, but really. When you're writing it, it is.

OKAY. Thanks for reading, by the way. I hope you all have had a good holiday season, and that you guys have a good New Year.

-Saccharine Sweetness