Well this makes 10 chapters! Wehave reached double digits! *Lackey rolls out cart with party platter. Lifts covering off party platter to reveal three cookies and a glass of milk*
Underwhelming, but then again compared to Team 8 my ten chapters are probably just three. Still a ways to go before this story is worthy of a true celebration.
Before we get too the meat and potatos I would like to level with my readers. Last chapter I basically said that whetever the feedack I get I will srive to finishthis story. I meant what I said but was still disturbed that I oly got one review.
Thank you very much mappaduji for being the sole voie in the wildermness. So the question is why? At first I thiugh my earlyier than usual posting just mean my usua reviewers had not yet taken ntice, but that ossibility seems increasingly unlikely.
I have two theories:
1. Something I said offended them and as such they are giving me the cold shoulder. If that is the case I apologize for offending you, my opinions are just that opinions I donview them as fact.
2. This story is advertised as Zuko x Azula, and thus far I have yet to have a scene with the two together. As such my readers have jumped ship because I have not delivered. Adressing that:
(1. As a continuation of Kindred the first part of this stry has lots of lovely romantic moments.
(2. By keeping the love birds apart I hope to make their eventual reunuion all the sweeter and lovely.
(3. The overall plan of the story calls for them each walking danerous and interesting paths before they are returned to one another.
(4. Now we are getting into spoiler territory.
(5. In the meantime enjoy some other tasty romantic entaglenment!
Now back to the show! (Please review, the story will go on regardless but your acknowledgement eases my soul.)
Tangled Fates
"Come on give em a left! My left! Oh, that's going to leave a mark! Bring more popcorn!" King Bumi demanded. He watched the massacre unfolding below with rapt attention.
"Oh like no one's ever tried that before! Avoid and evade, how typical. Why not invest some of that free spirit in some original thinking?"
"Now that is a anew one. Honestly I did not know she could do that. But he's not down yet!"
"Nice try but no prize for you."
"Owned! Simple but elegant, well done Toph. Oh shit, tell me you did not kill him," Bumi sighed, finishing off the popcorn.
"Nothing's even broken! Though I think his pride is probably in the latrine, providing he remembers anything when he wakes up. Somebody bring me a sandwich!" Toph cried out.
Much Later.
"Aang, are you awake? Do you know who I am," a lovely voice called out through the wool someone had stuffed in his head. He opened his eyes and saw the face of an angel.
"Katara? I think a mountain hit me with a hammer," Aang slurred. He was lying in bed, the room was clearly part of some medical facility. Sokka leaned into view, trying to smile.
"Aang, you look . . . good," Sokka lied to the bruise faced boy. He held up one of his hands.
"How many fingers do you see?" the Water Tribe officer asked.
"Six," Aang answered.
"Close enough. Well Bumi I think an explanation is owed," Sokka stated. The crazy old King came into view and smiling took a seat at the bedside.
"Aang, it is good to see you. Though you still do not seem to have mastered the ways of the mad genius," the King stated softly. Realization hit the Avatar like yet another boulder.
"Bumi?! What why, huh? Am I dreaming?" Aang demanded.
"No, this is no dream. I have lived the century you seem to have slept through. As to the challenges, I needed to get your measure. You passed the first two tests with flying colors. But you failed to see underneath the underneath and failed the third test."
"I wish I could congratulate you Aang, but the world had changed much in the years you slept beneath the ice. As you knew the Fire Nation ois winning its war for domination, but the very world has grown far darker and less forgiving. In the challenges you will face in fulfilling your destiny even a single failure could doom the world."
"It is not fair that such young shoulders need to carry this weight but you must prove equal to the task. Though you seem to have made a fine start, with good friends, and Royally ticking off the Fire Royals!" Bumi ended with a laugh. Despite it all Aang could not help but smile. Even I this strange new world the familiar and comforting would still be uncovered.
"Is he awake yet?" asked a voice that made Aang's blood run cold. The terror walked into site now wearing an Earth Kingdom military uniform her deathly pale eyes reflecting him. Aang pointed at her with his good hand let out a gurgling sound and fainted.
"Toph! You knocked him out with your face!" King Bumi scolded. Toph's face light up at the words.
"Really? I am awesome! Hahahahaha!" Toph laughed manically. Katara's eyebrow twitched and she dragged her brother off to the side.
"I really do not approve," she hissed into Sokka's ear. He meet her gaze with a look of calm patience that took her slightly aback.
"You're not my mother, besides Dad already gave his blessing," Sokka responded. Exasperated Katara did no give up.
"Why would he let you get engaged to a crazy person? Between you two the children could destroy the world," Katara continued.
"He as motivated by a desire to retain the ability to eat solid foods. Alright we know the little girl is mostly undamaged so you are fresh out of excuses mister Commander. You and I have business to attend to!" Toph declared. She had approached the siblings stealthily and now seized Sokka by his shirt collar and proceeded to lead hin out of the infirmary. He offered little resistance and wished Katara goodnight before being lost to sight.
"Isn't love sweet?" the crazy old King asked her, wiping a tear from his wrinkled face. Katara contemplated how her time as a palace slave was shaping up to be the most normal and sane period of her life.
Crown Prince Iroh sat down hard on the rubble of the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. The field medic had just pronounced his only son dead.
"Lu Ten," the whisper full of the agony of a breaking heart. His men were calling out, the enemy was counter attacking, they needed his power and wisdom. It no longer mattered, even if he reduced the legendary palace of the Earth Kings' to ashes his pride and joy was lost to him.
Amidst the hellish atmosphere of the failing siege the Dragon of the West wept. For his son, and all the sons and daughters he had lead to their ends in this foreign land.
"Why, what prize could be equal to such sacrifice? What cause could make this war even close to bearable," he now growled through his grief.
"This was when your destiny was assured Iroh of the Fire Nation," a voice full of power and wisdom stated. Iroh looked up and meet the gaze of Avatar Roku's spirit.
"Many members of the House of Agni have fought in this war but your son was the first scion to be claimed by it. The grief that overcame you would forever set you on a path far different from your forbearers," the former avatar explained. Iroh rose to his feet and the memory faded from sight leaving them both standing in the void.
"I am dreaming then," Iroh asked.
"Yes, but is true that I speak to you. My successor has returned, but his path is barred and the time to the solstice to distant for me to reach him."
"It was my hope that one born of the lines of Sozin and myself would aid my successor, but their fate is clouded by lines drawn too close together. The world has become a dark and perilous place, he will need friends strong and wise too survive. If balance is be restored Aang must succeed in ending the war, time is too short to let the cycle begin again," Roku said.
"What would you do?" Iroh asked ice forming in his belly.
"Your destiny is one full of heartbreak Iroh. Perhaps it was always meant for you to atone for the sins of your House. The time will soon come when you will have to choose between what you know to be right and that which you love most. I am sorry that your charma will not be rewarded with the life you deserve," Roku answered, his face weary with the knowledge he held.
Iroh awoke in the inn. As if too assure himself of consciousness he glanced over. In the bed at the opposite wall Ty Lee was curled underneath her blankets giggling in her sleep. On the floor between them Zuko slept his hand cushioned by his pack, the Crown Prince was expressionless in sleep. Hopefully his nephew was at peace in his rest.
The wording of that last thought struck Iroh and sent a chill down his spine. The dream and Avatar Roku's words came back to him. Surely fate would not heap such cruelty upon him. Would the universe punish the son for the sins of the father.
The morning still far off; the man who had been most famous among his people for a deed he never performed and most famous abroad for his greatest failure laid awake, fearing what the coming days would bring.
And now, to indulge in some world building to commemorate double digit status, excelsior!
The Black Flame Training Manuel
"Introduction to NonCensored History"
As a member of the Black Flame one of your primary duties will be infiltrating the lands of our enemies, The Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. Most likely what you know about these people and governments is the product of the ministry of information. Sifting through that pulp is more a matter of extracting truths than lies.
In order to either observe and understand, or actually blend in until the proper time you will have to be educated in the truth of our enemies. What follows is a brief overview of the two.
The Earth Kingdom: The Earth Kingdom at its height controlled the entire continent and for centuries the land mass and Kingdom where considered interchangeable terms. Throughout much of its history the Continent was controlled by a multitude of political entities. The Kingdom of Omashu has waxed and waned in influence at times dominating the continent and at others being little more than a city state. In addition to independent Kingdoms and city states various leagues of towns and clans recognized no outsiders as overlord. Some of the smaller communities practiced a participatory government, other were dominated by aristocracy, traditional tribal/clan structure, and in the case of Omashu which values bending above alleles the throne belongs to the strongest Earthbender born to the city.
The Earth Kingdom is a successor state to the City of Ba Sing Se. The old city was entirely underground and its people dedicated completely to their arts to the point of shutting themselves off from the world above. Allegedly their long isolation was broken when the Avatar was reborn among their ranks and was guided to the surface by the spirits.
At the time the Earthbenders of Ba Sing Se where utterly unrivaled in their skill, and attuned to their element nearly to the same level as the Air Nomads. It was out of this sense of Spirituality that they were utterly unsatisfied with the state of the Continent. The unification of the Earth Kingdom would be a long and bloody affair waged in the name of peace, and utterly change all parties involved.
While the Benders of Ba Sing Se and their descendants ultimately triumphed they would lose their cultural almost completely. Through a combination of intermarriage and dispersal the culture of Ba Sing Se was lost like a drop of water in the ocean. The High Priest of the Earth became a hereditary monarch and deified to justify his office. The Council of Five originally the representatives of the five clans became first a group of war leaders and later the High Command.
Perhaps nothing symbolized this shift in the conquerors than the abandonment of their ancient home beneath the earth in exchange for a city built on the backs of slavery and funded by the spoils of conquest.
Even before the War began the Earth Kingdom was a failing state. With the decline of the original conquerors the task of holding the diverse peoples of the continent under the Earth Kings rule became a regular task for the military. A number of sagacious and warrior emperors were able to restore health to the Kingdom but the eventual weak rulers opened the way for further decline.
The Earth Kingdom survived as a viable entity through a complex series of treaties and agreements between the Earth Kings and regional powers. States like Omashu were allowed their monarchs as SubKings that while rulers of their respective states pledged themselves to the Earth King. Legal codes vastly differed throughout the continent: in Ba Sing Se a complex and rigid legal system administered justice, Omashu placed judgment in the hands of its King, and some bizarre ales of spinning a wheel to determine punishment have been reported.
Through such concessions to local autonomy and recognition of the Earth King's authority the status quo became acceptable to many. Problems however still occurred. Shin the conqueror an ambitious and wealthy SubKing revolted against the rule of Ba Sing Se. Through his own considerable skill as a commander and the state of conservative decay that undermined the Earth King's forces Shin came close to achieving his goal of overthrowing the Earth King. Shin's death at the hands of Avatar Kiyoshi fractured his rebellion and placed the Earth King back in power by default when Shin's generals either fought among themselves, or bent the knee in exchange for concession and reward.
The fact that the Earth King was nearly removed by mobs despite the defeat of Shin showed how far central authority had degenerated. Kiyoshi had saved them while the Earth King hid behind his walls, and many where reluctant to return to power a man who had failed to perform his duty. Once more outside intervention by the Avatar was needed to prevent the ship of state from sinking. The establishment of the Dai Li as agents of the Earth King in the style of ancient Ba Sing Se secured Royal Power, but would only slow the decline.
The Earth Kingdom without question held the greatest amount of resources, as well as the largest population. With these two assets logic would dictate that the Earth Kingdom would dominate the world. Fortunately emulating their element the people of the Earth Kingdom are slow to move forward. Tradition held greater value than efficiency and those in power fearful any disruption of the status quo.
The Earth Kingdom clinging to outdated doctrines and failure to embrace industrial warfare has allowed this colossus to be vanquished by the innovative spirit of the Fire Nation. Despite our settler's presence and the reduced state territory the fact remains that despite propaganda the Earth Kingdom remains a threat. Only by continuing to outthink and outmaneuver this clumsy giant will we finally chain it to our will.
The Water Tribes: This nation is by far the most primitive. It is to be expected since they inhabit the mot desolate reaches of the world where neither farmland, nor mineral resources are to found. However, the harsh landscape has produced a fierce warrior race which can and has survived and revived numerous reversals.
Exactly how or why the Water Tribes came to settle the roof and foundation of the world is unknown even to them. Many associate the separation with their deities, Moon and Ocean. From what little information is available the two tribes where once interchangeable in their cultures but time would greatly alter their destinies.
Over time the peoples of both poles were united under a Royal line of chieftains and at various time to supplement their lack of resources resorted to piracy. The Water Tribe in this period became a nation of reavers, dealing heavily in raiding and the slave trade. A number of Scholars believe it was witnessing the Great Cities of the Home Islands and the Continent that inspired the Northern Water Tribe to consolidate into a City State.
The Northern Water Tribe civilized and adopted a number of Continental practices. Any remnants of monarchical meritocracy were set aside in favor of the Salic inheritance laws of the continent. The Earth Kingdom custom of engagement tokens replaced the traditional courtships of Water. Perhaps most deprivating in the long term the role of women in the Northern Tribe was greatly altered. Adopting the strictly patriarchal ways of the continent female water benders were barred from battle and banished to the healers' tents. While female warriors had ever been unheard of water benders duties had rarely been affected by gender roles.
The Southern Water Tribe remained truer to its roots regarding the Greenlanders as weak and spurning their culture. The Southern Water Tribe would remain the terrors of the sea, supposedly even hunting a disgraced clan of the South deep into the continent for some forgotten slight. Their power would peak and be broken under their last great war leader.
Nothing more need be said on the Darkest Day.
In the aftermath of their war leaders death the Royal line of the South was broken and the older ways were encouraged by the Avatar.
The Northern Water Tribe today remains a potent enemy, though hardly a threat. All attempts to take their great city have been meet with varying degrees of failure. Yet, the need to defend their city constricts them at sortieing or aiding the Earth Kingdom. The fact that so little was done to aid their sister Tribe speaks greatly of their egocentric world view.
Scattered and unorganized the Southern Water Tribe proved far easier prey than their Northern cousins. A handful of raiding ships could overcome or at least greatly weaken a Southern Settlement, with their only defense being to conceal themselves. The Southern Raiders were established as an elite naval and marine unit for the sole purpose prowling the ice and engaging the enemy on contact.
This strategy has borne fruit and the Southern Water Tribe teeters o the brink of extinction. The last Great Southern Raid has prompted the Tribe to abandon their ancestral homes and now they either merge with their Northern Brethren or hold out in the remnant of the Earth Kingdom.
More detailed information will be provided as you progress through your training. Please not this information falls under level three classification and sharing this data with unauthorized personnel will result in disciplinary action.
Until Next Time. Next Chapter will hopefully include Zuko and Ty Lee's act and more Azula.