Created by FriendlyMushroom.
Honoring: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko and Aaron Ehasz. The creators and executive producers who gave birth to 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and whose inspiration made this possible.
Especial thanks to: Scramble Eggs, for following the story so far even after the long hiatus, Blackcat842, whose last review inspired me into becoming a professional writing, already writing his third book and waiting for the time to finally publish it, Fay of the Ink and Paper for wanting me to continue with 'The Freaking Story', Ambrosia Elysia Slater and Uncle Ruckes, since they have for long awaited the sequel, ToraNoko123, for not avoiding this story even when it wasn't completed, Eldor Raidor IV, for reading this despite it being in English, thanks to all the anonymous reviewers who helped in the resurrection of this work, special thanks to all of those who no longer review but where the pillars of this story's success, such as, Miyiku, Blue Tiger, TwilightGD, Demonkink101, Stormic09, Tokkalover, and many others, and to all the readers, who even if don't review, have followed this work since it began, new readers are also welcomed.
All past chapters from the first two books have been edited carefully by the author, there were no plot changes or improvements of any kind, the edition was merely grammatical.
Book Three: Water.
Roughly a month has passed since the arrival of the pillars of salvation to the Northern Water Tribe and the plot of the Air Nomad's Genocide took place. Words of the Civil War had finally being silenced, the war at the Fire Nation is finally over, but the whole world still fears the shadow of war had done nothing but grow stronger.
The four temples, jewels of Air Nomad's culture, have long since being completely evacuated, the monks left no trace behind, some now live as members of the Earth Kingdom, waiting patiently for the day they can return to their temples, and being forced to accept a way of life they have for so long ignored and remained neutral to.
Fire Nation militia runs free around the territories of the Air Nomads, securing their temples, building their military bases there, it is only a matter of time before a new war erupts, since all Fire Nation eyes are placed toward the hated Water Tribe, now declared a Water Society because of the unification of both poles in one, unquestionable, new government.
The war had pushed the pillars of salvation to take an active role in the future of all mankind, declared by the Water Society as the future rulers of their respective cultures, they all have accepted war is inevitable, and even the pacifist leaders are currently preparing for the bloody days to come.
Prince Zuko and Fire Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, have embarked once again into Fire Nation Oceans in order to seek for any survivor from the resistance force which for two years fought slavery at the Fire Nation, with them goes Ty Lee, former royal advisor of princess Toph Bei Fong, and currently ambassador of the Fire Nation and personal trainer of Prince Zuko, with them also goes Princess Katara, with the excuse of wanting to evaluate the situation at the Fire Nation before finally acknowledging Prince Zuko as the heir of his father's throne.
Prince Sokka of the Water Society currently leads a naval army toward Air Nomad's territories, not only driving the pirate's attention away from the destroyed, and still in reconstruction, walls of the Northern Water Society, but also declaring an open war to the Fire Nation, constantly trying to build their army at the North Air Temple. Princess Toph Bei Fong, have been banned from leaving her new country, and instead, is forced to stay where it is safe at the palace of the Northern Water Society, where she is well taken care of by Yue, but other than the former princess of the Water Tribe, and currently a spirit chamber, the link of their society toward Tui and La, no one has seen the blind princess of the Water Society since her coronation day.
Slavery Mark: Book Three – Water.
Chapter One: The Blood that Ties us.
"Fire!" The sound of cannons firing their metal made missiles toward the invasion forces of the Fire Nation is heard all around the Air Temple's territories; even some cities of the Earth Kingdom can hear them as well, since the explosive sound of the canons is strong enough as to be heard even at such long distances. It is a technology only Water Tribe Society ships now have, not even the pirates who for long spread terror around the northern oceans were ever able to have this kind of fire power, power which terrorized the Fire Nation militants trying to prevent their metal ships from sinking, since despite being more powerful in offensive than the wooden made ships of the Water Society, were harder to maintain floating while they sank because of the massive destruction the cannon balls spread upon impact. "Get ready people! Let's show these Fire Nation invaders why we are the Water Society! Our people claimed the seas before any other culture did!"
Sokka ordered, and his people cheered him up, even when the Water Society was barely trained, even when they knew no military tactics or knew not about war of any sort, Sokka had managed to lead them in a long row of overwhelming victories against the Fire Nation, mostly in naval wars, but even at land, whenever his armies were needed to disembark, the military superiority belonged to the Water Society.
"Captain! The ships at the rear are in a disadvantage! The Water Society ships relay on the power of the wind, never in steam and carbon as the ships of the Fire Nation." Bato pointed out as he saw two Fire Nation war cruisers approaching the Water Society ones at the rear, the metal made naval cruisers of the Fire Nation were faster than any Water Society ship, not to mention the Water Society ones were fragile in comparison with the metal made ships about to be slammed against their wooden made ones. "They will sink us if they get close enough."
"We won't allow them to get close enough anyway." Hadoka added while ordering several soldiers to push the cannons to the rear of the ship, getting them ready for aiding the ships endangered from being sinking upon collision with the Fire Nation vessels. "Careful with the angle! Place each cannon at 85 degrees; use twice the usual amount of explosive powder! Hadoka ordered, the Water Society soldiers obeyed and arranged the cannons following his orders, and once it was done, they all fired their cannons toward the Fire Nation ships, opening several holes in the ship's hull and quickly forcing them to sink. "Great job men!" Hakoda praised, but many Fire Nation ships were approaching. "Is it just me? Or is the Fire Nation growing in number?"
"Azula told me to avoid these waters, she said they were crowded with many Fire Nation imperial ships, but now that we are here, we have no choice but push forward!" Sokka yelled, Hadoka and Bato just followed their young leader, since no matter how crazy his ideas were, no matter how inexperienced the elders of the Water Society thought Sokka was, the prophesies and the many battles he fought during his days at the Fire Nation and the Air Temples probed different. "We will lose them inside the fog! I want all ships retreating to the steam clouds!" Sokka pointed at the foggy regions of the ocean Azula for so long advised Sokka into never entering, he was of course ready to disobey her in honor of his Water Society despite his loyalty toward the Fire Princess.
"Son, I mean, General Sokka." Hadoka corrected, he wasn't used to this, Sokka was his superior first, and after, his son, which meant both hadn't being able to share a father-son relationship since the moment of Sokka's coronation as a Water Society prince, it was forbidden by the elders to allow Hakoda to get too close to Sokka, they said something about blinding his judgment. "The steam vapors of the mist won't allow our sails to move our ships."
"We will send all our man to the steering oars, pull the sails down, we are entering the fog!" Sokka ordered, and as was said, the sails were pulled down of every ship, and with the cannons still firing at the Fire Nation ships approaching at their rears, the Water Society ships disappeared while being swallowed by the fog. The heat was strong, enough for every soldier inside of the ship to start sweating heavily, it was even worse for those steering the ship, since even if they weren't hit that much by the hot vapors from the outside, the effort they placed in each steer was worsened and weakened by the vapors coming from the holes connecting the oars to the water.
"If I knew I was going to be forced to do this kind of job, I would have stayed at the Water Society where it is cold!" One of the soldiers complained, covered entirely in a Water Society armor but wearing metal made footwear instead of the usual leather made ones, and with the face concealed inside a silver helmet with the face of a Turtle-Seal covering the eyes.
"Toph, remain in silence, your voice is too female, if someone hears you, we are doomed." By the side of the cross-dressing Earth Princess, now Water Society Princess and playing the soldier in war, was Teo, the one responsible of keeping the ship's cannons working, and due to him wanting to work hard for the crew, Sokka allowed him to work by the steering oars since it was the only job Teo could have other than ship's maintenance while inside of the ship, he wore no armor since he wasn't trained for war and couldn't participate in them anyway, but was wearing the colors of the Water Society. "You need to remain hidden, Sister Ty Lee and Yue wouldn't forgive me if something were to happen to you."
"First of all, while I'm wearing this armor, the name is Sangok." She said while reminding Teo of the owner of the armor she was currently wearing. "Second, Ty Lee agreed with allowing me to have some fun instead to be the pretty little princess everyone wants me to be, I couldn't stand every Water Society maiden forcing me to dress like this, eat like that, and telling me my nose is forbidden territory and if I were to touch it again I was declaring an open war to the tissues they would use to keep my nose as clean as possible." She added noisily, which forced Teo to cover her mouth before anyone would notice her female tone of voice.
"Toph, I mean, Sangok, quit complaining and keep steering." She let out a deep breathe in annoyance, but the vapors coming from the outside went inside of her throat and she began coughing hard, fortunately for her, everyone else began coughing, the conditions inside the steering room were horrible. "What is the Captain thinking? Forcing us into this heavy fog is madness!"
"He is a Captain, a General, a Strategist, and a Prince! Give him a break, will you?" Toph yelled hard against her companion while defending her groom, luckily, no one noticed since they were complaining about the heat. "He works too hard for his society, all I can do is hide my gender and pretend to be a useless soldier down his lead, you got any idea of how it is like to swallow the urge of speaking to him?"
"I know, but please, Toph, Ty Lee gave me a lot of instructions, and she isn't here to take care of you, and you aren't helping in the less in doing my job any simpler." Toph opened her mouth about to complain, but the Water Society Prince quickly made his way inside of the steering room.
"Stop steering!" He yelled hard, but once he did he realized it was already too late, the main ship of his float had crashed with something, everyone noticed when the crashing send everyone out of their sits and toward the wooden made floor. "Everyone out of the ship! Quick!"
"Out? But aren't we in the middle of the ocean?" Teo complained while being helped up by Toph, who was now carrying him princess style, something Teo was awfully embarrassed about. "I appreciate the help but, can you please not do that, just place me on top of my chair." He instructed, but Toph moved her head in negation.
"That won't do, your chair was slammed by the body of a soldier when we crashed, and answering your first question, no, we aren't in the middle of the ocean anymore, we crashed with some kind of island." She informed, Teo blinked twice, but then faced the metal made boots the girl was wearing. "These boots works wonders, they allow me to feel the vibrations even on wood, you did a nice job."
"I only used a slim metal which vibrates easily at the sightless movement pattern, even against wind or water, it isn't anything that special." He informed, although he was proud of his job when crafting the metal made boots.
"Show off about your skills when this ship isn't sinking and when you can actually craft some metal made boots which aren't this heavy." She said while smirking at him, she then began running her way around the already sinking ship and while helping many other soldiers to make it to the ship's deck, where Sokka was yelling his instructions to everyone.
"I repeat! I need twenty volunteers with me; anyone else will leave with the other ships back to Water Society oceans!" He instructed, which won Toph's attention. "This is the Boiling Rock! A maximum security Fire Nation prison! It is famous because no one had ever escaped it! And we are breaking inside of it!"
"The Boiling Rock." Toph began, Teo just blinked twice while staring at the girl, not really knowing what to say or how to react. "Zuko spoke to me about it once, the prison where war criminals are locked at, inside of an island in the middle of a dormant volcano, there is no way I'm allowing Sokka to go there on his own, I'm sorry Teo, but I'm offering myself as volunteer!" She yelled that last part out loud before throwing Teo toward a just arriving soldier who now carried him. "Water Society soldier, Sangok, reporting for duty, sir!" She reported, Teo tried to complain, but was trapped inside the evacuation, the ship wouldn't last any longer.
"Sangok? You mean that idiot Zuko always complains about?" He asked, Toph lowered her face, once again hiding her eyes below the silver made helmet of a Turtle-Seal. "But still, you got a totemic guardian, I suppose I can trust you then, fine then, we are leaving! Commander Hadoka, I'm leaving my society down your capable hands, Bato, you are with me." Sokka informed, and Bato whistled for his pet Tiger-Wolf to join them in the mission. "Long life the Water Society!"
"Long life the Water Society!" Every Water Society member yelled back in approbation, they then boarded the remaining ships and lured the Fire Nation war cruisers, already keeping up with the Water Society ships, out of the fog and back to Water Tribe waters. "We will patrol the surrounding areas! Stay alive, son!" Sokka nodded, but said nothing, he then lead his army of twenty-two men, including himself, around the skirt of the dormant volcano.
"So, what's the plan?" Bato asked while the group moved fast around the skirt and began recognizing the area. "I never heard of an assault toward the Boiling Rock in our last war meeting, I'm afraid I only found out until now."
"That's because the elders never agreed in having me discussing this assault in a war meeting." Bato and the other soldiers blinked twice in surprise. "The elders thought it was useless and too dangerous, but I'm the prince, and if I say we are invading the Boiling Rock, then we are." He finished his explanation and continued leading his men around the Boiling Rock; only Bato now doubted Sokka's leadership.
"But Sokka, are you out of your mind? The elders, much specifically, Chief Arnook, gave you the power to lead the Water Society, and you agreed in them being the ones agreeing or not with your orders, if the elders disagreed in your invasion plan to the Boiling Rock, you obey, that's the way things work, remember the Water Society rules are now unquestionable!" Bato explained, only Sokka was ignoring him. "Please Sokka, don't be reckless! This isn't the way a Prince should behave!"
"Of course it isn't." Sokka admitted with a smile drawn on his face, a smile Bato was unable to comprehend. "This is the way a warrior behaves, placing his instincts in front of his beliefs all the time, ready to do anything for that which he thinks is right, I learned from the best warrior ever heard of; I learned all I know from the White Empress of the South." And Bato said no more, he just faced away ashamed, for long he was the one serving under the leadership of Kaya, the Queen of the Southern Water Tribe, and today, he was serving her son, the Prince of the Water Society. "So, anyone else wants to complain? Or do we follow Southern Water Tribe warrior teachings? My mother never lost a battle in all her life; I'm planning on keeping her record intact." Sokka explained, everyone nodded, but Toph still was curious, she couldn't believe how a dead woman was this inspiring to a society who for long ignored her teachings and remained neutral to the war. "We left no ship behind, only an already sinking into boiling water ship, the Fire Nation knows nothing about our intrusion, we will set camp here." Sokka then pointed at the insides of a cave leading deep inside the volcano, a cave he found thanks to one of the Fire Nation scrolls his people had stolen from other Fire Nation ships. "It will be hard, the heat is too strong, and we aren't used to the extremist temperatures, the Fire Nation knows this, and they know staying here is a suicide, I want four men with me, we are going to infiltrate and steal some Fire Nation uniforms, Bato, I want you to neutralize the guards, steal their uniforms, and bring them here, make sure no one is a bender, I don't want any accidents." He instructed, Bato nodded. "Take three soldiers with you."
"I only need one soldier to help me carry the Fire Nation ones; I can do the neutralizing myself." Sokka nodded, his plan then began. Toph wanted to be one of the soldiers going with Sokka in this suicidal mission, but she felt the hand of Bato grabbing her shoulder. "Oh no you won't, Sokka needs the best of men with him for this mission, and we both now, Sangok, that you aren't exactly qualified for it, you are coming with me." Bato ordered, the remaining soldiers made fun of Sangok, the man everyone knew barely made it into adulthood when competing in the annual adulthood tournaments. Toph then followed Bato, but not without staring one last time at Sokka and his group of soldiers, she was close to him, but thanks to the war, even farther than ever.
"Wachoo!" A strong sneeze was heard coming out from Toph's room way back at the Water Society, many maids tried to enter the room after breathing out heavily and getting the tissues ready for cleaning the Princess's nose, but Yue opened the door and waved her hand for the girls not to enter, she was now in charge of Toph's health, and with a reverence, she made it inside of the room and breathed out heavily in relief.
"For the love of Tui and La, Sangok, do you want the maids to find out you are taking the princess's place?" Yue complained, and then tried to ignore the strong laughter of June, now taking Ty Lee's place as royal ambassador of the Water Society Princess Toph Bei Fong, and forbidden from leaving the country as well due to her status and royal responsibility toward the Earth Princess. "June, you are not helping." Yue complained.
"But I just can't stand it!" June continued bursting into laughter while rolling around Toph's bed; tears of joy were even falling from her eyes. "Ok, I'm fine already, keep your coolness June, just ignore the fact of him dressing like a girl and you will be fine." But her cheeks were then filled with air and she burst into a strong laughter once again. "I can't! This is just too hilarious! I'm so glad the elders forced me to stay at the Water Society after all! This is madness! I can't even believe I'm losing my coolness! I'm never like this!" And she continued laughing.
"Well, thank you for lowering my self-esteem!" Sangok complained, he was currently wearing Toph's royal clothes, which fit him perfectly and forced the mercenary girl to burst into laughter once again. "Stop that! It's really hurting my feelings!"
"Please stop! Just shut up and say no more!" June complained while grabbing her stomach. "It's enough with having to look at you while dressing like that! Hearing you complaining like a little girl isn't helping me recover from this laughing crisis! I hate you!" She yelled but then burst into laughter again.
"June, seriously, I'm counting on you for the fulfillment of this plan, what will happen if you start laughing like this in the middle of the city?" Yue asked, June nodded several times and finally relaxed. "And you, Sangok, don't sneeze so hard, you know how Toph's maids used to clean her highness's nose every time she sneezed, it's not safe to sneeze so hard, not to mention it probes you have a serious problem, maybe an allergy."
"It's not like I can control the way I sneeze, and why in the world do I have to dress like a girl and have her laughing at me all the time?" He complained while pointing at June, who once again tried to swallow her laughter in vain. "She seriously is hurting me feelings!"
"Don't be such a crybaby!" June complained, but soon she recovered her coolness and placed her attention against Yue. "At any rate, are you sure no one will find out? Because if the Water Society discovers I'm helping you and the princess of the Earth Kingdom into tricking her people that she is well and healthy, and still at the Water Society, chief Arnook will have my head."
"No one will notice as long as Sangok's face remains hidden, and he doesn't argue with Hawky as he did last time, seriously, next time I get Hawky out of the barn he and Eeleen are sharing, you two better get along." Yue then began placing some make up at Sangok's face, the teen complained, but crossed his arms in annoyance while allowing Yue to continue hiding his masculinity. "Sangok is skinny; he would trick anyone into believing he is actually a girl."
"Well, that's just rude!" Sangok complained and crossed his arms in annoyance and while facing away, which quickly forced June to start laughing at him once again after Sangok began acting more and more as a girl so naturally. "I'm really not sure about this."
"Neither am I, but in hopes of helping Toph, I agreed on this, she is totally blind at the poles, and also, she wants to be with the person she loves the most." Yue got carried away, June noticed, a smile full with malice already drawing itself at the mercenary's lips. "It's not like that." She added calmly.
"No, of course not, helping the girl who stole your groom into being close to him, seriously lady, women should show more spine and aim for what they truly want… giving up on the prince of the Water Society was perhaps the worst mistake you could ever make." She explained, but Yue moved her head in negation while smiling. "And you still want to smile for me, are you out of your mind or what? Seriously."
"It really isn't like that… giving up on Sokka wasn't hard in the less, I wanted to meet him, and understand what kind of person he was, just then could I understand if being forced into marriage was something good or bad." She then stopped, her mind spaced out for a second, and then she began laughing. "Although I must admit, he is awfully handsome." She added, June smiled.
"He surely was, but not as hot as that stupid bandaged warrior! I had love to see what's bellow those bandages of his, surely some sexy looking muscles!" June blushed, Yue giggled, Sangok just rolled his eyes in annoyance, not only was he forced to dress like a lady, now he had to listen to them talk about men.
At the in ruins capital of the Fire Nation, a couple of cloaked figures remained hidden from the many militants running around the streets and making sure the capital was safe from any rebel who may have survived the furious attack at the Fire Nation. One of the cloaked figures kept her only useful eye analyzing the situation, she could tell by their weak movements and the shock in their faces, that not even they approved the actions of the Fire Lord in ending this Civil War for good, it was madness, and worse than everything, a genocide.
"To believe I once thought about fighting for the fate of this nation with all my heart… I'm glad I convinced Azula into staying inside of the ship." Ty Lee then lied down avoiding a soldier who was just turning around from noticing her; she was skillful enough as to see the tension in his muscles before the action, which made her a master of espionage. "Still, why in the world do you have to tag along? You do nothing but complain." Ty Lee added, and another cloaked figure, this one with her never ending stare permanently directed to a group of collapsed bookshelves, did nothing but bit her lips in annoyance while blushing madly.
"That's none of your business! At any rate, I'm a member of royalty, and you are just a peasant, address me correctly whenever you speak to me!" She yelled it all out, and Ty Lee had to return to her watch and make sure no one had heard the princess of the Water Society speaking, her fingers always ready in the Chi Blocking posture, and her eyes analyzing the tension in the soldier's muscles, luckily for them, no one noticed. "I hate this place!"
"And I though her highness was already stubborn enough, princess Katara beats both Toph and Azula in the who is more annoying contest." Katara finally faced away from the collapsed bookshelves, she heard what Ty Lee just said, only Ty Lee never controlled her tone of voice to hide her words from Katara, she actually disliked the Water Society princess. "Zuko!" Ty Lee added cheerfully, Katara then stared at the bookshelves once again with a beautiful smile drawn on her face, a smile she quickly erased from her face when seeing Zuko, breathing heavily and sweating hard. "I knew I shouldn't have allowed you to go there on your own!" Ty Lee yelled and pushed Katara away and into the floor, then placed her whole attention toward Zuko. "There is little air down there; the Anapanasati won't work in reduced spaces!" She instructed, Zuko nodded, but still gasped for air, Ty Lee then searched for an acupuncture point, and she pressed Zuko's chest strongly, forcing his lungs open, and him to breath heavily once again. "Zuko!" She added with teary eyes.
"I will be fine… thanks…" Zuko replied, and then smiled for Ty Lee, who smiled shyly back to him, but her smile was quickly erased by her ponytail being pulled hard by Katara, who was biting her lips hard while trying to swallow her anger, but not being capable of doing it at all. "Katara? What are you doing? You are hurting her."
That's exactly the point! She was rude to me!" She kept pulling her ponytail; Ty Lee was already losing her temper as well, getting her fingers ready for battle and about to use them against Katara. "You peasant! That's now way to treat a princess!"
"And that isn't a way for a princess to behave." Zuko added, Katara calmed down and let go of Ty Lee, only after doing it, the releasing send Ty Lee toward Zuko's arms, he blushed, she blushed, and Katara bit her lips with hatred. "Anyway!" Zuko added fast and pushed Ty Lee away from him. "The underground city is still there, the Fire Nation didn't discover its location, but there is no one down there, the city was completely abandoned, it stings to smoke, I guess the populace was forced to evacuate because of the toxic gases the Dragon-Hounds burned the whole capital with."
"And what happened to the resistance? Were they captured?" Zuko nodded, Ty Lee then faced the Fire Nation prison. "That place is not big enough for too many people, and after the break out five years ago during the Civil War, I doubt it's still functional, where in the Fire Nation would they place so many prisoners?" She asked, Zuko lowered his face. "Don't tell me they are planning on doing what I think they are planning on doing."
"Father isn't that stupid, he wouldn't kill so many innocents without giving his people a good reason… he wouldn't commit that mistake twice." Zuko added with his face full in depression, Ty Lee and Katara nodded, but Zuko ignored them both and faced the city in ruins. "Yu and the leaders of the rebellion, are about to be executed at the ground zero of the Fire Nation palace, the other rebels are being transported toward the Boiling Rock, just as Sokka and I planned."
"The Boiling Rock? Are you two nuts? We don't have enough resources to spare in an attack toward the Boiling Rock!" Ty Lee yelled out, Katara just stared at both in confusion. "The Day of the Black Sun is close, we need all the troops we can get to launch a direct attack to the heart of the Fire Nation, which if you hadn't noticed, is full with Fire Nation soldiers, keeping Water Society ships around the seas of the Northern Air Temple and the Water Society already cut our forces in half, now you and Sokka are invading the Boiling Rock? Who agreed on this plan?"
"No one, the elders said it was a suicide mission, that's why Sokka is sinking his own ship at the Boiling Rock's shore, and taking a small group with him for an infiltration, if the elders ask, it was an accident." Ty Lee felt her mouth opening as wanting to say something, but no word escaped her lungs. "What? It is a suicide mission, just as all missions we have, searching for resistance survivors, and preventing the execution of our leaders isn't what I would call a well-planned plan in the less."
"Whatever, let's do this fast and leave this pathetic nation already, I feel dirty just standing in Fire Nation floor." And Zuko and Ty Lee started at princess Katara with annoyance. "The leaders of your rebellion are about to be killed, move it already." She added, Ty Lee crossed her arms in annoyance.
"I can't take her anymore! I swear it, if I have to save her royal butt in the middle of a battle, I will leave her on her own, I'm not saving her." Zuko just moved his head in negation and walked behind of Katara, Ty Lee did the same after complaining about the princess. "How can you stand her? She does nothing but complain about our nation and people, she is a racist."
"She is not… she is just pretending to be a total pain so we don't worry about her." Ty Lee stared at Zuko, the young and former Prince of the Fire Nation just stared at Katara as the young princess walked around the in ruins city without even caring of being discovered by the militants. "She has a kind heart, and an odd motherly side she only allows anyone to see when she leaves her guard down… a side she hides from others by being a total pain, so no one will notice her weakness."
"Weakness… or care toward those she loves…?" Ty Lee faced down; Zuko stared at her with concern. "Seriously… going as far as to be a total pain to Zuko… and then release all her anger on me so I keep my distance… love is surely strange… isn't it…?" Zuko then gave her an odd stare, which she noticed, blushed about, and backed off in fear off. "It's nothing! Just talking to myself, that's all!"
"Women… I don't get them…" Was Zuko's only reply, and then he breathed out heavily and continued his march, which impressed Ty Lee a lot. Since Zuko's health was halved due to half his heart being dead after his last encounter with his father, Ty Lee had been training Zuko in the arts of Anapanasati, a monk teaching to control ones breathe, releasing the pressure in Zuko's damaged heart, and allowing him to do everything at a fixed rhythm, he now could run, workout, and train with the sword as he used to do when his heart wasn't wounded, and firebending was now possible, but Ty Lee never imagined he would learn Anapanasati this fast, even if his technique wasn't perfected yet, only Ty Lee could use the Anapanasati as a real weapon, Zuko threatened his own life when using it, and with those thoughts in mind, she followed the others toward ground zero.
"Move it, Sangok, there is a lot to be done and little time to do it." Bato exclaimed, and Toph had to bit her lips in annoyance not to earthbend the annoying Water Society warrior into the burning earth they were currently climbing. She was tired, the heat was too much for her to breathe normally, and despite being strong in body and mind, she wasn't a man, and needed to place more and more effort into her climbing. "In my opinion, war is only for men." He began, Toph then felt her hand being pulled and then her whole body being lift by the strong Water Society militant. "But as usual, there is always a woman proving me wrong, seriously." He then took Toph's helmet off, revealing her long and silky hair already drenched in sweat, and her blind eyes the spirits used as window toward the world of humans. "Whose idea was this?"
"You knew?" Toph asked, Bato then placed her down and continued climbing the dormant volcano and toward a group of watchtowers full with Fire Nation soldiers pointing their torches toward the fog, trying to see anything suspicious. "If you knew." Toph began while climbing her way toward the towers once again. "Why didn't you send me back with the retreating group? You know how this is a suicidal mission and all, and you know Sokka won't be able to concentrate if he knows I'm part of his army." Bato then helped Toph up once again, she hated this, she was the greatest earthbending master ever heard of, able to use metalbending and essencebending, but still needing help to climb a dormant volcano.
"I thought about sending you back, but I didn't for three reasons." He continued while asking his Tiger-Wolf to scout the zone while they remained hidden behind some rocks tall enough as to cover their bodies from the watchers. "First, you were brave enough to do this madness, and that, my girl, is what makes the Water Tribe so strong, forget about the Water Society, in heart, we are still Southern Water Tribe, brave, strong, and determined." Toph smiled when hearing that last, so far she was having second thoughts about being the new princess of the Water Society, but after hearing Bato's words, she was glad. "Second, you are far better than Sangok, that kid is nothing but a pain, having you, a skilled warrior joining our lines in this suicidal mission, is far better than a worthless warrior who has a Turtle-Seal as totemic guardian." The Tiger-Wolf arrived after finding the perfect route to follow, and then guided the two warriors toward the safest path to follow. "The third reason is my new found respect for women in general, in the past, we, warriors of the Southern and Northern Water Tribes, were the only ones who were allowed in war, that of course was until Kaya changed our mind."
"Sokka's mother?" Toph added, her eyes widened when remembering the vibrations of the proud woman she only met twice in the past, once at the rebellion at the Earth Kingdom, and one last time when she died in front of her and Sokka. "I never knew what kind of woman she was… what did she do to deserve your respect… I mean, as a girl, I demand your respect, but she earned it."
"Since the days of Avatar Kuruk, only the first born men, direct descendant of Kuruk's blood line, was allowed to lead our people in war, it was like that for many generations, if the first born wasn't a man, she couldn't lead our people, only a man could." Toph nodded, although she disliked the gender preference of the Water Tribes. "But then it happened, after so long, a king, died in battle without giving birth to a man, the only one left was a young girl, Kaya, the last direct descendant of a Kuruk, our elders thought we were doomed, the blood of Kuruk had abandoned us in war, there was no one to lead us, the Queen had the blood of a commoner, she couldn't lead us."
"Only Kaya had the blood in her veins as to be worthy of the leadership of the Southern Water Tribe… but she was a girl." Toph pointed out, Bato nodded; he then delivered a bone made hammer to Toph. "I'm a bender, I don't need this."
"You can't bend in front of Sokka, so I'm going to train you in the arts of a warrior, just as I trained Kaya." Toph's eyes widened once again, Bato continued. "Kaya was only twelve years old when the burden of the leadership of her tribe fell on top of her arms, and our tribe was full with young warriors because of the adults fighting the Earth Kingdom head on as they invaded our territories, only the young ones, who still hadn't achieved maturity, were to stay behind." He explained, Toph listened to it all with a new found interest. "I was the elder of our tribe while the adults were all at the front line, and I was only 15 years old, I was as well, the only male of our tribe who knew princess Kaya was born, since for a king to have a girl was a disgrace, and their gender, was always hidden from the knowledge of people."
"So, it is as they say, great minds think the same things." Toph smiled, Bato nodded. "You cross dressed the princess of the Southern Water Tribe so your people would think there was a heir to the throne of the dead king, pretty clever."
"Indeed… wait, you cross dressed Sangok?" Toph nodded, Bato then tried hard to swallow his laughter. "Anyway." He continued. "With Kaya posing as a male, she was the only woman in history to receive military training, for three long years, I trained her alongside many others, at first she was a crybaby, always breaking into a strong sobbing after being scratched, and she was bullied by her sparing partners, by all but one."
"Hakoda." Bato nodded, Toph then felt her heart complaining, despite being a strong and determined girl, she was still a girl, and as such, interested in romanticism. "Now that, is interesting, what happened when Hakoda found out Kaya was a girl?"
"He didn't, not until she kissed him, just imagine his embarrassment." Toph felt her jaw dropping; she then fought her laughter hard. "Let's not think about it yet, by the way, you are carrying the hammer upside down." She blushed and then fixed the grip of her hammer; both then ran toward the walls of the watch posts. "Kaya fell in love with Hakoda, and both quickly became good friends because of Hakoda's soft heart, he always protected the weak, and wanted to see the day his prince would claim the throne and lead his people toward times of peace."
"Sounds like something Sokka would do, now I see where he took his annoying loyalty like attitude, he is ready to die for Zuko and Azula if they order it to him, all because of a stupid vow of loyalty." Bato placed his linked hands in front of Toph, the girl stepped on them and then readied her hammer. "So, how do I use this thing? Do I just smack them out cold?"
"That's the plan, but remember, it is a bone hammer, you need to be careful when swinging it." Toph waited, Bato continued. "One hit at the back of the head, not too high or you will force a paralysis to the guard's brain, not to below of he will die because of the loss of blood, normally it wouldn't bother me, they are our enemies, but Sokka instructed us just to kill if extremely necessary… something about a guy called Master Piandao or something, teaching him the meaning of forgiveness."
"That's my Sokka." Toph added, Bato then launched Toph toward the watchtower; she climbed it, and then smacked the back of the head of the soldier in watch duty, knocking him unconscious, but not killing him, she then pulled the unconscious soldier toward the wall she climbed not long ago, and using her hammer to have a better grip to the corner of the tower, she climbed the wall down while carrying the heavy soldier at her back. "Dead weight is way heavier than what I had expected!" She complained and then climbed the wall down, and once she did, Bato took the unconscious soldier from her shoulders and carried him instead, placing little effort into it. "Sweet!" She grinned, Bato the asked her to follow him. "So, Kaya took the leadership of her tribe?"
"That girl made my life impossible, but just as Sokka after her, she adsorbed everything like a sponge, she was the worst student I ever had, and then the best one, she was incredible with a lance, and a swung of her hammer could knock a trio of well-armed Earth Kingdom soldiers easily, even a tribe's shield was a dangerous weapon in her hands, when throwing it, I was afraid she would rip someone's head off." Toph was impressed, Bato continued. "When she made her third annual ceremony of maturity, she asked me to be her opponent, can you believe it? I was the eldest of soldiers, not to mention the bravest, they gave the Tiger-Wolf totem to me, and that is the highest rank in the Water Tribe military strength, far different from the Turtle-Seal, which is the worst rank." Toph cursed her helmet, although it wasn't hers, but Sangok's. "She asked me not to hold back, and I didn't, imagine my surprise, when she broke my bone lance with the spear of her own, and I had the edge looking straight into my eyes, she was incredible, the lance was her best weapon, and the only one she used to defeat me, her eyes were as piercing arrows, her determination the same of a Polar-Walrus-Bear, and she moved as gracefully as Air Nomad's Snow-Birds, I guess I fell in love with her somehow when that happened, but then again, Hakoda already discovered her secret two days before her tournament of arms, when she unexpectedly kissed him after she beat him in a practice contest, just imagine his reaction, everyone thought he was… err… what's the world I'm looking for?"
"Oh, I know, Air Nomad!" Bato burst into laughter after hearing the old pun everyone used to refer to that kind of people, so did Toph, but they then controlled their laughs once arriving to the next watchtower. "So, Kaya made it into adulthood, sweet."
"I will never forget that day, my spirit was shattered, our people in silence and impressed for Kaya's victory, but then, when her people began cheering for her, and thought their prince was ready to finally join the war, she did something no one ever expected." And Toph couldn't wait to hear it, Bato noticed. "She took her helmet off, and revealed her long hair, and if there was any doubt of her true gender left, she took her armor off, revealing her feminine figure, and with only a blue tunic covering her body, she then yelled to her people, with a voice full of authority, 'I am Kaya, future queen of the Water Tribe, the blood of Avatar Kuruk runs through my veins, and I will lead my people toward times of peace, whether they want it or not, since the authority of a blood of Kuruk is unquestionable." And Toph could almost imagine it. "Hakoda was the first to kneel before her, and I was the second to do so, every elder followed us, and soon, the whole pole was kneeling, and cheering the name of our princess, her totemic guardian was then revealed, she was a Swam-Peacock, the first and only warrior to earn that title, but in the battlefield, her enemies knew her as the White Empress of the South, since her totemic guardian forced her to wear a silver and white armor… oh… sorry… you don't know what those colors are… no offence."
"None taken." Toph added while smiling and facing the floor. "I didn't know her… you know… but when I was five years old, I felt her vibrations, they were strong, but peaceful at the same time, and I just knew she was truly Sokka's mother, she was a great woman, I could feel it, I wish I had shared the battlefield with her."
"And sometimes I wish I never did, if Sokka is reckless, and a genius in war tactics, you can imagine the kind of person Kaya was." Bato then gave a boomerang to Toph, the girl remembered the touch of the object from the time Sokka captured her at the Earth Kingdom, and after knowing what the object was, she gave Bato an odd blind stare. "If I could train Kaya into becoming the kind of person she used to be, I'm sure I can train you as well, even if you are blind, when using a boomerang, you don't aim with your eyes, but with your ears, you listen to the wind, and launch the boomerang in hopes of it following the trace in your mind, of course you need to know where your opponent is first."
"I already know." Toph said while placing her hand at the wall of the second watchtower, she then tried to concentrate in the sound of the wind, even is the intense heat was against her, and once she found the trace, she threw her boomerang, only Bato threw one after hers, making sure the girl would knock the soldier down. "Did I get him?"
"Almost." Was Bato's reply, and then both boomerang's fell down moments before another soldier fell from the watchtower and he was forced to catch him. "You got his face, instead of the back of his head, but don't worry, Kaya missed the first time as well, or maybe she just wanted to hit Hakoda and win his attention, that girl, sometimes she forgot she was pretending to be a boy, Hakoda was always awfully embarrassed." And Toph giggled when thinking about it.
"Kaya felt like such a nice lady, even when her vibrations told different… she was sick… what happened to her?" Toph wondered, Bato then took a deep breathe. "She was sick since birth?"
"I blame myself for her premature dead… I never knew she was sick, no one told me, and she hid it from me." Bato admitted, Toph lowered her face. "She had a difficult time trying adjusting to any kind of training she made, at first I thought it was because she was a girl, or because she never trained ever in her whole life, but it was something else, her heart, it was weak." Toph nodded, Bato continued. "No one knows how it happened, apparently, her heart never worked the way it should, even at the day of her birth, the doctors thought she didn't survive the birth, but it wasn't that, she was born weak."
"Being born with a burden… and trying to prove herself capable of doing things no one ever thought she was going to be able to do… I think I now understand Kaya better than anyone… it wasn't your fault, she did what she thought was right… even if that killed her." Bato nodded, both then walked slowly toward the last watch post. "When did you found out she was sick?"
"Too late I'm afraid… and I never forgave Hakoda for not telling me before." Bato stopped his march for a second when saying that last, but he then resumed his march. "For years, Kaya fought ignoring her weakness, she was so fierce in the battle field that I never suspected anything was wrong with her, she always did her best, and always, was the first one to enter the battlefield." But there was a depressive tone of voice in Bato's words; he still blamed himself for the loss. "When she got married to Hakoda, I didn't know both were hiding it from me, she told him everything, and still, he married her, but I could see it, Hakoda was forcing himself to catch up with Kaya when in battle, and that angered her, they were always arguing, once I caught a glimpse of Kaya's health, Hakoda and I were best friends and I decided to help them in their relationship problems, but before I did, I heard her yelling and saying, 'You said you would never treat me any different because of my heart.' That was what she said."
"She was worried Hakoda would kill himself in battle while defending her… now I know where Sokka got that over protective side of him." She added, Bato nodded. "But you still couldn't figure it out?"
"She was pregnant; I thought it had something to do with it." Toph moved her shoulders up and down as reply; she had no idea of what it felt like anyway. "When Sokka was born, Kaya was too weak as to take care of him properly, the doctors said it was dangerous for her to have her child, but she demanded the doctors to help her first born to be born, or else she would personally kill each of them, she lost too much blood in the birth, but Sokka was born, and with him, the prophesy of him leading our tribe to times of peace."
"But she never cared about the prophesy, she just wanted Sokka to be born." Bato then handled a third weapon to Toph, a bone made lance. "She risked her life to have her baby, I guess it's a mother's thing, I really don't know, my mother died when I was five years old, it isn't like I can remember her at all."
"But Sokka was born, which is why we are all here today." Toph nodded. "Those were the hardest days of our tribe, without Kaya, the armies of the Earth Kingdom were more powerful, and to make it worse, Kaya was asked to travel to the altar of the kings, far in the south, and away from our tribe, for her to speak to the spirits and for them to judge if Sokka would become the boy who would seek for equilibrium."
"Wait, she was weak, and recently had a baby, and the spirits still asked her to do such a thing? That's madness!" Bato nodded, Toph just waited for the rest of the explanation, she was already sick with the tales of the all mighty spirits, but still wanted to know.
"A month after Sokka's birth, she took him in her arms, placed some Polar-Walrus-Bear fur around him, and went to the king's temple as was instructed, with only her lance as protection for herself and Sokka, our men were forbidden from helping her by the spirits, she needed to do this alone." Bato then helped Toph into having a better grip for her lance; she understood and then allowed Bato to show her the movements she should use. "She returned to our tribe a month later, weaker than ever, but Sokka was healthy, the Earth Kingdom had won a lot of our territories after she was gone, but once returning, she never thought about it twice, she took the lance in her hands, and headed to battle, in just a week, she pushed the invasion forces back, and restored our tribe to its former glory."
"I can't believe the spirits were cruel enough as to place such a burden on Kaya… what were they thinking?" But Bato never blamed the spirits, the whole contrary; he knew the reason of Kaya's strength was because of her trust in the spirits.
"Katara's birth was different, it went without any complications, she was a new woman, stronger, healthier, fighting for the only propose of avoiding the destiny the spirits wanted Sokka to fulfill, she swore the war would be over before Sokka would lead his tribe, and with that motivation in mind, she pressed on, even when the Fire Nation joined the war, she got victory after victory, she defeated the greatest generals, between the names I can remember, are Admiral Zhao, and Jeong Jeong, some say she even defeated General Iroh in combat."
"Really? Two of them were Sokka's masters." She added, Bato smiled. "I bet she left such a good impression of her skills to them, enough for them for wanting to train Sokka and believe he was indeed the future of his tribe."
"If only Kaya had lasted a little longer, none of this would have happened." Bato continued. "After her battle with Jeong Jeong's army was over, I heard the queen was heavily injured, and I rushed to her aid despite Hakoda trying to stop me, I found her inside of her hut, she was spitting out blood, but she wasn't injured, there was no scratch which deserved any attention, she was just coughing out blood with no apparent reason, it was then when I understood there was something wrong with her, just imagine my rage, I grabbed Hakoda by the neck, I would have snapped it if it wasn't because I knew he had a son and a daughter."
"And because she was a dear person to you, just like Hakoda was, it hurt you because they kept secrets from you, but you forgave them, even when you understood Kaya's illness… and instead of placing the blame in them for not telling you… you blamed yourself for pushing her too hard… you were never able to live with that burden…" Bato nodded, Toph then bit her lips in annoyance, jumped the wall and climbed it while holding her lance fiercely, Bato couldn't understand her reasons, but soon saw a soldier falling down while he hold his stomach, and shortly after, he saw Toph jumping down and hitting the soldier's face with the back of her bone lance. "It wasn't you fault! You trained her! Taught her the extension of her own limitations! If she decided to lie to you when not telling you she was sick, it was her own fault, not that she is to be blamed because of her own passing away, she lived the way she wanted, and she never regretted it, not even when dying in front of her son!" Bato was speechless. "Kioshy, Ty Lee, and now Kaya… I don't care, they were all great women, but I will surpass them all… because I want to be not just the best Earthbending Master ever heard of… now I want to be an example to all women in the future generations… just like Kaya was, and you will be the one teaching me how!" She ordered, Bato then had to back off since Toph's lace was dangerously close to his nose. "So then…" She added, Bato stared at her. "Got any complains about me calling you Master?"
Back at the Fire Nation, just arriving at ground zero, a huge crowd was forming. The extended majority was formed by military men, but some where Fire Nation citizens who not long ago returned to the in ruins capital in hopes of starting its reconstruction. In front of them all, and just coming out from his royal hut was Fire Lord Ozai, followed by a young woman Ty Lee never expected to see.
"Mai?" She began, and Zuko had to cover the girl's mouth for them not to be discovered, they were undercover after all, and with both being dangerously easy to recognize by the Fire Lord and Mai, they needed to try to remain as hidden as possible, standing out would be suicide. "Zuko, this is madness, that girl is far from being normal, if we engage in battle with them, I don't think I will be able to hold her back, I mean, I still haven't recovered entirely from when I used the Anapanasati to become the one girl army."
"Show off!" Katara added, Ty Lee bit her lips in annoyance, Zuko just stood between the two. "I got military training from Master Pakku, even when he refused because I was a girl, but I proved to be the greatest waterbending master there is, even if Ozai and that girl try to stop us, I will handle them."
"Yeah, right, that girl almost killed your brother!" Ty Lee yelled out, Zuko just shut them both up and stared at the ceremony taking place. The people was annoyed, they were yelling things to Ozai, but the fierce Fire Lord never cared, and instead, shut them up with a display of his lighting based powers, and once that happened, Zuko placed his hand strongly against his chest and began breathing out in the Anapanasati technique.
"My people!" Ozai yelled, as if his people were proud of him, which they weren't. "The Civil War is finally over." But the Fire Nation citizens disliked his methods. "But this war pushed away from me both, my traitorous son, and my prodigy daughter… and now I no longer have a heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, but not all hope is lost! My brothers, since today, I'm here to make an important announcement, this war has taken away more lives than it should, and a brave girl, lost it all to the likes of the rebels, when her parents were murdered by them coldheartedly." Ozai declared, Zuko then stared at Mai; she reflected no emotion as was usual, even when wearing black clothing in signal of respect for her supposed murdered family.
"Damn you, father… you killed her parents…" Zuko spoke to himself, both Ty Lee and Katara noticed. "And the worst part is… Mai knows it… but she still forgave you… why?" Zuko wanted to understand, but he couldn't, the answer soon came to his ears anyway.
"It is sad, but we all have lost something to this war, I lost my wife, my heirs to the throne, and this brave girl, general of our armies who fought against the Air Benders who rebelled against our way of life, and refused the existence of our god, Agni! Is in need of me, and thus I have called this meeting, to seal this announcement, and declare Lady Mai, as the only, rightful owner of my throne!" The announcement won Zuko's attention; his father went too far, stripping both him and Azula from their heritage, and giving a royalty position to Mai, who was already being crowned as the new princess of the Fire Nation.
Her soldiers cheered for her, the citizens remained in silence and confusion, they couldn't understand the reasons behind such announcement, they knew Zuko was murdered by his own father, but knew Azula had done nothing to anger their lord, also, the news of the war against the Air Nomads being because of religious meanings, was one the citizens weren't ready to accept, much less to a god like Agni, who was said to rule by fear and by the demand of blood.
"I can't believe this." Katara won Zuko's attention. "Who in the spirit's name gives cult to a spirit like Agni? And going as far as calling him a god? That's nonsense." Ty Lee, for once, had to agree with Katara, although she would never admit it. "At any rate, what are we going to do now? You and Azula were just stripped from your royal heritage; you are the heir to the throne no more."
"To the eyes of my father, maybe I'm not." Zuko began; he still had a faint hope in things turning for the better. "But for my nation… I'm sure of it… some still believe there is good in our culture… and I will keep fighting for them…"
"With such a weak heart, I seriously doubt it." Katara added, Ty Lee was annoyed; Zuko just accepted the comment as a fact and calmed down. "Would you mind using your brain for once? You do no good to anyone dead, I heard it from Sokka, how you planned on dying as a martyr two years ago, that's the way of a coward."
"Katara!" Ty Lee interrupted, she could no longer control her temper, the princess of the Water Tribe was just too self-centered as to care for others, or so she thought. "How could you say such a thing? Zuko was ready to sacrifice his own life in favor of peace!"
"But she is right." Zuko added, Ty Lee just faced the floor. "Someone did die as a martyr that day… and look at things now… nothing has changed, the whole contrary, everything turned out to be worse." And Zuko closed his hands into fists, a brave man died, and it was useless. "If it had been me… would it be any different? Today my people think and complain, as they haven't done in the past… but there is still no one stepping up against my father's madness… someone should! But they do nothing!" His yell won the people's attention, and both Katara and Ty Lee tried to calm him down. "Why? The plan was perfect, my nation, the one I was going to die for, the one I actually died for, was supposed to take arms and crush you father!" And Ozai's eyes widened, just then, Zuko revealed himself to the crowd. "I'm here! And I'm still the heir to the throne! You have no right from stripping me from my title!"
"But I can!" Ozai yelled back, and with a movement of his hands, called his guards to capture Zuko. "I can't believe you are alive! I killed you with my own hands! But now, it seems like I have to do it again! Get him!"
"Ok, this already ran out of control, and we didn't even get close enough to the leaders of the rebellion." Ty Lee pointed out, but she then noticed the eyes of Mai filling themselves with madness and rage. "Ow, crap!" Ty Lee yelled and rushed away, but Mai took her sword out and ran after her. "How many times do I have to pierce you with my arrows for you to stay dead?" She added in annoyance and took her bow and arrow out, both figures then disappeared in the in ruins city, leaving both Zuko and Katara alone and surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers.
"Your people moved aside… you are their prince… but they still moved aside…" Katara began; Zuko just lowered his face and bit his lips in disapproval. "What will you do? Are you still planning on dying as a martyr for a nation who doesn't believe in you?"
"They believed… at least they did when I was the Blue Spirit." Zuko and Katara where now back against back, and the Fire Nation soldiers were getting closer and closer, but Zuko still tried to find his answers, he wanted to believe, but his people were looking away, abandoning him, and he was their prince. "I don't care." He began, his hands filling themselves with flames, and his chest breathing out only once, entering the Anapanasati trance. "Even if it kills me." He breathed again, and wasted it in yet another group of words. "I will recover my nation."
"Is that truly your conviction? Your Judgment?" The word earned the attention of Zuko's ears, he was, after all, the one who would bring judgment and even if this was or not the judgment his birth was said to bring with him, Katara's words had a great impact in his shattered heart. "Well?" She asked, the lances of the speared knights of the Fire Nation soldiers were approaching their necks, but Zuko finally nodded in agreement. "Is that so? Then my answer is clear as well." She began; Zuko directed his healthy eye at her. "I want to see it with my own eyes in order to believing in it." Katara then made some strange movements, as if commanding water, even when there was no water around them, the Fire Nation soldiers remained in silence, they just waited for whatever Katara did to take form, but nothing did, and then resumed their approach, only Katara was smiling at them, such conviction-full grin winning their attention. "You really don't know who you are messing with." Water came out from the floor in the form of strong water spurts, and the Fire Nation soldiers were washed away. "I told you I was the greatest waterbending master, and your nation has a great sewer's system."
"So, you are attacking my people with sewer's water?" She nodded, Zuko was grossed out. "And you still dare saying your element is superior to mine." More soldiers approached, Katara and Zuko began battling them back, Zuko using the full extension of his Fire Bending, and Katara taking clean water from out of her many water cans, which contained different kinds of fluids, from common water, to paint to break the soldiers visibility, and even oil, which Zuko used to power up his bending. "Nice trick!"
"Hey, if it's water, I can bend it." She added, and while doing it so, a soldier got too close to her and launched an attack with his lance, which edge Katara slapped away and then forced the soldier to approach, then slamming her open palm on his face. "Told ya I was trained in military tactics."
"Was that Chuan? Sokka being searching for a Chuan Master, you knew that, didn't you?" Katara moved her head in negation; Zuko just slapped his own face hard. "I should have known, once we are back to your tribe, we will talk Sokka into training with you!" Zuko yelled and then kicked the face of one of his nation's soldiers; he then breathed out once and resumed the fighting.
"Me? I just know the basis of Chuan! This is actually the first time I use it in real battle." She added and blocked the edge of a sword, then redirecting it to the floor and finally kicking the face of the soldier, after which she used her water bending to freeze him and several soldiers already approaching to them. "Ran out of water."
"And I ran out of gas." Zuko added while gasping for air, his Anapanasati was nowhere near close to Ty Lee's one, he managed to resist the need of his heart to rest for a while, but just not enough to become a one man's army as Ty Lee could. "Before dying, I just want you to know I always thought you were cute, but then again, you are also are a total pain."
"This isn't the time for you to be revealing feelings you should be keeping to yourself! And I'm not a pain!" Katara yelled back in annoyance. "I'm a princess, Zuko, and I deserve your respect!"
"A princess?" Ozai spoke out; Katara just slapped her own forehead because of her stupidity. "I remember you." Ozai added, Katara faced away, trying to hide her face behind her cloak. "It's of no use, Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe!" The revelation left everyone speechless, even the soldiers didn't know how to react. "Do you see it now? My worthless son has allied himself with Water Tribe savages! The same savages who drowned our lands, began the war, and killed your queen!" The citizens of the Fire Nation all had different reactions after such revelation. "This is the greatest piece of treason in Fire Nation history; you and your race are despicable! I will never give up until you all burn!" Katara was enraged, she was once again being called names because of being Water Tribe, she was falling to the savage side of hers which had consumed her since Sokka and her mother abandoned her years ago, but Zuko took her hand, calming her down. "Despicable!"
"It is not!" Zuko breathed heavily, trying once again to enter the Anapanasati trance. "The Water Tribe began the war, I know, we all do." He breathed once again. "But their sin shouldn't blind our judgment, just because they are different, it doesn't mean we should hate them." Zuko breathed out once again, Katara just remained in silence. "Why do you hate them? Is it because of their skin? It is tanner than ours, so what? Yours would be tan too if you had to live at the poles! Where they barely have food to survive! They can't grow vegetables, which by the way, is the reason of why our skin is paler!" Zuko then coughed hard, so hard even blood began falling from his mouth, Katara went to his side and helped him recover, but Zuko still continued. "Maybe it is because you fear them, water can extinguish fire, you think they have the power to reveal against you, and guess what, they do! That's why you want to exterminate them!"
"Zuko, that's enough." Katara began, Zuko was already on his knees, he had abandoned the Anapanasati trance entirely. "You will die if you keep this up; you need to enter the Anapanasati trance again."
"Not until I'm finished." Zuko stood up weakly, only Katara was helping him regain equilibrium. "I can understand why you want to exterminate them, I don't like it, but I understand… you fear them… and you got good reasons for it… but why attacking the Air Benders? They never did you any wrong to you or to anyone; you began a genocide, and took over their temples, so you could have your military bases ready for an invasion to the Earth Kingdom! No one is safe with you on the throne, not even us!" The people began talking about everything they had just heard, it all made sense now. "A war with the Earth Kingdom, will leave both cultures in ruins… but let's say you win… no more waterbenders, no more airbenders, no more earthbenders, great job father, earth is Fire Nation, and Fire Nation alone, what next? Will you follow your god Agni, and believe his blessing is only for firebenders? Half of our people are no benders, and many others are dirty bloods, what will you do, slave them? Or perhaps killing them is easier? At any rate… if you aren't a fire bender… you are done for…"
The people finally reacted, they were mad, they couldn't believe Ozai had plotted something like this; it didn't matter to them now if Zuko was stripped from his royalty status, they wanted him on the throne, and they wanted Ozai out. People threw rocks to the soldiers, some even hit Fire Lord Ozai, and that, enraged him even more. "I want them all dead!" He yelled, but not even the soldiers were sure about continuing with the capture of Zuko and Katara, not the no benders and dirty bloods at least. "Fools! I'm the Fire Lord!"
"Not if I have something to say about it!" Zuko yelled, and his people cheered. "Listen to me! People of the Fire Nation…" And everyone remained in silence. "The blackest day of the Fire Nation… will come…" He then gasped for air, and almost fainted, but Katara held him up. "One month… those who are loyal to the Fire Nation… and wish to free our nation from my sick father… leave our nation, since in a month, when the skies turn dark, I will return, and any Fire Nation left behind will be my enemy, the enemy of our nation… and I will have no mercy!" And afterwards, Zuko spit out blood once again, and Katara knew he would say no more, she placed his arm around her shoulders and then ran away, some soldiers still loyal to Ozai tried to stop her, some others who no longer were loyal to the Fire Lord opened a path for them to follow, and another Civil War began, with many believing in Zuko, but many others siding against the Water Tribe savages.
Far from there, and hearing the commotion taking place, was Ty Lee, who stayed close to ground zero by the ceiling of an in ruins building, she was still in search for the leaders of the rebellion while Mai hunted her down, with the only propose of killing the one eyed beauty. "Damn it! I hope Zuko and Katara are alright, I couldn't help it but run for my life when I saw Mai, that girl gives me the creeps!" She whispered to herself and then readied her bow, she knew Mai was close, but she also knew the leaders of the rebellion were even closer, since she was hiding inside of the prisoner's camp, where the soldiers who still didn't know what was going on at the ground zero, were preparing the leaders of the rebellion for their execution. "I wonder if they are unharmed." Ty Lee wondered, and her question was soon answered.
With chains on their necks, the prisoners were pulled toward the ground zero, between them was Master Yu and his wife Ming, Ty Lee heard she was pregnant, but her belly said different, she thought perhaps she already had her child, but if that was the case, finding him or her was also a priority. Smellerbee was also there, Ty Lee didn't know her, but she was apparently one of the leaders of the rebellion, just like Haru and Tyro, she knew their names thanks to Zuko's instructions, but knew nothing about them. "Yu, Ming, Smellerbee, Haru and Tyro, those are five, and with Toph, Sokka, Zuko and myself, we are nine, but where in the world is Mastyer Jeong Jeong… he was supposed to be second in command here, just below Master Yu?" She wondered, but her attention wasn't entirely placed in the captures leaders, but in finding Ming's baby. "If I were a baby… where would I be…" She told herself, and then saw Ming pulling her chains toward some of the soldiers, she got her first clue, the soldiers with Ming's baby where the Southern Raiders, she recognized them because of the crow like emblem at their helmets. "Detective Ty Lee, one, Southern Raiders, about to lose a baby. "Ty Lee then prepared her bow and arrow, but soon she felt a chilling sensation behind her neck, the feeling of silky hair, falling from the ceiling and hitting her naked skin, she faced up, and what she saw freaked her out, Mai was there, with her legs holding to a broken piece of building and her whole body upside down, staring directly at Ty Lee with rage filled eyes. "Mai!" She yelled, and Mai launched a knife to her, one that hit her shoulder and forced her back. "I can't believe this… I didn't hear you coming." She said and then pulled the knife out of her shoulder and then stopped her own bleeding with acupuncture. "You won't be that lucky anymore." She readied her bow in order to use it as a staff, but Mai wasn't there anymore, instead, she had a knife pressed against Ty Lee's throat, ready to cut her, but Ty Lee breathed once, entering the Anapanasati trance, and moved fast before Mai could cut her, spun around, and send her to the other side of the room before entering the baguazhang battle posture. "Come and get me." She demanded.
"Ughly!" Was everything Mai said while standing out, Ty Lee couldn't understand a thing, but Mai then grabbed her throat, and the memories of firing at her when trying to kill her returned to Ty Lee's mind. "Ughly!"
"We were best friends." Ty Lee interrupted. "But you lost your mind… I still don't know if I can kill you… I don't even know if I want to… no, I really don't want to, but need to… because." She then saw Mai taking out a sharp sword; it looked far stronger than the one she wielded against Sokka, perhaps another present from Ozai. "If I don't kill you… you will surely kill me… kill or get killed… how annoying." Mai swung her sword, Ty Lee's eye reacted, seeing the air being cut, and so, she was forced to leave the baguazhang and jump aside. "Sokka wasn't lying, that must be Xue… the sword her highness broke in half… looks like you fixed it, and made it sharper." Mai placed her sword near her throat; she needed no words to make her point out. "Want my head? Not a chance… I can't die…" She breathed out one; she was once again entering the Anapanasati trance. "…Not now… not until seeing her highness claiming her throne… and marrying that person who drove me nuts and forced me to help him…" She breathed once again. "That's the reason of why you can't defeat me… no one can… I'm a one girl's army…" Mai glared at Ty Lee with rage, and swung her sword, sending a wave of cut air toward Ty Lee, but the one eyed girl could read the wind, she was an archer, and trained by the same Air Nomad who trained Avatar Aang, she knew wind, and could read it perfectly. "I won't hold back anymore! You are a treat, to me, to her highness, to Sokka, to anyone, even yourself!"
"Ughly!" Was Mai's only reply, it was all she could say with her weakened voice, she swung, Ty Lee dodged and tried to kick her face, Mai blocked, took a sharp knife from her black sleeve and tried to cut Ty Lee's feet, but found Ty Lee's Yuan boy hitting the face of her knife, and preventing both her or her precious bow to be damaged, it was a display of ability which would impress anyone, both warriors were even, whether it was in ability, handicaps or childhood's trauma, both were destined to be enemies, and their battles finally won the attention of the spirits, or an evil spirit at least, since Mai was protected by the spirit of Agni, different to Ty Lee, who the spirits weren't watching, but earned their attention. "Ughly!" Mai swung, Ty Lee jumped, none could touch one another, but Ty Lee could feel it, Mai had the advantage, since even if their battle had just began, the one eyed girl was forced out of the baguazhang and the Anapanasati, she couldn't even find the time to breath and enter the trance, and her Chi Blocking was useless against Mai, since there was no way she could get close enough, even they were, but Mai just found a way to surpass even Ty Lee. "Ughly!"
At the Boiling Rock, Sokka was trying to read the manuscripts his Chuan master had given to him, different to Ty Lee, Sokka couldn't learn the martial arts of Chuan with just watching some drawings, no matter how perfect these were, but he couldn't even train with his Chuan master, it was uncomfortable, since the lady teaching him Chuan, was the girl he was once promised to, and the one he refused to be married with. Even so, he tried to mimic the movements at the pictures, trying hard to learn Chuan on his own, Bato had said before that he knew the basics, and that Sokka already dominated them as well, thanks both to his past training in Aikido and Chi Blocking, but mostly because of his great ability when learning these teachings.
At first, he allowed Yue to train him, she had a special training method, learning Chuan was easier than Chi Blocking and Aikido for him; he was from the Water Tribe anyway, so these teachings, which found their origins in waterbending, were easier. But yet again, accepting Yue's training felt forbidden to him, and she ended placing her teachings in scrolls so Sokka would follow them. Saddly, Sokka couldn't take training seriously when he didn't have a master.
"This is useless." Sokka admitted after finishing his Chuan training, he felt no different, he felt he just forgot everything he had trained, he definitively needed someone to teach him, and only Yue knew enough, not even Bato knew more than the basis. "At this rate I will never be able to master Chuan in time for the day of the black sun, I need Yue."
"Well, that is rude!" Sokka flinched when hearing that feminine voice, he turned around and found Sangok there, or so he thought, the one he was actually staring at was Toph, who smirked at him from behind Sangok's Turtle-Seal helmet, while she carried the unconscious body of a Fire Nation soldier at her shoulders. "What do you need Yue for when you have such a beautiful bride at your side, our Princess Toph Bei Fong will be really upset if she finds out, you know?"
"Yeah, pretty much." Sokka added after moving his head several times trying to convince himself he didn't hear a feminine voice coming from Sangok, but then again, he wasn't so sure. "This isn't the time to be thinking about Toph." He told to himself, and that drew a smile at her face. "Anyway, someone tie those soldiers, we are invading the Boiling Rock tomorrow, look alive people." Toph then threw the unconscious soldier to the floor, some soldiers then began tying them and stripping them from their uniforms. "Its official, I can't concentrate… I just don't feel that heroic when Ty Lee and Toph aren't watching, I miss my mercenary team."
"Aw, you are going to make me cry." Sangok joked, Sokka then cleaned his ears, he definitively heard a female voice, and then he though he caught a glimpse of milky green eyes behind the Turtle-Seal helmet, but that wasn't possible, he just missed Toph too much, or so he thought, when seeing Sangok placing his hands at the helmet, he had a feeling he knew what was going to happen, only he wasn't actually expecting it. Bato smiled proudly when seeing Toph's long and silky hair falling from inside of her helmet, it was a view which reminded him of Kaya, since inspired in the tale of Sokka's brave mother, Toph was offering a tribute to her, and as Kaya did in the past, even if no one in the cave had no doubts left, she began taking her armor off, rebelling her childish, but still feminine figure, and with only a piece of blue tunic covering her body, she yelled to her people, with a voice full of authority. "I am Toph Bei Fong, future queen of the Water society and the Earth Kingdom, the blood of Avatar Kyoshi runs through my veins, and I will fight alongside my people for times of peace, whether you want it or not, since my authority is unquestionable!" Some of the soldiers remembered those words, the words of Kaya, the White Empress of the South, their eyes watered, even Bato's ones did, Sokka never heard his mother say them, this was the first time he ever heard such speech, but placing all that aside, he walked toward Toph, placed his hands at her shoulders, and pulled her into a hug. "You really thought you were going to leave me behind as you did at the Southern Air Temple? Think again, I'm never leaving your side ever again… Sokka…" And in her heart, and in the lone tear falling from her blind eyes, she knew Kaya was proud of her. "Let's lead our people, together."