Author's Notes:
Al? Happy! Happy! ;)
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I thought for this chapter that it would be nice to have a cast of characters for easy reference. You might recognize some. (A: TLA characters are in bold.) Some are my own. Some I did not list but you know them.
Fire Nation Military Council Members: High Admiral Murota, High General Shinu, High General Oyaneko, General Ikari*, General Mifune, and General Mak.
Lieutenant General Takeko – Fire Nation Aerial Force, Domestic Forces
*General Ikari – introduced in Chapter 24 (Changing Directions, Part 3 - Fire Nation)
Mitsuru – Radical opposed to the monarchy
Akashi – Mitsuru supporter
Earth King Kuei's Council of Five: General How, General Han, General Wei, General Sung, and General Chao.
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Disclaimer: A: TLA is not mine.
Breaking the Promise
Chapter 26 – Changing Directions
Part 5: War Council
The throne comes with many pressures . . .
- Ozai, The Promise, Part One
Pressure, it changes everything.
Some people, you squeeze them, they focus. Others fold.
Can you summon your talent at will?
Can you deliver on a deadline?
Can you sleep at night?
- John Milton, The Devil's Advocate
The end of the Hundred Year War brought about many changes in the Fire Nation. The most immediate of which was the ousting of the old regime and the instillation of the new government. Fire Lord Ozai's staunch supporters found themselves facing a choice: serve and obey the new Fire Lord, or face the consequences. Most grumbled, but pledged allegiance to Fire Lord Zuko for survival's sake if nothing else.
The Fire Nation War Council went through a transition as well. Originally called into existence by Fire Lord Sozin when he decided to make his vision of expansion a reality, its members had faithfully served each sitting Fire Lord. With the end of the war came the end of the council's primary objective and it underwent revision. In deference to the new era, it was relabeled the Military Council.
Its name notwithstanding, the revisions had been substantial, starting with its reorganization. Younger officers had filled seats vacated in protest of the usurper's rise to power, or those emptied by the removal of individuals who were to face trial for their part in atrocities committed in the name of the March of Civilization. Invariably there were a few old faces which remained due to the nature of their position. They did so only with the explicit understanding that they were to cooperate. Cooperation took the form of planning and executing the dismantling of the war machine and the return of the troops back to the homeland.
So it came to be that the Fire Lord's Military Council served as advisors, no longer with a focus on conquest, but that of logistical withdrawal. The long process of rolling back troops, machinery, supplies, and the komodo rhino cavalry from out the heart of the Earth Kingdom became its primary goal. Though remnants of the Fire Nation's military presence still existed near the oldest of the colonies and in places where transition to Earth Kingdom control was still tenuous, the coastal bases carried on with minimal operations to serve as support for the decolonization efforts.
Those bases were under the command of High General Shinu, former Commander of the Ponhuai Stronghold and director of the Yuyan Archers. It was those bases that High Admiral Murota wanted to use as their gateway to Yu Dao.
"This is where we land." Murota tapped a point on a map of the Earth Kingdom which displayed the northwestern coastline in detail. The beach was one familiar to the Imperial Navy as they had landed at the same spot many times over the last hundred years or so. "We do not anticipate any resistance as we still have control of these outposts along the coastline." His finger moved from one point to another and then another. "These colonies here and here are still populated by our people."
Zuko massaged his temples, listening intently and taking in everything despite his exhaustion.
Shinu cut in, "Once the beaches are secured, we can land our ground forces. We'll roll out our tanks and the cavalry, no problem." He nodded vigorously as he surveyed the map on the table and announced, "We're very lucky."
Zuko took his eyes off the map to glare at Shinu. Unless the man was going to announce that the Avatar had reached the Earth King and had persuaded him to talk rather than force him into this course of action Zuko could see nothing positive about their circumstances.
Shinu continued, ignorant of the Fire Lord's disapproving stare. "We already have what we need: a base of operations. We don't have to waste time setting up or organizing supply lines. We'll use what we have in place and ramp up from there. We bring the men, vehicles, artillery, spare parts and food enough for this campaign. Should we need to dig in we can easily do so with the support of the nearby colonies."
"Fire Lord Zuko," interjected a woman in her fifties. She wore the uniform of their domestic forces. Anxious to participate, she executed a crisp bow, and started talking quickly. "We have a squadron of airships to provide aerial support and transport."
"Airships?!" Zuko cut her off. At the word, he automatically pictured Sokka's account of the warships on the Day of the Comet. Zuko zeroed in on the officer, but managed to hold himself in check. Instead he barked at the whole council, "We're going in to protect the colony, not start a war!"
Anger coursed through him which further compounded his weariness. He hated the position he was in. He hated that there was no word from Aang or Kuei. He hated that his council members so well versed in warfare that they seemed all too eager to take up familiar roles. He wished that even one of them would show a little restraint or wariness at the prospect of any resumed hostilities.
When his temper flared, discernment started to unravel and self-doubt crept in. It had been one thing after the other from the first. Ozai had been right; he didn't have what it takes to do this on his own. Morishita was right as well; he had betrayed his people by putting others before them. Uncle had always chided him for not thinking things through before acting. Zuko was mad at himself for letting things come to this, for not predicting it and avoiding the mess altogether. But removing the colonies had seemed the right thing to do at the time.
His eyes close shut; his fingers flew to the bridge of his nose. His head was pounding and he was breathing hard.
The cabin was filled with wall-to-wall tension. It was not only the Fire Lord whose patience was wearing thin. The breach in protocol grated on the nerves of those who had objected to the officer's admission to the meeting in the first place. Those veterans harbored mixed feelings when it came to an aerial force. Despite all of former War Minister Qin's promotion of the airships and assurances that they were the future of warfare, when it had mattered most they had met with disaster leaving the military embarrassed because they had been brought down by children of all things.
General Mifune was new to the council. He had received the promotion to the post after High General Bujing's arrest. Unlike the others, he had been conscripted into service and had started his career at rock bottom. Starting as young as he did, he had the occasion to have been part of many operations and had risen slowly through the ranks. Most, if not all, were battlefield promotions. Having had spent more time on a battlefield than any other member of the council, his views on things were a little different. He firmly believed in achieving victory prior to the start of any fight and that the key to this campaign lay in the use of the airships.
Mifune bowed deeply and carefully began the damage control. "Fire Lord, Lieutenant General Takeko is in command of our domestic aerial fleet and here at my request. With permission, I propose that we use the aircraft for strategic interdiction. The latest intelligence has it that the Earth King has commanded his forces into Yu Dao to begin a forceful evacuation. At this time we do not know the precise location of the army. With the airships we can find them, track them, and relay the information back to our ground troops, taking the guess work out of the equation."
"We can use air balloons for that," remarked Zuko.
"They are short range only and not as maneuverable," High General Oyaneko disputed offhandedly.
Zuko's eyes snapped up to meet the general's. A barely audible groan could be heard from Takeko.
Zuko recognized that he must seem inexperienced to his council, all of whom were at least three-times his age. He knew that among the politicians he had the reputation of being an impulsive hothead with idealistic notions that held no place in the reality. He did not doubt that his military advisors held similar views.
Oyaneko, like others, feared that the young Fire Lord would not be able to commit to what was deemed necessary for a successful campaign. They were prepared to present Zuko with plans based on battles fought and won for Sozin and Azulon. They had planned a landing and an assault to secure all territory from the sea to the Yu Dao in anticipation of fierce opposition from rebel factions likes of which had refused to acknowledge that they had been conquered throughout the occupation. Their guerilla resistance knew no politics. They cared not for harmony. The fewer Fire Nation citizens and soldiers there were, the better they liked it. They have always acted independent of their King and government, and have never put their trust in their armed forces. There was no reason to believe that would have changed.
Zuko inhaled deeply. Bracing himself on the table, he leaned in and in a low and menacing voice reiterated his position. "We. Are. Going. In. To Protect the colony from the Earth Kingdom force marching towards it. NOT, to reclaim Earth Kingdom territory. This is NOT going to be a protracted conflict. The goal is to secure Yu Dao and its citizens. Even now we wait for word from Avatar Aang. If a meeting can be secured with Earth King Kuei, and hostilities avoided, then that is the route we will take!"
General Ikari shifted his stance. This was not going well. The meeting with Akashi, still fresh on his mind, pushed him to wonder about the Fire Lord's enemies in general. How many were there and would any of them actually try to depose him? Zuko's dependency on the Avatar was a strike against him. The Avatar was still thought of as an enemy of the Fire Nation; it had been so since the days of Sozin. Patriots saw Avatar Aang as no better; and Zuko far worse. The Fire Lord could not afford to continue to alienate his people, nor chance a demoralization of their forces. It was dividing their nation. Their enemies, whether they were Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe, or threats from within, would see it as weakness, an opportunity to be seized. If Zuko was to survive, they needed to show unity, strength, and become a force to be reckoned with just as they had been in the past. The future of the Fire Nation rested on an overwhelming successful campaign.
High General Oyaneko bowed and commenced, "Fire Lord, I know the Council of Five and how they think. They know we are coming to meet them. How can we not? They see the break in the harmony movement as a provocation, an excuse to come at us at full force. They seek to save face with a victory against us. They will advise their King to attack."
Ikari executed a bow. "Oyaneko is right, Fire Lord. If the Earth Kingdom generals gain an advantage over us, they'll think that they can do whatever they want. It will make them more aggressive and they will push harder."
Oyaneko added, "We don't want to be in the position where we will have to engage them to retake the colony."
Around the table there were signs of agreement.
"We can easily secure Yu Dao and provide protection for all our colonies, but there is going to be a clash." Oyaneko paused for effect. "How, Fong, Wei and the others are looking forward to it. In fact, I believe that they intend to separate their forces and move in towards all of the remaining colonies. It is what I would do. Even if they don't attack, they will be in position, a looming threat, ready and waiting to see what we do next. It will not matter then if we are there only for Yu Dao. They will have upped the stakes. When they have the upper hand the Earth King will dictate to you how and what will happen in Yu Dao and at all the remaining colonies."
Council members nodded then turned to watch their Fire Lord as he considered Oyaneko's words.
Zuko stood for a while, left hand supporting right elbow, right fist by his mouth. His head was spinning with possibilities. He was loath to admit it but Oyaneko had made a good point. It wasn't only their actions that could escalate things and if they were put at a disadvantage they could be forced to stand down. Nothing Aang could say or do at that point would sway Kuei to listen. Why should Kuei if he had him in a vise? And at that point, even Aang would refuse to consider his view that the colonists should stay. Then he would surely have to go on the offense.
"As a precautionary measure, the airships can be sent to the other colonies with a small complement of soldiers, but nothing more than a reasonable," declared Zuko.
Takeko straightened and struck while the iron was hot. "The airships are considerably smaller than the War Class line. They were meant for use in patrolling the homeland borders and shores," she explained, almost embarrassed of that fact. "The fleet has been grounded, but they can be up and running in nominal time. We await your word, Fire Lord!"
Mifune placed a hand on the eager Lt. General. Takeko had served her whole career in the Domestic Forces. When he had called upon her for assistance, she was more than ready to serve and swore to do her utmost for the Fire Lord and nation.
General Mifune resumed from there. "The airships will be carrying ordnances, a field officer and about fifty men, excluding the crew to necessary to man them."
Zuko bristled. "No firebenders are to be used, or bombs to be dropped!" He addressed Takeko directly, "You are only to transport the soldiers to secure the nearby colonies. The Earth King's armies will not be able to focus on or cover all the colonies. If, as you say, he had eyes on them he will concentrate on those nearby Yu Dao."
"And," Zuko pointedly said to Mifune and Takeko, "the airships are to not to take off till after General Mak makes his landing and moves in. If you deem it fit, you can use air balloons to find and track their forces. After Mak's appraisal of the situation, and only on his word, the airships can commence their flight towards the other colonies. There is no need to alarm the Earth King unnecessarily."
There was general assent among his council.
Zuko turned to Mak. "You'll see to the communications relay."
"Yes, Fire Lord."
Zuko held Mak's gaze longer than necessary.
The General nodded. They had spoken beforehand. Zuko wanted to leave nothing to chance. Mak would be reporting directly to Zuko and ultimately the Fire Lord would be directing the battle arena.
Ikari spoke again. "Fire Lord Zuko, there is something we have not yet considered. Our intelligence is stale, a day or two old." He stressed his words. "I believe that the Council of Five already has troops marching toward our colonies. And they'll make a lot of noise getting there too. By now, word has spread like wildfire across the region that there is trouble in Yu Dao. All will soon learn that How is on the march. Panic will ensue. The rebel factions have formed since your recent visit to the colony. They will emphasize the absence of the Avatar and of any forthcoming talks with the Earth King. This will spur the people's sense of urgency, of self-preservation, and retribution. Fear will be rekindled and people will be roused to fight. It would be catastrophic for us to underestimate what they can do. They will rally, just as they have in the past, around the idea that they can push us out. They had kept us from securing our hold while we occupied them and they will believe that they can do so again. Time is against us. As it is we will have to run the fleet at full speed to reach the Earth Kingdom."
High Admiral Murota gave him a sideways glance. The fleet was not Ikari's business.
General Mak bowed to Zuko and addressed one of Ikari's concerns. "Fire Lord, we have confirmation of rebel activity in the area, but they have not taken any action as of yet. They seem to be waiting, just as we are, most likely for a signal from the Avatar. We can use the air balloons to learn how far off the Earth King's forces are and to see what is happening in the area. We can drop off spies at various points to comb the forest and see if we can locate their encampment and perhaps infiltrate or hinder them."
Ikari quickly sought to drive his position. "We have to secure the shore and then push inland. We won't know what lies in wait for us until we come across it. We need to beat General How to Yu Dao, but time stands against us. We cannot take a cautious approach and hope that we will not trigger an escalation. We have to go in full strength, ready for anything; strike hard and fast to take from them every advantage they hold over us. It is what we have done in the past. It is what they expect us to do. It is what they are prepared for. To do less will render us vulnerable!"
Looks passed between the officers. Oyaneko had won Mifune's argument for the use of the airships. Lieutenant General Takeko had her orders. The Fire Lord's word was final. Yet here was Ikari pushing for a more aggressive stance. He made sense, but he was treading dangerous waters and they were hesitant to cast their lots with him.
High General Oyaneko was the oldest of all of them and the only one that held the dubious distinction of serving three Fire Lords on the War Council, no matter what they called it. He was also the only one present when the young Fire Prince had the audacity to speak against High General Bujing's plan to sacrifice the 41st Division. His curiosity was piqued. Once the Fire Lord had decided on a course of action, far be it from them to curtail it. Perhaps it was the Fire Lord's youth that made them think such behavior would be tolerated. Or was it that Zuko had set a dangerous precedent back then and they now think that this was an open forum. He wondered how Zuko would handle Ikari. What had Zuko taken away from the lesson Ozai had forced on him those years ago? Had he learned his father's brand of respect? On the other hand, the boy had been under the tutelage of his Uncle. Isn't that why he had turned traitor and joined the Avatar?
Everyone had fallen silent again.
Talk of rebels, self-preservation and urgency took Zuko back in time to his travels in the Earth Kingdom. Immersed in his own pain, he had dismissed the pain of those he had encountered during his exile. Yet it had slowly penetrated his conscious and had eaten away at him ever since. How many had waited in vain for a loved one like Song? How many had grown desperate like Lee at news of a loved one's capture?
Hadn't there been enough loss; enough pain? It's not like he wanted to do this.
Even the rebels had suffered loses! Sokka had said that it was unclear if Jet had died, but the general consensus was that he did. Would Smellerbee and Longshot feel compelled to reassemble the Freedom Fighters to fight anew? Would they do it for Jet, to avenge him in some way?
Each time his counselors gave their advice it widened the scope of action they were facing and added another degree of doubt. True enough, they could face opposition other than General How's army. The protestors at Yu Dao had given them enough trouble. If they returned, who is to say that they would not bring more people and that the levels of violence would not intensify? The colonists would be trapped within their walls. They would probably retaliate; Kori Morishita certainly seemed the type. The possibilities only seemed to get worse.
Murota decided that he disliked Ikari. Being a naval man who subscribed to the notion that his branch of service was superior to the rest, he didn't like airships either. He much preferred to rely on the tried and proven tactics of the navy and army. Besides, the use of airships in an operation like this was overkill. Furthermore, their presence would take things in a direction that the Fire Lord obviously did not want.
"So why push it?" thought Murota. "Does Ikari really think that the Earth Kingdom forces and rebels combined can get the better of us? Bah! The Fire Nation is superior; always was and always will be. It was only Prince Zuko's defection to the Avatar's side that had stopped us. Who knows what would have happened had the royal family stood united? But, Piandao made desertion fashionable and that was the path Prince Zuko had chosen." He was suddenly reminded of his old friend Jeong Jeong whom he had been forced to hunt like a dog. Piandao had become legendary for defeating the soldiers sent to capture him, but Jeong Jeong . . . . Pangs of regret soured his mood. Prudence be damned, he elected to direct his irritation against Ikari.
"Render us vulnerable?" murmured Murota as if he had been chewing on the thought for a while. "It seems to me that your morale is weak. Have you such a low opinion of our forces?"
Oyaneko was surprised out of his composure. What happened to decorum? He looked to Fire Lord Zuko for his reaction. Azulon would have allowed his council members to bicker in order to learn their true colors, but not so Ozai. Ozai would not tolerate it. His councilors' sole focus was to serve and advise him in their best capacity; doing less would call for consequences. Did Zuko not recognize that Murota was drawing Ikari into a fight? Would he allow it?
Ikari was a proud man and took offense at the Admiral's mocking jab. "My faith in our forces and morale are just fine. My concern is that we go in prepared and do the job right."
"You fear that we can't?"
"What I fear is looking weak to an enemy."
"Oh, now we are weak?"
Zuko watched as if he were merely an observer and not physically in the cabin. His head was pounding. He was convinced that they wanted a war; if not all of them, at the very least Ikari did. Whatever made him think that they would want anything else? It is all they knew. A century old war comes to an abrupt halt one day and they don't know what to do with themselves. He and Aang had thought to stop the pain and suffering, but how does one stop the fear and hatred? Was it naïve to think that his people would want peace too?
Fatigue conjured a specter of Ozai behind him, whispering and taunting, seducing him like the blue dragon of his dreams.
The Harmony Restoration Movement raised hopes which could never be realized. You were a fool to even think it could work. You realized that too late. Now you must prepare to wage war to defend the right of your colonies to continue to exist. And it will cost lives.
Zuko's eyes squeezed tight.
Your fault, it goaded.
You should have come to me sooner.
"No," Zuko whispered aloud.
They're right. You'll need the airships. THEY will be waiting for you. THEY will enact vengeance for every insult we rendered them. You need to silence their argument once and for all.
"No."
It mocked, Turtleduck or hawk?
Another voice sprang from within Zuko's mind. Within you are two sides, warring with each other. This is your legacy.
"Uncle," Zuko thought sadly. "I let you down again."
The red dragon appeared at his burnt ear. Softly, in the gentlest of voices, it spoke, Never forget who you are. You are someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard.
Zuko inhaled deeply and refocused his energy. His chi gathered strength and warmth coursed through his body. He fought back. "This goes against everything I am working for. There has to be another way. There must be!"
The blue dragon did not relent. You are weak. You don't even know your own mind. You can't handle the pressure. That is why you asked the Avatar to be your safety net.
"Aang." Zuko silently mouthed the name.
A memory materialized. He was visiting his father for the first time since the war's end. You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar chose to spare you.
"He didn't take your life," Zuko thought. "He found another way. He stuck to his beliefs even when we didn't believe there was another choice; even when we didn't support him. He stuck to his beliefs! There has to be a way. I will find a way."
Everyone waited uncomfortably while their Fire Lord deliberated on his own.
And just like that, Zuko was present again. His expression and bearing spoke of determination. His eyes were ablaze, his gaze intense.
Oyaneko smiled in spite of himself. So, we finally meet Fire Lord Zuko, he thought.
"Lieutenant General Takeko's orders stand!"
Ikari was taken aback, but wasn't ready to yield. He appealed again, "The more time passes, the more options become closed to us. Going in at anything other than full force limits us, robs us, of the results we must have for you to secure the advantage. You're concerned about an escalation, but what will they do? Nothing. They will have to give into your demands. They will listen because they will have no other choice. Their only alternative would be to engage us on the battlefield and they won't do that. We don't have to go to war, just convince them that we will. We can back our threat, they can't."
"The avatar will have something to say about that!" growled Zuko. "Have you forgotten about him? Have you!?" he yelled.
The General had crossed the line. The way Oyaneko saw it, the Ikari's only choice now would be to acquiesce and beg forgiveness for his offence. Oyaneko felt abruptly sick. He no longer wanted to know if Zuko took after his father.
Ikari sobered, but never one to do things half-heartedly he countered with a straight face, "The Avatar cannot dictate what happens between nations. His venue is that of the spirit world."
"The spirit world?" Zuko asked incredulously. "Let me tell you something of the spirit world. Not only can the Avatar enter it, but he can call upon it for help."
Zuko stared down everyone on his council. "Do you remember the Siege of the North?"
Murota inhaled sharply. He had heard the stories of giant glowing water monsters. They had been dismissed as rumors, exaggeration, fish stories told by pirates to fascinate and scare people. What they hadn't dismissed was their losses.
"We lost the armada there. Do you know why? Have you heard the stories? I was there and I'll tell you. Avatar Aang had joined with the Ocean Spirit La and together they took out the fleet in retribution for Admiral Zhao's crimes. Ship after ship was destroyed as easily as if they were toys. We lost a lot of men. We are not going to provoke the Avatar."
Ikari had resisted thoughts of insurrection for a long time. Mitsuru had not been the first to seek him out. Though he believed Mitsuru's scheme was foolhardy, he conceded him one point. Their nation would not survive with the likes of Zuko on the throne.
General Ikari shook his head and stated, "You are a traitor to your nation. You had gambled by allying yourself with the enemy. You were lucky that time. You won.
We had proven our supremacy and were going to end the war once and for all with a victory. You doomed it for us. Fire Lord Ozai, our nation, our people were defeated and made to crawl back home in humiliation; put in our place by the Avatar, because of you.
Then in chasing peace and harmony you betrayed your people even further by trading them, their homes, and their way of life, everything to the Earth King. And for what? What did you get out of it?
Now we are facing off again and have a chance to make things right. We can put them back in their place; show them once and for all that we are superior; that they can never dictate terms to us. And if you wish it, you can be merciful and show them leniency."
Tendrils of smoke could be seen coming from Zuko's fists.
"Enough," he growled. Zuko stepped to the door and pushed it open. "Guards!"
Two of the Imperial Guard entered as Zuko stepped back. They snapped to attention and awaited orders.
"You are in a desperate situation and you don't even know it," said Ikari. "There are people out there, our countrymen, who would rise up against you." He gestured emphatically with his arm extended and palm up. "They care more about our nation and people than you do. They think they can do a better job than you. They'd turn this nation upside for its survival."
"No," Zuko said firmly. "Their ways are what have led us here. The March of Civilization was a lie; a cover up for conquest! The mistakes of the past cannot be changed, but I will be damned if we compound them. You are relieved of your command."
He turned to his guards. "Take this man to the Master-at-Arms. Ikari has been stripped of his command and is to remain under guard until further orders. He is to have no communication with anyone. Is that understood?"
Both men executed a bow and answered, "Yes, Fire Lord."
Ikari glared at everyone before going quietly with the guard, but held his tongue. Zuko didn't know about Mitsuru and he wouldn't be the one to tell him.
"Fire Lord Zuko," commenced General Mak once the guards had taken their prisoner away. "Now that . . ." he paused to look around. He cleared his through nervously. "May I speak freely?"
"Please do," replied the Fire Lord. Of all the people on the council Mak was the only one he truly trusted.
"Some believe that we are going to resume the war. They're psyched for it."
"Then correct them!" Zuko looked to everyone in the cabin and spoke, "There is a chain of command here. Make sure everyone knows it!"
"Strong leadership will help soothe wounded pride," declared Oyaneko with a nod of approval. "I am at your service, Fire Lord." The old man put his fist to his palm and bowed deeply, reaffirming his pledge of obedience.
Everyone else followed suit, each bowing as deeply as possible.
Zuko was relieved and finally exhaled.
.
.
Zuko had given orders to get the fleet underway and then went topside to get some air. He stood at the bow letting the crisp sea air work away at his exhaustion. He wanted to pull his headpiece off and let the wind massage away his headache, but resisted. It would not be appropriate for the Fire Lord to do so.
"Fire Lord?" The Petty Officer was calling for him.
Zuko didn't turn. "What is it?"
"We've got a situation, sir."
"Yes?" he asked impatiently. Was everyone accustomed to asking for permission before speaking?
"The Kyoshi Warriors have arrived by air balloon and are at Gate's starboard station."
"Oh, good, they followed. At least Mai won't have to kill me for forgetting them behind."
"Oh," he groaned. "Mai." He had forgotten.
"Sir?"
"Yes?" The bite was gone from his tone this time.
"There is a problem."
He turned halfway to look at the woman addressing him.
"We've cleared Captain Kazue, the air balloon's captain, and Captain Fire's papers are all in order. But sir, there is a blind girl with them and she has no shoes."
Zuko's smile split his face and tears of joy sprang to his eyes. Sokka and Toph and the Kyoshi Warriors! Finally! Things were going to work out.
Author's Notes:
That was a pain to write. I hope it was worth the wait.
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Okay. I want to get this finished. I know that I am looking at least at two more chapters which are going to slow me down. One is the Aang/Roku scene. The other is going to be the "fight/battle" scene. Plus, I have to work on the scenes/chapters leading up to those.
I hope you like how the story is progressing and don't mind going along for the ride wherever that may be. As I toss out much of what I have planned and end up constantly re-writing, I am open to discussion.
Regarding Maiko, I am going to have to cage the plot bunnies. There are so many ways I could write this, but I have to pick one. I'll let the plot bunnies loose in another story, but I have to get through this one first.
Thank you one and all for sticking with this story and for all your comments and likes! I do really appreciate it!
Till next time, be well!
Private Fire over and out!