Lava. Smoke. And an unsettling emptiness of people, like a missing tooth. The only good thing about being on Crescent Island was the Fire Nation wasn't looking here.

Yet, Aang thought glumly, huddled in a ball against black rocks. He wanted to be huddled up against Appa, like Katara and Sokka and Momo and even Toph's rock tent...

He did, and he didn't. It felt better being alone.

What am I doing?

He'd said he was sorry to Katara for hurting her. Over and over and over again. For some reason, Toph wasn't buying it.

...Buying truth. Earth Kingdom. Crazy. Truth was in the air. People said it, or they didn't. You couldn't buy the air!

And he was sorry. He hated it when Katara got hurt. But this wasn't like the fire with Jeong Jeong. He hadn't been playing around. He'd been listening to a lesson, and Tao had - and they weren't even supposed to be there, Toph had pretty much said they were spying on Tao, how could they blame him for blasting stuff when nobody was supposed to be there?

"It's not my fault," Aang muttered. "I'm sorry. But you guys were the ones spying."

Not his fault. But the North Pole wasn't his fault either, and he still felt awful about it.

But I had to. They weren't just going to go away. Aang winced. I said I was sorry. And Katara's okay now. Toph will figure that out in the morning.

Tap. Rock against pebble. Tap. Softer in sand. Tap. Leather on rock and sand, boots-

Aang whirled on the little spirit, earth rising with his clenched fist to grip something almost as ephemeral as smoke. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

A squeak, leather on leather. And leather came from killing things, and everybody else used it, Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, and he was so sick of everyone-

Someone yanked a shred of earth away from him, one wire-thin sliver of stone peeled back so leather could wriggle free. "Boots! Out of there!"

Toph. Who else? "Make that go away," he said, still mad.

"He was trying to." Toph stood like the tiniest of mountains, dust whispering around her feet as the little spirit scrambled behind her. "Think I'm feeling a pattern here."

"What?" Aang blurted out. Because she wasn't - she couldn't-

She can't what?

His thoughts were all tangled, and all he could figure out was that she ought to be mad - which was crazy, he was the one who should be mad, no one was making her go after the Fire Lord!

Which made him feel guilty, because Toph didn't have to go after the Fire Lord. But she was. Which made him madder. Killing was wrong, and if he had to - had to stop the Fire Lord, then she shouldn't want to do it too-

"Twinkletoes!" Toph had her hands out, as if she could brace against the breeze. "Think like a rock!"

"I don't want to think like a rock!"

...Ouch. Now his throat hurt.

But he'd gotten this far. And he had to say it to somebody. "I'm an airbender, Toph. I'm a monk. That's who I am. That's who I want to be. I don't want to be like you!" He threw his hands down, rock shattering away. "I don't want to be like any of you!"

"Wha- whoozit - we getting attacked by earthbenders?" Sokka sat up, Boomerang in hand.

Weapons. Always weapons. Always being prepared to hurt people. It wasn't right. Why couldn't it all just go away?

"Aang." Katara was still wrapped in her bedroll; usually the Fire Nation was warm, but there was a cold wind from the north tonight. "I know we should have told you about the ship. But... we just couldn't find the right way to say it-"

"There isn't any right way to say it, Katara!" Aang gulped. "I thought - I thought your father was like a teacher. Like Gyatso. I thought he was listening to me! But all the time he was - he-" He shook his head, hating everything he was saying. But what was he supposed to do? "When did everybody turn into monsters?"

"What?" Katara looked like someone had slapped her. "You... think Dad is... Aang, how could you?"

Toph cracked her knuckles.

"How could I?" Aang said in disbelief. "I'm not the one who killed everybody on a whole ship, and left blood everywhere, and - your dad says before the Fire Nation came you used to kill your own people, and-"

"Okay! Everybody, stop." Sokka stood up; eyes alert, even if they were still shadowed with sleep. "Toph. Katara. Make sure we didn't attract any attention. Aang?" He walked right up to the airbender, face grim. "Let's go for a walk."

Dark, and black sand, and only their own footsteps along the shore. Sokka sighed, looking up at the moon. "She helped you ride a wave all the way back here, huh? Wish I could have told her thanks. And know she heard it."

Aang ducked his head, feeling a little guilty. Yue talked to him when he needed help. Sokka? He'd been in trouble lots of times, and the moon hadn't done anything.

The Avatar always had the spirits' attention. Somehow, that didn't feel comforting.

"I'm sorry," Aang blurted out. "I know your dad's not... he's trying, I guess."

Sokka took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. "You know, if we could stop the war right now, I'd do it."

"Well, yeah." Aang frowned. "Sure you would. Anybody would."

"Aang. Just listen, okay?"

Confused, Aang nodded.

"I hate the war. I hate what that Fire Nation's done. To us, to the world... to Mom." His jaw set, determined. "But if General Fong was an idiot, he was right about one thing. The longer the war goes on, the more people get hurt. And... I don't think Mom would want that. She'd want it to be over. So Dad and the men could come back, and we could start living instead of fighting. If we could stop the war right now, with nobody else getting hurt - I think Mom would want that."

That's not what Zuko said Katara wants, Aang thought, trying not to get mad all over again. How could Zuko think he knew anything about Katara? She was Water Tribe. A healer. She'd never put swords to his neck just to get a gate open. She wasn't anything like him at all.

"Attacking on the eclipse - people are going to get hurt," Sokka stated. "Some of them are going to die. But we've fought a lot of firebenders. They're not dumb. If they can't bend, they'll try to back off until they can - and then we'll have Ozai. We'll have him, Aang. So he can decide if he's going to do the right thing."

Aang swallowed. "But if he doesn't..."

"If he doesn't, that's his fault," Sokka said bluntly. "A chief has to do what's right for his people. If he won't - then we do what we have to do." He grimaced. "I wish I could give you a better plan, Aang. I really wish I could. I wish I could say, we're going to do this, and it's going to work, and Ozai's going to see sense if we have to pound it into him. But - I can't. This is all I've got."

Aang wiggled fingers in the air, not sure what to say. But it felt a lot less angry in his head. "I thought you wanted to fight the Fire Nation. That's what you said, when you and Katara got me off Zuko's ship."

"Yeah, I did," Sokka nodded. "I did then. Kind of seen more than enough fighting since." He chewed on his lip, thinking. "It's like you with earthbending. I like learning how to fight. I liked sparring with the rest of the warriors. It means I'm a man of the tribe. It's what I'm supposed to do, you know? I'm Dad's son. I've got to be a warrior. But if I never had to fight anybody else again for real? I could live with that." He frowned. "Aang?"

"...I gotta sit down." Breathe. Feel the air. Maybe he was in the Fire Nation, but the wind was all around him. Wind was always there.

Sokka crouched beside him. "You okay?"

"I'm confused." Aang tried to put the pieces together. "Didn't your dad teach you to fight the Fire Nation?"

Sokka gave him a look askance. "He taught me to fight so I could protect the village."

"But you came along with me," Aang objected. "That's not protecting the village." That's not what your dad taught you. How can you do that?

Sokka kept looking at him. "Aang, if we pull this off, you're going to save the world."

"...Oh." Aang had to rub his head, hair and all, because that - he just hadn't thought of that. Protect the world, and of course Sokka protected the village. Wow. That was the neatest way of getting around teachings ever.

"Oh?" Sokka echoed. "Why would you ever think we'd leave you alone with this mess? We're friends. Friends help each other out. Like the guys in your temple, right?"

Aang had to look away. "Not when it's not fair."

"Huh?"

"Come on, Sokka." Aang rolled his eyes. "Katara told you."

"No," Sokka said slowly, "I don't think she did. What are you talking about?"

"It was during the storm," Aang insisted. "You know."

"I know we got so sick after that, I thought I was an earthbender," Sokka said wryly. "All I remember is Katara saying something about playing airbender games more, since you hadn't gotten to do that in a while. Like a hundred years, right?" His grin faded. "I'm missing something. Help me out."

"Katara didn't tell you," Aang said, stunned. And hurt. "I told her, it was awful... the other kids wouldn't let me play, and - she didn't tell you?"

"She didn't," Sokka stated. "What do you mean, they wouldn't let you play? You're a great guy. I'd take you on my team for a stickball game any day."

"Yeah," Aang said, trying not to be mad about it. "Who wouldn't want the Avatar on their team?"

"What? Aang, that's not-"

"The Elders told everybody," Aang said; getting it out fast, before it could hurt too much. "I couldn't be on the teams anymore. It wasn't fair. Everybody said, the only fair thing to do was not let me play. So they didn't." He swallowed. "So I can't - you guys shouldn't have to fight the Fire Nation with me. It's not fair. And the Avatar's supposed to make things fair."

Sokka stood still a moment, staring. "Your Elders did... right. Aang? Give me a minute, okay?" Straightening his shoulders, he walked around some cooled lava, out of sight.

Aang strained his ears, even trying to feel with his feet the way Toph did. That sounded a lot like cursing. And something hitting sand, hard.

Why? What'd I do?

A last, incoherent "Arrgh!" A sigh. And Sokka came back, still looking like he wanted to break nuts with his bare hands. "Okay," Sokka got out. "Before I go completely nuts - did Gyatso try to fix this? Did he do anything?"

Aang frowned. He hadn't thought about that in a while. The Elders had made their decision. "He wasn't happy about it," he said at last. "He said maybe we should take a trip early, and go see Bumi and Kuzon. You know what kind of crazy stuff Bumi pulls; it wouldn't matter if I was the Avatar. And Kuzon would've just teamed up with Shidan, and me against a dragon? I bet that would have been fair." He grinned a little, thinking of it. "But the Elders heard about it, and they didn't want Gyatso to train me anymore, they were going to send me away, so - so I ran. And got frozen. And then you guys found me."

"Gyatso was a good guy," Sokka said quietly.

Lump in his throat, Aang nodded.

"You know, you and Katara have a lot in common," Sokka went on. "You both worry a lot about fair. Maybe sometimes you shouldn't."

Aang's jaw dropped. "But-"

"We're fighting the whole Fire Nation. We have to win. And Ozai has to lose. That means we don't fight fair." Sokka looked serious. "A fair fight means more people die."

"But I'm supposed to keep things fair," Aang protested. "I'm the Avatar."

"The Avatar's supposed to keep things balanced," Sokka stated. "Right now? That's not happening. First we stop Ozai. Then we worry about what's fair." He held up a lecturing finger. "And that means you've got to stop ditching us, Aang. Sure, it's not fair we have to fight the Fire Nation. It's not fair anybody does. But somebody's got to." He spread empty hands. "We said we'd help, Aang. Not, we'll help until it gets too dangerous. Not until we get bored. Not until we get scared. We know what we're up against. What you're up against. You're not going to do this alone." Sokka gave him a wry grin. "That wouldn't be fair."

Aang grinned. "You've got a cool definition of fair."

"Just one condition."

Uh-oh.

"You need to think about what you're bending," Sokka said seriously. "You're an incredible bender, Aang. Maybe Kuzon and Bumi were used to that, but we aren't. Now, Katara's not going to tell you this, because she's got this crazy idea she shouldn't have been listening in on your lesson-"

"Well, she shouldn't have," Aang said, more than a little annoyed. If she hadn't been there, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. "Those were private."

"Since when?" Sokka said skeptically. "I watch you train with Toph and Katara all the time."

"That's different!"

Sokka eyed him. "Aang? Man to man, I'm warning you. If you say it's 'cause they're girls, Toph is going to bury you. And Katara's going to help."

"Huh? No!" Sheesh; what did girls have to do with it? "They're kids." Sokka looked blank. Great, just great. How simple did he have to make it? "We're not supposed to train in private. Not without an elder." And if Tao wasn't an elder, who was? Even Guru Pathik might not be that old.

"You trained Katara in waterbending," Sokka pointed out.

"Because she really wanted to," Aang shrugged. "Master Pakku said the Water Tribe doesn't train girls. I'm not Water Tribe."

"Kind of noticed," Sokka muttered. "Okay. So this doesn't happen again? Tell Dad when something's supposed to be private. When we think private, it's a lot more... you know, guys' mysteries, and stuff. Or girls' mysteries - and nobody wants to cross Gran-Gran. Regular lessons, history and stuff? That's for everybody. Dad didn't know."

Aang heaved a sigh. "But I told Katara!"

"Maybe she didn't get it," Sokka said practically. "You're kind of hard to figure out sometimes." He waved a hand. "Anyway, not the point. I saw the temples. I guess when one of the monks got upset and whipped up a breeze, it didn't hurt much. You were all airbenders; if some wind came your way, you could handle it." He paused. "But we're not airbenders, Aang. We don't see it coming. Like Toph didn't, in the Rumble. You've got to be more careful."

Now that wasn't fair. "What do you want me to do? Hold my breath forever?" Aang flung up his hands. "I'm hard to figure out? Your dad's the one who- who-" He didn't want to think about it.

But I've got to.

"How can your dad be so nice and still like to kill people?"

He couldn't see much in the starlight, but somehow he just knew Sokka was red. The older boy was making that weird little stifled growl, that didn't sound friendly at all.

But Sokka ducked his head and breathed a few times. And nodded to himself. "Okay. I'm going to start with something really, really simple. I hope." Another breath. "Aang. Where'd you ever get the idea my dad likes killing anybody?"

Aang tensed, ready to bolt, or bend, or something. If Chief Hakoda was like Sokka's teacher, that had to hurt.

But he didn't sound angry. At least, not a lot. "Well... he did it."

Sokka eyed him.

"What?" Aang blurted out. "He did!"

"I'm thinking." Sokka paced the sand, back and forth, fingers poking absently at the leather wrapping Boomerang's grip. "About our trip. And elephant koi. And Pakku. And everything."

"...That's a lot to think about." And what did any of their trip have to do with what Chief Hakoda did? They weren't trying to kill anybody. Sometimes - sometimes they'd had to. But that was totally different!

"No kidding," Sokka said under his breath. "Let me get this straight. When people do something, it's because they like doing it?"

"Well - not everybody," Aang admitted. "You have to do what your teacher says, when you're a kid. And everybody getting attacked by the Fire Nation - I know they don't want to fight back. They just have to. But your dad..." Maybe he shouldn't say it? But Sokka had asked. "The Fire Nation wasn't attacking your village anymore. They hadn't come in years. So he had to want to leave, to go after them. To - to kill them."

Sokka looked him up and down. Glanced aside, rubbing his head.

"Sokka?"

"Keep it simple," Sokka said, half to himself. "Okay. So when Zuko attacked our village, it was because he wanted to?"

"No, he didn't! He was lying!" Aang said heatedly. "So if he was lying about that, he could have been lying about anything. And nobody else was talking, so I couldn't tell if they were liars, too. I had to get them away from you guys." No matter what it took.

Sokka rubbed his head again. "You thought Zuko was lying, but you didn't think Jet was."

"But Jet wasn't lying," Aang said reluctantly. "He was after the Fire Nation all the time. He wanted us to help him stop them. He just didn't say he was going to hurt other people to do it. He thought that old man was an assassin. Because... well, I guess because if the Freedom Fighters realized he was just an old man, then Jet would be wrong. And Jet was their teacher."

"My head hurts," Sokka muttered. "Teachers can't be wrong?"

"They can't be that wrong! The Elders would never let anybody teach who'd trick someone into getting people hurt!"

Sokka winced. "Um. Did you notice Jet didn't have any Elders?"

"Well, he should have! But he didn't lie. Like Long Feng. Remember? He never said he didn't know where Appa was." Aang shrugged. "He didn't start lying until he was talking to the Earth King. Boy, that was dumb."

"This has got to make sense," Sokka said under his breath. "Somehow. I just don't know how yet."

Aang glared at him. "It makes sense when nobody's trying to kill anybody!"

Sokka laughed.

Huh?

"You're right." Sokka grinned at him, just a little rueful. "You are absolutely right."

Aang blinked. "I am?"

"When nobody's trying to kill you - yeah. It makes sense," Sokka nodded. "When nothing in the world can get up the mountain to hurt you... when nobody fights, and nobody's ever hungry... when you can't even show off for a girl, because there aren't any there... yeah. I guess it does make sense." He stared off into the darkness. "Man. They must have hated your guts."

Aang wanted to flinch. Swallowed hard, and stood his ground. "You say that like you think the Fire Nation was right!" It hurt, how could Sokka - how could he ever-?

"I never said that, Aang. And I never will," Sokka said sharply. "They were wrong. Sozin was wrong. This whole war - there's no words for how wrong this mess is. I'm saying I think I understand. Just a little."

"You understand the crazy people?" Aang said skeptically. "Kuzon wasn't like these guys. Nobody in the Fire Nation was! I don't know what happened!"

"What about Shiyu?" Sokka was looking at him, very intently. "And Jeong Jeong? Those Fire Nation guards at Gaipan? Jet was ambushing them for months. But when I told them the town was going to flood, they listened. They got everybody out." He paused. "Was Kuzon like that?"

"I guess," Aang said at last. "I didn't... Gyatso never let us go to the Fire Nation in storm season. He said people would be busy. So I never knew what they did about floods."

"You never saw them backed into a corner." Sokka nodded. "It makes a difference, Aang. It makes a big difference when there's nowhere to run to. And that's why Dad took the fight to the Fire Nation. He knew they'd be back. He knew they weren't going to stop. Just like Ozai's not going to stop. Unless we make him."

Aang's heart sank. "Yeah."

"Aang." Sokka looked serious. "Why are you fighting the Fire Lord?"

"To stop the war!" Aang said, disbelieving. "What kind of question is that?"

"I'm fighting to stop the war. Dad's fighting to protect our people. Katara's fighting to protect you. And Toph's in it because she promised, and she wants us to win." Sokka crossed his arms. "So why are you fighting? Not the Avatar. You. Aang."

"Because I have to," Aang insisted. "I am the Avatar, Sokka. Roku told me if I don't stop the Fire Lord before Sozin's Comet comes, he's going to burn everything." He had to look away. "But sometimes... sometimes I wish he'd never told me that." It's not right. It's not fair. I don't like this. I don't like any of it!

But Roku was his teacher. He had to keep going.

"Aang?" Sokka was quieter. Worried.

"Being the Avatar sucks."

"Yeah. I hear you." Sokka pulled him into a one-armed hug. "Wish we could have been in that fire chamber with you. Maybe if Roku saw you weren't alone in this mess, he could have given us some better advice."

"You think so?" Aang said hopefully.

"Hey, why not? Water Tribe. We've got a reputation." Sokka let go. "Come on. We'll get Toph to talk her hide-behind into hiding behind something else for a while."

"You mean you're going to try," Aang said, skeptical.

"Darn right. What else is family for?"


Agni, save me from family feuds. Huojin pointed toward the span of the hull. "You, over there." Pointed toward a niche of boxes. "You, over there." Laid a deliberately heavy hand on the loudest yelping citizen. "You? Come with me."

A rising babble of protest. Corporal Shoni glanced at him, and Private Rikiya had a particularly disturbing grin.

"I will hear each of you, separately." There was a trick to pitching your voice to cut through hysterical people without shouting them down. Captain Lu-shan was good at it. Huojin was... well, he hoped he was passable. And he was very grateful for a few borrowed marines for backup. I miss you, Captain. A lot. "We are going to sort this out, if I have to get the general and his tea down here to do it."

That caught both fuming families and the yammering onlookers off guard, as he'd known it would; promising a chance to preen instead of cause trouble. Good.

"But if we don't sort this out," Huojin went on remorselessly, "we might have to call down the prince and his tea, instead."

...It wasn't really silence. But the complaining died down to almost a whisper. He could see people sweating.

Heh. You make a mean smoke-sugar, kid. But everybody knows about your tea.

Blame Amaya for that. The healer had tried to keep her student up on his lessons, between all the rest of his plotting, planning, and scattering snow over Captain Jee's decks. And that particular one was driving her to distraction. Healing was as much about herbs as bending, and Amaya apparently could not figure out how a young man who could time an herbal decoction to the second of most potency couldn't brew tea regular people could drink without flinching.

Having once made the painful mistake of accepting a cup from Sergeant Kyo's marines, Huojin thought he could guess. It was... bracing.

Unfortunately, Amaya had expounded on it to Iroh. In detail. In what she apparently thought was private.

Only as a wincing Private Sukekuni had explained, when Huojin had asked what the problem was, nothing in a ship's corridors was private. Inside your quarters might be, if no one heard it through the bulkhead. A few other places on the ship. The showers, surprisingly enough; everyone could see everything, but no one would admit seeing anything.

Which seemed to be the only thing that got their prince through the day, sometimes. He'd seen Guards with less scars.

Sorry about bringing up the tea, kid. But at least it calmed them down. "All right," Huojin said to Chuanli; a fussy nit-picker of a builder, good for laying stone but not for being trapped in a big metal box for weeks. "What's this whole mess about, anyway?"

Several arguments, a few amused marines, and a girl's outburst of tears later, Huojin trudged back into his family's nook. Stepped carefully around Lim and Daiyu's patty-cake, and sagged dramatically to the floor.

"Daddy!"

Ah, buried in hugs. All was right with the world. "Everybody staying out of trouble?"

"Um..."

Uh-oh. But nobody was bleeding. And real trouble would have the Wens in from just a few feet away. Huojin pried open an eye, asking Luli a silent question-

Oh. "New hairstyle?" I am so dead.

"Meixiang is dealing with Jinhai." Luli looked ruefully amused, shaking out hair that now just brushed her shoulders, without ornaments.

"Ah." If he paid attention, he could hear murmurs that way. Interesting, how you got into the habit of not listening to your neighbors.

"It wouldn't have been so short if he hadn't insisted he could even it out," Luli observed.

"Right." Huojin looked at his daughters. Who were trying to hide suspicious grins. And failing. "What did you do?"

A pair of innocent blinks. A likely story.

"Meixiang offered them the chance to cut his hair," Luli said dryly.

The grins got a little wider.

Huojin sat up to look their girls over, fairly sure who'd been the ringleader. Both of them looked like nice, sweet little girls. And Daiyu really was.

Lim? Not so much.

"Okay, precious. Give."

"We said we'd think about it," Lim said, all wide-eyed innocence. "'Cause Mom and Dad say you should always think before you do something crazy."

Huojin tried not to snicker too much. "He's not going to sleep tonight."

"Nope!" Lim bounced on her toes. "Just like you do in a 'terrogation!"

"Shh!" Daiyu had a finger to her lips. "Don't give it away!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Huojin said solemnly.

Luli stifled a laugh.

Darn. She's onto me.

Then again, she always had been. Which was why he loved her. Looks were fine, skill with jade was definitely a plus to a family - but someone who understood? Priceless.

"So what was the problem this time?"

"Oh brother." Huojin debated collapsing back on the floor. Nah, he was tougher than that. Maybe. "The argument was over a comb. Boy One gave it to Girl One, Girl Two says he promised it to her, Girl Three - who's his sister - swears it looks like something that went missing from her cosmetics box... and after a few rounds of this we find out she was seeing Boy Two, who the family does not approve of, and maybe she gave it to him..."

"Ouch," Luli agreed.

"The problem is, we've got too many people jammed into a steel can, and at least another week to go," Huojin sighed. "Lee did this for three years? No wonder he's-" Kids are listening, Huojin, pay attention. "A little odd," he finished.

"Maybe we could make the ship stop and get off?" Daiyu said hopefully.

"Not yet," Luli said firmly. "If we stopped, we'd have to get everybody back on, and you know what happens when you help me pack and unpack our things, right? Things get lost, and they take time to find and," she barely hesitated, "we just don't have the time. Not yet."

Daiyu's face crumpled a little, but she nodded. Huojin hid a wince. They'd tried not to tell the kids the whole, ugly truth. No kid needed to know there were people out there who'd kill them just for being born. But that the war that had been on the other side of the Walls was here, and real as any monster under the bed... yeah. They knew. They were trying to be brave; really, really trying to be the best little girls they could be until the war went away again. And he was not going to get mad and hit something. First, he was a Guard, and even if you were born outside Ba Sing Se, you did not let your temper get the better of you.

Second... the people who needed hitting weren't here.

"Don't worry," he told his girls instead. "I know captains. Jee's going to do everything he can to get us off this ship as fast as possible."

Not that he wanted to even breathe to his daughters why. Cabin fever was bad, but probably survivable. Coming under attack from the Fire Navy while he still had civilians on board? That had to be near the top of Captain Jee's nightmare list. Right under being blown apart by a volcano.

It worried him that they hadn't been attacked yet. From what Huojin understood of the messenger hawk system, every officer on this coast ought to know Suzuran was a target. Something he'd finally managed to nerve himself up to send in a note to Zuko, given catching the kid with two spare minutes to himself was about as likely as walking on water-

Someone cleared his throat outside the doorway. "Guard Huojin? May I come in?"

"Lieutenant Sadao?" Huojin stood; Sadao was probably a decade younger, but he was second in command of the ship. "What brings you here?"

Sadao held up his note. "The prince knew most of what you asked, but he's not up to date on the most recent communications protocols, so he asked the captain. And Captain Jee pointed out that if you're wondering, a lot of people probably are. And people from Ba Sing Se respect the Guard." He smiled at the girls. "Um. Hi."

Lim gave him her mother's considering look. Daiyu's eyes went wide at the armor, before she hid her face against Huojin's chest.

"Daiyu!" Luli scolded. "I'm sorry, she's young..."

"No, no, it's okay," the lieutenant said quickly. "My baby sister, Haruko - she was just that age when I left for the Army. It's good for children to be wary of outsiders." He smiled a little. "She's got her own place in the glassworks, now. The last letter I had from Mother, the family just threw out some upper-class boy who was trying to talk her into running off to the colonies... what?"

"You said the Army," Huojin pointed out. "This doesn't look like land."

"Story of my life," Sadao sighed. "There was a paperwork mix-up, and... trust me, you don't want to know."

Oh, but I do, I really do, Huojin thought. That was a problem with Guards; curious as pygmy pumas. He'd thought Ba Sing Se won the gold for bureaucratic screw-ups. This sounded like the kind of story that might make Captain Lu-shan crack a grin. So how do I get you drunk enough to tell it?

"Anyway..." Sadao folded himself down to sit; a neat trick in armor. "Hawk messages are good, but they have limits. First, hawks only go to who they're sent to. It's not everybody who'd be looking for us. Just the officers. And most of them are going to be careful what they say. One of the Fire Lord's ships, in a mutiny? That's just not supposed to happen."

Okay, that kind of made sense. No one expected a Guard to be on the take, either. Which meant the rare times it'd happened, Lu-shan had threatened to rip the perpetrator's head off with his bare hands.

"Second, someone's got to send messages in the first place," Sadao went on. "Gaipan probably sent plenty, but before that?" He smirked a little. "Do you think Princess Azula is going to want to admit we took a whole fleet out from under her? She's the Fire Lord's heir. She's supposed to get results."

"Oof," Huojin muttered. "I'd be a little slow sending that report, too."

"And if she has sent in a report, people know who's on board," Sadao nodded. "You think anyone wants to be the lone ship against royal lightning-bending?"

Lightning. That was still a hard thing for Huojin to wrap his mind around. Fire wasn't scary enough? "Eep."

"And then there's the bounty hunters." Sadao grinned. "Now that's funny."

Luli gave him a measuring look. "Bounty hunters are funny?"

"Well... kind of, ma'am. The price on Prince Zuko's head? It's enough to get the serious scavengers after it. Guys like the Rough Rhinos, or worse. And people like that tend to have phoenix-eagles." Sadao saw blank looks, and elaborated, "They're about the only thing that can catch messenger hawks. If they get caught interfering with military communications, they're dead, but..."

Huojin added two and two, and had to grin himself.

"Even with all that mess, someone should have at least hailed us," Sadao said soberly. "So either there are spirits getting involved - I'm not going to count that out - or the ships we've come near have orders not to make contact."

Luli chuckled behind her hand. "You sound like they think mutiny's contagious."

"Ma'am, we have two princes on board," Sadao pointed out. "We have fire-healers. If anybody on those ships has ever even wondered if the war is wrong, if anyone's willing to risk their neck and their families because they believe in General Iroh, and General Jeong Jeong, and the prince - it could be."

"We're dangerous," Huojin said, stunned. "A freighter and a bunch of Earth Kingdom junks without even catapults, and we're dangerous to the Fire Navy."

"People have heard about Admiral Zhao hauling off Fire Sages because some of them were loyal to the Avatar," Sadao nodded. "If the Fire Lord knows the Avatar's alive, and if Princess Azula's made her report he does - yes. We are dangerous." He paused, uneasy. "Until the Fire Lord can put people under the command of someone they'd never dare be disloyal to."

"Yeah?" Huojin said warily. "Who?"


Rest. Be calm.

A thrumming in her blood. A delicate, subtle warmth, like sunlight moving across the back of her hand.

Rest. Be calm. You have been wounded, but all will be well.

Firm, without the stab of claws. Yet she knew the claws were there.

Rest. Be calm. Breathe-

Azula blinked. Painted metal overhead. Silk under her. The sway and scent of the sea-

"Azula!"

Pink. Gently comforting hands. Which were firmly holding her down from any sudden moves. Not to be borne.

But this was Ty Lee, and the airbender was allowed a few liberties. For now.

"Breathe. Slowly. Keep your heart rate down. I know you have the training." Seated by her bed, the white-haired firebender met her gaze, pale gold unflinching even as his whiskers twitched. "You came entirely too close to dying. Your Dai Li have worked a miracle to keep you stable, and I have healed the worst of the damage. But you are not wholly well. Not yet." A slow, rumbling breath. "Be easy. I did not mend your heart to kill you without cause."

Bolin was here, Azula noted, but his seniors were not. So there was trouble. More than just one unreliable lord.

Trouble... and a dark red shadow in the corner of her quarters. Mai.

Don't react. Feel as angry as you want. But don't give them anything. "Most would say you have more than enough cause, Shidan of Byakko."

The dry smile showed far too many teeth. "Good afternoon to you as well, granddaughter."

"So tell me." Gingerly - she could always knife him later - Azula allowed Ty Lee to help her sit up. Ankle felt intact; surprising, but useful. But something under her breastbone was sore, in a way that made her uneasy. Careful. Move carefully. Reach for their fires. He's bound to Byakko, I won't be able to take him - but he'll underestimate me. Everyone does. And then I'll have Mai again. "Why shouldn't I have you imprisoned for dealing with a known traitor?"

"Because you want to know who attacked you," Shidan replied, gaze never leaving hers. "And why."

I know what attacked me, you old fool-

No. Anyone who'd survived her father's suspicions this long was no fool. "Who, then?"

"Her name is Makoto of Asagitatsu. And she will be back to kill you." He glanced at Ty Lee. "And you especially, young onmitsu. The only thing Makoto hates more than the blood of Byakko is the blood of Air."

Asagitatsu. Her heart seemed to stutter. Old, old history; scrolls she knew Zuko had never seen. Some, her father had lent her. Others... well, if they left a lock she could pick, they obviously didn't mean to keep her out. "The Blue Dragon Mountain is a myth."

"A legend, deliberately lost." Shidan's expression did not change. "Asagitatsu exists, and is poised to erupt and slay once more. And while your father might welcome disaster that would weaken his enemies, you have traveled the Earth Kingdom, and the colonies. You know how much we would lose, even if we evacuated."

Azula narrowed her eyes. "Oh, of course. You propose to buy your freedom with the promise of quelling another volcano." She smirked. "Even if it existed, the Fire Lord knows what you've done with one. He'll never let you take over two."

"I never said I intended to protect it." He matched her, smile for razor-edged smile. And fire - slipped aside.

They're afraid. They're afraid of him, just as they are of me. This isn't like Long Feng. If Shidan wanted Bolin... I'd have to fight for him.

He wasn't pushing at Bolin. She could feel that. But his fire wasn't letting hers near Mai, either.

He thinks he can hold loyalties, even when I stand against him.

...What if he's right?

Agni. It was so odd to see a naked killer in another firebender's face.

"I may wish to ward it, yes," Shidan went on. "But I have not the strength, nor the blood. Which is why Makoto attacked you."

Now we're getting somewhere. "Dragons aren't supposed to be stupid," Azula said bluntly. "Why attack me, when I didn't even know there was a volcano to stop? I am an heir of Sozin. She couldn't be sure she'd kill me."

"She never planned to." No mercy in pale gold. Only cool interest. "You, granddaughter, are bait."

How dare he suggest that. She was no helpless Earth Kingdom noble lady; she was Ozai's heir! She could never be bait-

Facts clicked together like painted shells. Azula drew in a sharp, angry breath. So Shidan didn't have the power? He lived on a water volcano. He knew its ways, and how a more powerful firebender might calm a mountain never tamed in living memory. Power was useless without knowledge. "She claimed to be one of our agents. She knew an onmitsu could find you."

"But I didn't!" Ty Lee gave her a beseeching look, wide-eyed. "No one knew where we were going. I was trying to keep you safe! His ship just - just showed up."

"Taking to sea was wise, were you dealing with an ordinary dragon," Shidan observed. "Unfortunately, Makoto has powers beyond any the dragons have ever claimed." He shrugged slightly. "It is a gift of my blood, that I know when one of mine is near death. She knew wounding you would draw me out." He smirked. "Though I think her own rage may have caught her off guard. One of Sozin's line, willingly learning the bow? Choosing to protect an airbender? She must have thirsted to strike you down on the spot." His smile softened. "I am proud of you, granddaughter. You can see past your rage, to do what is necessary for your plans to succeed." A quiet sigh. "I am proud, and glad. Your mother was wrong. I do not have to kill you."

Azula closed her mouth, chilled. She didn't know what to say. She'd never not known what to say.

It's like looking into a mirror. How odd...

"Lady Ursa would never say that!" Ty Lee put herself between Azula and pale gold. "She's your mother, she loved you-"

"She loved Zuko," Azula said harshly. "Never me. Not ever me!"

Smoke, curling from her covers. Damn it.

"She loved you both, and she feared you both," Shidan said mercilessly. "And she was right to do so. Ironic, that she chose to fear the wrong child." He turned a palm upward, cupping dancing flames of gold and green between pointed nails. "But you were clever, and determined to survive. You knew Azulon approved of your skills, but not the viciousness your father smiled to see in his child. You knew, and you could not bear for the father you worshipped to cast you away for power. So when Azulon gave Ozai his orders, to destroy that which he loved... you lied."

He can't know. She would not let herself pale. There's no way he can know.

"Ursa... your father injured her too deeply for her memories of that night to be reliable," Shidan went on. "But Zuko? He remembers. How unfortunate for him that Iroh truly does love your father, despite everything. For all his wisdom as a general, when it comes to family? Iroh has not thought, and he has not listened. Azulon, slay Ozai's heir, when Iroh had just lost Lu Ten? Threaten the line of succession further? No." A decisive shake of head, white whiskers flared. "Not that man. Not the Fire Lord who planned that there would be a line to hold Byakko, and one indebted to the Fire Lord. But order Ozai to kill his most favored child..."

Ty Lee made a small, hurt noise. Even Mai looked pale.

Azula stared back at him, jaw set.

"Azula always lies." Shidan's voice was far older; but for that moment, his rhythm was purely Zuko's. "Iroh does not listen, and he does not believe. I speak to him of dark dragons, I tell him the truth, and he cannot hear it. But Zuko knows you. And Ozai."

Azula took a breath, centering herself. "He wouldn't have done it. I was the true heir. He wanted me."

"So you wish to believe," Shidan nodded. "But whatever your beliefs, you are clever, granddaughter. Clever, and ruthless, and determined to survive. You saw a threat. And you acted. All it cost you was your mother... and your brother's nightmares."

Azula sniffed, smirking. Nightmares, indeed. As if that was the worst she'd ever done to her brother-

"Though that is the least of the harm you have done."

Damn, Azula thought, feeling her grasp after others' fire - slipped aside, yet again. How did he do that? It was like trying to parry your own shadow in water.

"You say I have cause to kill you? Oh, indeed. But if I was forced to abandon Zuko, bound never to venture near the palace, or the Fire Lord... how much more was I forced to abandon you?"

That... hurt.

Shidan crushed the flames in his hand, gaze locked on hers. "You were a monster, and you survived Ozai. I do not condone the monster. But I know the will to live." He pointed at the raw ache across her chest. "Iroh's block is clever, but risky. That you came as close as you did to performing it correctly is a testament to your skill, and your determination. In and down and up you channeled it, yes - but the lightning must miss your heart." He shook his head. "Through the stomach, granddaughter. A nail's thickness higher, and no healer of this world could have saved you."

Fury crawled through her veins, thick and ropy as the capital's lava. "No lies," Azula spat. "You're Mother's father, and you act like you care?"

"I never lie."

Breathe. Don't set him on fire. Not yet.

"I am not one of your father's scheming lords." Shidan's lip curled, flashing fangs. "I have no loyalty save to Byakko, and Agni; no hunger for power, save what is needed to hold our island safe. Kotone and I run spies for the Fire Nation, and Azulon allowed us to do so, because he knew we held those loyalties beyond breaking." Pale gold watched her, a cat with a cricket-mouse. "Your father has been less brilliant. Or perhaps more confident that Makoto stood as his ally, without hates and wishes of her own. And indeed, she is his ally. But she is also allied with others, who bear humans no will but malice. If you believe nothing else of me, granddaughter, believe this: Makoto is your enemy."

Azula's eyes narrowed. "Because of you."

"Indeed." Wry humor flickered in that gaze, tempered with something... darker. "I survived, when she very much wished me dead. I escaped her. Not once, but many times, over a very long life. I have taunted her with my survival, dashed it in her face as a thrown gauntlet. And how have you ever felt, when Zuko survived you?"

Furious. Outraged beyond bearing, as if gravity itself had turned traitor, and everything she grasped floated away like mist. She controlled her world, she predicted her enemies, and how dare anything merely human shatter her plans-

Fury. Soul-shaking rage. The hunger to destroy, to strike and strike again until even ashes were shattered into nothingness.

And all of that fury was coming for her.

"Help me up," Azula said through gritted teeth. At Ty Lee's stammer, "I have to stand!"

"She must," Shidan nodded. "Our only chance is to force Makoto to strike at a time of our choosing, instead of hers."

"Bait," Azula said grimly, swaying on her feet. "I assume you've told my guard your plans?"

"He didn't give us a plan, your highness," Bolin said plainly. "He just - told us what dragons can do. What Makoto can do." The man looked pale.

"I know somewhat of airbenders, but I am not the most versed in a Dai Li's strengths and weaknesses," Shidan shrugged. "You have no reason to trust any plan I might suggest. So I have advised on tactics. Strategy is yours. As would be wisest, in any case; I have fought Makoto before. She knows what I may do. You should be far less predictable."

Right again, damn him; she wouldn't have trusted any plan of Byakko. So he'd saved them both the time of arguing over it. Clever. "Agent Bolin?"

The Dai Li swallowed dryly. "We're trained to deal with spirits, Princess. But this... this is bad."

I'm scared.

She could feel it; though he never said the words, and likely never would.

"You're trained, and you know more about fighting dragons than anyone in the world, besides my uncle." Azula said bluntly. "We're alive. We're going to stay that way." Believe. Believe in me, and in yourself. You are mine-

Fire shifted. Bolin stood a little straighter. And Shidan watched with the fathomless patience of a predator.

I still can't touch Mai.

Shock might do what more subtle measures could not. "Whose side are you on?" Declare for my side or his, Azula thought, and I'll have my excuse...

"You can't lie to Makoto." Mai sounded almost bored. "You can't intimidate her. You can't manipulate her." A graceful brow rose. "This should be interesting."

Worried as she was, Ty Lee smiled.

Heh. She'd missed the razor of Mai's wit. Strategy, Azula thought. I need a plan. "Dragons breathe and control fire, and prefer to attack from the air. We don't need to sail with the wind, so she won't have as much of an advantage - engineers."

"Prepared to vent the boilers on orders, with firebenders to damp any blazes until it's done," Bolin nodded.

Good. Venting the boilers would put them dead in the water, but better that than blowing up. The coal supply, the auxiliary storage, and the catapult fuel; those were the major flammables on the ship. Control those, and she'd avoid unexpected attacks. Speaking of which... "You said she had other powers besides those of dragons." Azula glanced at Shidan. "What powers?"

The ship shuddered, vibration shivering through her feet like the scaled brush of a cobra-weasel against her throat.

"Water spirits." Shidan's gaze was distant; she felt his fire reaching carefully out, probing like whiskers-

"Get the men off the deck!" Shidan roared, bolting for the outer hatch. "Isonade!"

The hatch hurled open on horror.

For a moment, just a moment, Azula stood there gaping. Water spirits couldn't be real. That sea-wreathed curve of fin and barbed hooks, shedding waterfalls onto the deck, savaging anyone who didn't move fast enough, couldn't be real.

The moon going black, when there could never have been a natural lunar eclipse, and reports say Uncle committed treason to protect a spirit... that wasn't real?

Spirit or not, if the tail was that massive the creature had to be enormous, and if she controlled something that big against a ship-

Makoto's been in my mind. She knows I abide by Father's wishes. I am a firebender. First, last, and always.

Bony hooks slashed overhead, ringing off Shidan's steel and Bolin's stone, drenching them all with chill seawater. Cold shook her like a lion-dog's jaws.

Douse our fires. Azula bit her lip against the cold burn in her chest, letting Ty Lee yank her clear. Make us spend our chi just staying alive. Weaken us, have the isonade tear the ship apart, and she won't need to fight. Just pick us off, one by one.

Brilliant. Exactly what she would do.

How do I fight... me?

Azula grinned, savage and joyous. There. So clear.

"Get me the blasting jelly!"


A/N: Something that's always bothered me about that bit with the Southern Air Temple in "The Storm". Not only did the Elders blow apart Aang's whole life by telling him he was the Avatar early, they told every kid in the Temple.

Wow. Way to go, ancient wisdom. Ostracize a twelve-year-old from every peer he's got. On top of that, by not stepping in with the kids, you tell the Avatar - the guy who's supposed to restore balance to the world - exactly what you think "fair" is. Great idea.

Let me quote Oleg Atbashian here:

"If some people had wings and others didn't, and the government wanted to enforce 'fairness,' soon no one would have wings. Because wings cannot be redistributed, they can only be broken. Likewise, a government edict cannot make people smarter or more capable, but it can impede the growth of those with the potential. Wouldn't it be fair if, in the name of equality, we scar the beautiful, cripple the athletes, lobotomize the scientists, blind the artists, and sever the hands of the musicians? Why not?"

In the mindset of the Southern Air Temple, the only "fair" thing is for the Avatar not to play.

Compare that to the Fire Nation. Where you must fight, you must succeed, you must be prepared for an Agni Kai if you're a firebender. Fair doesn't come into it; as we saw with Avatar Kuruk and a guy out for groceries, anyone can challenge you at any time.

If Sozin hadn't started the war, the attitude the Elders were inculcating in Aang would have started one.


No formal preview this time. (Darn end-of-semester rush.) But I hope to deal with Sokka, and possibly a certain swordmaster...