Four days after and it seemed like everyone who was supposed to arrive, had indeed arrived.
And boy there was a lot of faces and names to keep track on. Zuko didn't make anything else than trying to get over these people to remember who they were!
Okay so there were the southern water fleed let by Hakoda and Bato was their second in command. That was easy enough, they had met before.
They had brought the freedom fighters with them whom was lead by Jet and Smellerbee was second in command. Though it seemed that at this time Jet and Smellerbee had equal say among the freedom fighters as Smellerbee honestly seemed to have more check on things. Well those two at least were also easy to remember, them having a history and all.
Then there was the young earth bender with long brown hair whom didn't actually belong to anywhere… Haku? Hamu? …. Oh right Haru! Guys name was Haru. He was Kataras friend. Something about them helping him break out of prison or something… Maybe.
Next the northern water fleet had arrived, their leader was Pakku. He was super easy to remember! Cause every time Pakku looked at Sokka it honestly looked like he was silently judging him and Zuko had a constant urge to make sure he was standing correctly and that his clothes wasn't wrinkled!
Also it turned out Pakku was Kataras water bending master and Aangs first water bending master. The Northen fleet had a couple of water benders with them which was great. They were all male for some reason… And then Katara had told him how women weren't allowed to do combat water bending at the north pole until quite recently.
Which was the stupidest thing Zuko had ever heard! A bender was a bender right?! By leaving out women they had cut off half their bending power if they ever got invaded! Which did in fact happen by the way. So you're telling me, the Fire nation fleet which was struggling against the benders you had could have faced twice as many benders if you weren't idiots?!
Then Piandao had arrived together with Fat on a little boat. It was so great seeing them again and Piandao had been all smiles too. Later that night Zuko saw him play Pai-Sho with Pakku… Apparently it was true. They knew each other… Somehow.
Finally Nani and her Kyoshi warriors had arrived. Nani was not the actual leader of the Kyoshi warriors. That was actually Suki whom was also Sokkas girlfriend. But she was still in prison. The Boiling Rock to be exact, according to the Intel they had gathered and it was a high priority prison on their list. So no doubt she would be broken out soon enough.
Looking over the tent city Zuko couldn't help but be stunned as suddenly he realized.
They were from all across the world here! Working together! Mai, Ty Lee, Zhau-Li, Piandao and himself from the fire nation. The freedom fighters, Haru and the Kyoshi warriors from the earth kingdom. The southern and northern water tribe fleets!
And of course the very last airbender with his sky bison.
This entire world was here. Hanging around in front of him, and they were easily mixing and matching with each other all around the place.
There was Piandao and Pakku playing another game of Pai-Sho. Zhau-Li was laughing with his new friends from the water tribe. Ty Lee seemed to be having the best time with a few Kyoshi warriors whim was laughing and giggling with each other.
Mai was talking to one of the freedom fighters and they seemed to be showing each other knife techniques. Soon joined by Sokka who was all about learning about new weapons and how to use them.
"Now this is the world I remember." Aang smiled as he walked up to stand beside Zuko. "Instead of hiding in each their corner of the world. People just, you know. Got along."
"I could honestly never have imagined." Zuko said as he held his hands behind his back. "But I am really glad I got to see it."
"Balance. Like we talked about. To grow a flower you need all four elements." Aang smirked.
"Right." Zuko nodded as he sat down and Aang gladly followed sitting down beside him.
"Sure is a lot of tea you got to make now." Aang grinned.
"Yeah I am not making tea for all of these people." Zuko snorted.
"Iroh would do it." Aang said.
"I'm not Iroh." Zuko replied dryly and Aang laughed into his hand.
Soon after that Aang and Zuko walked back into the camp, starting to notice that people seemed to have left that is when Sokka came running with Zhau-Li in his tails.
"There you are! Geehs We couldn't find you!" Sokka complained.
Zuko blinked as he looked from Sokka to Zhau-Li. "Erh. Is something wrong?" he asked.
"The war meeting!" Sokka exclaimed. "Everyone is waiting for you! We gotta go."
Zukos eyes widened as he stood straight. "I'm sorry the what?" he asked.
"The… War meeting." Sokka repeated though now he frowned. "Zuko are you okay. You don't look so good." he admitted as true enough. Zuko felt a little nauseous.
"Prince Zuko?" Zhau-Li asked.
"I'm… sorry." Zuko swallowed. "The last time I was at a war meeting… The only time I have ever been at a war meeting actually. It erhm… It didn't go so well."
"Oh." Aang blinked. "What happened?"
"My father burned my face off." Zuko said.
Sokka frowned. "Wasn't that at an Agni Kai?"
"Yeah… And it started at the war meeting." Zuko swallowed. "I… I wasn't even supposed to be there. But you know, I wanted to show my father... I mean the firelord. That he could trust me. I wanted to proof my worth and all." he scratched his neck. "This old General suggested we should use new troops as bait in a attack. Cannon fodder… It was a suicide mission for them and they wouldn't even know it. I objected and called the General a fool. So Agni Kai it was… Except you know. Yes I had shouted at the General. But the war council belonged to the firelord so he was the one I had insulted. And I didn't even realize it before I was standing right there in the arena, hundreds of people watching while my father... Ozai... stood right in front of me."
There was stunned silence.
"And well… I didn't want to fight. I was… erhm. Scared… And I really didn't want to fight him. Then he burned my face off. Then I was banished. And three years after we met at the south pole." Zuko shrugged. "Erhm sorry. This probably wasn't the time to bring that up."
Again there was silence as Zuko was looking down.
"Prince Zuko…" Zhau-Li breathed.
"Dude it's okay. No wonder you are having second thoughts about going to a war council." Sokka said. "Listen though. This will not be the same. There is no Fire Lord Ozai in our tent! Yes Pakku is pretty crappy in his own right and you know how Toph can be when she's pissed off. But there's no one who would set you up like that. Or lay a hand on you."
"I know…" Zuko admitted. "I just… It's hard to erhm. Say what I truly feel sometimes. I still get… scared."
"Yeah I noticed." Sokka smirked.
"You didn't have any issues when talking to King Kuei." Zhau-Li pointed out.
"I didn't really care if he would punish me." Zuko shrugged. "I was more mad than concerned about personal consequences." He looked at Zhau-Li. "So you see. I'm not that amazing."
Zhau-Li lifted an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked.
Aang shook his head. "Zuko. Nobody here thinks less of you because of that! It's the opposite! You're a survivor! You survived!"
"Oh… erhm.. Right." Zuko scratched his neck as he averted his eyes away. "Look this probably isn't the time for this right?" he asked. "Everyone is waiting for us. Right. That's what you said. So we should probably… Not make them wait any more. I'm sorry I brought it up at this time."
"Dude. It's super good you brought it up!" Sokka stated. "Listen Zuko. If you need a break for any reason give me a signal! Say… seal jerky!" he exclaimed. "Just look at me, say seal jerky and I will either call a break or just get you out of there. And do not hesitate. Understand?" he asked.
"Seal jerky means Prince Zuko needs fresh air! Got it!" Zhau-Li stated. "You can count on me!"
"I'm in on the plan too!" Aang proclaimed. "Hey Zuko will it help if you have tea to calm yourself with?"
"It… might. But we don't have time to make it." Zuko said.
"I'll make it." Zhau-Li said. "You just go to the meeting."
Zuko frowned. "Are you sure it's all right."
"I'm the Avatar! And I asked Zhau-Li to make tea for myself and my best friend Zuko!" Aang grinned.
"Hey I thought I was your best friend." Sokka pouted.
"Well you're also my best friend." Aang said easily.
"That's not how it works. You got to pick one." Sokka said.
Aang though shrugged as he smiled an innocent smile.
"At least I am Zukos best friend!" Sokka proclaimed.
"I am not going to choose a best friend! That's just asking everybody else to be mad at you!" Zuko gasped.
"Okay that's fair. You got enough anxiety issues as it is. And for very good reason by the way." Sokka sighed deeply then gave Zuko an assuring smile putting a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. It'll be okay. We got your back. Remember, no one is going to get mad at you for saying your honest opinion! No one is going to challenge you to a freaking Agni Kai! And if it gets too much. You just say the magic word which is…?"
"Seal Jerky is two words though." Zuko pointed out.
Sokka rolled his eyes. "Well you got it at least."
"Yeah… erhm. Thank you." Zuko nodded.
"Zuko it's really important that you're happy with this plan too." Aang said seriously. "You're the one we have all agreed to make fire lord. That's a major pressure all ready! So please. Don't be afraid to speak up all right? Even if I disagree I wont be mad! I promise!"
"Right. Thank you." Zuko nodded.
Zhau-Li padded Zuko on the shoulder. "I believe in you Prince Zuko. I think your uncle would just tell you to believe in yourself." he said and then bowed his head. "I'll make you that tea." he said.
Zuko glanced up at the slightly older man, then he smiled as he looked down.
"What?" Zhau-Li asked.
"It's just… You reminded me a little bit of my cousin just now." Zuko admitted.
"Oh." Zhau-Li blinked. "I hope that's a good thing."
"It is." Zuko said. "Thank you. I'll see you in a bit."
And Zhau-Li nodded as he finally walked away to make that tea while Aang and Sokka walked with Zuko to the big tent in the centre.
Outside Zuko halted, he swallowed as he felt the cold sweat on his forehead.
"Zuko?" Aang asked. "Are you…"
Zuko inhaled deeply, concentrating on his breath like he had been taught and then exhaled before he pushed away the tent flap, which could might as well have been a curtain and there inside he saw… A mix of people wearing all the colours of the rainbow, sitting on their knees around a blanket which made for a makeshift table with a map on it.
"Aang! Zuko!" Katara happily waved from the end. "There you are! Come sit down!"
"About time." Pakku commented only to get an elbow right in the side belong to a blind twelve year old girl. Furiously did Pakku look down at her. "Youth these days! No respect for their elders!"
But he didn't raise a single hand against Toph for her insolence.
"Now now let's be calm." Piandao smiled kindly. "It's good to see you Prince Zuko. Avatar Aang." he nodded at them.
"Come sit down you dummy." Mai asked as she sat next to the long end of the table. At the long end itself two pads had been left empty clearly meant for Aang and Zuko and finally they moved in sitting down so Mai was now sitting next to Zuko and Sokka took place next to Aang.
"By the way!" Aang spoke up very loudly. "I asked Zhau-Li to make Zuko and I tea so just ignore him when he comes in. You see… I never been to a war meeting before so I am pretty nervous. And I thought tea could help me calm my nerves."
"Of course." Hakoda smiled kindly. "That's a great idea Aang."
"That's good. I didn't want to look rude." Aang said.
"Of course not." Nani of the Kyoshi warriors smiled. "I'm kind of nervous too actually."
Smellerbee exhaled deeply. "Glad I'm not the only one."
"It's going to be fine." Hakoda smiled warmly. "We are just making our plans and we are going to make sure everyone agrees!" he said. "The key here will indeed be to strategies and work together. We can't do that if we start fighting each other."
"Okay." Zuko nodded and then finally they began. Soon after Zhau-Li came with the promised tea and no one said a word.
As they got more into it the tension left Zuko and by the end of it. The only one actually using the word seal jerky was Sokka. Asking anyone if they had any cause he was hungry.
So this was what a war meeting was actually meant to be like. Quite honestly that was a relief. Zuko would be sure to remember this and hopefully, it would put just a few nightmares to rest now.