Within three days Sokka returned with his promised engineering friend…. And multiple other people who were gliding into the city as if they were all air benders.
Were they air benders? But that wasn't possible! …. Was it?
No apparently not. Stunned Zuko was introduced to none airbender gliders.
"We made a few tweaks to them." Sokka smirked. "They live in an air temple so normally the air currents at that place would be enough to lift them. But from the ground they needed help so we put them on wheels and then had Appa pull them forward until they gained momentum and got into the air."
"That's so cool Sokka!" Aang grinned, doing well to hide his current unease.
The air between Aang and Zuko had been… Strange the last couple of days since Zuko tried to beat it into Aangs head that Aang needed to stop holding back.
But neither teen had said anything out loud when other people were around, their arguments were kept solely to the training ground and both were too busy with so many other duties aside for training that just ignoring it had become easy.
And then there was the inventor himself.
Well he was….. A character.
Then again everybody Zuko had met through these guys had been quite something. The inventor was going to fit right in next to Bumi and Sokka honestly.
Still the man still won in odd appearances with his strange hair cut, his only half grown out eyebrows and… lacking three fingers replaced by wooden prosthetics.
Zuko shook his head as he ignored all of that to bow respectfully for the inventor. "Hello. It's an honour to meet you." he said.
The inventor blinked. "Oh… You must be Prince Zuko." he said. "Sokka did say he had made friends with good fire nation people now and you would be sure to leave us in peace when you become fire lord."
"You don't seem… convinced." Zuko had to admit.
"The fire nation used my weapons to turn the tides of the war." The inventor said. "I can't even blame someone for not wanting to let that go… Still Sokka kept insisting you are not like that."
"I'm… Sorry you had to see your own inventions used like that." Zuko whispered. "Those gliders are pretty amazing. I kind of do want to see what else you got mr… I'm sorry I don't know your name."
The Inventor smirked. "Well. Most people call me 'the mechanist' or 'the invenor." He began. "My son just calls me dad. But actually my name is Tashiro." he smirked as he twirled his moustachio.
"It's nice to meet you Tashiro." Zuko bowed again formally just as a kid wheeled in grinning up at them.
"Hi dad. Who are you talking to?" The kid asked.
"And this is my son Teo!" Tashiro grinned as he put a hand on the boys shoulder. "Teo, say hello to Prince Zuko."
"So you're the Prince?" Teo asked in a wide and charming grin. "Sokka kept telling me that you're cool and I don't have to worry! So that's awesome."
Zuko couldn't help but look at the boys legs strapped to the chair, but then did his best to ignore it as he bowed for him too. "It's nice to meet you Teo." he said.
Teo grinned. "I would like to bow for you too but you know." he tapped his legs. "Nice to meet you Prince Zuko." he said bowing to the best of his abilities from his sitting position.
"Erhm… I hope I don't come across as rude." Zuko hesitated. "But erhm… Did the fire nation?" he pointed at Teo's legs.
"Huh?" Teo asked. "Oh!" he realized. "Noooo! Our house was flooded when I was just a baby. It was a natural disaster." he said. "My dad saved me though. And then with his inventions I can live a full live! My dad is amazing like that!" he cheered. "I can even fly! All because of my dad!"
Tashiro smiled proudly as he put a hand on Teo's shoulder.
"It doesn't seem like your legs are holding you back." Zuko commented. "That takes a strong person. You must be proud Tashiro."
"More than you can ever know." Tashiro smiled. "If it is to help create a world where my son can live a full life. You have my support." he said. "I hear you would like some harpoons able to shoot far enough to take down war balloons." he said.
Zuko nodded. "That was Sokkas idea." he said.
"I think I got just the thing!" Tashiro grinned. "How about this. You have water benders! Let them create icicles to use for ammunition. Then we wont have to forge nor transport heavy steel! I will create a pipe which can use water bending to create a pressure inside! The pressure will determine the strength and length of the firing and then as you release! KABOOM!" he clasped his hands together.
"I can see how you and Sokka gets along so well." Zuko smirked amused.
"He's an amazing kid with a brilliant mind!" Tashiro grinned. "It's always good to find a fellow inventor!"
Zuko nodded. "That's good. You must be tired. Please let me show me to your rooms." he asked. "We'll have a meeting this afternoon. I hope you will be there."
"Of course I will." Tashiro said. "That's why I'm here! Show the way young man." he chuckled.
Sokka grinned as he stepped up grabbing Zukos shoulder. "What did I tell you? A genius!" he grinned.
"Bumi is going to love this guy." Zuko smirked. "And I can see why you love him."
"He speaks my language!" Sokka exclaimed. "He's a fellow orange!"
Zuko shook his head. "Evidently." he stated.
There was stunned gaping as Tashiro basically held his own seminar in the big meeting room between leaders.
Mountains of papers! Often put up on the wall with tags as both Tashiro and Sokka pointed and grinned so excited about these inventions that they both seemed to forget where they were.
"These stink bombs were actually super effective when we tried to drive the fire nation back!" Sokka exclaimed.
"And then there are these. Gas bombs!" Tashiro exclaimed. "Here's the trick. We'll be using the fire benders fire against them! As we fire these bombs towards them they will be harmless. But then the fire benders will fire their fire back at the bombs and as fire hits gas. BOOM!" he illustrated.
"And this is a foam bomb!" Sokka held up a drawing. "Heats makes it open up and the foam it creates will put out fire! Nice one Tashiro. That's so cool!"
"Thank you Sokka." Tashio grinned as he continued. "These tanks can be powered by earth bending!" He pointed. "And it will protect those inside from the fire as they move forward! And with my specially developed water balancing field they can't be tipped over."
Zukos head was spinning as he tried to understand all the ideas these two madmen were just spouting out, and everyone else was quiet as well as they listened in awe and finally… finally the presentation was over.
"So…" Tashiro hesitated. "What do you think?"
Bumi squinted his eyes. "I don't like it." he said.
Sokka blinked. "But…"
"I love it!" Bumi exclaimed as he stood up. "Where have you been huh?! You're a genius!"
"Oh. Thank you most kindly." Tashiro blushed.
"To think…" Kuei breathed. "A man like that was hiding in the earth kingdom all this time."
"We could have used many of those inventions when defending our wall." General How admitted. "Mr Tashiro. May I ask why you never offered your services to the earth kingdom before now?" he asked.
Tashiro sighed deeply. "Well the truth is I never wanted my inventions to be used for war." he admitted. "I wanted my inventions to do good. To make life better for people. I tried to make a new life at a new place. Far away from the war where we wouldn't have to be involved." he admitted. "But even when retrieving all the way to the northern air temple. The war still found us. And I had to realize…. There is no running from this war. We are all in it whether we like it or not. My inventions sadly gave the fire nation an advantage. Now I am merely evening the playing field." he sighed deeply. "I wish my inventions could just be taken back after all of this is over. But I know they can't so… At least I can help making people equal again."
"Hey relax." Sokka asked as he put a hand on Tashiros shoulders. "Your invention has done so much good all ready and will do so much good when we rebuild the world." he grinned.
Iroh nodded as he stroke his beard. "Mr Tashiro. Am I to understand you are the brilliant mind behind the tanks and even new ship engines that has emerged the last decade?" he asked.
Tashiro looked down then nodded. "Yes sir. You are correct."
"Then I must truly apologize for the perversion the fire nation caused to your vision." Iroh said solemnly. "I am sure my nephew will do his best so these machines wont be used for evil in the future. But it is a hard task. As you said… These inventions now exists. They can't be taken back. And how some people will use them is now out of our hands. To ask sailors to go back to less convenient ships would not be accepted by anyone, we can't really ask our nation to just step back in terms of development. I'm truly sorry." he said sincerely.
Zuko nodded. "Yeah…" he said. "Sorry."
"It's not that I wouldn't want good people of the fire nation to not enjoy my inventions." Tashiro said. "My inventions are supposed to help everyone. For those who lost an arm, I would like to give them a new one. For those who are cold, I would like to help them get warm. For those who can't walk… I'll make them fly. That's my dream." he said.
Zuko smiled but his heart was sinking… This man really was a good man. And his dreams had been perverted. Silently did Zuko swear to make it up to him in any way he could. Somehow.
Zuko squinted his eyes… They had to win. If they didn't… Men like this would be forced to helping such evil again.
Even as Zuko had his eyes closed he swore he could hear Ozais cruel laughter… The burning sensation against his own face.
They couldn't loose… They just couldn't.
AN: Yeah so is it turns out. Oddly enough the inventor doesn't actually have an official name... So I gave him one! I hope that's all right.