Between a Rock and a Hard Place

by Jacob Hayes Ace Author

Jacob Hayes is no longer a confused fifteen-year-old boy, waking up in a strange world. He's grown, and is ready to show the world exactly what he's made of in the second part of this series. Continuation of Getting off to a Rocky Start. Warning, moderate discussion of sexual activity, no graphic descriptions.

8. Chapter 8

August 25th, 7:00 PM

Caldera City

Hijenji's Weapons

Instead of a doorbell ringing, this time there was a clanging gong. A young boy, at least two feet shorter than him with brown hair rushed out of the back room, small scars on his hands and a bright smile on his face. "Hi! Hijenji's Weapons, how can I help you? Need something for personal defense, or are you looking to soldier up? Got anything in that jug you need maintained? We can do it all, for an honest price!" He shook his head and pointed a finger at him. "You're Yun, correct? I'm an investigator with the palace." Yun scratched his cheek. "Oh. There was another one here earlier today. You're… a lot younger than he was." He nodded. "And more effective. You were the alibi for Lon Xau. Tell me everything about his visit." His eyes shifted from side to side. "Uh. Alright."

"About ten yesterday, he came in asking for a weapon. He was very specific about the order, I still remember it. A pair of metal gauntlets with holes in the palm exactly two centimeters wide, the same size spikes around the knuckles. It was a special order, so he waited a while for us to custom make it. Eventually he said that it was taking too long and that he'd come back tomorrow. If that happens we ask for a name and a way to remember them. He gave his name as Lon Xau and left his seal in wax, next to the ledger." He folded his arms. 'This might be a hard one to break. But he's not too nervous right now, so I should be able to catch any lies. Remember, he might not be lying. It's still possible that she did it.'

(Play Confrontation ~ Allegro 2009) "HOLD IT! I'm going to need a more specific time than that. Give me your best estimate." He scratched his head. "Hmm. 10 sharp, then. The sun was at the right height, and the hourglass is usually spot-on, but with all these earthbenders running around…" Gaara nodded. "Aye. You can rest assured, there'll be no more problems with earthbenders. The assassins have been terminated. Please continue." "HOLD IT! Would that type of order be typical for a man like him?" Yun scratched his chin. "Well, he's big, so a physical weapon he can put his weight behind makes sense. And obviously the holes are for bending, it's pretty hard to do it without any air." The corner of his lip tugged up. "So I've heard. He won't be needing one for quite a while, and maybe the other." "HOLD IT! How long did he wait, and how long did it take to finish?" Yun scratched his outer thigh. "I'd say he left around, eh, 10:30? They took about seven hours, which was pretty quick, considering we didn't have anything to modify for his needs." He rubbed his chin. "Did you tell him that it would be that long?" He nodded, scratching behind his ear. "Yeah, I did. He stuck around anyways, checking out the other merchandise." His smile became a little less polite, almost hitting exasperated. "Apparently he forgot that." "HOLD IT! I'd like to see the ledger, if you wouldn't mind." He nodded and walked behind the counter.

'Another leather-bound book? Small businesses must think alike.' He plopped it down on the wood and waved him over. "Come on, right here." Gaara noticed something odd. "He's the only one to give a seal. Others just leave a code word." Yun shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. "If it's proof, it's proof. Got any more questions?" (Stop playing Confrontation ~ Allegro 2009) Gaara rubbed his chin. 'Well, Jacob? Do you have any more questions? Yeah, just one.' "OBJECTION! There's a contradiction within that ledger, though I wouldn't expect you to know it." (Play Objection! 2009) His eyes went wide. "A what now?" He pressed a finger to his forehead. "Contradiction, a conflict between the testimony and the evidence. In this case, you testified the suspect gave his name as Lon Xau, and implanted the official seal of his house upon the paper. However, that is quite impossible, if he left at 10:30. It takes normal people more than an hour to walk from here to the Palace, and Mr. Xau is not the exercise type." Yun scratched his head. "You lost me. Why's that matter?" He tapped his temple, a smirk appearing on his face. "If you were not lost, I would be most concerned. There was a meeting between several of the military leaders at 11:10 AM that day, where he was present. I broke his arm rather badly for an affront against one of my lieges, and noticed something very odd. I am certain you can guess my meaning." Yun started to scratch his shoulder, anxiety coming onto his face. "He didn't have the ring?" He nodded. "Correct. The man you met with was undoubtedly an impostor." He scratched his shoulder harder. "So what, was he a thief trying to charge the noble accounts?" Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Inspector Hwang didn't question you very much, did he?" That made his head perk up and stop scratching his shoulder. "Huh? Only for a minute. Why?" (Stop playing Objection! 2009) He folded his arms. 'He's supposedly the best detective in the Fire Nation, yet he only pressed him for a minute? That's fishier than that damn eel.' "My initial suspicions were correct. There's far more than one element at work behind the scenes. You'll be coming with me." He clapped a hand on his shoulder and warped them away.

August 25th, 7:30 PM

Caldera City

Xau Household

Yun's eyes filled with wonder at the opulence around him. Then he clenched his stomach and doubled over. A sand bowl formed under him, which he gratefully used to puke in. Then he blinked at the bowl. "Yes, I am. Taya, can you think of where your brother might have gone? I have a hunch involving the young gentleman here." She raised an eyebrow. "Even I can't move that fast with another person. You'll have to tell me how you do it someday. And you can probably already tell that the Royal Palace's dining hall is his favorite place." He nodded, but before he left, she put a hand on his shoulder. "Hwang was here a minute ago. He said that the charges would be finalized in a few hours, and after that…" He shook his head. "I keep my oaths. You will not be unfairly convicted, even if I must stand at the bench myself."

August 25th, 7:40 PM

Fire Nation Royal Palace

Dining Hall

She knew her brother well, as he was consuming a full plate of ribs, clearly straining to be polite. More than one person turned around at the swirl of sand, but he ignored it. The hand that gripped his shoulder and pulled him out of his chair was something he could not. "Go away, I'm eating!" His voice was quiet, but it cut through every conversation going on at the table. "Get up, or I will make you get up." Lon slowly pushed out his chair, as his heart began to race. "You again. Have you nothing better to do than irritate my family?! Have you swapped targets from my sister back to me?!" He smirked. "You could say that." He pointed at the boy standing next to him. "This is Jiang, the boy who was your alibi at the weapons shop. Do you remember him?" He let out a strangled cry. "Of course I remember him! I met him yesterday! Jiang, my boy, how are you? Are my gauntlets finished yet?" The boy blinked and looked over at Gaara, who had crossed his arms and had shifted from a smirk to a cocky smile. "Are you crazy? My name is Yun."

(Play Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly) It was easy to see who was the smartest at the table. They were the ones who gasped at this revelation. His chuckle was drier than the sand in his gourd. "Yes, it is. I knew that. But apparently you, Lon Xau, did not. That was your first mistake, not having your body double tell you his name." He started to walk away hurriedly, but a tendril of sand stopped him, wrapping around his leg and squeezing. "I'm not finished questioning you yet. Now, why did you not remember the name of the boy you supposedly went to see yesterday afternoon?"

He sneered. "Why should I be bothered to remember the name of a commoner? I merely pretended out of politeness." Gaara tapped his temple and smirked. "Really? Because I don't think you ever met him. And I have proof to back it up." He walked over to the Fire Lord's side. "Princess Cheara, may I trouble you for a moment?" She twirled a chopstick in her hand, barely contained smirk on her face. "Oh, why not. I'm not very busy right now." "When I snapped Mr. Xau's arm yesterday, did he have a ring on his hand?" She shook her head. "No, I would've felt the metal." He bowed. "You have my gratitude, for "cracking the case," as it were."

He walked over slowly. "Now, Mr. Xau, you didn't have your seal. Yet it was left on the store's ledger, and whoever put it there did a very good job. There's no mistaking the crest as anyone else's, and this leaves us with quite the odd question. How did it end up there? And given you were at the meeting at 11:10, right on schedule, far more than an hour away from the store, there's really only one picture I can paint." He pointed his index finger at him, leading with the right side of his body, eyes ablaze with raw joy and excitement. "You sent someone who looked similar to you to the shop in order to falsify an alibi! And the only one who would need to do that, is the man who led the assassins to the princess's doorstep! Lon Xau! Admit to your crimes now, and I'll give you a swift death!" (Stop playing Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly)

He grabbed a rib and tore into it, gobbling down the flesh of whatever animal it happened to be. Once he finished, he let out a hearty burp. "No. I have committed no crime, no crime except that of lying to a detective. I did send someone to the shop, but not to create an alibi, only to order my gauntlets for me." He folded his arms. "So, you will not take the dignified way out? Very well. You will testify as to your real alibi during the time of the crime." He turned his nose up. "And if I should decide not to? What will you do then? Kill me, and become a fugitive?" Gaara's eyes started to turn teal. "If that is what it takes to ensure the safety of the royal family, then I will do so in a heartbeat. I am not infallible, nor can I be in every place at once. Therefore, keeping them out of harm's way in the first place is the easiest solution. Any and all breaches in security must be removed with extreme prejudice." His gourd uncorked and sand began to flow out, pooling on the floor. "I-I'll talk!"

(Play Confrontation ~ Presto 2009) "I did not want to speak of this, because of the shame it would bring upon my family. However, you have forced my hand. I was copulating with one of the maids who serves under us. I am a noble, and she is a commoner, but even then, my taste for the flesh is not easily sated." Gaara's eyes narrowed, flecks of teal beginning to show up again. "You dared have an affair while being set to marry the princess? If it were not for your sister, I would turn you into a fine red mist at this moment. Unfortunately, that will have to wait." The air in the room was tense, as everyone inside watched with interest. Murmurs went around about the table, a few glances going towards Cheara. Ozai was watching with his hands underneath his chin, a carefully guarded look in his eyes.

A sandstone desk compacted in front of him as he shouted "HOLD IT! To claim I forced your hand is a farce. This is merely the well-earned consequences of your own actions." Lon shook his head. "You are the one who stuck his nose into the already fully complete investigation of Detective Hwang. He is preparing the charges against my sister as we speak." He folded his arms and tapped his shoulder. "You believe his investigation was complete? Then add that statement to your testimony." "Detective Hwang's investigation was already complete. He correctly identified my sister as the culprit." Gaara slammed a fist down on the desk. "OBJECTION! The detective's investigation was in no way complete, and I can prove it!"

(Play Objection! 2009) He scoffed, turning half away. "As if you could possibly have any evidence to prove that, mudslinger." He crossed his arms and smirked. "Really? Because I know something that even he does not; how the assassins entered the palace." He pulled out the ledger from Anko's Bakery. "TAKE THAT! The proprietor of the establishment this ledger came from is an elderly woman. She now runs her sweets shop alone." Lon shook his head. "I don't see what that has to do with how an assassin could enter the palace. You're spouting drivel to entertain the crowd, and hope that the Fire Lord will allow you to execute me on the spot!" He tapped his temple. "I would certainly not object to his giving me such an order, but I can assure you that is not my goal. I said now for a reason. As of 10:30 yesterday, she had an assistant named Jin. But he is currently dead, lying in the middle of the field surrounding this very palace. I should know, I am the cause of his death." Lon began to tear into another rib. "You're saying-" He slammed the desk. "That's precisely what I'm saying! Jin's job at the bakery was a front, so you had an excuse to smuggle the assassins in!" He finished chewing and swallowed. "But look at the name on that ledger! It only says Xau, not Lon Xau! My sister has no alibi, it could have easily been her!" He shook his head. "If presenting another suspect is all you can do, then your case is grim indeed. Return to your previous testimony, I've made my point." (Resume Confrontation ~ Presto 2009)

"HOLD IT! And you have not brought forth this maid why? If you are truly innocent, then there should be no issue producing someone to confirm your alibi." Lon glowered at him. "You will do nothing but badger and bully her until she says what you want her to say! I will not subject her to your torturous ways!" He shrugged. "If you insist. Would you prefer a pyramid, cube, or sphere?" Sand started to creep up from the desk towards Lon. "Gaagh! She goes home for the day, it will take hours for her to get here!" The desk reformed. "I do not have hours. Give me an address."

A minute later, Gaara reappeared with a very confused looking woman, diminutive in stature and with deep black hair. Her maid's uniform was hastily put on as she continued to smooth the wrinkles. Then something caught her, and she held a hand over her mouth. The usual bowl formed under her, but she waved it off. "I'll be *urp* fine, just a little gas."The bowl stayed, but he started to talk. "Madam, Mr. Xau claims to have had sex with you yesterday from 10:00 to 10:30. Can you confirm?" She held her hands in front of her skirt. "Wh- Yes." A sharp look from Xau had brought about the pause. "I would ask that you refrain from pressuring my witness into lying. You are in no position to fire her, given that you'll be executed shortly. Does that change your answer?" She bit her lip, fidgeting nervously. "Not much. 10:05." "The start time?" She shook her head. "The finish." He snorted. "I should've expected as much. Well, Mr. Xau? Your alibi has dropped out from under you. That's twice you've lied, and twice I've struck it down. You no longer have an alibi, and thus could have easily committed the crime. All that is left is for me to find the proof." (Stop playing Confrontation ~ Presto 2009) He grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. "You'll be staying in the dungeon until I've finished my investigation." They disappeared in a twirl of sand, before Gaara returned alone a moment later. "I'll transport the two of you home. Thank you for your assistance."

August 25th, 8:30 PM

Caldera City

Hwang's House

Hwang was clearly well-compensated for his work, as his house was as richly decorated as the noble's. He was enjoying a hot cup of jasmine tea when Gaara appeared in front of him. He spilled it on his hand and yelped. "What are you doing here?!" He folded his arms. "You know exactly why I'm here. Your investigation was pathetically lacking. I've just disproven both of the alibis Lon gave. So, how has he convinced you to help frame his sister? It doesn't appear to be money. A dirty secret, perhaps? Or a kidnapped loved one? It doesn't matter. You're going to show me the body of the guard, his armor, and then tell me every piece of evidence you've manipulated, or I will expose this fact to the entire nation." Hwang gritted his teeth. "Believe it or not, you've hit the nail on the head. He has my wife." He rubbed his chin. "I can sympathize. Do you know where she is being kept?" "A warehouse, on the outskirts of Caldera. It's only a mile or so from here. He said it was so I could hear her scream." He flashed away, returning thirty seconds later covered in blood and holding a fair-skinned woman in his arms. He laid her on the couch. "Done. Are you prepared to investigate properly this time?" Hwang grabbed the pointed hat off the table in front of him. He kissed his shell-shocked wife on the cheek, then nodded.

August 25th, 8:45 PM

Caldera City

Morgue

He picked up the helmet, rotating it in his hand. "Impact crater is the size of a human fist. Hole is far smaller, about a finger's width, with signs of warping around it." The black metal had been pierced through. "This couldn't have been done by an unarmed human." Hwang shook his head. "If they were a bender, they could've melted the steel. It's too early to say that." He folded his arms. "Do you have any thoughts on what would cause this type of damage?" Hwang twirled a strand of his mustache. "I will be truthful, regardless of whether or not I was being coerced, it still does not look good for Ms. Xau. A fist to the back of the head, then a heated finger to melt would've been sufficient. Lon has neither the strength nor the technique to do so." He tapped his shoulder. "Hmm. Very well. I'd like to see the body now."

The simple stone brick structure let their footsteps echo as they walked a short distance to a separate room. The body was on a table, still in the clothes and armor he'd been wearing earlier, charred badly. But there was something strange about it. "The only part that's burned is the head and upper torso." Hwang nodded. "Yes. That's all that would be required to kill him. A blast of fire to the brain is very deadly." He pressed a finger to his forehead. 'That's definitely true. But why would they bother with that if they had already knocked him out? A simple neck snap would've done the job, and it wouldn't have revealed that a bender was involved.'

It hit him suddenly. "The order is wrong." He rolled the corpse over and looked at the back of his head. A small crater in the skull was expected, but he found something else that made Hwang's eyes widen. "What is that?" Gaara smirked. "A puncture wound, left by one of our friend's arrows. They were already dead before they were burned. I was wondering why they would go through the trouble, but then it hit me; they needed a firebender to take the fall. They never planned for the plot to be foiled, so they would've needed a scapegoat to allow their man to remain undiscovered." He put his hand to the hole in the corpse's head, and pulled it away. A few shards of rock flew out. "Knew it."

Hwang twisted his mustache. "So a firebender was involved. And again, it could be either of them, but it leans towards Ms. Xau. The body was moved a significant distance from the post." He shook his head. "No. They had two people. Jin came in late, like he was doing something else. Xau might be fat, but with the help of another person, it could've been moved. The field is still level." 'That's not good enough. You need to think, what definitively ties him into the crime?' He snapped his fingers. "I have it."

August 25th, 9:00 PM

Fire Nation Royal Palace

Dining Hall

The desk poured out of his gourd again, taking shape in front of him. "This will be the last time you speak as a free man. I suggest that if you don't wish for that to be the case, you make it good. I'll start with my assertion; You, Lon Xau, led assassins into the palace with the intent to kill Princess Azula, murdering a guard in the process. Now, your response." Lon began to sweat and wheeze. "I refuse to answer any more questions! I don't believe you, you wouldn't dare kill me! That would take you from your liege's side!" He folded his arms. "A retainer will make any sacrifice, take any action for the betterment of his liege. If the sacrifice I must make is becoming a criminal, then." The rest of the sentence went unspoken as a wall of sand came rushing towards Lon. "Gnnrk! Damn you!"

(Play Confrontation ~ Allegro 2009) "So you claim that I was the one to help the assassins? But why would I do such a thing? I have no grudge against the princess, I have interacted with her only a few times before! I have no motive to do what you accuse me of!" He rubbed his chin. 'So that's the angle he's going to pull, then? He makes a good point. I have no idea why he would aim for Azula. Maybe something will come up, though.'

"HOLD IT! Your sister does not have any motive that I am aware of either. This topic is unimportant at best, and a total waste of time at worst." Lon shook his head, his gut moving along with him. "But you were told to solve this case, were you not? How can you consider it fully solved if you do not understand why the crime was committed?" He folded his arms. 'Again, he's right. And if this is the role I am to play, then I will have to finish it.' "HOLD IT! Seeing as she's chosen to honor us with her continued presence, why don't we ask her? Princess, do you recall this man at all?" Azula inspected her nails, picking a small bit of dirt from under one. "No, I can't say I do. He's as unimportant as it gets." His face turned red, but he still managed to laugh. "See! I would not have her killed for a personal affront, as there hasn't been one!" Gaara's head fell forward. 'Gauging by his reaction, there definitely has been one. But if she can't testify as such, my hopes for a motive there go down the drain. What the hell is this guy's deal? Why would he order her killed?'

"HOLD IT! I don't believe you. Every crime has a motive, even if it's completely unfathomable to the human mind. Yours is lacking in complexity, so I doubt that is the case for you." Lon shook his head. "But you cannot prove that, can you? I refuse to testify any further until you can present a motive." He put a hand over his forehead. 'Alright. It's time to brainstorm.' (Play Thought Route ~ Resonance of the Synapse) 'So let's think. What would he stand to gain from Azula's death right now? … there's nothing. He can't gain anything immediate from her death. So he had to be aiming for something in the future. What exactly is that objective? It's not money, he's a noble, and very well off. It can't be anything military oriented, she's not a commanding officer he could kill and take the place of. What differentiates the two? Maybe that's the key.'

'Power! That's the main difference. She has the political power to order anyone and everyone around. That has to be what he's aiming for. But then, how is her death going to give him any? Think, Jacob, think! There has to be some connection you're missing. If she were to die, what would happen? Well, then there's nobody to contest Zuko for the throne, but- wait, that's it! If both Zuko and Azula died, then the throne would fall to Cheara! And if she were to die, then her husband could ascend to the position!' (Stop playing Thought Route ~ Resonance of the Synapse)

Lon shook his head, a small smirk on his face. "If you're just going to stand there with your eyes closed, I'll be taking my leave." His eyes flew open, and he slammed the desk with a fist, shouting "HOLD IT! I know exactly why you wanted to kill the princess!" (Play Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly) Lon's head fell back and his arms went up in shock. "Wha- Hogwash!" The crowd around the table was much the same, chattering excitedly. Gaara shook his head, and a cocky smile appeared on his face. "It's nothing of the sort. This was your attempt to grab a seat on the throne; nothing more, nothing less. Assume, for a moment, that your plot had succeeded. The princess would be dead, leaving the throne uncontested for the prince, and your sister would have been executed for the crime, leaving you to escape punishment. Next, the prince would encounter an unfortunate accident, dying and leaving either childless Iroh or Princess Cheara to take the throne. Until earlier this morning, you were set to be married to Princess Cheara, and once she had claimed the throne, either immediately or after Iroh's death of old age, one final accident would occur, leaving you, her husband, as the Fire Lord. The most powerful position in the land would serve as a very strong motive for murder."

His stomach grumbled as he tore off a now-cold rib from the untouched rack. "B-bu-" He slammed the desk, interrupting him before he could even start. "You said that you would refuse to testify further until I provided a motive, and that's exactly what I did! Everything that I just said is immutable fact. Now, your testimony on the death of the guard." (Resume Confrontation ~ Allegro 2009)

"Wasn't the guard killed by being burned alive? I heard that their helmet was melted from the fire. I am loathe to admit it, but even at full strength, that is beyond me. My sister, on the other hand, can liquefy steel, and has done so before. Wouldn't it be more natural to suspect her of the crime?" He shook his head. 'That's not going to be enough. He's done for. I suppose now is the time to put the final nail in the coffin for him.'

"HOLD IT! And how did you come by this information? The only ones who should know that are persons directly involved in the investigations." Lon started to sweat lightly. "Ehm. Detective Hwang informed me of the charges against my sister, and exactly what crimes she had committed." He rubbed his chin. 'I suppose that's plausible enough that I can't object to it just yet.' "HOLD IT! What is the hottest you can make your flames, then? Can you melt a stick of butter? Or perhaps an ice cube?" The thinly veiled jab was met with a few chuckles from those watching. He steamed "I can melt copper, you imbecile!" Gaara rubbed his chin. 'I don't believe he can even do that, but I'll go along with him for now. There's more important matters at hand.'

"HOLD IT! You seem rather dead set on accusing your sibling of this crime. Do you desire to see her perish that badly?" His head fell back. "I can't believe you'd accuse me of such a thing! Aren't you the one who pointed the finger at her first?" Gaara snorted. "You are the only one I have formally accused. I did suspect her, true, but I do not accuse someone unless I am sure of their guilt. That should tell you quite a bit about your own situation." 'Well, it's time to cycle back around to the beginning. Let's hit him where it hurts.'

A pile of sand floated out of his gourd as he slammed the desk. "OBJECTION! They weren't burned alive!" (Objection! 2009) Lon shook his head, this time with a wide smile. "I was right. You have nothing, just tricks for the audience. But nobody will be fooled by your charades!" He pressed a finger to his forehead. "You haven't even seen the evidence yet, and you're already prepared to call me a liar? That is an extremely bold stance to take. One I'll gladly pulverize." The mound of sand dissolved, absorbing into the desk. In its place were a few small shards of rock. "These were found inside the puncture wound in the back of the guard's head. Pieces of stone, from the arrow that pierced his skull."

"I believe you know what that means, Mr. Xau. There was no melting of steel involved. The arrow was what damaged the helmet and killed the guard. He was only burned afterwards, in order to make Taya a scapegoat!" (Play Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly Variation) Lon shook his head. "You don't see the flaw in your own logic? How could I have moved the body so far in such a short time? The only one capable of that would be my sister!" Gaara slammed the desk. "Have you already forgotten? There was more than one person there to do the heavy lifting. That was the work of Jin, the fourth earthbender! Two people could have easily moved the body in that time!" Lon let out a hearty laugh, though his calm demeanor was foiled by the sweat running down his neck. "You're forgetting something. So, you claim that the helmet wasn't melted? You haven't shown any proof of that!" He tapped his temple and smirked. "Of course. How could I be so careless as to forget something so vital?"

"Yes, how could you? It's a shame my men have already retrieved and turned that helmet into a pile of slag by now, isn't it?" Gaara reached into his gourd and pulled out the helmet, spinning it on one finger. "Yes, it certainly is a shame that they've liquefied this perfectly unmelted helmet, isn't it?" His face went paler than a ghost. "Wha- how did you know-" He slammed the desk with curled fists. "On the surface, the helmet might've looked unimportant, only serving as a sign of how he was killed, something blatant enough from the wound. But when I saw that it wasn't melted, I knew exactly what it meant. If they were cooked alive inside this, which the soot and ash coating the inner lining clearly shows, then it would take a far weaker bender than Taya to produce flames cold enough not to melt the steel. Given we have two suspects, and only one that, by his own admission, can't melt steel, the culprit is clear. This is the final piece of evidence that has sealed your fate, leaving you with exactly what you deserve; no alibi, no justice, no dreams, and no hope! It's time to pay for your crimes! TAKE THAT!" (Stop playing Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly Variation)

In some form of a desperate last stand, Lon cast out both his hands, throwing a funnel of fire at him. The sand leapt up to protect him, as Lon poured on more and more fire. Gaara was completely unimpressed, standing comfortably behind the wall of sand, arms folded and eyes closed. He heard a thud from the opposite side, and the sand retracted into his gourd. When he could see what had happened, he smirked. 'He tired himself out after bending for ten seconds. What a waste of space.' Someone at the table started to clap, and the rest of the people gathered soon joined. He turned on a heel and bowed. "I apologize for interrupting your dinner. Lord Ozai, shall I execute him now, or will he have a trial?" Ozai shook his head. "Kill him. He must have had this in mind from the very beginning, and I see no benefit to leaving him alive any longer." He bowed. "As you wish. I will avoid staining the carpet." He grabbed the unconscious Lon and warped away.

August 25th, 11:30 PM

Wastelands

'Alright. I'm in a fairly secluded spot, so this should be far enough away.' He pulled out his sword and launched himself into the air with a pillar of rock. "GREAT AETHER!" He tossed his sword up and leapt after it, catching it and coming down spinning. The impact severed Lon's head instantly, and cleaved into the ground below. *Ding!* 'Skill Great Aether leveled up! That's all he was good for anyways.'

August 26th, 12:00 AM

Caldera City

Xau Household

Once again, his appearance was unexpected, though this time it was met with an exclamation of shock. "I'm deeply sorry to inform you that you're now an only child." Taya grabbed her arm. "So it's over? I'm free?" He nodded, reaching towards her arm. "Yes. I'll remove the bracelet now, you're no longer under suspicion." She shifted her arm away. "Could I keep it?" He withdrew his hand and shrugged. "If you wish. You understand that it would allow me to track you to the ends of the earth, correct?" She lightly slapped his cheek. "Why else would I want to keep it? Thank you for helping me out. I'll return the favor someday." He nodded. "I do not anticipate I will need to call it in, but it will be in my mind. Until next we meet, Ms. Xau."