Sokka
"Up.. Down.. Right.. Left.. Great, Great.. you are starting to act like real men at war.. Now, The great blast, On the count of three, 1.. 2.. 3!" BLAST!
Sokka watched as the boys of the southern air temple assumed their stances and in one motion they all blasted air at the huge target in front of them, knocking it down with Sokka clapping for them afterwards, it was a huge statue made of rock, Sokka asked the masters if there is a ground where they can destroy things freely, and the masters showed him this ground at the bottom of the mountain with all the rocks and ancient statues but not of use to the masters anymore, Sokka thought statues can be rebuilt, but these boys needed to destroy things in case the firenation turns their eyes towards the temple.
That has been the case for the last three months, Sokka training the boys to be soldiers with Katara supporting and encouraging them, The siblings got to know some of the boys and they created quite the bonds with them, including a boy named Senge, the boy was twelve yet Sokka took a liking in him for his bravery and energy, out of all the young airbedners, the boy was the first one up and the last one to sleep, his Airbending skills could be compared to a master's even though he hasn't received his tattoos yet, not to mention the boy was incredibly funny, all the qualities that Sokka hoped to find in a human being so he could befriend him, and indeed he found them.
Katara hasn't been as frequent as Sokka concerning teaching those kids, she has been paying more attention to Aang, the fallen Avatar, The young avatar has been recuperating in the temple for three months, Sokka couldn't help but think he sacrificed everything for naught, he didn't leave his parents and Suki behind and come all this way to the temple so he could watch someone else recuperate from battle scars, he wanted to fight, maybe his father is missing, but his men are still stationed in Chameleon Bay led by Bato, his father's best friend,
Poor man must be devastated ever since he heard the news. Sokka thought as he remembered that Bato might not be Father's best friend anymore.. as there is no more father..
The feeling angered Sokka to no end, why should i wait here when i can call the men and free our tribe ? He kept musing until one of the kids snapped him out of his daze..
"Master Sokka ! Are you in there ? I said we finished the move, what do you want us to do next ?" Sokka looked at the kid who asked this confusedly, the kid turned out to be the funny and brave lad Senge, Sokka was trying to remember where he stopped, he couldn't remember so he called a halt to today's lesson.
"That's it for today, Boys.. Don't forget to practice in your rooms at the temple.. and remember, The world is..." Sokka stopped allowing the kids to continue the phrase..
"OURS TO SAVE !" The boys finished in a courageous voice, making Sokka smile proudly and motion for them to leave, after the boys left, Sokka was packing his things to leave as well until a presence made itself felt..
"The world is ours to save, huh ?" Sokka brought his head up knowing already who the voice belongs to, but wasn't sure what he was doing here.. "Well, i suppose it's no longer mine to save since i am no longer an Avatar." Aang finished with a smile, Sokka was still wondering..
"Aang ? How long have you been here ?" Sokka asked.
Aang crossed the field to come by Sokka's side and took a seat on the green field Sokka is standing on. "I can't be one hundred percent accurate, but i guess fifteen minutes." Aang stated.
"You've been watching us for fifteen minutes and i just noticed now ? What, Are you a trained assassin or something ?" Sokka asked sarcastically, making Aang chuckle lightly.
"You should've watched me sneaking around rebel territories when i was younger, my foot used to be even lighter, Toph still calls me Twinkletoes for it till this day.. Well, till the day she was captured defending me anyways.." Aang trailed off sadly, the memory damping his cheerful mood.
"I am sure Toph is fine, Aang.. the question is are we fine ?" Sokka decided to take the opportunity and put an end to his frustrations, he took a seat beside Aang and looked him in the eye, with Aang looking back at him confusedly.
"What do you mean ?" The avatar asked.
Sokka sighed and decided to confess, after all Aang has been his friend ever since he woke up a month ago, Sure he would be understanding..
"Aang, i have been facing lots of problems ever since we lost track of my parents and my friend during the cursed ceremonies, I still don't even know for sure if they are alive or dead, all i know is i need to avenge them, i need to move against the firenation, we've been here for three months knowing all too well that the southern watertribe is under Ozai's rule and i am just sitting here, my parents might be out there waiting for someone to rescue them, and i am just sitting here, The Firenation is taking over the whole world and we've just been sitting here for three months, i understand you are recuperating, but i just need to know our next course of action, i need someone to assure me that what i am doing, what i am sacrificing isn't for naught, Please.." Sokka finished looking at Aang who averted his eyes and looked at the ground with a pensive yet somewhat sad look, making Sokka instantly regret his words thinking he might have hurt Aang, but before Sokka got the chance to clarify himself, Aang spoke up..
"You think i don't scold myself daily for the same reason ?" Sokka was taken aback by Aang's sudden confession, maybe there's more to the young avatar than meets the eye.
"It's okay, Aang, you are injured, it's not your fault." Sokka tried to reassure him, only for the avatar to shake his head violently with a scowl growing on his face.
"Please, Sokka.. no more sugarcoating the situation, i get more than enough of that from your sister.." Sokka chuckled at the young avatar's remark, fully agreeing with his assessment about his sister, after the laughter went down, Aang kept talking, "I can't help but feel that i let the world down, i let everybody down, the living and the dead, ever since i woke up, i have this gut-wrenching feeling that i failed and there is no way back." Aang confessed again, making Sokka feel bad for voicing his inner thoughts.
"But, Aang.. there was nothing to be done about it, we've been betrayed all of us, I'm sure if any of the other avatars were in your position, he would have met the same fate, but the spirits gave you another chance to fix everything, this is where your complete focus should be on." Sokka encouraged, but Aang looked like he didn't feel the need for a pep talk, and Sokka didn't blame him for it, he's been receiving the same words for over a month, so Sokka decided to bring up another topic.. "Is there any news of the chaos in the spirit world ?" Sokka asked, damping Aang's mood even more.
"No, I tried to contact the spirits multiple times but no response, Looks like Vattu started his master plan and they're doing what they can to stand against him, but not for long, Sokka.. He's coming, and when he does, none of this will matter." Aang said grievously.
"So we need to move against the firenation now, Aang.. we still have a tremendous amount of work, so we need to move now." Sokka said.
"You and whose army ?" Aang started, "We don't have the soldiers, i don't have the avatar state, Once we move, there will be no going back, Sokka, so we need an army and we need a plan." Aang reasoned.
"But we do have an army, My father's troops at Chameleon Bay, i told you about them, they would follow me to the end of the world and back, they know i was going to be the new chief before that stinking rat Voccak took over." Sokka said disgustingly, ever since he heard the news of Voccak taking over the southern watertribe, he felt nothing but the will to strangle the life out of the man.
"Your father's troops won't be enough, Sokka, The Firenation is the biggest force in the world, and in order to focus on the spirit war we have to get the whole world on our side not just the southern water tribe, so we have to start with the colonies, then the rest of the earth kingdom, then the southern water tribe-" Aang was about to go on, until Sokka interrupted him.
"Wait, Wait ! What did you say ? the last bit ?" Sokka asked, Aang looked confused but spoke the words again,
"Uhm.. Then the southern water tribe-" Sokka cut him off again..
"No, No ! The bit before that, The rest of the earth kingdom, the earth kingdom isn't even fully taken, Aang, You forgot King Bumi !" Sokka reminded, making Aang's eyes light up for a second.
"Yeah, i met the guy before, he was incredibly funny.. wait, you are saying that Omashu is still free ?" Aang asked.
"Yes ! Omashu is still free, and they have some of the best earthbenders in the world, we can call for King Bumi's help, Aang.. The old man can provide us with troops to fight the firenation." Sokka said with an enthusiastic smile and soon Aang returned it.
"You're right, we have to talk to the guy, i hope he would agree to help us with-" Before Aang could finish, a bird landed between him and Sokka, causing Sokka to shriek loudly, and Aang to step back all of a sudden, mostly because of Sokka's loud shriek, it turned out to be a messenger hawk.
"What the hell, Man ?! You scared the life out of me !" Aang left Sokka to yell at the bird, and unfolded the letter after he grabbed it from the bag attached to the bird's back, while Sokka was still angrily yelling at the bird, he heard Aang mutter a word.
"Jet..?"
Azula
It was time for one of the biggest events in Firenation History.. A Firelord ordering his own brother's execution.
Azula was standing on a platform in front of the huge mob who came to witness The Execution, all these people came to see her uncle's neck being snipped, what a disgrace, She stood there in silence beside her father with whom she had a conversation earlier, before the execution.
"Father, we need to talk." Azula said to her father who was preparing for the event,
her father frowned as soon as he saw the desperation in her eyes, "What's wrong, Azula ?" Ozai replied almost sweetly, Azula kept wondering why he wasn't the monster everyone claimed him to be when he was talking to her..
"Father, you don't need to do this, The public's point of view won't be the same as you think it would be, people won't see you as the just man who executed his brother for the good of the nation, they will view you as a cruel leader who wants to take his brother out to have complete legitimacy, You shouldn't do this." Azula said desperately, maybe she got over the disastrous thoughts she had the night before after meeting with her uncle, that might have put her in a catastrophe, but that doesn't mean she got over wanting to spare her uncle's life, the old man doesn't deserve this.
"You are right, Azula, but your uncle is a traitor and i don't care how people will view me as long as i am doing the right thing." Ozai replied his eyes never betraying him, Azula saw that her father believed every word he just said, he believed he was doing the right thing, which was more Horrendous.
"Father, you can't really mean it, We both know you wanted the throne more than anything, Uncle Iroh doesn't want it, he wants nothing but a peaceful life, Luckily i have just the solution." Azula proposed, her father looked upset at the first part of her statement but then looked intrigued.
"Which is ?" Ozai asked.
"I am going to ask Uncle Iroh to legitimize your claim to the throne in front of the whole firenation, shutting down all his supporters, and in return his sentence will be banishment instead of Death." Azula proposed, hoping with every inch of her body that her father would find her proposition reasonable,
Please say Yes, Please say Yes.. Azula kept hoping inwardly as her father kept pondering.
"Done." Her father called suddenly, making Azula's eyes widen as huge plates.
"What ?" Azula might have thought of the proposition but she didn't know her father would reply with approval that easily, he looked like he knew Azula was going to say that.
"I agree to the proposition, if your uncle confessed to the whole world that i am the rightful ruler of the firenation, he might get to keep his head on his shoulders for a couple more years." Ozai said, finally he finished preparing for the event and took his leave, Azula still standing gaping at where her father was standing, she finally snapped out of her daze and went to visit her uncle before his trial, whatever the cost she is going to convince him to do what's necessary to keep his life, she hoped her father will keep his word this time.
Azula raced to the place where her uncle was kept, in a wagon cell beside the city hall of Caldera City, she asked permission to speak with him and she was granted the permission, not only because she is the princess, but because she is still the chief of police, she thanks the spirits for being royalty everyday.
"Hello, Uncle." Azula greeted as she entered the cell and sat beside a chained Iroh, her uncle was covered in chains from head to toe.
"Came to say goodbye, My Niece ?" Iroh asked as Azula took he lifted his head to look at Azula.
"Goodbye is the least of my concerns right now. Listen to me, Uncle.. I asked my father to keep you alive, he agreed on one condition-" Before Azula could finish, Iroh responded..
"To proclaim him the undisputed ruler of the firenation." Iroh finished for Azula, who was astonished by her uncle's knowledge.
"How did you know ?" Azula asked causing Iroh to regard her with a sad smile.
"That's the only thing Ozai would agree to keep my life for, darling. that's the only thing he cares for in life, The Throne." Iroh said.
"Well, that's what i proposed to him, that you legitimize his claim to the throne in front of all the people to shut down your supporters, and in return your sentence will only be banishment." Azula informed.
"You want me to legitimize the claim of the man who poisoned my son, who murdered your mother, who killed the boy that i considered a son of mine, Aang.. who wants to bring the whole world into complete chaos ?" Iroh asked angrily.
"I want you to save your life !" Azula yelled back.. "Not for yourself, For Zuko, and for the rest of us, We Need You." Azula let her desperation show in front of her uncle as well, and she knew that he saw it clearly on her face as his own face softened a little, she didn't care at that moment for showing her weakness, she just wanted her uncle out.
"You'll be able to live without me, i am just an old man whose time has come, your father is a smart man for accepting your proposition, but i will never grant him his wish, at least when i die i get to meet my son again, your father can rot in the spirits' hell." Iroh replied ferociously, causing Azula to pull aback, her eyes glimmering with tears before she blinked them away angrily,
"You are a selfish person, i understand now why i hated you all my life, you deserve to be hated because you don't care for anyone but yourself ! You can go die for all i care! and i hope your son accepts you with open arms when he finds out that you betrayed Zuko and me !" Azula said in high dudgeon before walking out of the wagon, locking the cell behind her, she walked away in anger stomping and kicking on everything in her way, it was just an hour before the trial, and she hoped her uncle would change his mind by the time.
She was standing on the platform beside her father waiting for the soldiers to bring her uncle in chains, with the executioner waiting with his great sword awaiting the firelord's order, Azula looked at the man in disgust, he looked hideous, she didn't know his name but she despised him.
finally the soldiers arrived grabbing her uncle roughly by both shoulders, he looked even worse in broad daylight, his hair appearing to be even more mussy and filled with dirt, and so was his beard, Azula felt even worse for him now, especially for the words of resentment he might deliver her father during the trial, she hoped he changed his mind, but that was a low hope as she knew her uncle's mindset.
The soldiers stood with their uncle in front of the executioner looking at the mob who were cheering against her uncle, wanting the firelord to order his head cut off, Azula never realized how much supporters her father had, but from the looks of it, there were too many.
"Iroh Son Of Azulon of the firenation, for your crimes against the firenation, in particular the crime of treason, the judges of the nation have decided that the punishment for your crimes is Death.." The crowd cheered even more as Ozai mentioned the death part, Azula wanted nothing more but to jump on those people and kill them all one by one,
her father motioned for the crowd with his hands before he spoke again, "But my daughter the crown princess Azula, and one of my loyal councillors General Shinu have asked mercy for the accused.." Azula turned her head roughly to look at General Shinu beside her, the man looked back at her with a smile to which Azula returned faintly,
maybe there are still good people around.. She thought.
her father spoke again. "But the punishment cannot be dropped until the accused confesses his treason and asks for mercy, So Iroh of the firenation, Do you wish to confess ?" Azula looked hopefully at her uncle who was standing in chains pondering, with the crowd cheering against her father's decision of giving Iroh a chance, Iroh kept standing there on the platform with all eyes on him, finally he spoke up.
"Yes, Firelord Ozai, i wish to confess.." A sigh of relief escaped Azula's lips, she turned her head to look at Shinu who still had a worried look on his face, she turned her head back to her uncle again as he regarded the crowd with a broken look on his face..
"I come before you to confess my treason, i betrayed the trust of every firenation citizen and the trust of my brother the firelord, i plotted to murder him during the ceremonies to seize the throne for myself, May the spirits accept my prayers and forgive me for my sins. hence, I, Iroh Son of Azulon, do hereby proclaim my brother, Ozai son of Azulon, the rightful ruler of the firenation, may the spirits help him during his reign." Iroh finished looking at the ground in desperation.
Azula was even more devastated now for the lies she forced her uncle to say, but at least that was enough to save his life, the crowd was restless after Iroh's confession, they still kept calling for his head, Azula was now more furious than ever and wanted to shut those people up for good, but her father's voice stopped her..
"The accused has spoken, and we all heard his confession loud and clear, as the high judge of the firenation i must name his sentence.." Ozai stopped for a moment and Azula's heart stopped with it, she held her breath waiting for her father's decision, with Shinu beside her doing the same, until her father named the sentence..
"Death."
The crowd erupted in cheers as the firelord named the sentence, Azula felt her blood cold in her veins, she couldn't even move, she couldn't speak, Her uncle was being driven to the floor of the platform showing the back of his head for the sword to land on, Azula saw the executioner unsheathe his sword with the crowd still erupting, that was when she regained control over her senses and took two steps forward to stop this madness, before she was stopped by someone's hand on her, she looked back to find that the hands belong to General Shinu who kept shaking his head in her direction, Azula tried to break free of the man, but he grabbed her roughly to him and forcing her head away from the scene, whispering words in her ear,
"Your uncle wouldn't want you to do this.. you can't save him but you can save yourself to avenge him." General Shinu kept holding Azula tight forcing her head away from the scene, Azula stopped resisting and hugged the man tight with tears falling from her eyes, she kept imagining Zuko and Aang's looks of desperation had they been present at this moment and that could only make her feel even worse.
the moment she heard the click, she knew it was over, and a dam of tears broke free from her eyes.
