Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Burning Fire. Enjoy the 1200-word chapter. I don't own Avatar, Nick, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko do.

Kei was quite used to Izumi's tactics. Her plans were quite curious when it came down to it, she never made a move without thinking about every single step of the maneuver she made.

"That was quite bold of you to do at the moment." Kei stated, brushing off his hands. "You should know what happens next. They will expect you to take charge of it." Kaito said as he paused, interested to which her next move would be.

There was plenty to mentally unpack…. However? It also meant there was quite a few holes in this plan. Kei turned to Izumi who looked ready to snap, unsure of what this new plan would entail.

"Do you have a plan, or is this you winging it like usual with all due respect?" Izumi heard from Kei as he brushed off his armor. "I don't really know what to expect… All I do know is you have a plan, there is always a secret plot with you, your highness." Kei added, smirking from behind his armor as he did so.

Izumi was silent. She knew very well that Kei was simply looking out for her, something that she was happy to have.

"Do you think my father will approve of the plan, or was he just playing along?" Izumi questioned as Kei and hear passed into a long corridor which didn't seem to look as garnished as the rest of the place. "If things were so easy? He'd have suggested it or told me himself. I don't like him keeping so many secrets." Izumi added to which Kei nodded.

Kei looked at the crimson red trimming and fire like emblems. It seemed a lot like EVERYWHERE in the castle had to scream about how this was the Fire Nation. He often wondered HOW you could really miss that fact considering the entire palace had that design.

"Your father was surprised by it more than I was." Kei responded; a small fireball generated in the midst of his palm. "He is trying things the way Prince Iroh wanted him to do. I was hopeful that he had sager like advice." Kei added to which Izumi hummed.

She missed Iroh. He was not around often when she was a girl. Then again? She often heard the legendary firebender had business to attend to, leading the White Lotus, running his tea shop.

"Do you think it will be that easy?" Izumi said as Kei shook his head back and forth. "You like a challenge, Kei… Least when it comes to these sorts of plans." Izumi said as they continued down the passage.

"Because your plans never fail to shock me." Kei said, casting a gaze at one of the portraits around him. "I don't think it will be easy. The Earth Kingdom is quite full of soldiers who want reasons to bring back the good old days. The war between us and the Earth Kingdom was NOTHING civil." Kei added, looking at Izumi who was quite shocked more than anything.

Kei was going to believe that their leadership was reasonable. He didn't think of things as easily as he wanted to…. That didn't stop their plans, but he was hopeful they'd be smart.

Then again? If they weren't? Then another war obviously came with it. one that Kei was in NO mood to fight because someone got stab happy… And not even the pits would save them from him if they hurt Izumi.

"You're staring into space again." Izumi said as Kei shrugged once more, his armor clanking against his side as he did so.

"Maybe I'm just bored, your highness. There's not as much excitement as you think in our work." Izumi heard from Kei as he did so. "Maybe I'm just being whimsical or something or such?" Kei stated to which Izumi merely rolled her eyes.

Kei could see her smirk at the end of her face. It was quite harmful when it came down to it. Kei could tell just what came next, however. Those types of smirks were ALWAYS followed by some sort of maneuver on her end that nobody saw coming.

It was not unreasonable when he thought about it… But it was unneeded to him. Izumi was someone who was open with her plans, as unlikely and insane as possible. Then again? Izumi was as unpredictable a politician as she was a warrior.

"You know, I'm curious how you plan to deal with the Water Tribe when they arrive." Kei put in, turning to Izumi once more. "If you knew how dangerous this could end up being? There's going to be much more for you down the road, your dad isn't going to make this the last time he assigns 'princess work' to you." Kei added, shrugging as he did so.

"I'm going to guess that's your way of point out that something is wrong in that plan?" Izumi stated to which Kei nodded a moment later.

"Yes, there's plenty of things to deal with down the road." Kei stated while he shook his head. "Besides, your dad is scared and I can't lie around him. You know how much your dad is aware how much you tell me, I do have to share some of these secret plans with him." Kei added, leaning on the wall as he did so.

"Which means we have plenty of things of things to worry about besides this meeting." Izumi responded, gaining a shrug from Kei who remained unsure of what to say. "Tell my father the truth, then. We plan on speaking to the others at the beach." Izumi said, cracking a smile towards her friend.

"You know there's plenty of means that could go wrong considering they could see it as a threat." Kei responded which gained silent from her. "Just don't hide things from him. I don't hide so many secrets from him. I don't think I've hide any from him, it isn't really something I'm allowed to do." Kei put in before he started to walk towards his room.

Kei was left to reflect on her plan, if it went well? They'd strengthen ties with the Earth Kingdom and bring a newer era of peace and harmony between their lands.

If she failed? Then both could end up backpedaling into and it could undo everything that they had worked for at the end of the day. Was it worth the problems involved with it so far?

She was quite convinced it was, but she needed to think just a bit more. Making sure it was settled once and for all.

Kei hummed once more when it came down to it.

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out that next chapter will be in 2-10 months I will try to make to make next chapter will be longer and such. Next chapter will be 900-4500 words and will end up showing parts of Izumi's plan and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter will be delayed and such.