Chapter Twenty Three

Interludes One

Jet. Hakoda. Song. Ozai.

I

Jet

Jet walked down the side road with Longshot and Smellerbee. They had traveled south since the disaster at Gaipan. He had disbanded his Freedom Fighters, coming to realize that his mission was futile. He had abandoned his purpose in pursuit of revenge, and nearly killed hundreds of innocent people. Just like the FIre Nation.

Now he, Longshot, and Smellerbee had come to the southern end of the Fire Nation controlled lands. They would sneak past the front, and head up the river hundreds of miles to Ba Sing Se, and make a new life for themselves. He would leave the war behind, and try to move on. Dwelling on it, he doubted that his parents would want him to spend his life seeking vengeance. He would find a better way to honor their memory.

They stopped at a food stand for lunch. He had divided the accumulated money from all of the raids he had led equally among the Freedom Fighters, and they had more than enough to get them to the impenetrable city. A hot meal upon occasion wouldn't hurt, it might help even.

"So what are we going to do in Ba Sing Se?" Smellerbee asked. Longshot shrugged.

"You could train people with that bow of yours." Smellerbee suggested. Long Shot cocked his head, evidently considering the option.

"You know, that's not a bad idea." Jet put in. "We could train people in defense, and help them find jobs guarding caravans or something. I'll teach swords, Longshot archery, and you grappling. Or whatever your martial art is called. What was it? The art of folding clothes that men are wearing?"

Smellerbee scoffed. "No, but it might as well be! It's called Jiu Jitsu. Your name is pretty accurate, though."

Jet nodded and returned to his noodles. Longshot wore a small smile at the conversation, and continued eating. Smellerbee excused herself and went to find a bathroom. The two boys maintained a healthy silence, sitting on low stools near the food stand. The sound of running footsteps reached them and Smellerbee reapered.

"Jet! Longshot! Look at this!" She shoved a wanted poster in their faces. He took it and was shocked to see Lee's image on the paper. The man who had saved Gaipan, and stopped him from becoming a monster. Only, it seemed that his name was not actually Lee. No, if this wanted poster was to be believed, he was Zuko: son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. A traitor to the throne and believed to be in league with… No, not possible. He knew that man, he wasn't. He couldn't be…

Jet handed the poster to Longshot. He stared into the middle distance. If it was true… then perhaps the Fire Nation wasn't as bad as he thought.

II

Hakoda

Waves crashed against the prow of his ship. They had departed from the southern Water Tribe not more than a few weeks ago, as he had allowed his men time with their families. It was long overdue, he understood that. The time he allowed them had greatly improved morale, and the men were more eager to return to the war. Now that the Avatar had returned, they believed that the Fire Nation would be soon defeated. Hakoda was inclined to agree.

Now they sailed along the eastern coast of the Earth Kingdom, heading back to the rivers around Ba Sing Se. He would remain there, and a convoy of warriors and shipwrights were to continue on towards the northern Water Tribe. His son would be wed at midsummer, and he had agreed to return home to bring his mother along to witness the ceremony. Apparently, she had once been engaged to Master Pakku, and wanted to see him again after so many years. Gross.

One of his youngest warriors hailed him as he approached. "Chief Hakoda, we've received a message from the Sea Wolf!"

Hakoda turned his eyes on him. He did not like that his darling daughter had been given a moniker by the Fire Nation. "Please refer to her as Katara, Heka."

"Right, sorry. Sir." He flushed in embarrassment, this had happened before, and he gave Hakoda the scroll. The High Chief unraveled it and began to read.

Dear Dad,

So much has happened in the last few days, and I do not know if you have heard any of it. For all I know, this could be the first message you've received.

The Fire Nation laid siege to Agna Qel'a.

Hakoda's heart stopped when he read this, and his eyes grew wide in fear. He shook his head and read on.

The Fighting only lasted a few days, but so much has changed and the world feels like a darker place for it.

I should start at the beginning. Sokka and Yue were the first to realize that they were coming, for the Fire Navy had a spy who told them of our sentries and how to avoid them. By the time we realized they were coming, it was too late to evacuate civilians and send for reinforcements. Aang and I volunteered to try and incapacitate as many ships as we could, (I passed the mastery test for my bending, by the way. But it doesn't seem important anymore.) and we took out dozens of them, but there were hundreds.

Sokka was part of the war council and planned a large part of the defense. Sadly, it was no use. The spy, or rather spies, were part of the council and leaked our plans to Admiral Zhao. Sokka was the one to figure out that we had traitors in our midst, but it was already too late. Laluk and Hahn were the turncoats. Hahn was someone that Sokka counted as a friend, and his betrayal was… bad. Not as bad as what came after. For everyone, but Sokka most of all.

Laluk convinced Arnook to send Hahn on a mission to kill Admiral Zhao, and they used that mission to secret them armor and clothing to use in an infiltration. I won't tell you where, just in case the message is intercepted, but Zhao discovered the location of the Moon Spirit's mortal form. He planned to infiltrate the city and kill the spirit.

He almost succeeded, but Prince Zuko and his uncle seem to have realized the truth about the war, and switched sides. Zuko warned us and we were able to mount a defense of the spirits, but even so we nearly lost. Zhao generated a bolt of lightning and tried to kill the Moon, but Princess Yue sacrificed herself and took the bolt instead.

General Iroh turned on Zhao and single handedly defeated the Fire Nation, sending them running. I heard Sokka scream for me to help, but I arrived too late and Yue… She's not here anymore, at least not in the way she was.

She was blessed by the Moon Spirit when she was a newborn, and her sacrifice was strong enough that Tui took her into her own and they merged, and now exist as one. It's… well, it's better than her dying.

Sokka has been taking it hard. They were in love, and he blames himself for her leaving. Aang does too, but Sokka's in worse shape. He doesn't eat, or sleep. He hasn't spoken since Yue and Aang drove out the Fire Navy.

I don't know what to do, I don't know how to help him.

I just thought that you should know. We're leaving for Omashu soon, and from there we'll have to plan our next move.

I miss you, and I hope we'll meet again one day soon.

Love, Katara.

Hakoda let out a slow breath. He rolled up the message and stowed it inside his armor. He put his hands on the gunnel and stared out over the waves. He knew too well his son's pain, and he had hoped that Sokka would not have to experience it as he had.

His children had fought in a vicious battle that had cost them dearly. They were headed to Omashu? Perhaps he could send a message there, asking that they visit him while the Avatar trained. It would do them good to be together again. And he knew one thing for certain: his son needed him.

III

Song

Song untethered Sugar Foot from the cart. Lee had left her with them, and Song had promised to take good care of the animal. Lee had told her that he hoped that she would be of good use, and a helpful friend. So far, the ostrich-horse had been. She was incredibly affectionate, and strong. Their own animal, Tim Sun, was a bit cranky as a general rule. He didn't enjoy pulling the cart into the port town, but Sugar Foot had no problem with it. Her mother had gone to the port to buy some things for her, and Sugar Foot had gotten there in a single day.

The bird missed her owner though, and Song found that she had missed him too. They had spent a fair amount of time together, before he had to leave and meet his uncle. She had been delighted to discover that, after he warmed up to you, Lee was kind and considerate. He was a good man, and she hoped that they would meet again one day.

"Song…" Her mother, Ran, said, holding a rolled up piece of paper. She glanced around nervously, before stepping closer. "You remember Lee, don't you?" She whispered.

Song was surprised. "Of course I do, why?"

Her mother gave her the paper and told her to read, which she did. The paper had a picture of Lee on it. A wanted poster. Her eyes widened and she read the bounty.

By order of the Fire Nation, the man known as Prince Zuko: son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai, is to be arrested and brought to the nearest military installation.

He has been labeled a traitor by the Fire Lord, and is suspected to have joined forces with the Avatar. He bears partial responsibility for the defeat at the north pole.

Any information on his whereabouts should be sent directly to Princess Azula of the Fire Nation.

Song read it again. And then a third time. She looked at her mother, who bore a grim expression.

"Do you think it's true?" Song asked, and her mother shrugged.

"I don't know, he seemed like such a nice young man. It's hard to believe that he could be…"

"I think he might have joined the Avatar." Song said, "He never told me about who he was, but he said that he had met the Avatar. He seemed to hate the war, so maybe…"

"I hope it's true." Ran said, "it would be good for the world if the next Fire Lord was someone like him."

IV

Ozai

"Fully one quarter of the navy present at the north pole was lost. Fortunately, casualties were low, and most of that loss is in terms of ships and equipment." General Inu said to the other members of the war council.

War Minister Qin spoke next. "The reports say that the Avatar has mastered waterbending, and that the Moon Spirit took part in the battle personally. I suggest we withdraw from the north, and wait until the comet arrives to destroy the Water Tribe."

Ozai nodded. "A wise course of action, minister. I think that would be best, and we should focus our efforts on the Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribe does not have the might to pose a serious threat to us, at least not on their own."

"Tell me, General Tao, how goes the siege of Omashu?"

"It goes well, Fire Lord." He stood and bowed to Ozai. "The Mad King surrendered outright."

Ozai nodded. "Good, if surprising."

A messenger entered the War Chamber, and bowed deeply to the Fire Lord. "Two messages have arrived for the Fire Lord. One from Admiral Zhao, and the other from Prince Zuko."

Ozai waved the man over impatiently and took the messages. He opened Zhao's message and read it. His brow furrowed.

"It appears that my brother has betrayed us, and stopped Zhao from capturing the Avatar, the First Son, and… Well, at least he managed to kill the Princess of the northern tribe."

The assembled officers of the Fire Nation murmured amongst themselves at the revelation. Ozai's brow creased in fury, and he dismissed the meeting. He sat alone and fumed, reading and re reading the message. Iroh had betrayed them, and Azula had turned out to be a failure. She had taken her uncle into her confidence, and failed to see his schemes.

His daughter had failed him three times. She had let the Avatar escape, she had failed to take Zuko prisoner, and she had failed in the siege of the north. Bah!

Perhaps Iroh had compromised her. If he had been influencing her, then perhaps she had meant for the siege to fail. He closed the message from Zhao and looked at the one from Zuko. He considered burning it, but thought better of it. It would be entertaining to read Zuko pleading for mercy, and trying to explain his miserable failure of a life. He opened the message and read.

Fire Lord Ozai.

At your hand, I have suffered greatly. You banished and burned me for speaking out of turn, at the age of thirteen. You sentenced me to a life spent chasing a ghost, and for that I am grateful.

I have seen the world, and know now that this war is pointless and fraught with folly.

I have learned the truth, and suffering has been my teacher. You are unfit to be Fire Lord.

I know that Aang will defeat you, and cast you down from your throne of fear and lies. I hope that you will one day learn the truth as well, Ozai.

Prince Zuko, son of Ursa.

Ozai crushed the message and threw it to the ground. The insolence, the disrespect, the sheer..! He lashed out and burned the message. He grit his teeth and decided that banishment was far too merciful. He should have killed his son.

Author's Note.

I thought this would be fun. Just a quick look at some other characters upon hearing the news regarding the north and whatnot.

Anyway, please go to my profile and vote in my poll.

11/11/2022