Kishi: Well. Guess who's back?

---

Kara-No

Chapter 8

Coming to Terms

---

"Tell me more about the People of the Sky."

"Well, my Prince, as I said, there are those of us who will render aid to you. But there are others who are not so willing," said Reiko. "After we were scattered to the winds, we lost all semblance of unity. There are now hundreds of factions spread all over the world, and no two are the same."

"I remember you mentioning something about that."

"Yes. Most of them you need not worry about. They either chose to run away from the war or are too impotent to affect you. Only one has both the power and the will to oppose you - the Kage."

"The Kage?"

"Yes - they hold to the old ways," she said. Zuko was surprised to see a look on her face outside of distant serenity - a scowl. "They somehow have justified our exile, and wish to hold us to this way of life."

"Why would they do such a thing?"

She shook her head. "I have given up trying to reason out their motivations."

Zuko shrugged it off. They were sitting now in his room, around the low table. Airoh was there as well, and all three sat around a map of the world. With Water Bending out of the way, the only place left for him to go would be the Earth Kingdom. Zhao had seen to purging heretics out of the Fire Temples whenever he found them, imprisoning them or having them publicly executed.

However, on the bright side, that meant that tracking the Avatar had become that much easier, without having to rely on rumors all the time. There was just one other problem…

"While I do like to listen to history with a cup of tea," Airoh gently interposed, "I'm afraid we have a more pressing issue at hand. When we get to the Earth Kingdom, we're going to lose our ability to use the ship."

"Yes, I remember," said Zuko. "None of the temples he's going to are near water. We're going to have to track him on foot."

"Not only that," said Airoh, "but we'll have to work our way around our own armies as well. Remember, Zhao is not without his sympathizers. If they find us, there's no telling what could happen."

"So we'll be roughing it," said Zuko. He looked at his Uncle. "You don't have to come along on this journey," he said.

Airoh looked at him critically. "And what are you suggesting, nephew? That I am an old man, fit only to sit back and play pai cho while you traipse out in the wilds?"

"Not at all," said Zuko with a shrug.

"What a shame," said Airoh. "I was hoping you would say so and let me stay…"

Reiko giggled and this time, Zuko couldn't keep a wry smirk off his face. "So, nothing's really changed," he said, stretching.

"Actually, my Lord, I may be able to aid you," said Reiko. "I could play the part of guide. Choose the quickest paths that the armies could never pass through."

"Part of that help you were mentioning earlier?"

"If you wish it."

"I think, at this point," said Zuko, "that I ought to take whatever I can get."

---

The town of He Fang was a quiet place in the best of times. It was a small town on the northern borders of the Earth Kingdom, and was fairly unremarkable as far as towns went. The place was famous for pickled goods - but then, the winery was also famous as well. People expected this to be the case.

But there was something about this town that wasn't apparent - it was the two roads that led away from it. The town was a bottleneck - the solitary guardian of two vital trade routes that carried goods and people all over the Kingdom. To control this town of sleepy merchants was to control one of the largest throughways in the Kingdom.

Small wonder that it was under siege.

With the Fire Nation waiting in the wilderness, Sokka had figured it was a bad idea to go foraging. Besides, he thought, it was a town of merchants. Surely they had food of some kind… and they'd probably haggle for it to boot! Fortunate, since their finances were looking a mite poor at the moment.

They managed to enter He Fang by passing off as refugees fleeing the invading army. So many had been passing through lately that the guards didn't even bother with a second look. Their eyes had been peeled toward the northwest, where the armies kept coming from day after day.

They made their way over to the market place – and Sokka frowned. "That's odd. Where are all the merchants?"

"Maybe they made a run for it?" Shin ventured.

"Makes sense," said Yuki thoughtfully. "You guys noticed the garrison here? Not many soldiers here."

"Well, that's great," groused Sokka. "If the military's in charge, no way we'll get any food."

Aang looked all around at the empty stands, his expression calm, but distant.

"Aang? Are you all right?" asked Katara.

"Look around," he said, his voice soft. "This place can't hold out for much longer. There are hardly any people here, and even the soldiers know that it's almost over."

Sokka frowned as he listened. Aang had been given over to these quieter bouts more and more lately. He'd managed to pick up that it was because of the battle back in the North Pole, but he wasn't sure why. Aang had faced war before without any ill effects… but the details seemed to be between he and Katara, and he wasn't being let in.

He looked around the town. There were citizens here, but not many. And, like Yuki said, there weren't many soldiers here either. His fists clenched as he realized how close to collapsing this place was.

"We have to help them," Aang said. "And I want to help them… but…" His face became downcast, as a frown creased his features.

Katara looked at him with a sympathetic expression. "Don't worry, Aang," she said, quietly. "You don't have to be alone this time…" Aang nodded, becoming just a little less distant.

The group walked over to a section of wall that wasn't occupied. "Okay, we've got to figure out our next move here," said Sokka. "What do you guys think we should do?"

"Well," said Yuki, "it's pretty clear that this place isn't going to last much longer at this rate. We can't just sit back and let it happen."

"I'm not sure I agree," said Shin. "The war is so much bigger than just this place."

"How can you be so cold?" asked Katara. "These are innocent people! If the Fire Nation takes over this place, they'll be put to slavery or worse!"

"The war is bigger than any one conflict," said Shin. "We've been traveling for a month already. Aang has to learn Earth Bending in order to fight Ozai. The sooner he does that, the sooner the war ends, the sooner conflicts like this cease."

"But you can't be suggesting we just abandon them?"

"Whatever we do, we can't stay here."

"I hate to admit it," said Sokka, "but he's got a point."

"Sokka!"

"We can't stop to fight every battle along the way, or we'll never get to the next temple," said Sokka evenly. "But we can't move on from here without supplies, either."

"What are you thinking, Sokka?" asked Yuki.

"We leave the Benders here in town," said Sokka. "Aang, Katara, and Shin can probably do more to protect this place than we can. Meanwhile, you and me head out into the forest and scrounge around for supplies."

"Right on out there, eh?" Yuki grinned fiercely.

"We're not going to fight the Fire Nation," Sokka said firmly. "We need supplies first and foremost."

"Sure, sure, I know," she said easily.

Sokka rolled his eyes. How did I end up with a group like this, anyway?

-

With their plans decided, the group went its separate ways. Sokka and Yuki ambled off into the woods, each holding one of the kukris she carried. Aang and Katara walked off to report their services to the commander of the garrison. Shin, on the other hand, was in a position of secret aid, having long ago agreed with his people that the rest of the world just wasn't ready for him yet.

So, until the inevitable attack, he was stuck out with nearly nothing to do… except reminisce.

You've certainly come a long way, haven't you? he thought to himself. Go to all the trouble of running from the war just to get back into it a few years later. He shrugged his shoulders in a desperate bid to get the kinks worked out.

He walked through the mostly empty streets not because of some need for patrol, but just for something to do. He caught the furtive glances, the hushed tension of the place. He could tell these were not people meant for war.

Then again, he mused, we are rarely suited to what we become. We are twisted, molded by powers beyond us.

Take myself, for instance. I wasn't meant to be a warrior. I wasn't meant to destroy people with this ability. I was meant to sit and offer philosophy and just think. That's all I wanted. Now here I am, traveling with the Avatar, only I'm no longer welcome. I wonder why they haven't dispensed with me yet? He turned the problem over and over in his mind, and decided that they still clung to enough notions of decency that they wouldn't toss him out with the refuse.

Not yet, anyway. That was reassuring.

Still, the eyes he could feel on his back tainted all reassurance he could have taken. He continued to move casually, leaning against an open section of wall when he came to it. The slow, casual gait he had assumed made such a movement seem natural.

He watched the people pass by, noted them with a keen disinterest, and none were particularly noteworthy - save, for a young man with eyes not unlike his own. The youth was nondescript, brown hair, same skin and build as an average Earth Kingdom teen in an average town anywhere.

Honestly, spies were so obvious if you knew what to look for.

Shin stepped out from the alcove and began to follow this youth along his path as it wound out through dusty streets to well-worn paths to pine-needled ground. Once there, amongst the evergreens, the youth's stride took a more purposeful gait. Shin followed silently and at his ease, weaving through the trees and keeping his eyes ever on his quarry.

The youth stepped out into a clearing showing the first tender signs of spring, and Shin suddenly found himself hanging back. The clearing contained no less than five Void Benders, their eyes all on the spy.

He retreated one step, then another, then another, until—

"We already know you're here," said a female voice behind him. "You might as well walk forward."

Shin sighed in defeat and walked out into the clearing. All the eyes of the assemblage were upon him, and he knew he was surrounded. There was no way he was leaving this meeting without their approval.

"So," he said, assuming a nonchalant posture, "what is it that you want?"

---

"No, no, no," sighed Yuki. "You're putting too much arm into it. The power of any strike comes from the waist, remember?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Sokka, immediately striving to change his movement. The two of them were standing in a copse of trees. The bags at their feet bore little fruit for their work, but given the season that was understandable. They didn't have the proper tools for hunting, nor the time for setting traps, so meat wasn't going to be available either.

So, Yuki had decided that now was the perfect time for practicing with the Kukri. So now they were standing, she critiquing his technique as she watched.

It's a simple technique, she groused. Step. Quick Slash. Retract. Those weren't the problems – Sokka was good at simple tasks. The trick seemed to be that he couldn't hit the same target twice. Oh, sure, he could calculate the general area where this artery or that vein might be.

But that was insufficient, and he knew it. She'd told him the proper target areas, and the slash pattern to follow, but he never seemed to stick with it. And when he did, he'd pull off the attack wrongly.

She sighed to herself as she watched him work with that intent expression on his face. She fought the urge to giggle – there was just something childish in that face. She couldn't help it as she watched his awkward body move, pushing through the motions. That determination had a childish earnestness to it that was mildly endearing.

Hell, in other circumstances, it might have even been cute.

She shook her head to clear it of such thoughts and said, "Sokka, here. Let me show you the strike angles again."

Sokka's shoulders slumped, but he nodded an instant later. As she walked over next to him, his eyes widened and followed something.

"What is it?"

"I think I see some—there it is again!"

"It being…?"

"There's a shadow moving in the trees out there," whispered Sokka, crouching low.

Yuki joined him. "Fire Nation?"

"Could be. Might be looking for a way to cut off a retreat."

"Well, we can't have that," said Yuki, feeling that dark fury boiling inside, spiking out into her fingers and toes. "Come on!"

The two ran through the woods silently on the feet of hunters. At one point the shadow stopped, its head cocked as though it were listening for something. The two hastily hid behind a pair of trees, and after a moment the shadow continued on its trek.

It soon became clear that they were stalking towards a clearing. As Sokka and Yuki hid behind the trees again, she heard voices on the still air.

"So what will you do?"

"There's only one real choice, isn't there?" came Shin's voice.

"Well, you have no obligations," said the other voice, a low voice that somehow managed to sound totally at ease. "We can get the job done without you. But the more we have, the easier it is."

"I'm not sure…"

"Well, regardless, you deserve to have this back."

There was a thunk noise. "This is…"

"An old friend of yours, Shin. It's missed you terribly. But as touching as your reunion is, we do have something of a schedule to keep. Are you in on this or not?"

There was a pause, during which Yuki and Sokka exchanged glances. "All right," said Shin, finally. "The sooner this battle ends, the more people are spared."

Eyes widened, and Sokka and Yuki looked out from behind the trees. The clearing was utterly empty.

"What was that about?" asked Sokka.

"I don't know," said Yuki. "But I'd bet that Shin isn't coming back to town tonight."

---

Moonlight streamed down, offering even the dark clouds a silvery lining. Waves lapped against the iron sides of the ship. Such sounds, like a breeze through the heights of a forest, were soothing.

Zuko acknowledged this as he watched the stars from the bow of the ship. He would never confess this activity to his uncle - a prince watching the stars! - but he had to confess that this was often the best place for it, without hard ceilings and the dull roar of the furnaces to interfere. There was just something about leaning against the steel wall, listening to the crash and roar and staring up into the pierced night that somehow set his mind at ease. Here, alone in this moment, there was no Avatar, no war, no responsibility. In this moment there was only serenity, a kind that not even meditation could bring to him. Alone, in this moment, he was himself.

Only, tonight, he wasn't alone.

There was only one word for what she was doing as Zuko watched her. Reiko was moving through an unarmed set of motions - but it wasn't short or hard like his own Bending style was. Hers was strange to him - controlled, fluid, yet suddenly forceful, only to return to nothing again. Her hair twisted and flowed about in the wind. The moonlight was once again playing with his senses, teasing him into thinking she was a little less than real.

And somehow, Zuko couldn't find it within himself to begrudge the intrusion.

He watched her continue through to the end, when she stepped into the wu chi, but she just transitioned into another form. It was, simply, a dance. There was simply no other way to describe it.

"You are full of surprises," he said, finally stepping toward her. She swept back to the wu chi as if she'd meant to do so originally.

"It's how we're taught to be," she said, voice quiet on the wind. "We're always taught how to disappear, passing like ghosts on the wind."

"A useful skill," said the Prince thoughtfully.

"Perhaps," she said, "but it's more than that. For the People of the Sky, disappearing is a way of life. We are, but… at the same time, we are not."

"That's hard," said Zuko in a flash of insight. She's like me to an extent, he thought. Caught up in the middle of something huge, and not allowed to be who she wants to be, being and being justified only in what she has to be.

"It is," was all she said. They were both silent, sharing the breeze.

"Hey, listen," he said, turning back to her. "Helping us navigate through the Earth Kingdom, through hostile enemy territory, roughing it without sight of a friendly town for weeks or even months… it is much to ask."

"I know," she said. "But I'll do it anyway."

"But why?"

"Well," she trailed off. Zuko turned to look at her and was surprised to note a very slight pink tinge crossing her face.

"Well?"

"I swore loyalty to you, my prince," she said softly. "I will not flinch from my duties. I will endure anything you say, if you ask it of me."

For loyalty, eh? Zuko fought to keep an ironic grin off his face. "Well, I appreciate it. So… thank you."

She bowed in response. He nodded tersely and decided that he should get some rest. He turned on his heels and walked toward the stairs belowdecks.

---

The Fire Nation camp was an organized city of tents. At the center of the camp were the mobile headquarters and the supply depots. Then rank upon rank of dull canvas, with Fire Nation flags and banners interspersed throughout. Guards patrolled along the perimeter, along the paths in the tent town.

The moon had just hidden behind the clouds when the Shadows appeared. They didn't appear all in one place, all at one time, but they came nonetheless, racing through with a very specific target….

-

The Shadow didn't want to sully its blade with blood just yet. Time enough for that later.

It raced onto one of the pathways after the guards had passed, and tread on silent, stealthy feet. Steadily, row after row of tents passed him by.

Then, suddenly, noise! The sound of armored feet tramping in his direction. He threw himself to the ground, hiding in the protective shade of the tents themselves. The soldiers moved at their ease, past his position without sighting him at all. It was as he'd suspected – the Fire Nation was utterly convinced of its impending victory in the next few days.

He wasn't complaining in the slightest, but really now… that was just sloppy.

He waited 'til they were at a safe distance before stepping out again. He continued along the beaten dirt path, pausing in the shadows of the tents again. Now he was near the depots, but there was a lot of open ground between here and there… not to mention the timber walls and the guards. He looked at them carefully – yes, two guards, two torches.

Easy enough. The Shadow clenched its fists, then let the fingers splay outward. The flames of the torches suddenly died. The guards turned to look at the torches, mystified, but by then it was too late.

The one on the right enjoyed the sudden sensation of having his head slammed into the wall. As the soldier collapsed down to his knees, the Shadow stepped forward, thrusting his palm to other guard's face. Then the Shadow's leg came around in a c-step. The guard was uprooted and fell to the ground. Suddenly his face met a knee, and the guard was down.

Satisfied, the Shadow stepped into the depot. He looked around, and from inside his black garb produced a sack. He began to inspect barrels and jars with an efficient boredom, taking cured meats, bread, fruits, vegetables. When the sack was full, he nodded to himself and looked about. His fingers stiffened and he waved his hands about vigorously, as if he were erasing a drawing in the sand. The motion continued for a minute or so before he stopped, satisfied. He picked up the sack at his feet and cautiously made his way back out the entrance.

---

"They're out there. I know they are. Why haven't they come in yet?"

"Who knows what they're thinking?" Katara mused aloud.

Aang sighed restively. Why couldn't they just come and get it over with already? His nerves tingled with a fear unlike any he'd ever encountered. It wasn't that he was afraid of the enemy. He wasn't afraid of the battle itself, either.

He was just so tired of being afraid of that boy in the mirror. There was no telling what horrors this monster would inflict, what untold death and destruction he could wield. Why couldn't that moment of truth simply come and go and be done already?

"Aang," she said as she stared out down the road, "don't worry."

"Why not?"

"Nothing bad is going to happen."

"Why not?" Aang snapped.

"Because you're afraid," she said. She turned and smiled at him. "As long as you're afraid, you'll keep an eye on yourself. You won't let the Avatar Spirit take you so easily."

"But what if it does?"

"Then it does. But you won't let it happen so easily. I trust you."

Aang sagged against the wall, staring out toward where they knew the Fire Nation was camped. "I'm glad somebody does," he said softly, more to himself than to her.

"Have you all been busy?" asked a familiar voice. They turned to find Shin standing there, a bulging sack at his feet and a sword strapped to his back. There was also something else about him, as if a weight had been lifted off of his back.

"Shin! Nice to see you again!"

"And where have you been?" came another voice. Sokka stormed up, a hard glint in his eyes.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"Yeah! You disappeared all night, with an impending attack, and then you show up again like it's no big deal!"

"This is a problem?"

"Yeah! Maybe you're a traitor and you're helping the Fire Nation behind our backs! What's wrong if we lose a little battle?"

"You know, you're absolutely right," said Shin. "I'm sorry, mother. I promise, I will always let you know whenever I go off to do anything on my own. Perhaps you'd like to come with me when I relieve myself in the woods?"

All of them stared at him.

"Did he just do what I think he did?" asked Katara.

"I think so," said Aang, his face veering wildly between shock and outright amusement. "I think he just slammed Sokka!"

"Now look, you!" Sokka snarled, stepping forward. Shin held up the bulgy bag.

"Careful," he warned. "You don't want to smash the food, do you?"

"Food?"

"Yes. That stuff you were trying to find, remember? I found some for you guys."

"Where the hell did you find food, anyway?"

"Well…"

Suddenly, the guards shouted. The group turned to look – a lone Earth scout was trotting down the road. There was a rumbling as the wall separated to admit him, a crash as it reformed.

The group ran down the carved stairs to find the scout, shouting jubilantly. His hat had fallen to the dust a moment before, but he carried on his revelry regardless. "They're gone!" he shouted. "The Fire Nation's just up and disappeared! I saw them beginning to withdraw this morning!"

"Private, what the hell are you babbling about!" roared the garrison commander, striding through the growing circle of people.

The private snapped to attention and repeated what he'd been saying - albeit much more professionally. "Impossible," said the commander, rubbing his chin. "I want guards stationed around the clock. This could be a trick."

The soldier nodded and saluted, but the excited gleam in his eye wouldn't extinguish.

Sokka turned to Shin, who was standing and whistling a nonsense tune. "You had something to do with this, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes. And not to worry - the army won't attack," Shin replied. "All their food is gone, and many of their weapons have decayed. Fighting now would be suicide."

"And you did this when?" asked Yuki.

"Oh, just last night," he replied airily. "Some old friends of mine decided to remind me why I was fighting... and I thought I owed you guys."

"It's all right," said Aang, his voice relieved. "It looks like everything managed to work out. Don't worry."

That was when Katara noticed it - a handle sticking over his shoulder. "Shin?" she asked. "What's that?"

"This?" he asked, touching the handle. "This is a friend of mine that's decided to join us on our journey... if you'll still have me."

Glances were exchanged, nods and frowns mixing and matching, before consensus was reached

---

Kishi: Ah, another one knocked out of the way. Thanks for all the encouragement so far! I really appreciate it.

Transrations:

Kage: shadow.

Yuurei: ghost. This is Reiko's faction.

So, it's a war of shadows and ghosts... yeah... cool, right?

Kishi: And now, for a very special extras session.

Omake no Toki! Goban! Akai to Midoritai!

(Time for Extras! The Fifth - Red vs. Green!)

(In the middle of He Fang, a pair of privates run up to an aggravated sergeant).

SERGEANT: Move it, ladies! This ain't no Earth Kingdom Festival!

PRIVATE LI: Yes, sir! Sorry sir!

PRIVATE XIAO: What is it, sir? Is the war over?

SERGEANT: Why yes, Xiao, it is. The war's over. Turns out you two are the big heroes! They're gonna hold a big parade in your honor! I get to lead the dragon dance. And Li is in charge of confetti!

XIAO: I'm no stranger to sarcasm, sir.

SERGEANT: DAMMIT, XIAO! Shut your mouth, or I'll have Li poison you in your sleep.

LI: Oh, and I'd do it, too.

SERGEANT: I know you would, Li. Good man. Anyhoo, I want to introduce y'all to the newest addition to our arsenal. Roll it out!

(A huge machine of some sort is wheeled out to the square.)

SERGEANT: This here's the new Earth Kingdom Mobile Weapons Platform. It has four wheels and is driven from an armored compartment down below. In the upper platform, there are several boxes of stones that can be hurtled at high-speeds. I like to call it the Scorpion!

XIAO: Why the scorpion?

SERGEANT: Because Earth Kingdom Mobile Weapons Platform is too long to say in conversation, son.

XIAO: No, but it doesn't even look like a scorpion! It looks more like a... like a... I dunno...

LI: Like what, a Platypus Bear?

XIAO: Yeah, that's it!

SERGEANT: A what?

XIAO: A Platypus Bear. It's a big bear that can swim.

SERGEANT: ... I bet you made that up.

XIAO: No! It's a real animal!

SERGEANT: Look - you see that standing place up there? That's a STINGER. Now what other kind of animal has a stinger?

XIAO: ... a bee.

SERGEANT: Didn't I just tell you not to make up wild animals? LI!

LI: Yes sir!

SERGEANT: I want you to poison Xiao's next meal.

LI: With pleasure, sir!

--owari

Kishi: Yes, I did totally butcher it. At least I'm honest, though.

Avatar: The Last Air Bender is copyrighted to people who aren't me. I don't know who they are, otherwise, I'd give 'em credit.

Red vs. Blue is copyrighted to Rooster Teeth Productions. Check out their website! They ROCK.

The only things I own in this story are those things that I perceive as being original, and thusly are mine. If you recognize something that you came up with first, all credit goes to you.

I have no clue where you can contact me. I think the address is in my profile…