The air in the Fire Islands was known to be dry and hot. The air could be oppressive as it weighed on people. Rain was rare and snow was unheard of. The Fire Islands were much like fire itself.
A cold air creeping on the group as they traveled was all the more weirder because of those facts. While traveling on Appa could get chilly in the sky, the cooling effect was usually just refreshing. The air now was anything but.
Momo, the flying lemur named after the peaches he loved to eat, had spooked Aang by hiding in his robes. Ty Lee had crept up on Azula to lean on her for warmth, a move that had taken the princess unawares and left her red as flame. Mai considered doing the same but Zuko, scrunched together in a corner of the saddle, seemed practically asleep. The shy girl didn't want to wake him.
"I think we might be going the wrong way." Aang spoke up. "I think we're heading south to the Water Confederation."
"No," Azula shakily placed an arm around Ty Lee, "this is the right way to the Water Colony."
"But this air is freezing." Aang sneezed.
Ty Lee sniffled. "The Water Confederation likes it cold."
Aang looked back. He scratched his head. "This is still the Fire Islands. You can't just make it cold because you like the cold."
Zuko shuffled. "It's a show of strength." He murmured and rolled over.
"What sleepy head is saying is that the Water Confederation made it this cold on purpose." Azula jumped when Ty Lee returned the princess' earlier gesture and put a hand around her. "What better way to show superiority than showing you can overcome the natural element of your opponent so completely?"
"What!?" Aang practically jumped. "But how can you make an entire place cold!?"
Mai rolled her eyes and groaned. "They froze all the waters around their city to keep Islander soldiers out. And their cities are made of ice or something. Whatever." Mai retracted to a sleep huddle. "Can we just go back to not talking?"
Aang turned back to his duties. The night sky was covering their travels. While waterbenders didn't lose their bending on moonless nights, they were at their weakest on the night of the new moon. The same principle applied to sentires and guards. Without a light in the sky, Appa could fly above the clouds and out of sight. Even landing would be covered in the thick blanket of night. The only downside was staying awake. The rest of the gang didn't want to waste their sleep shifts. Aang's quibbles would have to wait.
Below, Aang could see a fog brewing beneath the clouds. Curiosity got the better of Aang, briefly and subtly, he maneuvered Appa so they hovered slightly above the surface. The fog was enough cover for a quick glance, after all.
The Avatar could see Mai's words were true. The surface of the ocean was frozen solid. While obscured, the monk could also see the outline of ice structures far off. That must be the colony itself. The monk shook his head when he felt the cold drops of snow fall on his bald head. The frozen water must have been affecting the water as well. Nature was out of balance and acting unnatural.
Aang could feel his breath quicken. The Water Confederation always felt far off, a threat in the background. Only on occasion did the young monk find himself at direct odds with these soldiers. However, this changed it all.
The work it would take to maintain this frigid environment in some of the hottest lands in the world staggered the Avatar. Waterbenders would need to come every few hours to maintain it. Myriads of waterbenders. That's just the sea's surface. Aang remembered how the confederation used ice for all their structures and cities at their polar tribes. The colony seemed to be built the same way. Every building would need to be constantly repaired with waterbending to stay standing.
To Zuko, the reality of it all wasn't enough to rouse him from his half sleep. Nor were the rest paused by the sight of it all. The enormous colony was simply a fact of life. This "show of strength" had always loomed over them. To the Avatar out of time? This endless ice was a stark reminder of just how insurmountable Aang's task truly was.
A horn rang out as a ship passed through a large, wooden gate. The broken ice of the ocean rocked back and forth. Were one not careful enough, the ice would destroy your vessel. That was by design. The Water Confederation had made ice dodging a rite of passage. These dangerous waters were something only a tribesman could navigate. It served as the perfect defense from foreign ships.
However, the prince was not at the helm. Bato was on deck, ordering the men carefully through the waters. The prince was indisposed in his cabin. Bato sighed for a moment as he thought of his foster son. The captain looked up at the wooden gates. The moon carved high on top with its sides flanked by statutes of the Confederation's founding chiefs.
Bato gave an officer the deck and headed for the prince's chambers. With a gentle knock, he tried to rouse the prince.
"Sokka? Sokka, are you awake?" He spoke softly. Many of his men were still asleep. The sun was far from the sky. However, the confederation was accustomed to the night. While they still slept at night naturally, they often found the energy to wake early or stay up late easily. Traveling in the dark protected the ship from ambush, a threat common to naval ships just off the shores of the colony. The strongest clan of the Islanders, the Ryujin, lived on the border of the colony and they loved to remind unaware confederates. However, the islanders, like all the rest, could only travel safely in tropical waters. Tundra waters, especially at night, were a recipe for catastrophe for them.
The Captain heard something rustle on the other side of the door. He opened the door to see the sleeping prince rousing himself from the fog of sleep. "Bato? Why are you waking me up this early? Are we under attack? Ryujin raid?"
"No, nothing like that." Bato entered the room and sat on the edge of his son's bed. "I was actually thinking you could come up onto the deck and lead the ship."
"Through the ice water!?" Sokka yelped. He fell sullen after his outburst. "You know I don't know how to do that."
Bato sighed. "You've been through a lot since that day. Grown a lot. I think you could do it."
Sokka closed his eyes. He tried to imagine himself at the helm of the ship, directing the crew. The ship sailed clean and easy at first. Pride took the prince in his imagination. Then, the boat rocked once. Twice. The prince fell over. People began to scream for help. The prince was afraid and sullen on the floor. Admiral Hahn arrived out of nowhere to laugh at him. He had even forgotten to wear his clothes to the deck and was naked in his underwear.
The young prince shook his head. "No, I-I can't. You do it."
The captain sighed. "Well, if you feel up to it, come and see me." Bato rose and went back to the deck.
Sokka looked out the porthole. The waxing moon greeted him. He stared a long while. Then, he went back to sleep.
Team Avatar set down in a snowy embankment on the side of the mountain. The snow storm contrasted with the smoke and heat coming from the mountain's top. Aang scratched his head while he stared at the contradiction. The snow melted closer to the top, he could tell, but the snow storm that had come in was keeping the mountain white despite the heat Aang felt under his feet.
This absurdity is what happens when people act without any restraint or regard for nature. The Avatar looked down at the valley. Snow covered everything. The Fire Islands were tropical. How many plants and animals were destroyed by this city's presence? They weren't evolved for the ice and cold. Aang swallowed hard.
"How are we going to get in?" Aang turned his mind from things. "I guess we can't just walk in the front door.
"Actually," Azula ruffled through her bag, "that's exactly what we are going to do." She handed out a bundle of clothes to the others. Aang ignored his confusion for now. He assumed these clothes must have been a disguise of some sort. Unfurling the robes, he noticed the familiar look of a water confederation parka.
Aang greedily put on the warm outfit to shield himself from the cold. "Where did you even get these?"
Mai broke in with her monotone. "Security keeps a few on hand for infiltration. They actually got yours from a water tribe noble we captured a few days ago." Mai stuffed her head through the jacket. "The Dai Li weren't using it so I took them." She finished nonchalantly.
The monk looked at himself in the parka. The elephantcaribou fur warmed his freezing skin. A thought stirred him, however. "I-I don't think this is going to be enough."
Azula handed him a bandana with the water confederation symbol on it. "Put this over your tattoos." She handed him a pair of gloves afterwards. "And this too for the hands."
"Okay, but why are they going to let us in?" Aang could feel his fingers again.
"How well can you waterbend again?" Zuko cut in. Azula pulled back her brother's hood. She said he needed to keep his scar visible for her plan.
"Not great." Aang bent the water from the snow into a small ball. "My healing is getting better, but that's all I know how to do."
"Perfect." Azula chimed in. "As long as you can physically bend water, that should be enough to get the guards to let us in." Azula rummaged about and found a necklace in the bag. She put it on. "Aang, if anyone asks down there, you're my fiance."
"What!?" Aang jumped back. "I-I, I mean you're nice but I thought you liked Ty Lee and, honestly, I always just saw you as a frie-"
"Aang, it's part of our disguise." She rolled her eyes. Ty Lee had fallen over from laughter.
"It'd be great if you filled me in!" Aang burst out, still blushed from before.
"And ruin the fun of seeing you turn pink?" Azula smirked.
"I think I get what she's going for." Zuko cupped his chin. "Aang can waterbend so you want him to pose as an honorary tribesman. You're his fiance. The rest of us are his guests."
"Basically." Azula brushed it off. "You're still my brother. Mai is my sister. Ty Lee is Aang's sister. Should be easy enough to believe. We three do share enough features and Ty Lee and Aang have the same facial structure and mannerism." She paused. "More believable than Mai and Aang being related, at least."
"Honorary tribesman?" Aang scratched his head. The boy felt Momo creep out of his clothes and rest in the warm hood of the parka.
"A waterbender not from the Confederation." Ty Lee perked up. "There are a few of them ever since the Confederation invaded."
"Since falling in love with a confederate makes you a traitor in many people's eyes, the colony has been accepting outcasts from the islands to bolster their ranks." Zuko continued the explanation.
"I doubt any of us will be treated magnanimously. It's not like the honorary tribesmen are given the royal treatment." Azula pulled up the whaleeel skin boots. "But it will get us in and that's what matters."
"If they'll let us in if I can waterbend, why do we need to pretend to be engaged?" Aang was still uncomfortable with the charade. Azula was like a sister to him.
"Yes, let YOU in. The rest of us need an excuse." Azula replaced her crown with a blue bonnet. "We're marrying into the Water Confederation, basically. More so, we even want to do things the traditional way and get married as confederates do." Azula made a proud huff as she pointed to her necklace. "Spend an afternoon on it: a water confederation betrothal necklace.
The princess smirked. "That ought to get some sympathetic fool to trust the rest of us inside."
"Just one thing." Azula raised a finger. "Whatever you do, Aang, don't let anyone see you airbend down there. Got it?"
Aang nodded. "Got it."
Zuko looked out over the edge of the cliff. "Let's get moving. Appa will be hidden up here." Zuko turned back. "If we leave now, we'll make it by day break. The shadows hid us on the way in but I rather not fight a waterbender at night."
"Why's that?" Aang questioned the prince.
"Their bending rises with the moon, we rise with the sun." Zuko looked up at the moon. He started down the path and motioned the others to follow.
Prince Sokka's ship docked at daybreak. His men had taken to the task of unloading their garbage and refuse and set about to gather new supplies. Those who had accomplished those goals already had begun their shore leave early. The guards at the ships, usually the youngest sailors, were eagerly awaiting for their relief to arrive. For these soldiers, this was the first time in years that they had set foot in a proper tribe city. These sailors were going to make the most of it.
Prince Sokka and his confidant were on a mission, however. The young prince had put on his most regal robes. His hair was done up in a wolf's tail, a turquoise seastone had been placed to cover the unsightly knot. A mantle of snow foxwolf fur draped over his back. His legs and feet were hidden by the draping tunic covering them. His hips carried a deadly threat on them, a metal blade. Sokka had used this sword only rarely, such as fighting the second fire prince. The prince was more of a boomerang guy. However, a metal sword was a rare sight in the Confederation, which preferred weapons made of bone. A sword, especially one of such proper make, could only be afforded by nobility.
While the prince was only accompanied by Bato, the citizens of the Western Tribe turned their heads at the sight going down their streets. It was clear that the man was someone of wealth and status. It did not take long for a few to recognize the prince's face.
"Prince Sokka!" An elderly man cried out. "It's the prince!"
While people were still waking up, it didn't take long for throngs of onlookers to begin to crowd the snow covered street. It seemed almost like people were flooding out of their icy homes just to catch a glimpse of the prince.
The group was mixed. The vast majority were ethnically of the water confederation. Dark skin and blue eyes were almost uniform amongst their native people. However, some had the silver and gold eyes and pale skin of islanders. Honorary citizens or their descendants, most likely. Outcast from the Fire Alliance's nation states, they must have viewed Sokka as their true prince, Bato mused. Well, one of their pinces, at least.
And then there were the girls. Bato always wondered how many were legitimately interested in the prince and how many were put up to it by their parents, siblings, or friends. Every town had a looker or two, by some metric of superficial beauty. Everyone always thought they had a shot with the Prince. It's not like he was hard to please, as so many annoyed Islanders could attest. He just never could find the right woman. The young prince may have enjoyed the attention of these women, but it never lasted long. Whatever the Prince was looking for, Bato knew these women couldn't provide it.
Bato sighed. Here it comes. The Prince would forget everything and fall into the arms of this pointless adulation. The captain hated this feeling. He wanted to have faith in his son, but last night had shaken it. Sokka had grown, but he was still a boy.
"Everyone, I thank you for coming out today." The prince started, a smirk firmly placed on his face. "But, please, I have important business to attend to that's vital to the war effort." Bato raised a brow. "I promise you all that I'll be back tonight to see the sites of our western brothers." Sokka waved to the crowd.
The group cheered. With little effort, the citizens began to move out of the prince's way. Sokka waved at the crowd as he passed. He made sure to keep up his greetings as he continued through the town.
Bato smirked. The captain couldn't do too much in public. The Prince was the prince. If he treated him with anything below reverence, it could destroy his reputation. All Bato could do was enjoy the moment.
The sun was rising as the group reached the outskirts of the city's giant ice wall. It's imposing sight made Aang's stomach turn. On the other side was the lion's den. If they were lucky, his teacher would be in that city. If they weren't lucky, they'd all get captured.
Aang gulped.
At the gates, two guards had stood sentry. The guards held up their arms and asked the group to stop.
"Halt! State name and your business." The short, portly one started.
Aang took a breath and shoved his fears deep down. "I'm…" That's when it hit him. Azula's eyes bulged. She made the same realization. They had forgotten something very important in their disguise: names.
Azula cursed herself. How could she forget something so obvious? "Aang" is an Air Nomad name, not an islander name. All of their names were famous too. They couldn't admit to being "Azula", "Zuko," or one of the Ty sisters.
"I'm…" Aang stumbled. The guards raised a brow. The pair scanned the monk. They were focused on his stalled response.
Then, Aang remembered an old friend. A friend Aang knew in the Fire Nation before the war. "Kuzon! My name is Kuzon! I'm a...honorary tribesman and I am here to marry my bride: Azu...Sapphire. Sapphire Fire!"
Azula smacked her forehead.
The monk leaned to Zuko. "And this is her brother…W-Wang. Wang Fire." The Avatar pointed at Mai. "And her sister...Ito Fire."
"W-Wang...Fire?" Zuko mumbled.
"Ito Fire?" Mai thought. "I like it. Makes me sound like a pyromaniac." The noble grinned quietly to herself.
Ty Lee jumped to Aang's side and placed her arm around him. "And I'm his big sister, June, June Pippinpaddleopsicopolis." She rang out the name in a sing-song voice.
For the first time since they started dating, Azula wanted to scream at Ty Lee.
Aang, however, loved the alias. "We're the Pippinpaddleopsicopolis family!" He smiled and leaned his head toward his "big sister."
The guards were silent. They looked at each other for a good moment. Then they looked back at the group.
"D-do you have proof?" The skinnier one started. "I mean, you don't look like an honorary tribesman."
Azula recomposed herself and moved towards the smiling dullards. "I have to apologize for my future husband. My fiance is energetic and gets nervous easily. He has a habit of losing his head in these matters Just like his sister." Ty Lee gave Azula a mocking, sour face. "They aren't the best at explanations. Let me tell our story."
The flame princess bowed. "The...Fire Family used to be a bigger name back in the days of the Royal Court. We have fallen much since then."
She rose from her bow. The princess turned to Aang and gave the monk a warm, loving smile. It made Aang uncomfortable. "The Pipp…Pipin...papa...Kuzon and June are heirs to their father's fortune. My parents arranged our marriage when we were kids. All to restore our family name."
Azula moved forward and hugged Aang. Aang tried to ignore his discomfort with all of this by looking around. That was a mistake: the sight of Ty Lee's poorly hidden glare only furthered Aang's unease.
"It may have been to restore our status, but I fell in love with my future husband over the years. His sense of humour, love for life, and his stories." She kissed him on the cheek. Aang almost gagged but Azula subtly grabbed the back of the monk's neck. "And those funny faces he loves to make." She forced the words through gritted teeth.
"He spoke so highly of the Water Confederation, his grandfather's nation. Their customs, tradition, and honor. He kept it a secret from everyone but me." Azula looked down to the snow. "Those stories opened my eyes to the glory of the Confederation."
"When Kuzon first bent water, the village was furious." The fire princess nudged Aang.
"Oh yeah!" He exclaimed. With a pulling motion, Aang summoned a small ball of water from his canteen. "I am not really good at waterbending yet. All I really know how to do is healing."
The guards narrowed their eyes. They were intently following the moving water.
"It was an accident, of course. Kuzon lost control while defending my honor. Everyone in our village saw him."
Azula turned her head to her brother. "My brother got his scar trying to save us. Those savages left him disfigured for defending his little sister!" Azula forced a tear.
"We had to flee the village, my family and I." She turned back to the guards. "Only father and mother stayed. They wanted us to abandon Kuzon to save ourselves. No, all they really cared about was our family name." She looked longingly at Aang. "But how could I abandon the man I love?"
Ty Lee's face had pouted red.
"We left the village, seeking refuge here. We heard that any outside waterbenders were welcome in the colony." Azula gestured to her necklace. "I made this and all our outfits. I want to live the rest of my days with my husband in the colony, far away from those wretched islanders."
She gestured to the others. "My brother and sister were cast out for defending us. Those monsters even turned on my future sister-in-law, June. If Aang didn't save her..." Azula tightened her hug on Aang's arm.
Azula paused to let the last line sink in. She was sure the guards would invent the worst case scenarios in their minds.
"We hoped you'd let us all go together to the colony. The Water Confederation is a family and, if I am to be a member of a tribe, I can't call myself a tribeswoman if I abandon my family."
The guards were silent. The Avatar was impressed. While he had been with Azula for a long time and knew she was a good liar, he was shocked at her acting ability. The monk had even found himself falling for the story once or twice.
The shorter guard broke the long silence. "It's the groom who's supposed to make the necklace, not the bride." He grunted as he spoke.
Aang felt Azula gulp.
"And heal!? That's women's work!" The shorter one barked. "Men learn to bend for combat, never healing."
Zuko subtly moved for his swords. Mai readied a dagger. Ty Lee continued to focus on how annoying it was to see Azula and Aang hold hands: they even had the audacity to interlock fingers!, she blazed.
The taller guard rubbed his face. "You two will have a lot to learn to be proper members of the tribe." The guard sighed. "I mean, we've seen worse in some ways but never a man who knew healing. I mean, what are we? Those losers in the Southern Tribe." The guard chuckled. His partner followed suit.
"You guys just stay tight. My partner will have your city passes worked up." The tall one smiled. "You will have to obey the laws of the tribe if you want to stay, especially your brothers and sisters. But you are an honorary tribesman. As our Nukilik says, we are honorbound to let you rejoin your stream to its source."
The gang let out a breath of relief. They were getting into the colony. That step was over and behind them. Now, if only Ty Lee hadn't continued to glare so hard at him, Aang might actually have a moment to relax.
Before the prince stood an intricate palace of ice and snow. While the morning sun had begun to melt away at some of its buttresses, Sokka could see house servants milling about those melting wounds. With a simple bending technique, the spots were frozen once more. It would be hours before the heat would affect them again. A problem only in the Western tribe, a town of ice built in the center of the tropics.
It was probably a waste, practically speaking. Maintaining this city restricted numerous waterbenders to its walls, literally just to maintain said walls. However, the Western Nukilik thought it was worth it. It didn't matter who may disagree with those beliefs, ultimately. As long as the same house ruled the West, it was their word that was law.
And it was that man that Sokka was to meet today. The head of House Tigerwhaleshark: Nukilik Pakku.
Entering through the large halls of the palace, the Prince found little trouble getting an audience with the Nukilik. The attendants recognized him on sight and set about getting things prepared. The Prince and the captain were eventually escorted to a chamber to enjoy a light breakfast and await their meeting.
It was only a short while later when a regal old man joined them. Dressed in the robes of a soldier, the only sign of status was his impressive necklace of green jade. Judging from the symbol of flame at its center, the pair recognized it as a relic of the days of the Fire Nation.
"Do you like it?" The man motioned to his neck. "It used to belong to the Fire Lord, when his palace stood on these grounds. When my father took his capital from him, he kept this as a trophy." The old man took his seat. "I prefer it only for formal occasions."
Nukilik Pakku gestured at the prince. "You've overdone yourself. I am not flattered by garish garments that restrict movement so severely." He poured himself a cup of tea. "It's not a luxury the western tribe can afford," his eyes narrowed, "unlike you privileged types in the North and South."
Sokka stared through the elder's words. "I've spent the last few years on a campaign in these waters. I know how rough it can be out here."
"Is that so?" The chief took a sip of his tea. "I heard of your campaign to find the 'Avatar.' A relic that I thought was gone for good."
"How rough was it chasing a ghost?" The Nukilik leaned in. "Were you on the front lines fighting day in, day out? Perhaps your ship was raided constantly? Had to write letters to families of captured soldiers?"
Sokka closed his eyes. "I've enjoyed a good amount of peace on my travels, only the occasional skirmish. But, I've been personally captured by the enemy." Sokka stared directly into the master's eyes. "And I escaped that prison on my own while carrying a crewmate on my back."
The Master harrumphed. He darted his eyes to Bato. Pakku stared for a moment. Then turned back to the boy. He seemed to have found some answer. "Perhaps you have grown." He smiled. "I remember when you were still just a child, stuck like a bump on your mother's leg."
"I'd prefer not to speak of my mother." Sokka stopped the master.
"Perhaps it is an unsavory topic, considering what those ashbreathers did to her." The Nukilik stared into his tea. "Did your grandmother take it well?"
"My grandmother?" Sokka leaned back. "Listen, I didn't come here for some tea and a chat. I have something important to tell you about the war."
The elder's brow raised. "Is it about the Avatar? I know Admiral Hahn was devastated by that legend, but rumour is that you found the Avatar first."
"No. Well, yes, I did find him first." Sokka looked away. "This isn't about the Avatar, it's about Admiral Hanh."
Pakku sat back. "What do I need to hear about that Eelsnake whelp now? The Koi's up North demanded I give him a ship and free reign in my waters. Now, I have both the Eelsnakes and the Koi Fish breathing down my neck for him showing up in my hospital." The Nukilik chomped on a roll of bread. "What else could that brat have gotten into?"
The prince took a moment. He could feel his blood boil as he remembered what he saw. "He destroyed a village. Non-combatants. There was no value in it." His voice slowly rose. "He tortured the people until they were horrified at the sight of us! They were women, child, and the elderly. Whatever men were there were either captured or at war."
Pakku stared at the Prince. Silence passed.
"Is that all?" The Nukilik finally responded.
Sokka raised a brow. "Is that all!? The guy destroyed a village for fun! The point of this war is to spread the glory of our people with the world! What he's doing is jeopardizing our entire mission!"
The elder chuckled. "Perhaps you still have some growing up to do." The Nukilik rose. "Prince Sokka, war is an unsightly business. Sometimes, you take drastic action to get what you need done. We can't all keep our hands clean. As a matter of fact," he smiled, "no one in government ever really can."
Sokka threw his arms out. "So, we just go around torturing people? Is that what we're about now!?"
Pakku laughed. "Sometimes, such things are necessary. You'll understand in time." The Nukilik cupped his chin. "What was the village anyway?"
"What? Jang Hui? What does that matter?" Sokka leaned in.
"Ah, that's a tad annoying then." He thought about it longer. "Or perhaps it works out." Pakku stared out of the window. "I know the Koi Fish up North had plans for that village as a staging area. That's out of the window now. But, the Avatar also made his presence known to the world in that village." Pakku laughed. "That ought to crush some of the Islander's hope."
"Crush their hope?" Sokka leaned back.
"Of course!" Pakku turned back with a jovial smile. "Morale is an important resource in war. Without it, your troops will abandon you. Why look at this whole place? Why do you think I waste all these resources? It's a message to this entire island chain: give up!, we're mightier than you could ever hope!"
"I thought…"Sokka looked at the table. "You run that honorary tribesman program. I thought you'd have some sympathy for the Fire Alliance's citizens."
"Did you think I did that out of the goodness of my heart?" The Nukilik laughed. "Well, there is a bit more to that than you realize." Pakku took his seat.
"While it pained me at first to let those outsiders pollute our culture, our element is one of change and fluidity, even if I rather things be as solid as ice." A toothy grin took his features. "The Islanders radicalize their own just because they have parentage from our tribes. Toss them out into our waiting arms. And then…" Pakku leaned in. "Our numbers grow."
"This just says Kuzon" Aang questioned the guard as he looked at his ID. "But, my family name is…"
The guard waved him off. "Family names are for dynasts and nobles. As a tribesman, you are simply 'Kuzon of the Western Tribe.'"
The guard passed around the other IDs. "The same applies to all of you. I understand your family line may be important for your heritage, but they do not have a place in your new lives."
The guard shrugged as he mused on his own words. "It's really the same everywhere. You nobles probably find it strange, but that is simply the way it is for us peasants. Honestly, you are the first immigrants who ever even mentioned a family name to us."
"Oh, I never would have guessed." Azula kept her words sweet but her eyes told Aang and Ty Lee that she was well aware of that fact: there would be a talk about their disguise skills later, her eyes added with a furthered glare
The fire prince stared at his ID. "This lists my occupation as 'conscript.'"
"Mine says that too." Aang jumped in.
Ty Lee and Mai were unassigned, with a mention of "army support services." Azula was in the support services as well but hers stated that she was assigned as a seamstress.
The guard laughed. "Anyone who wishes to join the tribe must work for their fellow tribesman." He gestured to Zuko and Aang. "All the men are assigned to the armed forces by default. They'll figure out what to do with you two. I'm sure they can make proper men out of you."
He eyed the women of the team. "As for the rest, you'll help the army in your own ways: food, uniforms, nurses, etc. You'll support our forces." He gestured to Azula. "Normally, the women assign you, but, since you made such authentic garments, I thought Sapphire would fit in well with the seamstresses."
Azula forced a grin. The princess had never sewn anything in her entire life. "Well, I really only dabble."
"No need for modesty." He waved her off. "These robes look fit for a noble. You're perfect for the role." He chuckled as he looked back at his paperwork. "Most islanders balk at the notion of 'woman's work.' Your people give your women too much freedom. But you seem to know your place very well, Sapphire, judging from your work."
Azula felt her heat rise. The snow around her feet melted. She took a breath. "Thank you. I'm honored by your compliment."
The guard smirked. He rose from his seat and took a side of the gate. The guards nodded to each other. With a sweeping motion, the pair pushed the large gates open. Slowly, a lavish city forged in ice sparkled in the sun. The snow covered streets were full of people going about their morning business. Aang noticed how everyone seemed full, healthy, and well. There wasn't anyone like those poor souls in Jang Hui, that were starved by this nation's navy.
A middle aged woman stood at the other side of the gate. Her clothes were worn down. From her fair skin and silver eyes, she was clearly an islander.
"Oh, are they new arrivals." She turned from a small desk near the gate. When the guards affirmed her suspicions, she motioned forward with her hands.
"Come along now. This is your last day all to yourself for a while."
Seeing no reason to resist, the gang followed close behind. The woman ran her mouth about the city that flanked the group.
"You're lucky that you are free of that blasted Alliance." She spat. "Those backwards savages weren't worth your time."
She turned back for a moment. "Which nation were you from again?" Azula stopped Ty Lee with a look and moved to respond. The woman, however, lost interest when the princess was barely a syllable in.
"Bah! Doesn't matter." She stretched out her arms. "Whichever one it is, they don't have a city as grand as this one."
"Not anymore, at least." She laughed.
"You really don't like the Fire Na...Alliance." Aang dropped.
The woman paid him no mind. "Follow me around this corner. Your assigned housing is just down these roads."
She turned the corner, then another, and then another after a long road. She took them to a dirtier part of town. While the earlier buildings were pristine, practically sparkling in the sun, these buildings were old, decayed, and made of old wood. Some of the siding even looked like flotsam.
"I know it doesn't look like much now," the woman seemed to sense the gang's disgust at their surroundings, "but there is nowhere but up." The guide turned back with a grin. "You have to work hard and contribute to the tribe. Like my late husband did on the front lines, defending our great tribe." She paused for a moment. The middle aged woman was lost in thought. "And eventually, you'll be made a full citizen."
Kids were out playing. Judging from their appearance, they were all Islanders. Their clothes were ragged and only a few had shoes. Their bellies looked fat but the monk recognized the lump as the result of acute starvation. Air Nomads sometimes engaged in severe fasting but, if their bodies ever turned like this, they were sworn to stop and eat something for their safety. The Water Confederation didn't seem to view things the same.
"The kids will have a better future too." She leaned into Azula and Aang. She sported a sly look in her eyes. "You two are just a bit young but give it five years and it will be time for you two to think of having some babies." Azula and Aang looked at each. A sincere look of horror was shared by the pair. Mai, however, would have laughed, if that was a thing she did.
"It might not seem that way now, but we have a wonderful schooling system." The old lady stretched out her arms. "They'll learn some useful skills, like sailing and hunting." She held up a finger. "And they'll even learn the real history of the world, why the Water Confederation is truly the greatest nation in the world." She waved off her next words. "Unlike that propaganda I learned on the Island."
It was then that Aang realized he hadn't seen any islanders in the city until now, when their guide was excluded. There wasn't a single Islander before and now the streets were flooded with them here. There were also no longer any Confederates. Only the occasional child had dark skin and the lightish hue suggested they were of mixed heritage. Probably just another form of Honorary Tribesman.
The monk was rocked from thought at her sudden stop.
"And when you finally earn the rights of a true tribesman, you'll have a home of your own." She turned towards a building. The guide stood in front of a tiny apartment building. The wood was rotted from the ice and snow and a smell of rotten wood lingered in the air.
"But for now, this will be your home." She smiled. "An apartment all your own: compliments of our benevolent Nukilik Pakku."
Aang braved a question. "And what if we don't earn that right."
The guide laughed hard. "Then you'll be stuck here with the rest of the lazy ashbreathers." She wiped a tear away and stifled her laughter. The attendant clearly felt her joke was hilarious. "Our Nukilik is kind enough to let vagabonds like that stay under our protection, but, if you can't pull your own weight and rise out of here, you aren't really a tribesman, in my book."
The monk leaned forward. "But isn't it hard to pull yourself up from a place like this on your own?"
The guide narrowed her eyes. "Don't get uppity with me, boy. I did it when I was a younger woman than your wife and I don't need to hear some young punk whine about how life is hard."
Aang wanted to fight. This situation isn't a matter of "life is hard, get over it." This system was cruel. It took advantage of the desperate. If this woman really was an Islander, then it even turned people against their own and made its victims perpetue its horror. The monk felt sick. His predecessor's, Avatar Roku, words appeared in his head:
"You have to recognize the cycles of the world if you are to stop them. Otherwise, you will simply perpetuate them."
The monk felt he was beginning to understand the words' deeper meaning.
Before the Avatar could talk, Azula had grabbed his arm. She pushed the monk into a bow. "Sorry for my fiance. He can be a whiner sometimes."
The guide's scowl turned around. "You have a smart wife." She pointed to herself. "Take it from an old widow, you'll do yourself well to listen to her."
Satisfied with Azula's apology, the guide returned to her tasks. After a brief talk with a receptionist, the attendant led them to a small apartment that spared only two sleeping bags, a toilet and a small stove. The chill in the room let them know there was no heating either.
"Now then, be sure to be in town's square at dawn tomorrow. It's near the docks. You can't miss it." With that, the woman dropped them like a sack of potatoes.
With a quickly shut door, they were alone.
"Now what?" Aang slumped on the floor.
"Well, we are here for the blood witch." Azula grumbled. "But, that's probably not needed anymore."
"You really expect us to train under these guys?" Zuko leaned against the wall.
"They're practically offering to teach Aang waterbending." Azula sat back. "This is going better than I expected." She paused. "In a sense."
Mai groaned. "Does that mean I'm going to have to waste time playing handmaid to some confederate soldiers?"
Azula huffed a brief flame. "Know my place?" She mocked the guard's voice. "I'll show him my place when I burn his house and this entire town to the ground!" She spat a small flame. "Damn, water savage."
Zuko sighed. "Maybe you can use a bit of that fire to warm this place up. It's freezing in here."
"What am I going to burn? The floor?" She rolled her eyes. "I doubt they'd appreciate that."
Aang leaned back. "This is, this is all so weird." He scratched his head. "This colony, this ice palace, this snow and ice in the Fire Nation." The monk sighed.
"If you're going to go and feel sorry for yourself because this is all your fault, I'd rather you save it for when we're not all locked in a room together." Azula lit a small fire on the stove, after Mai directed her to it.
"It's just...I think this is what they always meant about balance. I guess." Aang looked around the dingy room. "It's not that other nations have to be completely separate, but they can just step over each other, if someone doesn't stop them."
Mai adjusted herself. "Can we not? I'd rather not think about this stuff right now. I got a big boring week ahead of me so you can play 'soldier.'"
Aang sighed. He looked at Zuko. The Prince had begun to mess with his swords. As for Ty Lee, she had started to lean against a wal. Her gaze peered out a window. While a smile sat on her face, her eyes were distant. She wasn't looking at the midmorning sky. She was looking past it.
The monk rose from his spot. With some half assurances of being careful, he left the apartment to explore the city.
"I can't believe that guy." Sokka paced his cabin. "He's not even a real Nukilik!"
Bato leaned against the wall. "I'm just glad you held that one in until we were alone."
Sokka kicked a table. "Oh, don't you know, Sokka? We all commit war crimes! It's cool, man." The Prince mocked the old man's voice.
With a few more paces, the boy finally screamed and fell down on his bed. He let his robes crumple and wrinkle. His seastone fell off from his hair and got lost in his bed sheets. A moment of a silence passed. "Oh! You think I'm a good guy? No! I actually just like using people!" He burst out. Kicking his legs for a brief moment, the prince went limp.
"Are you done?" Bato asked.
Sokka threw his pillow across the room in a huff.
Another moment passed.
"I'm done." He blurted out.
Bato sighed. The old captain walked over and sat in a chair across from the prince. He looked at his hands. He tried to find the right words.
"If it matters, I think you did the right thing." Bato started.
Sokka rolled over.
"It didn't do anything, but it was smart to go to the top." Bato leaned back. "At least we know where he stands."
"Yeah, it means we got two monsters. One who runs a tribe and the other who is about to." Sokka mumbled into his bed.
"Not the best situation, yeah." Bato paused. "Are you going to stop?"
"What? Do you want me to stop?" Sokka jumped up.
"Is that what I asked?" Bato stared into his son's eyes.
"No." Sokka looked away. "To both of your questions."
Bato smirked. The captain rose.
"I'm not going to bore you by asking you what you're going to do. I know you haven't figured it out yet." He made his way to the door. "Just try not to stay in this cabin for too long. It's a beautiful day.
Before he left, Bato stopped. "Oh yeah, and remember: our tribe isn't just water or ice. When we get hot, we become steam. Water is flexible, ice can be hard and sharp, but steam…" Bato smirked. "...steam is invisible and usually pretty inconsequential, but it can burn when it's intense."
Sokka leaned up and smiled at the old man.
With that, Bato closed the door and left the prince to stew on the matter.
