AN: Just a heads up, next week's chapter I think will be a touch longer than the usual 10000 or so words. Hope you're all having a great week, and as always, very much hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12: Convergence

"I'm fine, Ty, I really am."

Toph muttered these words as her friend kept a grip underneath her arm as they made their way back towards the palace. Ty Lee didn't seem convinced and muttered a reply of her own.

"You might think so, but until we actually get back inside, I'm not taking my chances."

Snorting, Toph felt the warmth of the sun beat down on them overhead.

"What, you think I'm going to trip and fall before I would get there on my own?"

It was a surprise even to herself to hear a joke escape her lips and there was a slight drag in Ty Lee's steps as she surely considered the same thing before they continued on at their previous pace.

"I know you're just fine walking, Toph, but I'm talking more so about the current state of things."

No further clarification was required as to what she meant. She hadn't said a word on it since they had left Jin's that morning, but Toph felt the difference. When she had made her way through these streets days ago, there had been such activity, so much so that her senses had to work on overdrive to make sense of the massive throngs of people pouring through Ba Sing Se, their upbeat and boisterous voices an assault on her ears. But despite the chaos that it had been, she would have taken it in a heartbeat compared to what she was listening to, and feeling, now.

No groups of excited and celebratory people moved through the streets. No excited shouts and laughs echoed through the air. Toph felt only a spare few people move past them through the street, their steps coming through the ground as nervous shuffling, the occasional voices being quiet and curt, saying nothing more than needed to be said. It was as though the city's population had been cut down to a fraction of what it had been, the only people remaining being paranoid and reserved.

Having spent a good bit of time recovering, Toph was more than ready to get her head back in the game and planned to interrogate everyone within the palace as to the state of things, whether she was privy or not. Aang would talk to her surely, Sokka as well. Suki might take some convincing, but Zuko always seemed rather amenable to her requests and inquiries. If she played her cards right, she would be able to get a good grasp on what exactly had gone down within the palace walls since that fateful event two nights ago. She was still reeling deep down, but a day and a half of feeling sorry for herself and trying to keep from entering a perpetual panic had toughened her up.

That's what she kept telling herself anyway.

In truth, she knew that the news had been just as shattering now as it had been then; every time her mind drifted to what had happened, she could feel her pulse quicken.

Sasuke, you stupid asshole. When you get here, I'm going to hit you so hard.

Even that grimly humorous thought was enough to make her insides leap around though as the idea of being around him again was almost a dizzying thought. Somehow, there was a part of Toph that knew he would come to them rather than them having to seek him out; it was just the way he was. Sasuke wouldn't run around, scrambling in the dirt and hiding in caves while he was hunted. He would face down the entire combined might of the United Nations military if it came to that, though Toph sorely hoped this wasn't something that was going to come to violence. First on her order of business was to find out exactly what mandate had been issued to find out if what Gilbert had proposed had indeed been approved. There was still a piece of Toph that wished she had splattered him against the wall when they had met in the emergency meeting chambers, and had the feeling that urge wouldn't subside they next time she came across him.

"You know, Toph… it's probably not going to be good."

Ty Lee's statement was as vague and broad as it could have been, but Toph knew that she was right.

"I mean… you know how much he terrifies them. You heard it firsthand, the fear that he instills in them."

"You think that's going to make them agree to Gilbert's suggestion? That they have him killed outright?" Toph asked curtly and she felt her friend's grip tighten slightly on her arm.

"I'm not sure," Ty Lee said quietly. "I just know that if an entire platoon's worth of our military's best were wiped out by him, they're going to see that as one thing and one thing only."

Toph knew exactly what it was that her friend was suggesting.

"A promise," she murmured and through her friend's touch, she could tell that Ty Lee was nodding very firmly.

"They were happy to believe he was gone for good, because while he wasn't here, he gave them two very real advantages," Ty Lee said. "First, they were able to take just about anything they wanted and slap his name on it. Thousands dead on the last day of the war? Sasuke. War criminal who killed Ozai before he had the chance to testify? Sasuke. The person who endangered the Avatar himself as well as a great many important other people? Sasuke. So hearing that these people were all slaughtered, they have to see this as Sasuke coming back for some good old-fashioned just desserts."

"What was the second advantage?" Toph asked and Ty Lee gave a humorless laugh.

"They got to keep their jobs."

It was a funny thing really to hear Ty Lee sounding so knowledgeable about such things. After the war, it hadn't been until she had gotten involved with the Kyoshi warriors that she had really started to shape up as a very well rounded girl with her head in the political and military game. This was as much a result of Suki's excellent training and influence, but Toph had always felt that her friend had borne such tendencies, perhaps she had just avoided them for the relative damper they always seemed to bring. But that humor came with the stark realization that if even Ty Lee was taking everything so seriously, it only spoke to the gravity of the situation.

When Toph had left the emergency meeting, she had been overcome with emotion and had nearly keeled over then and there. It had been Katara who had rushed up behind her and caught her as her legs gave out and she, Jin and Ty Lee brought her to Jin's residence where she had immediately collapsed into Jin's bed, her mind succumbing to being completely overrun. Over that next day, she had slowly recuperated, trying to get ahold of herself and sleeping as much as she could, but she hadn't been unaware of the happenings during this time. She heard Ty Lee and Jin talking in hushed voices about the residence being watched and how when Katara and Sokka had come by to visit Toph, they had been followed at a distance, and then again when they went back to the palace.

We're all targets. They're waiting for us to say something, to make some slip that we know more than we do.

It would have been stupid to assume that after everything they had experienced and gone through during the final days of the war, that a situation like this wouldn't immediately draw all attention to them. No matter what lies they had told during those hearings so long ago, they had been with him, they had traveled with him. It was reasonable to assume that if he was going to go out of his way to meet anyone of this world, it would have been one of them. So as they walked and Toph could feel the distant patter of shuffled footsteps a ways behind them, but never quite losing their pace, she could feel that same frustration coming back on.

"We're being followed," Ty Lee muttered as if she were able to hear Toph's thoughts, and the earthbender nodded.

"I know."

Ty Lee gave a brief, sheepish laugh.

"Oh yeah, Of course you do."

They continued on their way back to the palace, and Toph thought that she had never before felt more blind than she did just then. She could feel eyes on the back of her head in the streets, from the rooftops, what felt like from the very sky itself. And not for the first time, she reached back absently to rub her back where her mark lay, wishing selfishly that it would react, and hoping with all her might that it wouldn't.

"Alright, ladies, if you don't mind, I think I'll go ahead and take some time to myself."

Lord Gilbert turned at the door to his room and smiled at his two escorts, the two beautiful swordswomen that he had found suitable to guard him in his travels. They perhaps didn't provide the same level of security that Gaeseric and that foolish old swordsman did, but they provided something much more appealing to the eye, and to the touch. He waited expectantly and watched as the two women flicked looks at one another before the taller of them, Rei, spoke up, unable to keep her cheeks from growing slightly pink.

"Are you certain you don't need us for… anything else?"

The implication in her voice was exactly what he had been waiting to hear and his smile widened as Mie's cheeks too flushed slightly. He had no use for the pleasures of the flesh they were so often able to provide him; truly, he actually was quite tired and needed some time to recharge before the meeting that evening. Perhaps that night he would solicit their abilities in caring for him, in ways that didn't require a sword, but for now, he was content to rest.

"No, my dears, I very much appreciate the offer, but I really must get some rest."

Mie seemed to shift her balance slightly.

"I don't like the idea of leaving you alone, my lord. This is a dangerous time."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You think that there is a chance I'm to be attacked while I'm here?"

For the fun of it, he placed the slightest hint of an indignant tone into his voice and chuckled inwardly as he saw her eyes widen in fear that she might have just offended him, Rei beside her also looking like she was fighting back worry.

"N..no," she stammered. It was rather comical to see her get so worked up; usually these two women were unfazed by anything, so to see them now at such a loss for words, it was impossible not to find the fright he was able to put in them amusing.

"Mie, darling, this palace is on all but full lockdown. Guards patrol every inch of the city streets, the palace itself is prepared for anything, and my room is in perhaps the most impenetrable part of this structure. On top of that, I have you both as well as our friend Gaeseric and Piandao keeping an eye out for any potential threats. I'm perfectly safe, and the last thing I want to do right now is panic over something I believe is in very good hands."

This seemed to calm them both enough to restore the usual stalwart measure they carried and they both bowed low to him.

"We will remain close in case we can be of any service," Rei said and Gilbert cocked his head slightly; the cut of her robe allowed him a generous look at her cleavage and he had to fight the urge to pull them both into his room right then and there.

"Thank you, ladies," he said, shutting down his own lustful thoughts and pushing open his door, closing it behind him.

As always, the room he was privy too was the nicest in the palace except for perhaps King Kuei's chambers, and even then, these might have even been nicer. To any other visitor to the palace, even the Avatar himself, this room was never offered to any of them, and Gilbert had the feeling that few even knew it existed. It had a glamorous fountain in the center of the room where a shaft of light from the open skylight above filtered onto it, the trickling water glinting in the sun. Excessive space was open to him with furniture placed about, that and the carpet made of the finest materials in the land greeted his feet as he slipped off his sandals and dug his toes into the soft warmth beneath his feet. To the right of the large fountain which was roughly the size of the Avatar's flying mattress creature, a dark hallway led to the bedroom where Gilbert found he very much wanted to visit. A smile graced his lips as he thought to the encounter he had just been through while he walked towards the hall.

So, I finally got to meet Azula's little girl.

He had to hold back a laugh: of course, the only person who would openly disparage him with such rudeness would have been her daughter. She didn't know any better of course, she was just a child, but Gilbert had been led to believe that she was actually quite the smart little thing. So given time, she would catch on; maybe he was even due for an apology at some point in the future.

"I've been led to believe you're a man with quite a bit of influence."

Gilbert couldn't think of the last time he had been taken by surprise, let alone in such absolute privacy as he had been led to believe that he had, so it was only natural for him to freeze in stunned silence at the voice that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere. After a couple moments, he regained some semblance of control, and slowly dipped his hand into the deep pocket of his robe where a poisoned dagger lay sheathed.

"Who's that asking?" he called out somewhat casually, doing his best to give off the aura that he was in fact both unsurprised and unconcerned.

This notion was crushed however as the person who had spoke stepped out from behind the fountain where they had been hidden behind.

During the final days of the war, Gilbert had been in Omashu, a mere merchant at the time, trying to figure how best to move forward with his future. He remembered looking to the sky and seeing that sickly orange light that was undoubtedly Sozin's Comet and had known then that Ba Sing Se was surely doomed. Midway through the day, he had been preparing to leave the city to travel as a vagabond until the end of the war was finalized and he could try and slip into the new system that the Fire Nation would put in place over all the Nations, when the sky had lit up as though a thousand suns had just been placed directly above him. He had watched the glow fade and blinked away the blinding bleariness that had taken over his vision, and stared at the sky, watching it slowly return to its usual color. The shockwave had hit a minute or so later, knocking him clean off his feet and deafening his ears. He wouldn't reach Ba Sing Se for another week or so, long after the final battle had taken place and as such, he had never before in his life laid eyes on Sasuke Uchiha.

But he had seen the posters that had gone up at the time. He had seen them again in recent days over a decade later as they were redistributed through the streets of Ba Sing Se and so the sketched face had become somewhat ingrained in his mind.

That was how he immediately recognized the face of the man that he was currently helping spearhead a manhunt for.

His mouth went very dry and he swallowed to make sure his voice wouldn't come out cracked.

"I must say, this is quite the surprise."

Sasuke walked around the side of the fountain, giving it a look up and down as though impressed by the architecture. Gilbert had read through the reports that had been filed during the days that Sasuke had disappeared and saw that he was wearing the exact same clothes as had been detailed on those scrolls, the shirt, the belt of purple rope around the blue cloth at his waist. There was a chokuto sort of sword he wore just behind him and as he looked from the fountain forward, Gilbert found himself rather intimidated by those dark eyes.

"I hear you're looking for me," Sasuke said, slightly spreading his arms as if to say 'here I am.' Gilbert wet his lips wondering if he should call out for Mie and Rei who were surely still outside his door as was their post. He mentally chided himself at the thought.

If even a fraction of the stories I've heard of him are true, I'd be dead the moment a shout left my lips.

"You've become quite the interesting character in recent days," he said instead. "Many people very much would like to talk with you and straighten out some events that have gone down."

Pacing around the front of the fountain, Sasuke turned to face the water, exposing his back to Gilbert completely as though he were presenting attacking him as challenge.

"I didn't kill anyone," he suddenly said rather quietly and Gilbert gave his eyebrows a flick. His hand was sweaty on the hilt of his dagger and his feet felt like they were glued to the floor, but he was nonetheless happy when his voice continued to come out as fully relaxed as it did.

"Well unfortunately, we have a sole survivor of the incident claiming your blade was all over his dead comrades. And frankly, I can't think of a single person who could take a sword to that many elite benders and come out on top."

He inclined his head.

"Save for some kind of demigod."

Sasuke tilted his head towards the skylight above, the ray of sun hitting his face as he turned slightly, his face scrunching as his voice came out almost thoughtful.

"Is that what they think of me…?"

For that, Gilbert didn't dare say anything in reply, but he waited until Sasuke seemed to leave his reverie and face the young lord.

"I didn't kill anyone," he repeated firmly. "I was more than happy living out my days quietly and peacefully until I saw that my name had gone up as wanted. Apparently, I had killed this entire platoon of benders, but I'm here to clear my name. There's an imposter on the loose, and I'm going to have his head."

There wasn't much that Gilbert was willing to believe at that point, but he saw the burning heat that only came with hatred in Sasuke's eyes. It was a long several seconds before he remembered that he could speak and he wet his lips again, trying not to say anything that would put him on the business end of Sasuke's sword.

"Okay. So you didn't commit the crime. Proof is going to be necessary for anyone to even consider believing that however."

With a sudden speed, Sasuke bore his teeth in a sinister smile.

"I intend to gain proof."

Another pause and Gilbert flexed his toes in an attempt to regain feeling in his feet.

"So… you stopped by just to tell me that you're innocent? Has anyone else been made privy to this information?"

Sasuke's smile persisted and he took a step forward; Gilbert's hand tightened around the handle of the knife but then something quite strange happened.

Rather as though he had simply changed the area where he stood, Sasuke was suddenly in front of him. It wasn't as though he had moved though, stepped forward or jumped or anything; one moment he was standing a half dozen yards ahead of Gilbert at the fountain and the next, he was standing just before him. He was holding something in his hand as well, held up rather like he was showing off a trophy of some kind and after several seconds of looking at it, Gilbert realized it was his knife. He withdrew his hand from the pocket of his robe and also realized that his wrist was dislocated.

"Don't be naïve, my lord," Sasuke said, putting a sneer on Gilbert's title. "You know as well as I that the only way to get anywhere in a position like yours is by making friends and threatening, coercing and blackmailing the right people."

He drew the dagger from its sheathe and brought it within a hair's breath of Gilbert's right eye.

"I think we can help each other. I just need you to listen very closely to what I have to say."

By the time he saw both Zuko and Sokka, Aang knew that things hadn't gone perhaps quite as hoped. The two of them had just gone to see their old master in an attempt to ascertain why it was that he was suddenly spending the remainder of his days at the side of a smarmy, corrupt young man like Gilbert.

Aang was sitting at the desk in his room as the both of them walked in and Sokka walked right over and brought his hands down on the surface of the table with a loud bang.

"An hour! A whole hour and he wouldn't so much as give us a clue what he's playing at!"

"That bad?" Aang asked to Zuko and the Fire Lord nodded glumly.

"I don't understand it," he said as Sokka dropped heavily and angrily onto the side of Aang's bed, putting his face in his hands. "He had spoken before about leaving his training grounds to see the world before he gets too old, but this… it doesn't make any sense."

Aang though to Piandao's face, how composed and hardened it had been when he had walked into the meeting room at Gilbert's side.

"He must have his reasons," he said safely and Sokka made a scoffing sound.

"Oh, brilliantly deduced, Aang," he muttered and Aang felt venom in his veins.

"I'm sorry I have more pressing things on my mind than trying to figure the headspace of some senile old swordsman!" he snapped and as the words flew from his mouth, he realized he had surprised even himself. Sokka looked up, his frustrated expression morphing into one of mild shock as Zuko looked on uncomfortably. Immediately regretting his choice of words and reaction, Aang quickly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from," he said quietly, trying to fight down the sudden anger in his veins that had come on so suddenly.

"No, don't be, Aang," Sokka said, getting to his feet as his voice became much less clipped. "You're right to be worrying about… well, everything."

The implication of that word was not lost on Aang who felt the weight of everything he had been trying so hard to clear from his headspace come crashing back down and he lowered his head, closing his eyes.

"I just can't stand this," he said. There weren't many people that he was willing to be this open around, but Sokka and Zuko were different, even more so than Katara. He never felt like there was anything he needed to be afraid of saying around them, and the relief that he got confessing things that had been eating at his mind to them never failed to be welcome.

"I'm mad at so much. I'm mad at the council for bending to Gilbert's suggestions, I'm mad at Gilbert for suggesting that the best way to deal with Sasuke is to kill him, I'm mad at Sasuke for leaving and hurting everyone like he did, I'm mad that Toph is still so hurt by him the way she is, and I'm mad at myself."

He said nothing past that, but Zuko replied after a few moments.

"Why yourself?"

Aang continued to try and fight this feeling of being just completely deflated that came with his present state of mind. The fact that it was putting him in a place where he was being rude and aggressive with the people he needed most in his life only made him feel worse.

"I feel useless," he said hollowly. "There's nothing I can do to make things better right now. It was such an uplifting time for the Nations, but have you seen what this has done to Ba Sing Se? The city is like a grave. No one leaves their homes unless they have to, the celebration has all but been forgotten, and I'm sure it's just like this everywhere else, from the Fire Nation to both of the Water Tribe capitals. And there's nothing I can do about any of it."

"That atmosphere is on Gilbert and those on the council," Zuko said firmly. He remained where he stood, his feet planted stoically and his arms crossed. As Aang looked at him, he seemed every bit the Fire Lord he needed to be. "They wanted this, their whole goal was to generate this aura of fear. It makes the people easier to control, and makes it easier to go about things their own way. That's not your fault."

"But I can't do anything," Aang reiterated, feeling desperation enter his tone. "If I could just… if I could just talk to him…"

He didn't need to specify what he meant and though he turned his gaze sadly downward, he could tell Sokka and Zuko were exchanging looks.

"Look, Aang," Sokka finally said. "Nothing is where it needs to be right now. We don't know the full scope of what's happening, we'd be foolish to assume anything else. Until we know more, we're just going to have to persevere, Aang, there's nothing we can do except—"

He cut off mid-sentence and Aang winced as he knew why; he had looked up to his friend while he had been talking and the look in his eyes must have betrayed what he was thinking to Sokka, who left his train of thought to give Aang a very serious look while raising a finger.

"Aang, no."

"There is something I can do," the Avatar said, raising his voice. "Maybe you don't want to see that, but if I can get to him before the military does…"

Zuko picked up on what was being suddenly discussed so intensely and he too shook his head.

"That's not something to even consider," the Fire Lord said. "We've all been banned from inserting ourselves even the slightest bit into the search effort, and beyond that, we don't know what… well, what's got Sasuke killing so many people. If he really is… back. Then something's very wrong with him."

"All the more reason for me to find him first!" Aang nearly shouted. "I need to talk to him, to find out what's wrong, where he's been, what we can do avoid this becoming a complete disaster!"

"It's already too late for that, Aang," Sokka pleaded. "We're at a point where the only people who even feel like there might be a chance that there's more to this than Sasuke just murdering for his own whim. Even if we do find him and figure out the truth, we'd have to deal with the repercussions for acting on our own! I've been put on temporary leave from my commission! Suki's been ordered to stand down the Kyoshi Warriors! Katara's only been able to intercede as an advisor for the public affairs side of things, and Zuko and Azula, well not in so many words, but they're both aware of the restrictions on them! And we know for a fact that Jin's house is being watched, and Mai, Ty Lee, and Toph no doubt all have tails, just like the rest of us! Don't' do something stupid just because you think—"

Abruptly, the door to Aang's room swung open and the three of them froze in conversation to turn and look to see who had just intruded.

"Aang, I'm sorry to bother you, but have you—"

The voice belonged to none other than Mai who had started speaking before she even had entered the room. On seeing that not only was Aang with company, but who that company was, she cut herself off from her query and locked her eyes on Zuko, the usual dulled expression she wore becoming a very odd one indeed. Her eyes widened and her lips tightened as her body seemed to grow stiff and still. She looked at Zuko for a long moment before muttering an apology, pulling back out of the room and closing the door in her wake. She left an awkward silence behind and Aang and Sokka looked in puzzlement at one another before looking to Zuko who was staring at where Mai had been standing, looking troubled.

"That wasn't normal," the Fire Lord muttered.

"No, usually when you guys are having problems, she just flat out ignores you," Sokka said, earning an annoyed glare from Zuko. "This was more like… I don't know, she looked like she had never seen you before."

His analysis of the incident was solid enough and no one said anything more on it, just looked at where Mai had entered in quiet confusion.

Sokka finally changed the subject, his voice echoing with finality.

"Let's all talk this evening, after the meeting," he said. "We can talk about how you're feeling, Aang, and I know—"

Aang raised his voice in protest but Sokka continued over him.

"I know that you're probably worried about Katara, but trust me, this is the worst possible sort of thing to keep my sister in the dark on."

He walked over to Aang and gave him a rough pat on the back and the Avatar looked up to see him smiling, though it was clear he was smiling through his own worry. It was impossible for Aang not to feel a rush of appreciation for his friend just then.

"Come on. Let's go distract ourselves for a bit; staying in our heads is just going to eat us apart."

Toph walked down the hallway that led to the entrance out into the gardens behind the palace, eager to get both fresh air and away from the chaos inside the palace. She didn't know what she had been thinking, wanting to come back; it would have been far more conducive to her mental state to put herself as far from all this as she could, but it wouldn't have been in her willpower to not be here during such a time. She was fronting as best she could around everyone else, acting in control around Aang, and Katara, and whoever else she bumped into, but for the most part, she was just there so that when any news came of Sasuke, anything at all, she would know about it. For the time being, she was forcing herself to be patient.

Below her, a meeting was about to start regarding the first full day of the manhunt for him, and Toph found she couldn't bear to attend. There was nothing she would contribute, and she knew that there had been no significant developments in the search otherwise the palace would have been wildly abuzz. No way that such a secret would not have been able to be kept under wraps until that night for the meeting. And to boot, she knew that Gilbert bastard would be there, and she had every intention of keeping as much distance form him as she could.

But she had been made aware by Ty Lee, who had been heading in the opposite direction towards the meeting, that Soza was wandering the gardens on her own and Toph had found very strangely that the best company she could have asked for just then was that of the girl who she imagined was rather upset with the current state of things. So, Toph had made a beeline for the backdoors of the palace in an effort to spend some time alone with Soza.

She had nearly made it to the door when a voice called out behind her, silky and sweet, and with all the comfort of a viper's hiss.

"Toph, a word?"

It was a testament to her own preoccupied mind that she hadn't been paying enough attention to notice Azula coming around a different segment of the hall to walk up behind her. Toph bit her inner lip hard before turning to face the princess, keeping her expression impassive as she kept her voice at a respectful calm.

"Yes?"

She felt the slow, measured and elegant stride of Azula's steps approach her and she fought the urge to step away from her. No matter how amenable Azula had become to her in the years since Soza had been born, there was absolutely nothing that could possibly have made Toph believe that she and the princess weren't at odds. And she, just like everyone else, found Azula's presence rather discomforting.

"I just wanted to speak to you briefly about Soza," she said, and Toph tried to keep from reacting in surprise. It was so rare that the two of them every exchanged words, let alone about something of any real importance. So, in a case like this when Azula approached with something to say regarding her daughter, Toph was all ears.

"I know it must be hard on her… but I have told her nothing on the specifics regarding the manhunt," she continued. "Considering your relationship, I would be rather dumfounded if she didn't approach you about it."

She paused and Toph had to keep herself from smiling humorlessly.

She wants to know that I understand her meaning.

"You don't want me saying anything as well," she said and Azula's smile was nearly audible in her voice.

"Precisely. When the time comes, I will gladly share the details of what's occurring at present, but for the time being, I would keep her free from the particulars of this… predicament."

Nodding, but deciding to press her luck just slightly, Toph asked, "If I may ask, what's the reason you don't want her knowing about Sasuke? What's special about her that she should be unaware of who he is and what he is?"

She wasn't oblivious to the pang that thudded in her chest when she spoke his name, but her intent on the question she had asked kept her from wincing at the pain of it. For a long moment, there was nothing as Toph tried to sense some reaction through Azula's movements, but the princess's movements remained as unreadable as they always did.

Finally, "I appreciate your discretion, Toph."

And with that, she turned and walked away. Toph waited until Azula's footsteps had left the realm of what she could feel before she grit her teeth and allowed herself to clench her fists in anger at the dismissiveness she had just been dealt. It was deeply frustrating that Azula almost seemed to treat her a child just as much as her own daughter, but she only had herself to blame for expecting otherwise. Azula's coldness should long have since been anticipated.

Shaking off the anger, she turned and pushed out into the open early evening air, glad to be putting the grip of the palace and all within it behind her, even if just for a little while.

Soza saw Toph coming up the path towards her and felt the first spring in her step that day as she bounded towards her older friend. She skidded to a halt in front of her, smiling up with an expression she knew Toph couldn't see, but rather as though she could, Toph smiled back.

"Good to see you, Soza."

By way of a greeting of her own, Soza crossed her arms and quietly demanded, "Where have you been the past couple days?"

Toph seemed to falter a moment before she replied.

"I was spending time with Jin; I haven't had a great deal of time to see her since the celebration started earlier this week."

Soza couldn't resist shaking her head; Toph was from a family of nobility, and she was an important and respectable figure for the part she had played in the Hundred Year's War in her own right. Why did she feel the need to mingle with people so below her?

As though she could read her thoughts, Toph crossed her arms.

"I don't want to hear a word from you about her either."

She was smiling in an effort Soza assumed was meant to add levity, but her voice was stern. Soza was about fed up with being hushed up and shoved aside, but she also knew that Toph didn't mean anything by it. Not like Auntie Ty avoiding her, or that lord telling her to steer clear of what was happening.

Or her mother, open in her denial to give Soza even the slightest bit of information.

"Sure, whatever," she chose to say, giving a small shrug. Toph reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's walk," she said and Soza stuck close to her side as they started to make their way through the garden. The grounds themselves were mostly composed of rocky formations not quite like a traditional garden, a few thin and exotic trees sprouting up around them. The pink sky was becoming a darker shade of purple as night began to fall around them, and Soza found that despite the frustrations that had been simmering in her gut, just being alone with someone she honestly probably considered to be her best friend was rather nice.

"It's someone's birthday tomorrow, isn't it?" Toph asked with a light air of playfulness and Soza perked up a bit.

"Yep! Eleven years old!"

Giving a slow, thoughtful nod, Toph smile faintly.

"You're only a year younger than I was before I left home to… well, don't get any ideas over the next year."

Soza pulled a face. "Why would I want to go troping around the world as some kind of…"

Realizing she might have been about to say something offensive, she broke off and shook her head.

"I don't think mother would take that very well either."

Toph gave a shiver.

"God, don't even bring that up. She'd tear the world apart to get you back."

The sentiment made Soza's heart soar briefly, but it plummeted as she remembered the source of her consternation.

"Maybe. And yet she won't tell me a word about what's going on right now."

She realized the attempt she had just made only after she said it, even though it had been her only intent had been to air her frustration. Beside her, Toph seemed to stiffen while they walked.

"Soza, don't try and get me to go behind Azula's back. She is your mother, and I'm not going to do anything to try and pretend I'm above her with you."

It was impossible for Soza not to feel a burning behind her ears that came on from shame; though she hadn't intended for her remark to suggest such a thing, she was still forced briefly into silence by the rebuke. She realized shortly thereafter that half of her anger was coming from the fact that she had just blown her chance to try and slip under Toph's guard and get her to give away some new information that Soza was so desperate for.

"Have you seen Auntie Mai today?" she asked, only actually half interested in the subject but eager to get Toph's mind off of the looming subject that was so ever present. Toph's face scrunched and she turned her head slightly towards Soza with a wry look.

"No, can't say that I did."

Immediately, an air of levity was added back to their conversation and Soza shook her head, rolling her eyes at herself.

"Sorry, of course you didn't."

Toph gave a laugh.

"But no, I haven't run into her," she said, her smile starting to fade as she considered something surely in her head. "Have you not seen her?"

"Mother said she saw her briefly this morning… but it's strange, she's made herself pretty scarce today," Soza remarked. "I don't suppose you have any idea as to why?"

Toph shook her head.

"I'd be willing to bet that the current state of things probably have her a little out of sorts, but I can't be sure. She's probably at the meeting now with everyone else, if I had to guess."

Perfect, Soza thought, resisting the urge to smile. Her mother had taught her plenty both directly and indirectly about wordplay, and while she supposed there was a touch of guilt that came from the fact that she was trying to coerce Toph into giving something away, her own emotions of curiosity and anger overrode that.

"I would have thought they would have asked you to attend the meeting tonight, speaking of that," she said casually, giving her best effort at a little probing without openly showing how interested she was.

"They did," Toph replies tightly. "But I wasn't about to spend my evening being told nothing of importance."

Soza let the moment sit briefly before asking, "So… you don't think they've found a trace of him then?"

Stopping in her walk down the garden path, Toph pulled in a long breath through her nose and slowly exhaled it the same way.

"Soza, I thought I just said—"

"Toph, please!" Soza suddenly cried out, and her own desperation was as disgusting to her as any form of pleading could be, but she found she wasn't able to stop herself. Her burning desire to know something, anything more about Sasuke beyond what Katara had told her had turned her insides into a mess of sickly feelings. Her own mother hadn't been willing to offer her so much as a word on the subject, and she knew that Toph was her last chance for some semblance of clarity.

"No one's told me anything! Not even mother, and she never keeps things from me! I feel… lost! Everyone knows who this Sasuke person is except for me, how can me knowing about him be any worse than some random girl in the streets being told about him?!"

There came another pang of disgust as she thought about the comparison of herself to some street urchin that she would sooner step over then regard, but the point still stood. She was facing Toph, and the earthbender was remaining resolutely quiet which Soza supposed was a better sign then being denied again, but somehow the silence was worse, even if just because she knew how close she was to getting an answer. All Toph had to do was open her mouth and tell her about him.

"You really don't know anything about him?" Toph finally asked and Soza shook her head furiously, even as she noted the deep emotion that rid behind Toph's voice just then. It was as though her mind was deeply caught up in a great many memories and she was barely able to speak over them while they churned in her head.

"Soza…" Toph murmured, her voice as much a plea as Soza's own vocalization had just been, though vastly different in terms of volume.

"Katara started to tell me some things, but it was barely scratching the surface, all it did was tell me that he's… the way she made it sound was like he was some kind of like demigod or something!" Soza said loudly, doing her best to put the desperation she feeling into her voice. If it was going to be necessary to pull at Toph's heartstrings to gain her more information, then so be it.

"Did she?" Toph replied, though her voice seemed to be distant, like she was only paying attention by the slimmest of margins. Soza watched her as her sightless eye stared into the indigo sky before she seemed to remember where she was and she turned her head back to Soza.

"What exactly did she tell you?"

The words spilled from Soza's mouth as though she hadn't any way to stop herself.

"That he was the most powerful person she had ever known, that he wasn't even from our world, that he… I don't know, he wasn't like any of us!"

Seconds ticked by like hours, and with every one that passed, Soza started to feel a sinking certainty that she was going to be denied yet again.

Face still directed towards the heavens, Toph let out a sigh that Soza couldn't quite pinpoint the emotion on. Wistful? Regretful? Pained?

"There's no way I can describe him to you that would make any sense to you. You and your mother see people in such a different way, so telling you what he was like to me… it wouldn't make sense to you."

It took a moment for Soza to realize how close she was, and she closed the distance between them, reaching out and gripping Toph's forearm tightly.

"Please."

The word was something that she never uttered on her own accord unless it was with her mother; it was an admittance of weakness, a suggestion that she needed help or was at the mercy of another. Being at anyone's mercy made her sick to her stomach, but there was nothing in her veins at that moment more powerful than her need to know.

"Why is my knowing about him such a sin?"

Toph gently turned her expression to face Soza; though she had always known that there was no reason to react in such a way due to her friend being blind, Soza could never shake the feeling that Toph's unseeing eyes were looking clean through her.

"I… couldn't see him. Obviously," Toph said with a sad chuckle. "That's part of what I mean. But as strange as it might sound… I always felt like I could see him."

Soza did her best to remain absolutely still. There was a sense in her very bones that so much as breathing would blow away whatever spell had Toph so transfixed and reminiscent of some past that seemed to Soza like raw legend. She kept her eyes on Toph with a wild fascination, not daring to blink, gleeful that her friend couldn't see the hungry smile stretching the edges of her mouth.

"He was an overwhelming presence. I'm sure that if you saw him, you would know that feeling instantly. It wasn't just the power he had, but the… presence of him. I can't describe it. You would know, though."

She turned away slightly, enough so that even when she cocked her head, Soza could no longer see her face.

"I knew him as well as I think anyone could have, at least in our world. That's not to say that he wasn't someone who genuinely scared me. Hell, he terrified me at times. But I realized early on in knowing him that he was never going to hurt me."

Soza found her voice coming out automatically.

"How did you know?"

Toph shrugged.

"Just did. It reached a point where when, no matter how cold or distant or rude or heartless he seemed, all the actions he performed for the good of myself and Aang and your mother rather than himself, it became clear how much he cared about us."

Her shoulders seemed to sag slightly then, as though her memory was become a touch melancholier.

"And then he left. I guess he had his own path to travel, trying to find his way back to his world. But I suppose I've never stopped thinking about him, not entirely."

"How old were you?" Soza asked in a voice just above a whisper. Toph turned her head back slightly and Soza could see the smile playing there.

"Almost thirteen."

Soza paused for a moment as she took this in. She wanted badly to find something else to ask as it rather felt like if she didn't get off her questions then and there, she would lose this moment forever, but it was so much for her to absorb.

Toph knew him when she was barely older than I am now. Did he really destroy a comet? Was he the reason the war ended? Is this really all to try and find him? I can't believe she traveled with him, she spent time with him, she talks about him like they were…

A strange thought occurred to her, and she formed it into a question before any of her other more pertinent questions came out.

"Did you like-like him?"

It was the terminology that Auntie Ty had used when talking about a man and a woman in a relationship and Soza realized that the expression on Toph's face while she had been talking had been quite like the face that she had seen Suki wearing when she would look at Sokka and him back at her before they would kiss.

Toph's cheeks clearly flushed even as hard as that was to see in the twilight, and her expression became comically helpless as to a response. Soza was about to brush it off; she had so much more important things she need answered, but before she could ask one of the many questions she had, a voice called out behind her, one that stung with a dread-inducing familiarity.

"I certainly hope that we're not up to anything mischievous out here, are we ladies?"

Soza grit her teeth without turning to face the speaker, and judging by the way that Toph seemed to jerk in surprise, she hadn't noticed him coming as well. It was telling of what she had been saying that she hadn't noticed anyone coming up on them, as Soza knew it was very rare that anyone was ever able to sneak up on Toph, unless she was severely distracted. Biting her tongue an adopting a passive, casual expression, Soza dug her weight into her heel and slowly turned.

Again, as though he had sixth sense for Soza's rabid hunger for information, Lord Gilbert and his two female bodyguards were moving through the garden towards them. There was a disbelief that numbed Soza to probably being able to realize just how inflamed she was.

She could sense Toph's reluctance and stiffness as she made a partial bow in the lord's direction.

"My lord," was all she said and Soza was certain then that Toph held just as much disdain for the man as she did.

"I have to say, I truly hope that disclosing classified information to this girl isn't becoming a trend," Gilbert remarked and though his arrogant smile remained, his eyes flashed almost threateningly. Sooza quite found however that she truly didn't care. She stepped towards him, balling her fists.

"I have just as much a right to know as anyone else! I've heard talking around the palace that his name is being put out publically, why am I less in the loop than these pathetic commoners?!" she shouted at him.

Gilbert drew up just in front of her and, to her shock, he gave her a pat on the head.

"It's impossible to get upset with you, child, not when you're so young. But it was your mother yesterday who implied to me she didn't want you getting caught up in any of this, and in both our chances meetings, I've seen you trying to go against her wishes."

The corner of his mouth turned up as Soza stared up at him in utter disbelief.

"You'll understand one day."

His eyes turned up from her to regard Toph then, and his smile started to fade.

"You on the other hand…"

Gilbert crossed his arms as he looked at her, his expression both annoyed and disapproving.

"I would have thought you would have been down below."

Toph didn't seem intimidated by him; despite the bow she had given him, likely just as much out of necessity than anything, Soza could practically feel the dislike emanating from her.

"Didn't feel the need to be involved," she said calmly. "I would have thought you would have been there, however."

He smiled, a much more venomous expression than the one he had given Soza; she wondered if that was because of Toph's blindness that he was viewing her with so much more open disregard.

"Perhaps I felt similarly to how you did. But unlike you, I didn't feel the need to go mouthing about information that I know for a fact you've been told to keep to yourself."

Bristling, Toph turned her nose up slightly.

"I haven't said anything regarding the present search, only—"

"Only personal, juicy details about your relationship with our good friend Sasuke," Gilbert said with a sneer. "Details I'm sure you lied about all those years ago when you and your friends got the council off your back."

Toph grit her teeth.

"We didn't—"

"Spare me," the lord said, cutting her off again. "I spent the day browsing the records that were filed that day. No substantial proof was found to actually refute any of your testimonies, but the emotional responses were ripe with all kinds of suggestions that perhaps some of your relationships with Sasuke were a touch more than they were led on to be."

His smiled deepened.

"Yours particularly."

He walked forwards, moving past Toph's side and she didn't so much as track his movements with a turn; rather, Toph seemed to have gone about as still as a statue.

"Oh yes, by the sound of it, you were maybe a little smitten with out fugitive. Though regardless soft how you felt, he clearly didn't feel the same, considering how quickly he rolled out after the war ended."

He stopped next to her and looked at the side of her head with disdain.

"As if someone as powerful as him would ever have fallen in love with some cripple like you."

There came no sound from Toph, no movement that indicated a response to his words. It wasn't like she would have refuted him, or otherwise, considering how dangerous something like that would have been, considering his position. Nothing could be done to get back at him for what he had said and Toph knew it.

Gilbert snorted after a few moments.

"Good girl now, minding your tongue. I'll let it slide this time, but if I catch you spilling any more to the princess's bastard child, there will be consequences."

He snapped his fingers and the two women with him moved to his side and they started walking away on both his left and right. After several seconds, Toph swallowed and spoke quietly, her voice shaken.

"Come on, Soza, let's go."

Soza heard Toph speak but took no meaning from the words. She couldn't mind meaning in much just then.

Her world felt like it was spiraling away from her, drowning in a typhoon of pure and utter frustration. It had been that way for what had been days now, being forced through emotions that were almost entirely foreign to her. The numbness that had seized her body was melting away at the behest of an emotion even more blackening than her frustration.

Soza had been trying to tread water through all this unknown, being completely closed off from the knowledge that it seemed everyone other than her was privy to. She was being ignored and denied, and on top of that this… this self-important, arrogant, slimy, rude individual had dared, had dared, to come to her and insult her so blatantly, and insult Toph even more badly than her. She was the daughter of Princess Azula, niece to the Fire Lord, pure blooded royalty of the Fire Nation, and Toph was of noble blood and recognized as a war hero. And he had dared to insult them both.

And worst of all, he had reminded her that at the core of this was her mother. Her mother who Soza dearly loved more than anything, who had never denied her of anything in her life, who was not only keeping this Sasuke a mystery to her, not only was instructing others to maintain this secrecy, she hadn't so much as even considered to tell her daughter why.

This understanding of neglect, this awareness of her ignorance was enough to push Soza over the edge and she saw red.

It had been a long time since Toph had been forced into a situation where such instant and necessary action was required.

It happened as things of that nature did: she had opened her mouth again to urge Soza to follow her back inside, even as her gut was so incensed with anger that she felt like she was going to be sick. But through that heated rage, she noticed the tensing of Soza's body just next to her. Toph had been entirely unaware of the approach of Gilbert and his bodyguards due to how caught up in reminiscing over Sasuke, but now, she remembered in her head exactly how Soza's body motions were when she was bracing for an attack. She had felt that same tensity through the ground many times when they had sparred together, and she felt it now.

She knew what Soza was about to try and do, and for the briefest moment, Toph considered letting her.

It was then that there was a wash of shame and self-hate that she had even thought of letting the young girl ruin her life. What came then though was an understanding that no matter what was about to happen, even if she stopped it, the intent would be clear and Soza would be up to her neck in trouble.

So Toph did the one thing she knew she could.

She felt a vicious and intense heat ripple next to her and over the ground as she dug her senses into it, analyzing the attack in the blink of an eye to know exactly what it was that Soza had just unleashed. It was beyond the control that she usually showed when she was firebending, and Toph felt the spasming discharge of fire erupt beside her, and she dug into her own bending.

There were two key parts to ensuring this façade worked: the first was hiding the fact that Soza's blue fire was even part of the equation so to cast aside all suspicion from her. Toph's bare feet twitched against the rock beneath them and a cloud of thick dust exploded around Soza's flames; not being able to see gave Toph a bit of disadvantage in such things, but it was still enough that the bright sapphire of her fire should have been obscured.

The second key part was actually stopping the attack while creating a reason for the massive disturbance in the first place. One that was actually believable.

Toph didn't need to think twice on it.

Just behind Gilbert, she drew up a slab of earth to explode upwards at an angle. The side of it facing her curled and drew the fire into itself, dissipating it against its earthen surface and the side of it facing the lord crashed apart, slamming into him and sending him to the ground. Toph pulled back as hard as she could as, despite herself, she didn't need him dead. That would hardly be good for anyone if she had killed him.

As she sucked in breath after her sudden explosive exertion, she realized there was no reason to worry as Gilbert's frantic and furious voice broke out ahead of her.

"What in the hell was that?!"

Toph straightened and felt a sudden coldness against her throat. The feeling of a third person standing beside her and Soza indicated that one of the two women had drawn her sword and closed the distance between them quite quickly. The other was calling out for Gilbert as the sound of shifting rubble was added to the mix of things. The young lord didn't seem to need any help as Toph felt him scramble to his feet, wincing as he did and a moment later, he was staggering angrily her way.

"You tried to kill me! You insane bitch, you actually tried to kill me!"

His voice was cracking and sounded almost panicked; Toph had to resist smiling at that. She knew that Gilbert had developed a reputation for being quite unshakable as a result of the power he seemingly wielded over all others as a result of his influence. She wondered if perhaps this was the first time he had actually been threatened to such an extent before. After all, she had almost killed him.

Beside her, she could feel Soza shifting balance as she looked around quickly, no doubt coming to realize what was happening. To the destroyed rock path in front of them, to the ranting and furious Lord Gilbert, to the sword at Toph's throat, things were surely coming into place for the girl and Toph realized just how, in an instant, things had become so dire.

There came a pounding of feet up the path behind them and Toph measured twelve or so individuals; one of them spoke, and she recognized the voice of Captain Xing calling out urgently. The captain was actually someone she had privately trained in earthbending over the past couple years, and Toph had a feeling that this was going to be a touch difficult for him.

"What's happened here?" Xing's voice came, sounding a touch from being frantic, though his tone was in its usual reserve.

"This psychotic bender tried to crush me!" Gilbert practically screeched and Toph heard an uproar of murmurs by Xing's squad. They must have been on patrol around the palace when the loud grating sound of earthbending had sounded in the rock garden.

"Miss Beifong?" Xing's voice came, sounding hesitant and somewhat curious. There was the hint that he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing, but no doubt as his eyes made their way over the battered and dust covered lord and the wreckage behind him, plausibility was slowly being granted to Gilbert's rabid claim.

Toph felt the moment alight on her just then. She had a choice before her, one that would be much harder to come back from then even the skillful save of Soza's assault had been. There was nothing from stopping her saying that Soza had tried to kill Gilbert and she had used her earthbending in a last ditch effort to save his life. That would be a workable position, one that might allow her to come back from this disastrous scenario.

"Wait…"

The soft murmur of Soza's voice sounded next to her, and Toph knew the decision wasn't at all a decision for her. She knew that her feelings for Soza would never have allowed anything else.

"Shame I didn't succeed," she said venomously and the murmurs behind her doubled in volume. She savored the idea of the look on Gilbert's face at her openness about trying to kill him. It took him several seconds to regain control of his speaking as he made several rather humorous sputtering sounds prior to.

"Captain, arrest this woman!" he howled.

"My lord—" Xing attempted to say but there was nothing to be gained in trying to sort out the situation.

"Arrest her!" he shrieked again and Toph turned to face the captain. They had known each other for years and had come to respect one another through their training and classes together, and she knew that he was surely stunned at what he was seeing and struggling to take it all in.

"It's alright, Xing," she said. "Do what you have to do."

This seemed to get through to him and after several seconds, he grunted out, "Take her."

Toph felt a couple soldiers move tentatively towards her and take her by the upper arms, and started to escort her down the path. Beside her, Soza spoke up louder, her voice sounding strained and on the verge of panicked realization.

"Wait, Toph, you didn't—!"

The last thing that Toph wanted at that point was for Soza to land herself in any trouble at all, and she spoke up sternly over the girl's worried voice.

"Soza, it's alright. Go back inside."

She hoped desperately that Soza would listen to her and obey, though she had no way of immediately knowing as she was led off, leaving the area of the sudden incident behind.

Her mind was abuzz with a great many things, the speed of what had happened, the reason why, Soza's loss of control, Gilbert's reaction and words, her own emotions and numbness towards all that had just occurred. Soza had snapped, something inside of her had been pushed to its limit, and she had gone to take out her rage on the one person there who she had a qualm with. She had so rarely been spoken to about consequences of actions such as these, and Toph supposed she had spared Soza from would have been quite the unkind wake up call to her privileged life.

It wasn't until Toph was back inside the palace being led towards the confinement cells that something struck her, a recognition of something that hadn't made itself clear to her until that very moment.

In such a place as Ba Sing Se, there were very specific rules in place that were directly related to such a crime as attempted murder. One stuck out in Toph's mind, that being the intended victim of the murder had the right to demand the punishment for the one who had tried to kill them. Toph had seen men demand ten years' worth of subsidiaries from a company or farm, a public whipping, or even the request to let the would-be murderer off without a punishment. But somehow, she didn't imagine that Gilbert would have any trouble demanding the highest punishment available to lay claim to.

Her execution would be the perfect revenge for a person like him.

Sasuke ran.

He had been running for over an entire day to a very real extent and his body had long since been screaming for reprieve, but he denied his muscles that much desired relief. There was no longer any time.

Leaving Yue, Ursa and her crew in the middle of the night had been the most difficult part of his journey thus far, a weakness he hated having to recognize, but understanding that they would only be in danger if they continued to move alongside him was what forced him into action. He was apparently a very wanted man, and Yue had guided him as far as she needed to, getting him all the way back to the Elemental Nations, and Ursa for all her physical and emotional support, she too didn't need to get wrapped up in any of this, nor her crew. After the painful discovery that Zuko was in Ba Sing Se rather than his home, Sasuke had slipped silently into his tent and slipped back out just as quietly after everyone had laid down. He had made it past Ursa's patrols, and when he knew he was in the clear, he put up the hood of his traveling cloak, and ran.

After a matter of hours, he reached the coast of what must have been the island they were on and he had plunged into the waves without a second thought, to make his way to the next island, and then the next, and the next. Sheer willpower surged him onwards as he kept his chakra flows resolutely shut to keep from any accidental slip ups that could potentially jeopardize more than he likely even realized. But even without being able to tap into his chakra to give himself enough speed to make the journey in what would likely have been a matter of minutes, around what must have been very early morning, he reached the coast of the easternmost island. There was a shipping pier just on the coast and, exhausted and aching and soaked, Sasuke listened in to hear that an emergency shipment of blackpowder was being exported to Harbor Town on the west coast of the Earth Nation, and was traveling aboard a waterbending propelled skiff. Careful timing and precision had allowed him to slip into the vessel's minimal cargo hold and tuck himself behind several barrels; he was able to curl up uncomfortably, but his weariness was enough that he fell asleep the moment the vessel rocketed away from the port, swiftly carrying him east.

When he awoke, the sky was bright and the sun was high, and Sasuke realized the vessel was no longer moving and the few men aboard had exited onto the dock and were arranging the transport of the blackpowder barrels which Sasuke supposed he was likely hiding behind. While the men were speaking with the dockhands, he rolled over the side of the large canoe-like ship and slipped under the water, swimming to shore a few dozen meters away. Pulling himself up, he didn't allow a moment's rest as he staggered to his feet, shook life back into his bones, and started running.

He rain through a forest rich with red leaved trees, and this took him the entire rest of the day to sprint his way through, bounding over any obstacles, and keeping his hood up as best he was able. The faster he moved, the more sure he was that there was a spirit watching him and ushering along their plans ever the quicker. The sun above beaming through the trees slowly dipped overhead to fall behind him as afternoon became evening. Around this time, it occurred to Sasuke that he was perhaps not entirely sure where he was going. Ba Sing Se he had known to be to the east of the Fire Nation, but he really had no way of knowing just how well he was keeping direction towards it. But as though his mere thoughts had summoned it, he burst free of the forest after hours of running to find a dirt path and a jagged old sign of wood that he could just make out markers for.

14 Ahead Serpent's Pass 44 to Ba Sing Se

Sasuke stopped for the first time since he had started running to regard the sign and all at once, his muscles exploded in pain. He supposed they had been this way the entire time, but now that he had stopped, he could more openly acknowledge their anguish. Ignoring the burning and the aching, however, he raced in the direction the sign pointed, as the sun fell lower in the sky.

Eventually, a great grey spike of a mountain stuck out of the ground before him up through which the path took him. By this point, night had all but fallen, but a bright moon was rising, giving him just about as much light as the evening sun had. Making his way up through what must have been Serpent's Pass, the uphill venture of the mountain wore on his body even more, and it was with a great deal more effort that he made it to the top and finally allowed himself another moment to rest. The second he did, his legs gave out and he crashed to the ground, exhaustion getting the better of him as his heart pounded an angry rapid beat in his throat. He spent a good while gasping for air before rolling up and forcing himself back up onto his devastated legs.

But in the distance, he saw cause for relief.

There was a vast circle of lights that seemed to flicker just near the horizon. As high as Sasuke realized he was, he could see much farther over the land than he had been previously been able, and for miles he could extend his gaze in the moonlight to stare over the land. That was how he was surely able to see that ring of blinking orange dots so far off, and he knew that he must have been looking at the city.

The act of smiling seemed to pain him even more and he doubled over to pant for a moment longer. It was during this time that he realized he could hear a sound in the relative silence, beyond his labored breathing. It was the creak of a wagon, the slow rattling of wooden wheels coming up the path towards him. So exhausted as he was, he only straightened and stared at the cart being pulled up by a single traveler coming up the pass the opposite way. When he came close enough, the traveler stopped and looked to Sasuke.

What looked like it was going to have been a friendly smile in the moonlight faded as the older man set eyes on him, and fear consumed his gaze.

"It's you," he whispered and Sasuke could say nothing to this. He knew the moment the old man recognized him that there was only one outcome to this encounter, and it was a stab of regret that forced this realization onto him. For a long while, they both simply looked to one another and Sasuke wondered how many of the posters bearing his likeness the old merchant must have seen to so immediately recognize him.

Then, the man dropped his cart and turned to run, a truly sad sight. Sasuke didn't hesitate to jog after him, such a speed wasn't quite necessary to catch up. The traveler looked back after a dozen yards, his eyes widening with further terror as he opened his mouth, likely to be in a plea. Kusanagi ripped upwards and slashed him across the chest, killing him instantly.

Sasuke stared down at the body for well over a minute, as a mounting pressure began to build in his head and gut. It was that anger again, that frustration that such an act had been necessary. The old man would surely have gone and told authorities who he had seen and who knew what spiderweb of consequences that would have taken. Still, Sasuke scowled furiously down at the body, his fist shaking as it clenched his sword.

He would tip the man's body over the side of the pass, to plummet so many thousands of feet down to splash into the bay below before resuming his journey. But for no real reason, he found himself walking for near an hour before he resumed sprinting towards Ba Sing Se, its lights flickering almost tauntingly in the distance. In that hour, he released several furious roars that echoed over the landscape; anyone hearing them would surely have thought them to be those of a wild animal.

But with the moon above, Sasuke moved to complete the last leg of his journey, to reach the city, and settle his dues once and for all.