Author's Notes

Try listening to "Appasionata" by Bae Bo Ram during the performance. :)

-TheGreatestConWoman-

They headed back in for the second act, the part where the Avatar has to find his earthbending teacher. Strapped to cables and harnesses, the actress "flew" around the stage to look for the teacher. Toph stood up in anticipation for her role, listening intently to the play. "Here it comes!"

"You can't find an earthbending master in the sky!" A tall and buff actor emerged from beneath the stage and lifted the rock props with ease. "You have to look underground!" Everybody laughed seeing the actor in her clothes. Toph leaned in, shocked to hear the voice. "My name's Toph, because it sounds like tough, and that's just what I am!"

Not fully believing what she was hearing, she cleared out her ear. "Wait a minute... I sound like... a guy! A really buff guy!"

"Well, Toph, what you hear up there is the truth. It hurts doesn't it?"

Like the unpredictable girl that she is, Toph grinned. "Are you kidding me?! I wouldn't have cast it any other way!" She laughed. "At least it's not a flying bald lady!"

Aang glared in her general direction, feeling even more frustrated that she couldn't actually see him glare.

The second act showed more of what happened in the Earth Kingdom: Iroh and Zuko's separation, their confrontation with Azula, the drill in the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, Jet's brainwashing, and eventually, Katara and Zuko's incarceration in the Crystal Catacombs.

"I have to admit, Prince Zuko! I really find you attractive!" The actress portraying Katara moved towards the actor of Zuko. "I mean it! I've had eyes on you ever since the day you first captured me."

Chiyo giggled beside the real Zuko. "Did this really happen?"

"It didn't, I swear!"

The actor on the stage stood up. "Wait! I thought you were the Avatar's girl?"

"The Avatar?!" The actress laughed haughtily. "He's like a little brother to me! I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way!"

As they hugged on stage, Aang stood up from his seat to leave. "You're getting up?" Sokka raised a questioning brow. "Can you get me some fire flakes? And some fire gummies?"

The scene was changed to a confrontation between Azula and Iroh, and Zuko having to choose sides. "Well, my brother, what's it going to be? Your nation, or a life of treachery?"

The actor of Zuko pushed away his uncle and returned with his sister. "I hate you uncle! You smell, and I hate you for all time!"

Chiyo felt the hand resting on her arm tense. She looked up at Zuko and saw his downcast look. "You didn't really say that, did you?"

"I might as well have."

She gently laid a hand on his. "Whatever you said to him, I know he'll forgive you. Mr. Mushi—I mean, your uncle Iroh is a very nice person, at least that's what Kai told me."

"Who?"

The crowd erupted in applause as two actress portraying Mai and Ty Lee took down the guards of the Earth King. The actress playing Aang leapt from behind the throne with the help of the cables. "Avatar State! Yip Yip!" The lights dimmed, making the luminous paint on her eyes and forehead glow. She ascended slowly.

"Not if my lightning can help it!" The actress of Azula threw a long blue ribbon that the other actress caught. Once the Avatar had hung lifeless and fallen back to the stage, Azula posed with Mai and Ty Lee. "The Avatar is no more!"

The lights were lit, signalling the end of the second act. They stepped out of their booth to look for Aang who had been missing for a while.

While passing a hallway, they were handed a flyer by a passing attendant. "Party after the play! Party after the play! We have special guests! The Flamey-Os and the Salinja Troupe!"

"They're here?" Chiyo read the flyer. "Zuko, I have to go see them!"

"I'm coming with you."

"It's okay. You should go enjoy the rest of the play! Or what's left to enjoy anyway." She smiled, and added. "I'll come back soon."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Hey, Chiyo," Sokka approached them both. "Do you think you and your fancy ring can help me get backstage? I have some jokes I want to give to the actor 'me'."

She shrugged. "Sure. I'm going there anyway."

Sokka and Chiyo went and knocked on a large wooden door with a plaque that read "Backstage" The owner of the hall, Jian Zhang opened it. "Oh! Lady Chiyo, and uh... friend! To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"I heard there was going to be a party after the play, and my sisters from the troupe are participating. I was hoping maybe I could wait here backstage for them."

Jian Zhang opened the door wide for them. "Of course, my Lady!"

While Sokka set off to find the actor, Chiyo looked around at the backstage. A familiar feeling swelled inside of her and she felt her heart beating fast. She watched as the actors rehearsed their lines and the staff run around with costumes and props.

She was reminded suddenly of her debut back in the Capital Plaza. She felt the same nervousness and tension the actors felt before performing, the same adrenaline that made her heart beat wildly. But despite all of that she was at ease.

As if she was home.

"Excuse me, miss? Can I help you?" Chiyo turned around and to face the man who called her attention. The man smiled as he recognized the apprentice and bowed. "It's been a long time, Lady Chiyo. I hope you still remember me."

She blinked and studied him, thinking back to when and where she had known him. "You... you were the organizer!" She smiled and bowed back to him. "From the Fire Lily Festival!"

"My heart is overjoyed to have been recognized!" He laughed, but his expression suddenly changed into one of sadness. "I have only recently learned of Lady Suiren's passing. I offer my condolences to you."

Chiyo sighed deeply. "Thank you, Sir."

"Sir, we have a huge problem!" An attendant rushed towards them. "T-the Salinja Troupe has cancelled their attendance!"

"What?! Why?!"

The attended handed him a scroll. "They sent in a messenger hawk from the Capital."

The organizer read the letter thoroughly. "I see..."

"What does it say?" Chiyo looked up at him curiously.

"They have cancelled not just this, but all upcoming performances for the next three months." His brow furrowed as he continued reading. "The head of the troupe has declared this their time of mourning for the death of one of their sisters, Lady Suiren."

"What shall we do, Sir?"

The man shook his head in defeat. "It is only right that we too mourn for the loss, not only of the Royal Noble Concubine, but one of Fire Nation's greatest entertainers. We cancel the party—"

"Don't."

They both turned to look at the apprentice. "My Lady?"

"Don't cancel the party."

Rain was pouring heavily that morning as the ladies prayed in front of a wooden casket. The mistress who taught calligraphy, Lady Shu, had passed before the sun had risen for another day. She had lived for a hundred years, but no amount of time prepared her students for her death.

Lady Suiren comforted her teary-eyed apprentice. "Do not cry, my child. Death is a part of life. It is not the end, but a beginning of a new adventure."

"Cancel all your appointments." Lady Vira, the head of the troupe, turned to her sisters. "Today, we mourn the loss of our sister, Lady Shu."The ladies bowed and headed to their respective quarters, all except Suiren and Chiyo who stayed in the prayer room. "Well?"

"I would like to offer a performance for Lady Shu." Suiren stood up and walked towards Vira.

Vira narrowed her eyes at her. "I'm afraid I cannot permit that, Suiren. It is tradition that we halt our duties in respect for our sister."

"It's what she would have wanted." Without warning, Suiren grabbed the silk, ink, and brush that was propped on top of the wooden casket and knelt before them.

Chiyo stared wide-eyed as her mentor spread out the beautiful pink silk on the wooden floor and opened the ink bottle. She gently dipped the brush in the ink and started the performance.

With eyes closed in prayer, she let the brush glide against the silk. The black ink left behind by the light and heavy strokes shone brightly against the light of the burning candles.

When Suiren had finished, her eyes were filled with tears and it streamed down her cheeks. Lady Vira and Chiyo approached her and looked at the masterpiece she had created for Lady Shu.

感 謝

Gratitude and Appreciation

"I will perform." Chiyo looked to the organizer, hoping he would do her a favor, as he had done before for her mentor. "For Lady Suiren."

The play ended, horribly in their opinion. But the defeat of the Avatar moved the audience into a roaring applause and a standing ovation. The actors, along with Puan Tin, gathered on the stage and bowed to their audience in gratitude.

"Sokka, where's Chiyo?" Zuko asked worriedly.

He shrugged. "When I left, she was talking to some guy. I figured he was one of those big shot dudes that she knew. Don't worry, she's not in trouble!"

Jian Zhang took to the stage and bowed to the audience. "Good evening, everyone! On behalf of our actors and playwright, I thank everyone that has come to see 'The Boy in the Iceberg'! For our success, we wanted to celebrate with our lovely patrons so we decided to open the after-party to everyone!"

Toph cheered along with the audience. "A party! I might get to talk with actor 'me'!"

Jian Zhang continued, now taking a more serious tone. "The Salinja Troupe would like to extend their sincerest apologies for not attending tonight's party. As we all know, it's only been a week since the passing of the Royal Noble Concubine, our beloved Lady Suiren. However, we will be granted one performance from a very special entertainer, tonight. Please join me in welcoming her to the stage!"

The lights in the audience area were dimmed and redirected to the stage as the curtains were lifted once more, revealing a woman kneeling away from the audience. They gasped as they saw her bare back marred by chaotic strokes of black ink.

***As the music started, she slowly raised the aluminum swords above her head, the golden bracelets on her wrists clinking softly as she did so.

The woman slowly turned her head to the left, showing a silhouette of her painted face. Even from a distance, Zuko instantly recognized her.

"Chiyo..."

She lowered the swords in an arc around her till the blade was flat against on the floor on either side of her.

Chiyo watched as Lady Suiren kept dancing past the stroke of midnight. She admired her for her dedication, but at the same time, she worried for her mentor's health.

Her eyes widened in awe as Lady Suiren manipulated the aluminium swords in her hands and spun, her skirts flowing around her beautifully. As she stopped, she cursed and threw the swords away. "Why can't I get it right?!"

"I thought it was beautiful, my Lady." Chiyo approached her and brought her another cool towel.

"Thank you, Chiyo." She said as she wiped the towel across her sweat-beaded forehead and flushed cheeks. "But it is still lacking."

"I'm sure it will be as magnificent as all your other performances!" The child beamed brightly and gave her mentor and tight hug.

The lady smiled down at her and patted her hair dotingly. "Once I finish the Dance of the Swords, I will pass it all on to you."

Lady Suiren never finished the Dance of the Swords.

"But I will complete it for her."

Gracefully, she stood and flicked her wrists, letting the swords rest on top of her extended arms as she spun twice. The red, loose, backless dress and skirt she was given gave her perfect ease of movement as she raised one of the swords to her neck, slowly running it across the bare flesh, her eyes closed, mouth slightly open as if in ecstasy.

The audience grew silent as their eyes were glued in awe of the entertainer and her swords. The way she caressed the blade, no, the way the blade caressed her skin was hauntingly beautiful.

As the tempo of the music hastened, so did her movements. She moved forward and did a front flip once before spinning, her skirts following her, the swords spinning with her as she willed it to move.

She felt weightless as she performed the Dance of the Swords in front of them. In truth, she couldn't care less about the audience. All she did care about was bringing justice into Lady Suiren's work, finishing what she started, letting her legacy live on.

"One, two, three, one two, three..."

In the corners of her mind, she heard her mentor's voice speaking to her. Giving her energy to move, giving her the will to push her limits. And she kept on going.

After several blade exhibitions, Chiyo threw the swords in the air, spun once and caught them. The music slowed and she knelt before the audience, raising her swords high above her head. Finally she opened her eyes, the tears shining from the deep amber pools. All her feelings were bared to them; her pain, her anguish, her suffering.

"Express with everything, but give away nothing."

In an instant, she made her expression distant and cold, and she closed her eyes once more as the music faded.

"I am proud of you."

Thunderous applause sounded throughout the theatre as people stood and shouted praises for the performance. As the curtain fell, so did her tears.

"I'll do whatever it takes to fulfill your wish and carry on your legacy, Lady Suiren. I will be the greatest entertainer the Fire Nation and the entire world shall ever see."