"That's understandable. But those little things can make the difference in an already stressed situation. Things, which normally wouldn't cause any problems." That's true. Sometimes things get taken out of context and what not and get blown out of proportion. "I think it really takes a lot to make her mad and she's someone, who is willing to forgive much easier than other people, in my opinion." Yes, I would agree with that as well. But I can also see her being a bit of the jealous type being as she has six siblings. "But I think as soon as she might fear, that someone could try to steal Azula from her," I can see that fear being as they are part of a band and so many people crush on singers. "She was abandoned from her parents, so she wants to handle things different. Her parents had put their ambitions over Kuriva's, so she wants to give her child a chance she hadn't received." Exactly she doesn't want to become what she hated.

"Both have a clue, how hard Ozai's presence had hit the siblings." They tried to be more sympathetic. "I like the symbol with the pink ribbon." It's a small comfort for Azula. "Azula may be right with her suggestion, that the fame is protecting them for now and also threatening him." Yes, they do have a bit of protection due in part to fame. But yes, he really wants to see them fall from grace. "A perfidious scheme to try to create a rift between Zuko and Azula." He tried to get them fighting as well as instill seeds of doubt. "He had underestimate her pride, the band between the siblings and the fact," Basically he underestimated her humanity in a sense. Her ability to express compassion. She may not be the best at showing it, but she cares for her bandmates. "They'll need a lot more of them, I'm sure." Big time lol.

"Few words talked but with such a weight and such a powerful impact." Thanks :) I think that careful dialogue is key. "The problem is, that Kuriva doesn't believe in her dream anymore and she hasn't understood the hidden message, P'Li has given." Exactly, Kuvira at that point was on the defensive. "P'Li seems to be a character, who is more acting, less talking." This is true she likes to get straight to the point and show things through gestures. "She needs the band and she won't let her down, but Kuriva has missed this hidden offer." Kuvira is very stubborn and at this point pessimistic. She already kind of made up her mind and again didn't want to budge. So she got on the defensive and pushed help away. "I think this decision was an eye opener for all of them how deep down Kuriva must be and how hopeless." It was. The band was her dream and up until she was about to hand it over, they kind of just ignored the possibility that she was hurting. "The warning sign was so obvious, that Baatar came back, that Ming and Ghazan have listened and that P'Li has showed up again." They were irritated with her but they kind of knew when to put that to the side. "To be weak without to be judged." And that is very important to her. "She was so far down, that he had no chance to understand her words and he has missed her gesture and how his hand on her belly has triggered her reaction." Yeah, he was kind of oblivious to a degree. Deep down he had an inkling but calming her down kind of took over.

"Stong chapter and some interesting struggles between WIM and FoA ahead." Thanks it is one of my favorites so far. "Failing at the contest is no option, for both." There is a lot at stake for both bands and all of them members in them. But unfortunately only one of them can win.

They are two weeks into the final month before Southern Air Sounds and Azula's voice is still dreadfully hoarse and she knows that she is pushing herself. Still, she can't cancel the show, it will only prove to Ozai that he is right, that she doesn't have what it takes. She can't imagine that her struggles are going unnoticed; for her last few shows she has done more of their cleaner songs. And for this one she is switching roles with Zuko entirely. Even this is hurting her sensitive throat. She finds it hard to hit and to hold notes. Still she keeps going, if there is one thing her father has done well for her, it is teaching her to carry on until the fight completely leaves her body...and then to push on regardless until the fight leaves her spirit too.

The man isn't the crowd this time around and she thanks Agni for that. She knows that he can tell when she is having a hard time. She knows that he likes to exploit it almost as much as the tabloids do.

Such news outlets have already taken to addressing certain speculations. They have range from more optimistic theories; that Fire Of Agni is experimenting again, that they will be making an album where Zuko does the screaming and Azula takes the more elegant parts. To dismal ones that touch on the truth; that there is something wrong with Azula. More specifically that something is wrong with her voice. There are even more miserable theories that her voice has already been damaged beyond repair and that she is simply singing until she physically can no more.

She wishes that they would stop the speculation and just see how things unfold.

With every difficult note, Azula knows that her voice is deteriorating a little more. She doesn't want to skip the encore, but when she places her microphone into its stand, she knows that she won't be picking it up again to night.

Azula speaks to TyLee if for no other reason than to tester her own vocal strength. There is hardly any power in her words as she asks TyLee if she can sing her parts in the encore song.

TyLee gives a nervous nod and Azula can't tell if it is attributed to concern for her girlfriend or stagefright grade jitters. She quietly assures TyLee that she will do fine and that, in the brief window wherein the audience is left hanging to build anticipation, that she will have their tech crew fashion TyLee an improvised microphone.

Somewhat anxious Azula speaks to the crowd, thanking them for attending and showing interest in Sun warrior culture. She bids them a good night. It all comes out in a rather unpleasant rasp and she is under the impression that the crowd knows that they won't be getting a full-scale encore.

She waits behind stage for the rest of her band to continue their encore, filling the time with calling for an appointment with a doctor. Doctor Fing-Sho has an impeccable reputation with fellow musicians. The man has even worked with some of the legends such as the frontman of Wan Shi Tong's Waltz.

Unfortunately he is booked through the better part of the week. It makes her nervous being so close to Southern Air Sounds. She books herself soonest appointment-a week from now and two weeks from Southern Air Sounds.

That is much too close for comfort. Still, the last thing she needs is to go to a shadier doctor and have her voice truly ravaged. At the very least, from the sound of it, she will be in esteemed hands.

.oOo.

Kuvira is dressed to the nines. She had been anyhow; currently she is slipping out of her heels, Baatar holding her steady as she does so; the baby bump and her altered center of gravity are taking some getting used to. She moves the pair of shoes out of the doorway and begins taking off her jewelry. She slips each piece into her coat pocket starting with the earrings and ending with the bracelet and necklace. She leaves a single ring on her finger.

The ring that Baatar had put there near the end of a rooftop dinner that had gone over well.

It had been a surprisingly sweet ordeal. Kuvira just wanted to talk things over in the loft, but Baatar insisted on a fancier place. She had wanted to question in, but decided against doing so and caved.

She supposes that it would have been lackluster to propose to her-for a second time-in her humble loft.

Mostly they had discussed matters of the band but with a sprinkle of personal issues. She hadn't realized that she had made him feel insufficient and inadequate, like his ideas weren't of substance. But Raava did she understand why he had been hurt when he had clarified. As far as Wrought Iron Machine went, directionally, at that point she was pretty open to anything and she guessed that, that alone made making amends less painful. He seemed to have so many ideas and she was willing to hear them out. It helped further that the food had satisfied a craving or two and that Baatar had requested one of her favorite songs to dine to.

All in all, the only hiccup in their night had been the flashing of cameras. She had decided to let it go, under the impression that it was probably a good thing to let the public know that they were working things out.

Kuvira undresses and puts on something more comfortable before joining Baatar on the sofa. The man offers her a glass of wine. It amuses her how painfully oblivious he can be. She denies the glass and notes the look of disappointment on his face. She will clear that up in a moment.

"You said that you had something else to tell me." Baatar notes once the disappointment subsides.

Kuvira nods. "Yes." She pauses. "I am glad that you came back."

"I think that you've said that already." He sips his own wind. "Several times."

"Yes, well…" She trails off. "It is hard to raise a child and manage a band on your own."

She is glad that it took him a moment to process what she'd just said, lest he choke on his drink. "Good thing we don't have a kid." He laughs awkwardly.

Kuvira raises a brow. "Not yet." She lifts her pajama top some.

For a relatively short span of time Baatar simply takes to staring at the bump she holds her hand to. After coming to conclude that he isn't just teasing him he cups his hand over hers and gives her the kind kiss she has missed.

It suddenly seems so ridiculous that she had almost let the man go over a matter so trivial.

She lets him lean against her as they had done so many times before. Much to the annoyance of Gazahn they fell asleep on the sofa, leaving him unable to sit upon it and watch his favorite movers.

.oOo.

Azula rigidly sits in the doctor's office. Zuko sits across the room with Mai and TyLee is next to her, gripping her hand. Fing-Sho enters with a simple greeting. After introductions are aside he begins with a standard check up. Save for her beaten voice, she is in good condition, not that she had expected any different.

It isn't until his hands, coated in spirit-vine sap, feel her throat that concern flashes across his face. He is quiet for a moment. "Do you want…"

"I want you to get straight to the point." Azula cuts in. She doesn't mean to be rude, yet she needs to know what she is dealing with.

"If the spirit vines have painted the right picture, I believe that you have a cyst on your vocal cords."

Azula swallows, she can feel tears welling behind her eyes. Logic tells her to ask how it is possible. But she already knows. She knows that she hasn't quite taken care of her voice. "Can you fix it?" She asks instead.

"I believe so." He smiles.

It is a relief to hear.

"It will take surgery followed by some vocal therapy."

"When can you perform the operation?" Zuko asks for her.

Fing-Sho peers at his clipboard and then back up at Azula. "I will place an order for the proper equipment, it should arrive anywhere from two to three weeks from now-most likely three, if you want the best quality equipment-we can begin then."

The tearful pressure behind her eyes intensifies. Two weeks would land her an appointment during Southern Air Sounds. Three would allow for the competition to pass with her voice still in disrepair. She swallows again.

"Until then, I recommend that you refrain from speaking more than necessary. Don't put any excess strain on your vocal cords or you might do some permanent damage."

At this Azula's throat runs dry.

How can they have come so far only to lose their opportunity at the last minute?

.oOo.

It is a controlled chaos that they have created. A strange blend of brass and classical string instruments with a dash of modern guitars.

They don't have the luxury of traveling far and wide so they look closer to home. They have happened upon an abandoned and tattered theater and that is strangely perfect for the new, new sound.

It is a jarring blend of orchestra and jazz, sweeping from one genre to the next and sometimes all at once. Hectic and frenzied like the turmoil of having to switch sounds. Such is the nature of their lyrics. The disorientation of trying something new. The fear behind the risk.

The darkness of the theater dusty cobwebbed theater seems to highlight what it means to go in blind. A ray of sunlight filters in through the cracked window. Dust motes sparkle within it, casting an effect that would be pleasant for their music mover.

The sunlight also puts a glimmer on the collar of Kuvira's dress. She wears a deep green gown that hugs tightly to her figure. She knows that the public will discover her pregnancy on their own so she may as well just make it apparent in her music mover. Next to her, Baatar has himself dressed in a velvet dress coat with copper buttons and a brown top hat. His task is to conduct the orchestra as she sings.

A little over four months along, Kuvira has to take breaks more frequently, with the baby starting to kick and shift with more energy. She seats herself in one of the dusty velvet cushioned chairs. She fixes her gaze to stare out of the window. She is beginning to worry that they still won't be able to perform at Southern Air Sounds; on occasions the baby will shift in just the wrong way, leaving her short of breath. She supposes that she'll only have to get through three songs; two old and one new. Even so, by the time Southern Air Sounds rolled around, she will find herself nearly five months pregnant; she can't imagine that, that will make it any easier.

The rest of her band is mercifully patient as she waits for the ache in her back to pass. Ghazan in particular seems to enjoy being able to take frequent breaks. Baatar ends his conversation with P'Li and comes to stand beside Kuvira. "Orange?" He offers, handing her the fruit. He also hands her a bottle of water. She decides that she will put an end to her break as soon as she is through with the orange. Baatar offers her shoulders a gentle massage.

She is glad to have the man back. Raava knew she couldn't handle this one on her own. She supposes that she can if she has to, but she certainly doesn't want to. She stands back up, ready to resume the filming process.

Despite the physical setbacks, filming is easier this time around, more comfortable in a sense. For one, she doesn't have sand coating every part of her body. For another she feels as though the music and the mover themselves are on par with past works. It gives her a sense of ease to know that Baatar's vocals are complementing hers once more. That the fandom will enjoy the reunion. That they are looking forward to their redemption music mover.

She still finds it hard to believe that they will manage to finish this video and song in such a timely manner and with almost a whole week to spare.