Read the Book
An Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction
By
Storywriter1id
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the sole property of the producers of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Plot liberally borrowed from Patton. I claim nothing.
General How paced in his command post atop the inner wall of Ba Sing Se. He raised a spy glass to his eye and looked to the horizon and surveyed the breach in the outer wall. It should have been impossible, and two days ago it was. Somehow, he'd breached it. His nemesis throughout the 600 day siege, the Spirit's-damned Dragon of the West had breached the impenetrable wall and if the dust cloud pouring through the breach were any indication, he was again on the attack. But General How had a plan.
General How had never personally met his opposite number, but he knew him. The Dragon was a man of culture and letters, had an appreciation for fine tea, and was a Pai-Sho master. He was also a writer, and How had one of the Dragon's scrolls, entitled "The Art of War" lying on his bunk. The Dragon was a father, and How suspected the man's own son was personally leading the infantry column in the van of the current attack.
How's aide was standing to his right with his own spy glass. "Sir, it looks like they haven't spotted our positions yet."
How studied the enemy formation before him. Three regiments of firebending infantry were marching in regimental squares, the regiments themselves forming a wedge. Three tank battalions followed closely behind the infantry, and a squadron of komodo-rhino cavalry rode at each flank of the army. It would have been a grand sight, had it not been so frightening.
How remarked, "They're going to get an education as soon as they're in artillery range." He calmly studied the advancing enemy army for two more minutes, then raised a blue signal flag in his right hand. All along the wall, his soldiers set fire to 500 pound tar soaked rocks. He dropped the flag, and 200 flaming missiles sailed toward the enemy infantry formations.
The missiles found their mark, and the infantry commanders tried in vain to deploy their troops into battle formation. The missiles continued to pound the enemy army, and the tanks attempted to charge out of the kill box, some crushing their own comrades beneath their treads in haste.
How watched the chaos with grim satisfaction. "That's a shameful waste of some fine infantry," he remarked wryly. Then he turned to his aide, "Get over to General Fong's headquarters and tell him to launch his flank attack. This is where we hold him by his nose and kick him in the ass!"
How turned his spyglass again to the carnage below. The enemy had begun to retreat back towards the outer wall breach. He began to smile. He screamed to the retreating enemy, "Iroh! You magnificent bastard, I read your book!"
A/N I'm a military history buff and a huge fan of the movie Patton. I imagine Iroh was considered a military genius in the Avatar-verse and he was something of a philosopher. So I thought this fit.