Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.
Author's note: The end is near!
Sorry I didn't get around to individually replying to most of your reviews. I had an awful week – I lost a beloved pet, so I haven't been terribly motivated to do much of anything. As always though, I am thankful for each and every one of my reviewers: AnnaAza, Thegoldenlock, hg-always, Katey123, darkpassion89, storm2011, InItToWinIT, XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX, secretsofadarkangel , meggie-moo s , TashaLyn13 , and temariXshikamaruluva. You guys are the best – I heart you!
And now what you've all been waiting for. I sincerely hope you enjoy.
Chapter 9: Collision
"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable."
-Sun Tzu (Chinese General and Author, b.500 BC)
In a harbor on the western shoreline of the Earth Kingdom, a fleet was gathered that rivaled the size of the entire Fire Navy. Azula smiled to herself in satisfaction as she surveyed the sight before her. She had convinced the weak-minded fools to fight for her. They believed in her. Of course, they believed in the cause of freedom as well. Little did they know that once she sat on the Fire Throne, she would enslave their pathetic race.
She was certain that given the choice between joining her elite army and being sent to work camps in the Earth Kingdom, they would choose to serve her. Once she was seated on the throne of her homeland, she would combine her earthbender forces with the Fire Nation military, and she would be unstoppable. There would be fools that would remain loyal to Zuko and would never serve her, but she was confident that most would choose a life of serving her rather than a death loyal to Zuko.
All was in place. She knew that much of the Fire Navy was still spread out across the ocean. The Fire Princess had been rather perturbed when she heard rumors of her brother's survival following his unfortunate accident at the cliff. Zuzu was rather stubborn, and she figured it would take more than a fall off a cliff to kill him. Of course, she was sure the little waterbending wench had something to do with it. She and her men had watched the waves for any sign of life for several minutes. No one could possibly survive that long under water…unless accompanied by a waterbender. She cursed herself for that oversight. No matter, she would have the satisfaction of killing him herself in a few days. Once her brother was dead, she could take the throne easily. She was, after all, next in line for the throne.
A soldier finally brought word to her that the fleet was ready to sail.
She coolly gave the order to depart, and stared across the water to the Fire Nation.
Soon it will all be mine.
Katara stood with Toph and Zuko just outside of the Fire Lord's war room.
"Zuko, are you sure about this?" she inquired. After the near-disastrous state dinner, she wasn't exactly confident about working with pompous Fire Nation generals.
"Yes. You two are a crucial part of the battle plan, and my generals need to get used to working alongside you. These men are completely loyal to me, and will follow my orders," he said with conviction.
Toph stood casually off to the side, seemingly unconcerned about entering the war room.
Katara followed Zuko through the large ceremonial doors. She looked around the room; it was lit by dozens of flickering sconces. The thought had occurred to her that this was the very room where Zuko's father had given him the distinctive scar on his face. She pushed the thought aside and concentrated on the task before her.
Zuko had managed to recall most of his generals in time for the battle. General Kuro was the only one she had previously met. He was a well-muscled, intimidating man who had been the overseer of Zuko's military in the Earth Kingdom. He had traveled back to the Fire Nation with them on Zuko's flagship.
He was the only one who looked upon her and Toph without surprise. The others stared at the two women, attempting to rein in their shocked expressions. Suspicion laced some of their gazes, but most of the faces showed overwhelming curiosity.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Zuko began. "As you can see, we have guests today. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom Resistance will be joining our planning session today. You all should have received missives about the impending invasion. The Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom forces have joined in our fight against Azula."
One of the generals, a stout man with graying sideburns, was the first to speak.
"My lord, with all due respect, is this not the waterbender that you took prisoner nearly a year ago? The same one that the Water Tribe invaded our city for?"
"She is one and the same, General Arata. Much has happened since then. She has pledged herself to defending our city. If not for her, I would not stand before you now. She saved my life recently," he explained to the men.
Several pairs of golden eyes opened wide in surprise. They seemed to look upon her with a new respect as the men began to murmur among themselves.
General Kuro stood and addressed the men. "I will vouch for this woman as well. I was at our camp the day Fire Lord Zuko was attacked. He recounted the story to me. She is a capable warrior, and will be a valuable asset in the coming invasion."
Katara looked at the man in surprise at the unexpected praise. A ghost of a smile came to his stern face, and he gave her a small nod.
A younger man turned his attention to Toph. "What about the earthbender? How can we be certain of her loyalties?"
Katara mentally cringed as Toph answered in typical Toph fashion.
"Look here, flame boy, if I say I'll fight with you, then I'll fight with you. Believe me, I want Princess Psycho to take over just as much as you do. I'm loyal to the Earth Kingdom, and in this case, that means I'll fight with you," she said, jamming a finger in his direction.
She noticed Zuko tense, ready to intervene if a fight broke out, but to everyone's surprise, the young general barked out a laugh.
"I like you, Miss Bei Fong. Azula should be cowering in fear at the prospect of facing you. I can see why the Earth Kingdom Resistance has been such a thorn in our side," he admitted.
"Cut all this 'Miss Bei Fong' stuff. My name is Toph. Nothing fancy," the young earthbender chastised. Despite all her bluster, Katara could tell the girl was pleased with the general's assessment.
The waterbender was inordinately pleased. She should have trusted Zuko in this instance. He had told her that his generals were hand-picked, loyal to him and only him. They were an intelligent group of men. They were the one group he wasn't worried about convincing – which was fortunate, since Zuko certainly needed the support of his military commanders in this instance. The rest of his people…well, that was a different story.
Once the introductions were finished, the small group of military minds began going over the plans to defend the capital city. Zuko proposed the plan that had been discussed on his flagship on the way back to the Fire Nation. His generals only requested a few changes, all of which were acceptable to Toph and Katara.
After the meeting was adjourned, the two women would relate the plan to their respective forces. The Water Tribe warriors would lie in wait in various groups around the harbor. Zuko had proposed that Azula's flagship be allowed entrance through the Gates of Azulon. If they raised the gates before she passed, the powerful firebender would render them useless. They would raise them after her ship passed, where she would then be attacked by the Water Tribe forces. The gates would then serve as a barrier to the rest of her fleet. There were several waterbenders among the Water Tribe forces, as well as many warriors skilled with spear, sword, and boomerang. They hoped that a Water Tribe attack would catch Azula off guard. She could not possibly know of the new peace treaty between the two nations.
Toph's earthbenders would be lying in wait when and if Azula's ships made it to shore. They would remain hidden until Azula's forces disembarked from their ships. Azula would have earthbenders with her as well, so having Toph's forces would even the odds a bit.
Throughout it all, Zuko's military would be providing support. The warships he had managed to recall would form a blockade outside the harbor, although Azula would certainly run the blockade with her extensive fleet. His soldiers would make up the bulk of the defensive force. The battle would be fierce, and she and Zuko would be in the thick of it.
Zuko stood behind the curtain, ready to make his grand entrance onto the balcony to speak to his people. For the moment, Katara stood next to him, and she gave him a curious glance as he paced nervously. The Fire Lord had made many a speech on this very balcony, and it struck Katara as odd that he was uneasy.
She tried to reassure him. "It will be fine, Zuko. You've done this before," she gently reminded him.
He stopped mid-step and swiftly turned to face her. "You don't understand. Every time I've gone out there to speak to my people, I've been able to assure them of the Fire Nation's victory. There was always good news to report. Now we are on the verge of a great battle within the city walls, and I am forced to admit we can't win on our own. I have to tell them that we have enlisted the help of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes – and up until now, they have called these nations "enemy". It will be a great shock. I can only hope there will be no blatant revolts before Azula's arrival," he said, his eyes pleading with her to understand.
Katara looked beyond his tall figure to the thick crimson curtain behind him. The velvet fabric was emblazoned with a gold Fire Nation symbol, and it moved slightly in the warm afternoon breeze. Desperately, she searched for the right words to encourage him.
"This is a turning point for the Fire Nation. You need to present it as an opportunity for your people. Despite everything, I know you are a great leader and care for the people of your homeland. Tell them you will lead them in this new direction; tell them cooperation with the other nations instead of war will bring an era of peace and prosperity," she offered.
A resonating sound filled the room – the gong had been sounded. That was the Fire Lord's signal. On impulse, Katara ran to him and took him into her arms in a brief embrace. She felt him breathe in deeply, and she let go of him. Looking up at him, she saw a man who outwardly showed no uncertainty. He had replaced his worried expression with what she had come to think of as his "Fire Lord persona". She wondered at his ability to show no weakness, even when she knew he felt it inside.
He shoved the curtains aside and disappeared through the fabric. Katara heard the throngs of people outside. The entire city had been instructed to attend the Fire Lord's announcement. She and Toph had been told to listen to his speech from behind the curtain. She heard the earthbender's bare feet pounding down the stone floor of the hallway, and the girl skidded to a stop next to Katara.
"Has it started yet?" she asked.
"No, he just went out there," Katara informed her.
"Do you think he'll convince them?" the earthbender asked. Katara would never say it aloud, since she was certain the teenage girl would earthbend her underneath a mountain if she said as much, but she looked worried.
"I hope so," Katara breathed. Both women waited in anticipation.
The crowds outside finally quieted, and Zuko's authoritative voice filled the air.
"People of the Fire Nation! In the past few days, you may have been hearing some strange rumors floating around the city. I am speaking to you today to give you the truth. As loyal citizens, you deserve to know the truth. As all of you know, my traitorous sister, the Princess Azula, attempted to take my life only a few months ago. She slipped past our soldiers, and escaped to the Earth Kingdom," he reminded his people.
"During her brief stay in the Earth Kingdom, she was able to reunite with the elite earthbender military force known as the Dai Li, and with their help, she has recruited a sizeable army. As I speak to you, she is on her way to invade our city. She plans to kill me, the rightful Fire Lord, and take the throne for herself," he said with anger. Murmurs began to rumble through the masses.
He continued before the murmurs grew louder. "As you know, much of the Fire Nation military is spread out around the world waging war against the other nations. I have recalled every soldier and every ship to the homeland, but they will not arrive in time to defend our shores."
Shock reverberated through the throng of people.
"However, we have been presented with a unique opportunity. The Water Tribe and certain members of the Earth Kingdom have pledged their support to me – they do not wish to see Azula on the throne."
At this announcement, a low rumble passed through the crowd as the people expressed surprise and shock. A few angry shouts emanated from the crowd. Zuko plunged on before any riots broke out. He had strategically placed soldiers down among the people to dispel any fighting. Far below, he noticed some groups of soldiers surreptitiously make their way to the troublemakers, who were apprehended as quietly as possible.
"This is a turning point for the Fire Nation," he yelled fervently. "This world has been at war too long! It is time we moved toward peace with the other nations. With open trade between the nations, all of our people will prosper! No more of our sons and daughters will be sent to fight in far away lands!"
Katara's heart swelled with hope at hearing the Fire Lord's words. She had certainly never thought she would hear words like these in her lifetime. She tried to remain optimistic that the citizens of the Fire Nation would be open to the idea of ending the war. She knew it would be a difficult transition. Much of the Fire Nation's commerce was based on the war effort. There would surely be anger…beginning with peasants who earned livelihoods in weapon factories all the way up to nobles who had come to power by supporting the war. The people would have difficulty overcoming the Fire Nation's superiority complex as well. It was deeply ingrained after one hundred years of war.
"Moreover, they have pledged to risk the lives of their own soldiers in order to protect this city. For that, you should owe them your gratitude. Without their support, our city would likely be defeated by Azula and her forces."
There was a great silence for a few moments, and was finally broken by another angry shout. Katara was surprised that was all she heard. Was the anger directed at Zuko or Azula? Were the people accepting this new arrangement? Or were they merely in shock? She and Toph still stood behind the curtain, so it was hard to gauge the reaction.
At that moment, she heard Zuko call for them.
This wasn't part of the plan. He wants us to come out there? Those people will probably start shooting fire balls at us.
Despite their misgivings, the two women stepped out onto the balcony. Katara blinked as her eyes adjusted to the sudden light of the sunny day. The air was clear; not a cloud was in the sky. When she looked down over the crowd, she suddenly felt herself wishing she was as blind as Toph. There were thousands of people below them.
She and Toph moved to stand on either side of him, and he inclined his head toward her.
"This is Katara, master waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. Despite the war the Fire Nation brought to her people, she has pledged to protect the people of this city with her life, as have her people!"
A mixture of hesitant cheers and angry dissent rose up from the mass of people.
Ignoring them, Zuko turned to Toph.
"This is Toph Bei Fong, master earthbender and leader of the Earth Kingdom Resistance. She has also pledged her support to protecting this city!"
"Now, my fellow citizens, you have a choice before you. You can choose to succumb to old prejudices and watch this city fall because you will not work with a former enemy…or you can choose to work with them and fight for our city! You can protect it from those who would take it from us!"
"I implore you now…those of you who are unable or unwilling to fight – you must evacuate the city. That is an order from your Fire Lord. Any who are willing and able to defend our city against these invaders, prepare yourselves for a great invading force."
"This is the right direction for the Fire Nation, and I will lead us into the future. On the contrary, a Fire Nation led by my sister will be driven into the ground. She will enslave the world – and that includes her own people."
"Now go, and prepare for whatever decision you have made. You are free to choose – fight for our city or flee to the hills. However, you must choose quickly. We expect the invading force by tomorrow afternoon."
With that, he turned and exited the balcony, quietly whispering for Toph and Katara to follow.
Once inside, the Fire Lord leaned back against the cool stone wall.
"That was the hardest speech I have ever had to make," he said wearily.
"You did great, Sparky," Toph said, offering him a rare genuine smile.
Katara managed to hold back her tears as she echoed Toph's sentiments.
Zuko straightened and gave her a tired expression. "The populace seemed to accept the news better than I thought they would, but riots will break out. War is the only thing my people have known for over one hundred years. Many of their livelihoods are based on the war. It will not be an easy transition to peace. Coming up with enough housing, food, and employment for the returning soldiers will be difficult, if not im-"
Katara cut him off. "You can think about that later. Hopefully the nations will be willing to help one another with trade and exchange programs. We will figure it out during the peace talks. But for now, we need to concentrate on defeating Azula. If she wins, then everything is lost. There will be no transition to peace if you fall tomorrow," she reminded him gravely.
"She's got that right, Sparky. Let's just think about kicking Her Royal Craziness' butt tomorrow," Toph piped in.
An angry, determined look came over the Fire Lord's face. Katara suppressed a shudder as she recognized his dangerous expression. At least it was no longer directed at her.
"You're right. Tomorrow, I fight for my rightful place on the throne. Tomorrow, Azula will learn why I deserve to rule the Fire Nation. We will prevail, then we can figure out solutions for everything else."
As she watched him speak, Katara had one thought.
Yes, Azula certainly is crazy to challenge him.
The next morning dawned bright and clear, but the red skies over the sea at sunrise promised of storms to come in the afternoon. Zuko stood on his balcony watching the sun peek over the horizon; he could practically feel the electricity in the air. His taut muscles were ready for action. Today, he would fight his sister for the throne of his nation. And she would fall.
His night had been restless. In addition to his nerves over the coming invasion, he had instructed messengers to bring him hourly updates of the position of Azula's fleet. At this point, the first warships were due to arrive by mid-afternoon.
After a brief meditation session, he dressed in full battle armor. The day was warm, and he started to sweat under the thick leather. Once the battle commenced, he was certain that being too hot would be his last concern.
He had his servants bring him a small breakfast, and after eating, he went in search of Katara. He found her in the main courtyard…in the middle of the turtleduck pond. She didn't seem to notice him enter the gardens, so he stopped short of approaching her and enjoyed the view.
She stood in the shallow pond, her eyes closed. Water droplets shimmered in her dark hair, reflecting in the early morning sunlight. Her arms gracefully guided her element as she moved from basic forms to more advanced forms. The clear liquid danced around her, and she deftly froze it into sharp points and flung them into a nearby tree. Zuko reflected that he was her target at one point in time. He sometimes forgot that despite her gentle nature, she was a hardened warrior. A very powerful one.
He turned as he heard footsteps approach. He was surprised to see the elder Master Pakku. He had been expecting a soldier or messenger. The master waterbender looked at him with both suspicion and surprise.
The Fire Lord wasn't sure what to make of the waterbender's appearance, and stood awkwardly before the man. By this point, Katara had noticed the two men in the courtyard, but continued to practice her forms.
Finally the old man spoke. "She does make the art of waterbending beautiful, doesn't she?"
Of all the things I expected him to say, that wasn't it.
Unsure of how to respond, he merely nodded his head.
"She was my most skilled student, and now she has surpassed even me in technique. After her arrival at the Northern Water Tribe, she looked so small and lost. She had just suffered the loss of her family and the extermination of her entire Tribe," he said pointedly.
Zuko closed his eyes and stared at the grass at his feet.
The gray-haired man continued. "For centuries, it was customary for the women benders to learn healing, while the men learned the art of war. In recent years, however, there were so few of us remaining that we were forced to change our traditions. When Katara was brought before me, I knew I wanted to teach her to protect herself. I didn't want her to be helpless any longer."
Zuko watched as the man looked at Katara, who was still manipulating the water around her. There was love and regret in his eyes.
"I loved her as my own granddaughter. That's why it hurt so much when I thought she had betrayed our people. I thought she had taken everything I had given her and taught her and used it against us. I couldn't understand why she loved you, our worst enemy."
"One thing about Katara – she looks for the good in everyone. Even those she hates. Even those who have wronged her in every way. It seems she has done so with you, and as a result, she may have found peace for the world."
He turned to the Fire Lord and stared him in the eye. "I saw the way you looked at her just now. You truly love her, don't you?"
Zuko glanced over at the waterbender who was emerging from the pond, having finished her practice. He turned back to the elder waterbender and looked him straight in the eye.
"I do. More than anything," he answered honestly.
Master Pakku nodded sadly. "And she loves you – I can see it in her eyes." He sighed. "Take care of her, young Fire Lord. You don't deserve her."
With that, he turned and retreated out of the courtyard, leaving a confused Zuko in his wake.
Later in the afternoon, all of the battle divisions moved into their respective positions, and awaited the imminent arrival of the princess' invasion force. Katara stood on the deck of a ship, disguised in a firebender uniform. All of the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom soldiers were wearing the clothing of Fire Nation soldiers to increase the element of surprise. Azula would not be expecting waterbending and earthbending from enemy forces today.
Zuko stood calmly next to her. Earlier in the day, she had noticed Master Pakku approach the Fire Lord in the courtyard while she practiced her bending. By the time she had finished, her old master had left the garden, and Zuko had a strange look on his face.
Curious, she had walked up to Zuko and asked him what Pakku had said.
"We were just speaking of the battle plan for today," he had responded. Katara hadn't quite believed him, but all rational thought had fled her mind when Zuko leaned down to kiss her. Of course, Toph had chosen that most inopportune moment to make her grand entrance into the courtyard.
"Finally! It's about time you guys did some lip-locking. Your pent-up emotions have been driving me crazy! I can't take all the pounding heartbeats!"
Katara's cheeks had flamed at the earthbender's observations, but Zuko had just rolled his eyes and leaned down to continue kissing her.
Toph had then proclaimed that they didn't need to overdo it, and announced she was going to find some more food because she was about to lose her breakfast.
Now, as she stood on the deck of the metal warship, she longed for the battle to be over. Their ship would be the first in line to approach Azula's flagship as it passed through the Gates of Azulon. They hoped they would be able to take the Princess before she ever reached the shore of the Fire Nation capital.
Suddenly, the pounding of gongs and the steady thrum of drums filled the air. Azula's fleet had been sighted. The battle was about to begin.