I'd like to apologize in advance for the confusion. I had intended to get Aang and Zuko to the Sun Warrior city by the end of this chapter, but I sort of got sucked into the discussions of the group so I was forced to change the title. Rest assured the next chapter will see Aang and the others to their destination. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed with this chapter, but so long as we can get the story moving along, meh. Shout out to RueBroadway (yes, I am evil), superkawaiifoxy, kitkat1327 (Mrs. Expendable thanks you for your condolences), Shade Adriel, Music is my BFF, charizardag, badculture, Khajmer, wtfbrunteesoftball, Talon88.1, MastaDrumma22, solareclipse, and Luiz4200. I own nothing but Shang-wēifēng, so hands off:D Warning: this chap contains spoilers for The Firebending Masters.
The Search for Shang-wēifēng
Chapter Seven:
New Plans and New Journeys
Iroh gingerly lifted his tea kettle from over the campfire and poured some into the two small cups. Placing the kettle on the ground, he took one cup for himself and offered the other to his host. Jeong Jeong eyed it as though it would turn into a viper-scorpion at any moment, but accepted it with a curt nod. Still as paranoid as ever, Iroh smiled as he sipped at his tea. The other man hadn't changed a bit in the twelve years since he had last seen him. Of course the ex-admiral had grown more ragged and disheveled from wandering through the wilderness, but he still had the same hollow, haunted eyes gazing out of a wan, sallow face. The eyes of a murderer.
"I see you still haven't found that solitude you're so fond of," quipped the old Fire Prince, nodding to the surrounding trees where the infamous Deserter's watchers lay hidden. If he so much as sneezed wrong they would swoop from the branches and snuff out his life like a sputtering candle in a gale.
Jeong Jeong grunted sourly, still scrutinizing his tea. "I tried chasing them away but they kept coming back. Eventually, they wore me out and they've been following me around since."
"Maybe it's your sparkling personality," chuckled Iroh.
"A fine time to make jokes, boy," growled the hermit. "From what I've learned, your brother has placed a considerable bounty on your head. You've nothing to fear from me, of course - I'm a wanted man myself - but you should have a care where you show your face."
"Watch who you call 'boy'," snorted Iroh. "I'm not your student anymore."
"'A good student never ceases to learn'," quoted Jeong Jeong.
"'And a true teacher never gives way to hypocrisy'," returned the old general pointedly. "As much as I'd love to engage you in philosophical debate, I need to know what's been going on in the past five months."
"What in hells have you been doing?" scoffed the hermit. "Gambling on Pai Sho, drinking elixir, and frequenting the local pleasure districts I presume."
"Well," grinned Iroh. "I was actually in exile with my nephew, but I did manage to sneak in an appropriate amount of boozing and wenching when he wasn't looking."
Jeong Jeong looked at the other man flatly before smiling wryly into his yet untouched tea. "Yes, no doubt you did."
"I've lost touch with the rest of the world when my brother and Princess Azula had my nephew and I declared traitors. We were forced to wander aimlessly through the Earth Kingdom before we found refuge in Ba Sing Se for a few weeks before the Princess captured the city. After that I was thrown into prison."
"Life there agreed with you it seems," said the hermit noting Iroh's flat stomach.
"I had a bit of help from a lovely young woman," grinned the other man dreamily, then with a flourish added, "As well as my considerable acting ability."
Jeong Jeong shook his head. "It shames me to see my prized student behave so." At last he took a sip of his tea. "Well," he grimaced. "Omashu fell this past spring."
"Omashu?" repeated Iroh in surprise.
"Yes, only now it has been officially christened New Ozai by Azula."
"What a surprise," muttered the old general dryly. "What of King Bumi?"
"As I heard it, he surrendered his city without a fight. Strangely enough, mere days after Omashu's fall, the entire Earth Kingdom populace had managed to escape the Fire Nation by pretending to have caught an epidemic of some sort. Penta-pox I believe they called it. I'm sure I've heard of that."
The jovial Fire Prince laughed heartily. "Sounds like something old Bumi would come up with alright."
"That's the strange thing," said Jeong Jeong. "They say it wasn't Bumi, but some Water Tribe boy who came up with the plan. As far as I know, that senile fool is still in an underground cell of steel made especially for him and gibbering about how cozy it is."
"If I know Bumi," grinned Iroh. "He's listening and waiting for the right moment to act. What else have you heard? About the Avatar I mean."
The hermit gave a dismissive shrug. "Only rumors, each story more wild than the last. Some told me he died in Ba Sing Se, slain by the Fire Prince. Others say it was Azula, either alone or with those earthbenders she's ensnared into her thrall. Still more insist he had returned from the dead and razed the Fire Nation Capital to the ground. Others swear on their mother's graves that he killed the Fire Lord on the day of the eclipse and now rules the world in his place. Or he died in epic combat with Ozai and all of his allies were taken prisoner. As I said, I only have rumors and it is difficult to sift through all the nonsense to find the truth."
"Anything about my nephew?"
Jeong Jeong regarded him pointedly and reflected on the last time he had seen the once-great Dragon of the West, a broken-hearted man who had lost his only son in a blitz attack by the enemy no one, not even the sharpest of tacticians could have foreseen. The eyes of one who had sent his kinsman to his death. He now saw that same look in the other man's golden eyes reflecting the firelight, and shook his head.
"I am sorry Iroh, but I've heard nothing of Prince Zuko."
Iroh nodded but said nothing, taking another sip of his tea. At last he stood up.
"The time has come Jeong Jeong," he declared. "I know you feel it as well as I. The world groans in fear and pain. The deciding battle is drawing nearer, and we must now determine what needs to be done."
Jeong Jeong looked at him silently for a moment, before shaking his head again. "I severed my ties with the White Lotus long ago."
"And yet," countered Iroh. "Here we are. I called for your help, and you answered. You told me which ship to board, which port to get off at, and where to meet you from there."
"I did all that because I owe you," scoffed the hermit. "For turning a blind eye as I deserted this senseless war."
"And I did that because of the bond we once shared as master and student," insisted the aged Fire Prince. "Now, I call upon you to honor the oaths you and I both made long ago before the Altar of the Eternal Mother. This age is rapidly coming to a close, Jeong Jeong, and it depends on the likes of you and I whether this new age will be one of harmony or tyranny. You can't keep running from the world."
The hermit glared at his former student for a moment before his shoulders sagged in defeat.
"You always were my most stubborn pupil," Jeong Jeong muttered, rising to his feet.
"I learned from a master," grinned Iroh before adding, "Admiral."
"Never call me that," growled the Deserter gruffly. Then he sighed, "Very well. I'll send messengers to the others."
Iroh smiled in both anticipation and apprehension. He had never imagined that the Brotherhood of Eight would convene in council during my lifetime, let alone that he would be the one to call together such a meeting.
- - -
Four.
Five.
Six.
Mai bit back another scream as the fire whip seared her flesh again and again. She never imagined it would hurt so much. When she, Ty Lee and Azula landed, the Fire Princess took Mai by the wrist with one hand and with the other shot a blue flare into the air, signaling the two remaining scout balloons down. Then she lashed the noblewoman to a tree, securely tying her hands around the trunk with a piece of cloth and tore open the back of her dress exposing Mai's back. Once the firebenders aboard the balloons had landed, Azula ordered each of them to give Mai three lashes, which they hurriedly obeyed, not daring to second-guess a royal command.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
The third soldier completed his turn and moved to allow the fourth and final trooper to do his duty. Mai panted, the smell of her own burning flesh filled her nostrils, her vision blurred. She was marginally aware of Ty Lee crying somewhere behind her and of Azula observing the proceedings impassively.
When the first soldier had finished his work, the acrobat had cried, "Stop it, Azula! Please, just stop it!"
At first Mai had thought she was delirious. Ty Lee never stood up to Azula.
"Silence!" hissed the Fire Princess sternly. "Or you'll get the same."
"B-b-but..." sniveled Ty Lee.
"It's alright," said Mai, silently praying that her friend wouldn't antagonize the Fire Princess further. "It's alright."
The nobleman's daughter heard the circus performer whimper with indecision before finally breaking down in tears. That was when the second set of fire lashes came.
Ten.
Eleven.
Twelve.
Mai collapsed gasping against the tree trunk, hot tears of pain stinging her eyes, the burns on her back rendering her unable to move, and she almost cried out in agony as someone tried to cover her exposed areas with her ruined clothes.
Then the bonds around her wrists were cut and the nobleman's daughter sank to her knees, staring at Azula's boots. The Fire Princess knelt down in front of her and took her chin between her thumb, index and middle fingers, and tilted the other girl's face so their gazes met.
"I know that you and my brother have some unresolved...issues," Azula said slowly and ominously. "So let those burns on your back be a reminder for the next time your personal problems interfere with your duty. Because, make no mistake, if it happens again, I will kill you."
She then released Mai and easily strode past her. Then Ty Lee raced over to kneel in front of her injured friend. She enveloped her friend in a painful embrace, and blubbered how sorry she was, though through her sobs it mostly came out as gibberish.
Mai gave her old playmate one of her rare smiles and made soothing noises, assuring her she was okay.
It was worth it, she thought to herself, hugging a still-whimpering Ty Lee close, in spite of the pain. You're safe my Fire Prince. For now at least.
Across the clearing Azula glared balefully at the approaching dawn with her back to the Western Sea. The sun had not quite peeked up over the eastern hills, but the rosy hues of the world's coming awakening were visible. She had lost an airship, Mai was no longer reliable, and both the Avatar and her brother had managed to elude her.
Calm down, she told herself, recalling her lessons with Lo and Li. Unfettered anger is self-destructive and rashness leads to ruin. Then, as she did when she had played Pai Sho with her uncle as a little girl, she put her complex little mind to work analyzing her available options, playing all the possible scenarios through her head, until she found the one with the most desirable outcome.
"Alright," she called to the others. "Listen up. Mai. Ty Lee. The two of you are to take one of the balloons and go to Chameleon Bay. From there you are to send word to the Fire Lord, requesting more supplies and new transport and wait for me. Get word to Lo and Li while you're at it. I hope I can at least trust you with that much." she added looking pointedly at Mai, who prudently lowered her gaze.
"B-But," sniffled Ty Lee. "What are you going to do?"
The Fire Princess smirked. "I'm taking the other balloon north east to look up an old friend."
- - -
Toph Bei Fong was agitated. The little earthbender had been irate since Sokka and the others had left to rescue Katara and Zuko. She spent the whole night fretting and fuming with worry and anger, so much so that Teo and the Duke were afraid to approach her. When Appa finally landed with the Avatar, the mustachioed earthbender, the Fire Prince, and both Water Tribe siblings in tow, she put on her usual nonchalant act and crawled into her rock tent, sealing it behind her. She barely acknowledged Sokka's presence.
Sleep did nothing to improve her foul mood and it carried over into the next morning. She ate breakfast in silence as Aang and Katara described the exciting escapade aboard the Fire Princess's airship and the daring battle that took place outside, laughing when the waterbender reached the part where she accidently froze Zuko along with the Fire Nation soldiers. The Fire Prince did not share their amusement. Momo gave his own account of events through a series of chirps punctuated by a low bellow or two from Appa.
After eating, the blind earthbender went off to be by herself. She absently bent the black meteorite arm bracelet that the Water Tribe boy had given her upon returning from his training with Master What's-his-face into various different shapes. She could hear the others as clearly as though she were standing right next to her. Haru was practicing his earthbending drills with Aang. Teo and Zuko were clearing away the eating area while the Duke played with Momo, and a certain busybody Water Tribe girl was convincing her brother to go and talk to Toph, to which the runaway nobleman's daughter rolled her eyes. Here we go.
When she heard and felt the approaching footsteps behind her, she bent her bracelet back into its usual form around her arm and waited.
"Hey," said Sokka from behind her.
"Hey," she replied curtly without turning.
There was a silence and she felt tremors of discomfort emanating from the boy.
"Well?" she demanded irritably. "Spit it out!"
"You're a good fighter," said the Water Tribesman simply.
Toph turned her head to face him, "I'm a great fighter," she corrected. "The best there is. And don't you forget it."
"You're right," agreed Sokka.
The tiny earthbender sat in silence before saying, "Now, unless you're going to do something other than state the obvious, I'd like to be alone."
After a moment's hesitation, Sokka went on, "Up in that airship, my ears kept popping, plus with all the running feet and whirling diddly-bops everywhere, I could barely hear a thing. The fact that I knew we were like three miles above the ground didn't help matters much either."
"Sounds awful," said Toph turning her head away.
"You'd have hated it," smiled Sokka.
"So you didn't bring me along because you thought I wouldn't have been able to handle it?" she demanded.
"No!" protested the Water Tribe warrior, the waves of uncertainty and discomfort coming from the boy were now almost deafening to Toph. "It's just...well...I figured you'd be out of your element, since we'd be so far away from the ground and..."
"So you brought Haru?" cut in the blind girl incredulously. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"Now you're not being fair," growled Sokka, vibrations of anger creeping in with the rest. "None of us had been in an ariel fight before and I had to make a judgement call and we all know you're not at your best when you're in the air, and...let me finish!"
Toph, having turned her head to rebuke the swordsman again, snapped her mouth shut and waited.
"The point is," continued Sokka. "All it would take was one well timed fireball, or a well aimed spear thrust and that would be it. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."
The little earthbender's eyes widened, and she quickly turned away to hide her blush.
"Y-you..." she stuttered. "You were w-w-worried about...me?"
"Of course I was," said Sokka. Toph gasped as she felt the vibrations in the ground and read his heartbeat. He was telling the truth.
"You're a great fighter," he continued. "And a valued member of our team. We'd all hate to lose you."
The earthbender fell silent. Finally she prompted, "Is that all?"
The Water Tribe warrior gave a start. "Er..."
With a growl, Toph jumped to her feet and Sokka suddenly sank up to his neck into the ground.
"What'd I say?" demanded the Water Tribe boy, his head, shoulders and fingers the only parts of him left visible.
"YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DO YOU?!" shouted the little earthbender and she stormed off, leaving a very perplexed and annoyed Sokka to fend for himself.
"Not again," he groaned. Then he started to grunt and strain against the confines of his earthy prison. After struggling for a few moments he started calling, "Hello? Anybody? A little help here. Haru? Aang? Any earthbenders out there? Okay, I'll settle for a shovel."
- - -
Around noon, Haru had found Sokka stuck in the ground and freed him. When asked how it had happened he simply said he didn't want to discuss it.
"Okay," said Aang once everyone gathered in the clearing where they had made their encampment. The Avatar was seated near a grazing Appa. Leaning against a nearby tree with his arms crossed over his chest was Zuko. The Duke sat atop the boulder in the middle of the clearing with Sokka. Toph sat near Aang, an icy mask of indifference. Haru sat next to Katara who was busying herself feeding berries to Momo. "We're back together," continued the young monk. "So what's our plan from here?"
"We still have no idea where to start looking for the White Lotus to ask them about Shay-Way-Fay."
"Shang-wēifēng," corrected the Avatar. "We might find some answers at Omashu."
"That place is overrun by the Fire Nation," protested Sokka.
"That never stopped us before," argued the airbender.
"First thing's first," cut in Katara. "We still need to find Aang a firebending teacher."
"But we already got a firebender," said Toph, gesturing toward Zuko.
"I mean one who doesn't fizzle," said the waterbender, at which the Fire Prince glared.
"Maybe," suggested Toph, regarding the neutralized firebender. "You need to draw your firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source."
"How's he supposed to do that?" interjected Sokka. "By jumping into a volcano?"
"Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is," continued the earthbender, pointedly ignoring the Water Tribe boy.
"So..." mused Sokka. "Is it jumping into a volcano?"
"Shut up, Sokka," said the blind girl cooly. Then she continued, "One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. I guess I wanted to get back at my parents for never giving me any freedom, while at the same time showing them I could take care of myself. Instead I ended up getting lost and crying like a baby."
She felt the looks everyone was giving her. "Hey," she protested. "I wasn't always the tough little piece of flint you all know and worship. Anyway," she went on. "That's when I met the badger moles, the true masters of earthbending. They were blind just like me, so we understood each other. For them, it wasn't just about fighting, it was their way of interacting with the world. That's why I was able to learn earthbending, not just as a martial art, but as an extension of my senses."
There was a silence as the others regarded their companion with awe.
"That's amazing Toph!" breathed the Avatar.
"That's pretty impressive alright," Sokka complimented, to which Toph only snorted.
"It makes sense," said Katara. "After all, it's said that Oma and Shu were taught by badger moles, and the Air Nomads learned their bending art from the flying bisons."
"You hear that Appa?" grinned Aang, looking toward his bison. "Maybe you can give me a few pointers buddy."
Appa bellowed in response.
"It won't work," said Zuko bowing his head. "The original firebenders, the dragons, went extinct a long time ago."
"How did..." Aang began.
"But," interrupted the Fire Prince, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "It is said that the first humans they taught were the Sun Warriors, a civilization that predated the Fire Nation."
"Okay," said the Avatar. "We'll just find these Sun Warrior guys and have them teach us."
"That won't work either," said Zuko. "The Sun Warriors vanished more than a thousand years ago."
"Then why bring it up?" snapped Katara. The Fire Prince looked at her. Though she was somewhat sympathetic as they fled Azula's exploding airship, leaving Mai behind, she had since reverted back to her open hostility of him.
"The ruins of their city aren't too far from here," he explained. "It's a longshot, but Avatar Aang and I might learn something if we go there."
"How do we know you're not leading us into a trap?" demanded Haru, glowering at the Fire Prince.
"There won't be an 'us'," said Zuko sternly meeting the Earth Kingdom boy's glare with a level stare. "The Avatar and I will be making this journey alone."
The exiled Prince looked at each of his companions in turn, waiting for the inevitable arguments and assassinations of his character. Haru glared daggers at him. Teo and the Duke only looked uncertain. Toph nodded thoughtfully while Sokka only shrugged. He gazed at Katara and she returned it stoically. After a few moments her face reddened and she looked away.
"Fine," she said after a pause.
Everyone looked at her pop-eyed.
"But," she continued. "Only if I get to come along."
"No," said the Fire Prince flatly.
"What do you mean 'no'?" demanded the waterbender, shooing the lemur away and
rising to her feet.
"No," repeated Zuko with more emphasis. "Those ruins are sacred to firebenders. Your presence there would be unacceptable."
"Considering what you did at the North Pole's Spirit Oasis," growled Katara. "I'd say fair's fair."
The Fire Prince flushed. "This isn't about fairness!" he protested, as he too rose to his feet to confront the waterbender. "It's about Avatar Aang learning firebending."
"No," Katara shot back. "It's about you getting your firebending back."
"So the Avatar can learn from me!"
"If Aang's going that's all the more reason I should go," said the Water Tribe girl firmly, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.
"Haven't I proven my loyalty enough?" demanded the Fire Prince.
"You've proven that loyalty doesn't mean much to you," countered Katara.
"Will you two knock it off!?" shouted Aang. "You're arguing like petulant children and we have no time for these petty arguments!"
As one, the Fire Prince and waterbender directed abashed looks to the ground.
"She started it," Zuko muttered under his breath.
"Oh real mature!" groused Katara
"Cut it out!" shouted Toph. "Now you two sound like an old married couple!"
Both Zuko and the Water Tribe girl - as well as everyone else in the little encampment - fell silent and gawked at the tiny earthbender.
"Ah," sighed Toph, grinning. "That's better."
- - -
Katara stood ankle-deep in the stream near the campsite. After filling her water-skins, she decided to get in a few waterbending drills before she departed east aboard Appa with Aang. And Zuko, who had finally caved and agreed to allow her to accompany them. The rest of the group would head southward for Omashu to find clues to the location of the Hidden Valley. It was about two day's travel on foot and Sokka was certain they would find some other mode of transport on the way. If all went well, they would meet outside the city walls once Aang and the Fire Prince found whatever it is they were looking for.
She should probably be worried about what waited for them at the Sun Warrior City. Perhaps she should be concerned with the tension she sensed between her brother and Toph - Spirits! Why did she have to go and say what she said? And in front of everybody! She hadn't even considered all the things that could go wrong during the time they were separated.
But for some reason the only thing on her mind was Zuko. Zuko. Zuko.
"Rrrrrrrrrgh!" she raged and she sent a jet of water shooting into the air. Why did that spoiled, stuck-up, piece of seal vomit constantly invade her thoughts. After taking a calming breath, she wove her arms with the movements Master Pakku had taught her and listed all the things she found detestable about the Fire Prince. She hated his insolent golden eyes. She hated his whole brooding demeanor. She hated the way his body felt against hers, so lean and muscular and powerful...
Bad thoughts, she chided herself. Bad thoughts.
She angrily continued the list. He was arrogant. Grouchy. He had tried to hurt her and those she cared for on more occasions than she cared to remember. He was the Fire Lord's son and Azula's brother. He was somehow involved with that gloomy stiletto girl, Mai. Just what was the nature of their relationship...?
NO! the waterbender inwardly shrieked. Bad Katara! Bad Katara! Bad! Bad! BAD!
"Katara?"
The Water Tribe girl nearly leapt three feet into the air at the voice and turned to see Haru, along with Sokka, Teo, the Duke and Toph, with Momo sitting on her shoulder. They all looked as though they were judges ready to pass sentence.
"Appa's ready," said her brother, gesturing back towards the clearing. "Aang and Zuko are waiting for you."
"Oh," said Katara simply, as she stepped out of the water. "Alright."
They still watched her with those weighing looks.
"Uh, is there something going on I should know about?" asked the waterbender.
"We, that is myself included," began Haru before being cut off by Sokka's sharp, "We want to know what you think of Zuko."
"What?"
"Tell us what you think of Sunshine," repeated Toph, placing her hands on her hips and tapping her foot.
Where did this come from all of a sudden? "Well," breathed Katara. "I don't want to bore you with a list so I'll just put it this way: I hate him."
Toph stopped tapping her foot but said nothing. Haru seemed relieved for some reason but Sokka remained unconvinced. "Come one Katara," he said accusingly. "It wouldn't be the first time you fell for the bad boy type."
"Just-just what are you implying?"demanded the waterbender, her cheeks flaring.
"You do keep making excuses to be around him," Teo pointed out.
"Such as?"
"Well," went on the inventor's son cautiously. "There was the last time he attempted to train Aang, you insisted on going with him."
"That was to keep an eye on him so Aang wouldn't get hurt," insisted Katara.
"Then I found you two together on Azula's airship," said Sokka.
"They put us in the same room," protested the Water Tribe girl. "It's not like I planned on getting captured with him."
"And," piped up the Duke. "There was the bath thing when he saw you butt-nak-"
"THAT DOESN'T COUNT!" roared Katara, sending the little helmet boy scrambling for cover behind an unperturbed Toph, along with the frightened lemur who crouched behind her neck.
"None of that matters," said Sokka, massaging his ears, still ringing after Katara's
outburst. "The point is...if you marry a firebender I swear I'll disown you!"
The waterbender glared darkly at her brother and was about to bend the water from the stream to freeze the blue-eyed warrior to a tree when Toph spoke up.
"I realize it isn't any of our business," said the tiny earthbender calmly. "But you'd better consider Twinkletoes' feelings before you go and do like the rabbit-minks do with Sunshine."
Katara stared at the other girl, not because of the inappropriateness of her last comment, but because of what she was hinting at. The Water Tribe girl averted her cobalt eyes. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she sniffed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Aang and Prince Fizzle are waiting for me."
As she walked past, the tiny earthbender grabbed her arm and yanked her down so that their faces were almost touching.
"Come off it," whispered Toph harshly. "Not only should you know better than to try to lie to me, but did you really think I wouldn't hear your heart going a mile a minute when Aang kissed you?"
Katara gaped at her in shock but said nothing as Momo, crawled up Toph's arm and onto the waterbender's shoulder.
"Just keep it in mind," said the earthbender simply.
After that she said her goodbyes and wishes of good will and climbed aboard the bison, who, at a yip-yip from Aang, flapped his tail and soared east toward the Sun Warrior City. Katara sat in silence pondering Toph's words before dismissing them with a shake of her head. They don't know what they're talking about, she thought to herself. It's all just a misunderstanding. They'll see there's no way I could be attracted to that scar-faced creep.
- - -
Concealed in the branches around the clearing, the three figures in black watched the departing bison. The small one gestured hurried instructions to the other two, who returned affirming motions. Then the small one's form blurred and disappeared as she went in pursuit of the rogue Air Nomad and the firebender while her two companions remained behind to watch the remaining quintet moving southward. And to wait.
OMG! Azula's such a sadist! I would like to make special mention of Talon88.1 for suggesting - for use in page breaks. I tried it for this chap so hope it works. All my paragraphs clumped together was driving me crazy. Anyway on to my self-important grandstanding: Who is the mysterious Brotherhood of Eight? Who is the 'old friend' Azula is referring to? Is Katara attracted to Zuko? Will this affect her relationship with Aang? Why am I asking you these things? I'm the writer, shouldn't I already know? Next time: The Sun Warrior City. Seriously this time. I promise ;) R&R