Hello readers!! I've gotten some really nice reviews of chapter 4 and the story as a whole. Thanks so much for reviewing! That's what makes writing worth while. :) This story got 84 views the day I published chapter 4... Only like 6 reviews though. :( KEEP REVIEWING!

Here's the next chapter, I already know what the 6th chapter will be, so it should be out much faster than this one... (Hopefully)

Enjoy!

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Zuko sat silently in what used to be the war room now renamed simply, the meeting room. He thought back to just one hour ago when a gentle knock sounded on his door.

It was early in the morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet. Zuko was in his throne room, much smaller and less spectacular than the one his father, Ozai, had kept. Zuko had decided that the flame-surrounded throne was a pride-inducing location; all he really needed was a place to sit when people came to speak with him. He chose a small room with a table and chairs and used that to serve the purpose. A knock sounded at the door.

"Yes?" Zuko said, in a mildly surprised tone. It was very early for visitors but, then again, he was the Fire Lord. The door opened and he stepped in.

"Someone is here to speak with you. He won't give a name; he wishes to speak with you alone, no guards," said Ling, one of Zuko's trusted men who took most of the Hawks and spoke with those who had requests for their new Fire Lord. Not always the friendliest of folk.

"He's going to have to give a bit more information to earn our trust," Zuko replied.

"I told him that; he said he has information you need. He wouldn't tell me about what. Sir, if I may suggest, we could always have some guards stay without his knowledge." Zuko smiled and laughed.

"Thank you for the advice, Ling. But it's not my safety I'm worried about. I wish Toph where here; she makes sorting out the liars so simple." Ling nodded.

"What should I tell him, Sir?" Zuko sighed.

"Send him in... Maybe he really does have information I need."

"Sir... are you sure you want to-"

"Yes, Ling. I am in need of information; I have a good feeling about this. Tell the guards to wait just out of earshot. I'll be fine." Ling sighed, clearly disagreeing with Zuko's judgment.

"Yes, Sir. I'll send him in." Ling turned and left, shutting the door behind him. Zuko heard him send the guards away and call the visitor. The door swung open. Ling nodded to the visitor who walked in and bowed.

"You may leave, Ling," said Zuko. Ling closed the door and walked back to his post, very slowly. Zuko studied the stranger; he wore a black hooded cloak. Other than that it was impossible to know what he looked like. Something he obviously wanted.

"Are we alone?" he said in a whisper.

"Yes, just as you requested," replied Zuko. The stranger fell to his knees on the floor and flipped back his hood. Tears ran down his face.

"You have to help me!"

Zuko closed his eyes, it was only an hour ago, but it seemed like ages had passed. The stranger's name was Chan Peng and he had poisoned Aang last night in fear that if he refused, his family would be killed. Chan told him everything he knew about the mastermind behind the plot. He was large, broad shouldered, wore a dark cloak, had a deep, rough voice and the most identifying detail, he was missing the tip of his left thumb. Zuko had written down every detail and sent Chan home with an order:

"Do whatever this man says. Here's a bottle of fake poison. He said he's going to try and get you a job here. When he comes to recommend you, we'll find a way to bring him down. We don't know how many he has under his command or if the palace is infiltrated, so we have to keep this silent. Do not alert him. Act no differently. We will save your family, Chan. If it takes everything I have, I will make sure your family comes home safely."

Once the coast was clear, Zuko sent Chan out the back way and called his guards back. He told them that the visitor had no useful information and that he had sent him out.

Now, an hour later, Zuko waited for the Gaang to arrive. They were coming early today because of the festival. The door opened. Sokka, Katara, Suki, Mai, Ty Lee and Toph, who had come home early, all filed in and took their seats. They were all quite confused as to why they were having a meeting rather than breakfast. Zuko gritted his teeth.

"Sokka, you invited your friend Chan Peng to dinner last night, correct?" Sokka nodded slowly.

"Yeah, why?"

"He came? He did have dinner at your house last night?"

"Yes. What's going on? Is something wrong?" said Sokka.

"Where's Aang? We thought he was here with you; we haven't seen him all morning." Katara added. Though she tried to hide it, she was obviously worried about him. And she had every right to be.

"Did Aang tell you about his meeting with me yesterday?"

"He told Suki and I...," said Sokka, not wanting to say that Aang had purposely not told Katara.

"I really don't know what to tell you, but no matter how I word it, it's not going to sound any better..." Zuko told them everything, starting with the threat they had received and ending with Chan's account of his family and poisoning Aang. The room was silent. Suddenly Katara stood.

"Wha- what are you saying?! Chan, poisoned Aang! No! That can't- NO!"

"Aang's the Avatar," said Toph, trying to calm everything down a bit. "Even if he did... even if this is true, he could just enter the Avatar state and-"

"And what? It's not an enemy he can fight with bending; it's poison. If he's smart, he wouldn't even enter the Avatar state, just in case..." said Zuko, cutting off the last of his statement. Katara tried to speak but couldn't put words together. "I don't want to believe this any more than you do, but we have to take this seriously. If Aang really was poisoned, he would have only had a few hours before the symptoms started to appear and, once that happens... it's normally too-"

"NO!! No no no no!! I won't believe this! You're lying! This can't happen!" Katara screamed. She stood up to leave.

"Katara, you can't go looking for Aang. We can't have the one who planned this thinking we figured it out. We have to act like we don't know-"

"You're an idiot. Don't you think he would expect Aang's fiance to be looking for him after he... if he's not around? He knows that Aang's been poisoned. Wouldn't it be odd if after that everyone acted normal? I'm not going to run around screaming for Chan. I want to find Aang! I know he's okay, he's got to be!" Katara closed her eyes, tears running down her cheek. "He's got to be..." Toph, Suki Ty lee and Mai all got up and went to her, holding her tightly.

"She's right. Instead of trying to shush it up, we should act like we're trying to shush it up while we look for Aang, but at the same time make it obvious that Aang's missing and we're looking for him. Then this guy would think we were in the dark. Rather than think we know what he knows." suggested Sokka. Zuko nodded.

"Maybe you're right. We need to be looking for Aang. Otherwise it will look like we know Aang's been poisoned... We shouldn't know that. He should just be missing," said Zuko. "We have to continue with the festival, otherwise it will look like we are taking this more seriously than just not knowing where Aang is."

"Zuko, did Chan say what kind of poison it was?" asked Suki.

"He didn't know. He said the man told him it had a bitter taste and that symptoms started to show up in about five hours."

"Wait! A bitter taste? You're sure?" said Sokka.

"Yeah, why?" The blood drained from Sokka's face.

"Aang remade the tea last night... he said it tasted bitter so he made a new pot." The room went quiet.

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... You're going to throw something at me, I can tell... You're ready to just shoot me and forget this story was ever written... But trust me! The next chapter will be better! (Maybe...) And you'll be glad you didn't leave now. (Hopefully...)

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