Hope everyone is enjoying the story, specially since I haven't gotten may reviews on recent chapters.

Chapter 13: Army of the White Lotus

"How the hell did we wind up like this

Why weren't we able

To see the signs that we missed

And try to turn the tables

Now the story's played out like this

Just like a paperback novel

Let's rewrite an ending that fits

Instead of Hollywood horror."

From the song "Someday" by Nickelback

Katara scratched at her brother's hands. "Sokka...let go! You'll kill him! Let go you idiot!"

When Sokka completely ignored her, Katara knew things were bad. She wasn't sure she'd be able to get Sokka's hands off Zuko before the prince was strangled to death.

She kept pulling anyways. She even planted her feet to get a better leverage and pulled on his arms. Zuko was starting to go purple.

Sweat broke out on Katara's forhead and she closed her eyes. Come on spirits work with me here...

For a split second Katara thought she felt something cool under her fingers. She could've sworn she heard the slightest trickle of water running.

Sokka gapped in surprise when his hands suddenly got a will of their own and let go of Zuko's throat. The prince dragged in much needed air and started coughing as the siblings fell backwards.

Zuko stood up only to have Sokka ram into him and push him back. There was a ripping sound and then they were rolling about in the dirt outside the tent.

Katara followed the pair. She had her water skin now but couldn't see an openning to freeze the two in place so they stopped fighting.

Some of the men were coming out of their tents wondering what the ruckus was about making Katara nervous. Zuko had said he wasn't suppose to be here...

Katara's fears became realized when two men grabbed the prince and another handed Sokka a club. The men were calling to the firebender's blood.

Before Sokka could do anything with the club two slabs of rock rose out fo the ground and imprisoned him.

"Hey!" Sokka yelled and glared at Bumi. "What's the big idea?"

"I would think it obvious, to keep you from bashing the prince's head in." The old man said simply.

"Thank you Bumi." Hakoda stated with a smile before giving his son a stern look. "What is going on here, Sokka?"

Sokka glared at Zuko. "I found this firebender in our tent. He's not even allowed in our camp! He knew that and ignored my warning!"

"I see..." Hakoda said blandly. His mind already coming up with the problems this was going to start.

"I didn't do anything!" Zuko yelled at Sokka only to have one of the men tell him to shut up and punch him in the gut.

"That's enough of that!" Hakoda snapped angrily.

"I rather think he deserves more." Someone yelled from the crowd. Other men grumbled in agreement, those who looked to dislike the idea looked elsewhere. None willing to deal with the possible consquences of speaking up.

"Shut up Hahn!" A female voice called out. "Move it the lot of you! Out of my way!"

One couldn't be sure who was happier to see Mari and Aang emerge from the crowd. Zuko for seeing someone to watch his back in case he had to make a break for it, Katara for someone who knew all the parties involved, or Hakoda seeing someone who could help him calm the riotous atmosphere.

"Sorry we are running late guys." Aang stated.

Hakoda gave a bow to Aang and nodded to Mari.

Hahn pushed his way though. "What do you want? This is a Tribe matter, not a Nomad matter."

Mari ignored him and looked from Sokka to Zuko and then turned and looked at Katara. Considering Sokka's dislike of Zuko, big brother attitude, and the general tension between the Fire Nation and everyone else she could add up to this not being a good thing.

"What are we gonna do?" Aang whispered. "They technically have good reason to punish Zuko but if they do the Fire Nation is gonna be angrier then platypus bears!"

"We're going to stall." Mari whispered back.

"That's a great...um...what?"

Mari took a step forward and did her best to remember to breathe. "I understand this is a Tribe matter. However you are not in your territories. Technically your in Earth Kingdom territory and I don't remember them saying that firebenders can't visit a Water Tribe camp."

Hahn sneered. "We demand he pay for trespassing."

"Certainly." Mari said calmly. "We can figure it all out tomorrow at the council meeting. For now I think the best course would be to put both of the boys under arrest and in cells."

"WHAT!?" Sokka roared. "What did I do!?"

Instead of answering Mari looked at Katara who'd been sitting silently. "Katara who threw the first punch?"

Katara frowned. Torn between Zuko and her brother. "Umm...Sokka did..." She answered truthfully.

"So Sokka your probably guilty of assault."

Sokka sputtered angrily but he couldn't argue the point.

Mari grinned a bit as she looked from Sokka to Zuko. "I'm sure you two boys can manage to survive a night in a cell."

"I'M NOT GOING INTO A CELL!" Both of them yelled at the top of their lungs.

Sokka's legs dangled out from his cage. He glared angrily at the cage suspended next to him. "This is all your fault you know that? Leave it to a firebender to cause trouble."

Zuko had been managing to ignore Sokka's ranting for over an hour but now his patience had run out. "Aren't you ever quiet? A hogmonkey is quieter then you."

"Just admit this is all your fault and I might consider being quiet."

Zuko snorted. "No. You started all this when you decided to try and choke the life out of me."

Sokka growled. "I was defending my sister from you!"

"If your sister didn't want me there then she'd have called the guards herself or used her waterbending. Face it. She wanted to see me as much as I wanted to see her."

Hearing Sokka start sputtering in outrage Zuko closed his eyes with a grin intending to pick up his meditating where he left off. Not even a minute later however something rammed his cage and sent Zuko flying painfully into the bars.

Sokka stood in his swinging cage with a cocky grin on his face.

Zuko sneered at the grin. So he wants to play that way? Fine.

Sticking his limbs out of the cage Zuko used his firebending to ram Sokka's cage harder.

After he finished bouncing about in this cage Sokka snarled. "Why you little..."

The sound of the cages crashing together time and again rang through the air. Toph didn't even need her feet to know what was going on from the ruckus.

When Toph got back to the tent she was worried. "Are you sure leaving them in those cages all night is a good idea?" She asked.

Mari sighed. "The cages should keep them from actually hurting each other. I'm hoping they'll come to some kind of peace while they're out there."

"That would be nice." Katara said sadly. "I'm not going to hold my breath though."

"It'll be ok Katara." Aang told her. Part of him still wanted her to favor him over Zuko but he hardly had time to think these days, much less actually spend time with anyone. "What are we going to do tomorrow though. The Water Tribes will be calling for blood as much as the Fire Nation here."

Mari sighed. "I already talked to Ursa, Iroh, and Hakoda about it. They all agree it's just a childish fight between children."

"Mari you didn't see Sokka at the start." Katara said. "He was going to kill Zuko. He had ever intention of choking him with his bare hands."

"Honestly it doesn't matter." Mari said. "Each side has people who'd rather kill each other then work together. This is just gonna pour fuel on an already burning fire, and I'm not sure we can contain the blaze."

"Maybe Aang can talk to everyone? He is the Avatar after all." Toph supplied.

"I'm not very good at speeches." Aang stated.

"You don't have to be. You just have to be in a position to get attention. You definately have that." Mari stated and looked thoughtful. An idea was starting to take root.

"What are you thinking?" Toph asked. She could almost feel Mari's wheels going through her feet.

"We just need to remind people why we're here. We need make a show of having Aang's back."

"What's the plan?" Katara asked.

Mari bit her lip. "Well if we can manage it..."

As dawn started to creep up over the horizon Zuko sighed. He and Sokka had long since stopped literally and figuratively bumping heads. Sokka still radiated distrust, as did Zuko, but neither of them had the energy to take a swing at the other.

Zuko sat with his back resting on some bars while Sokka was pressed again his bars with his limbs dangling again. As the sun was rising Zuko's tired mind couldn't help but rest on the one thing that had been buzzing about in his head since Sokka had threatened him when he'd tried getting into the camp.

"Is it me?"

Sokka jerked a little. He'd been half asleep when Zuko's voice had startled him awake. "What?"

"I asked if it was me."

"What about you?"

Zuko glared. "I know it's hard for your but don't play stupid. Is it particularly me you don't want near your sister or any guy in general?"

Sokka scowled at the slight jab. "I don't like the thought of any guy with my sister really but your the worst possible one for her."

"Why is that? Besides that I'm a firebender."

"Well there is that, but you've also been one of the people fighting us for so long. Katara just seems to have forgotten that...she's not thinking straight...she's...well..."

Zuko grinned a bit and leaned his head back against the bars. "Kind, generous, beautiful, loyal, smart?"

Sokka gave him a look that rang of annoyance. "She's not just that though."

Zuko closed his tired eyes. "I agree. She's the most stubborn, bossy, and frustrating girl I've ever met. Made me want to pull my hair out more then once. Girls are just crazy."

Sokka couldn't help but grin at that statement. "Yeah I'd have to agree with you on that one."

They sat quietly for a bit ,both surprised to have found something they agreed on, before Zuko spoke again.

"So you think the Avatar's better for her?"

"Aang?" Sokka scrunched up his nose in thought. "No way. I mean I know he's been all crazy about her but she never showed any interest back. I didn't have to worry about it then. Even if she was though I don't think they'd work. Aang to much of a pushover. Katara needs someone who can rein her in and get her out of the trouble she'll put herself in."

"Like when she decides to go stealing scrolls." Zuko stated with a slight laugh. He decided not to point out to Sokka that he'd let it slip that Katara showed interest in him.

"Exactly!" Sokka said nodding. He frowned for a minute. He was pretty sure nothing happened to his sister in that episode with the pirates since she'd seemed alright but he was tempted to ask Zuko to be sure. Sokka knew his sister and had no illusions that she'd downplay anything that happened to her.

Zuko saw Sokka frown. "No one did anything but tie her to a tree." He stated then added as an afterthought. "Nothing happened when we were imprisoned in Ba Sing Se either."

Sokka sighed. "You just...you've been after us so long that it's really hard to think of you as anything but a murderous firebender."

"Your sister said something along those lines in Ba Sing Se."

Sokka blinked. "Really?"

Zuko nodded. "Oh yes. I don't think it occured to her that I could still firebend while she was stuck without water but when they threw me in the cave with her she started biting my head off."

Sokka felt a moment of both pride for his sister showing no fear like a warrior and appaulled at the thought that she'd deliberately provoked a firebender while unarmed herself. "What did she say?"

Zuko grinned the slightest bit at the memory. "When we started talking reasonably or when she was biting my head off? I have to be honest, when she was yelling at me I kinda toned her out."

"I don't blame you there." Sokka told him thinking of some of the lectures he'd gotten from his sister in his lifetime.

"She said that whenever she imagined the face of the enemy she imagined my face." Zuko said. "I suppose I can't blame any of you for that considering how I hunted you all down."

"So do you think of me when you think of a warrior from the Water Tribe?" Sokka asked. Then he thought of his first encounter with Zuko and scowled. "Nevermind."

Zuko chuckled. "Actually I do a bit. I remember when you charged me that I thought you were stupid. Brave yes, but stupid."

"Gee, thanks." Sokka said in an acid tone.

"Well you can hardly argue that you were a great warrior back then." Zuko stated.

"I was the best warrior in my village!"

"You were the only warrior in your village."

"You know if your trying to impress me so you can date my sister your really failing at it." Sokka sneered.

Zuko gave him a flat look. "Maybe this didn't occur to you but I don't need your permission to do anything with your sister. She can handle herself quite well or did you need us to have another fight for you to remember that?"

Sokka pondered for a moment. He had to admit that Katara had bested Zuko in a number of fights. "I still don't trust you with her." He stated.

"Fine." Zuko replied. "Can we at least agree to one thing though?"

"What?"

"We stop fighting each other till this war is over at least. I know it hurts Katara for one and it certainly won't help matter between our people. This is personal and shouldn't be put before everything else."

Sokka pondered the suggestion for a bit. "Alright but from now on I want to be around when and if you ever are around Katara."

Zuko sighed. He supposed that was the best he'd get from Sokka for now. "Deal."

When a horn blew out across the camp people were startled. Rarely was a general assembly called for unless the council wished to address the entire camp.

Even more surprising was that it wasn't the entire council that was seated up on the makeshift stage. The Avatar stood there looking about nervously as people gathered. Some of the people recognized council memebers behind the Avatar but whispered curiously about the lack of others. Also on the stage with him was a small blind girl, a teenage female waterbender, and two teenage boys who everyone had seen sitting in cages last night. These four brought about curious mummurs and rumors about the lot started running on tongues.

"Hey Aang!" Someone yelled from the crowd. Aang looked about and spotted the crowd parting near the front of the stage.

"Teo!" He called out and waved. Since people were still gathering he walked over to chat for a moment with the cripple. "What are you doing here?"

"Well turned out one of our refugees was part of some society. They told us about this gather of folks to fight the Fire Lord so my dad and some of us came to try and help. After all, didn't Sokka say as long as we controlled the skies we'd have the firebenders on the run?" Teo said with a grin.

"Well don't put our firebenders on the run." Aang told him returning his grin.

"Aang, we're ready for you!" Katara called.

Aang airbended himself back onto the stage and looked out at the crowd. Nerves suddenly screamed at him as she stared out at the strange faces looking back at him. Many looked confused by him, others skeptical, all were disbelieving.

Aang had not been seen amoung the people much. Indeed he had been so busy few knew him to be the Avatar at all. Sure there was rumors of the Avatar being a kid but no one had actually believed them until now. Faced with the truth however many of them did not think this child capable of defeating the Fire Lord. Avatar or not.

He could read it in their eyes. Quite suddenly his own insecurities and fears crashed in on him. If the people he was suppose to help did not believe in him how was he suppose to believe in himself.

"Aang, they're waiting for you." Katara whispered by his side giving his hand a quick squeeze.

"I don't know what to say." He whispered back. While everyone had given him ideas of what to talk about they didn't have a speech written down.

"Tell them..." Katara suddenly spotted someone in the crowd. "Hey isn't that Meng and Aunt Wu?"

Aang looked and sure enough there the pair was.

"And over there, that's Haru and his father. There's the Zhangs, and Gan Jins too."

Aang started to look around better and slowly started seeing people he'd met on his journey.

Your not alone. Just breathe.

Aang took a deep breathe and slowly let it out. "Thank you all for coming and for your patience. My friends and I need to ask you for your help..."

Mari did her best to keep the grin off her face. She and the other's had poured over ideas for the speech Aang was making. It was decided a basic plea for help would have the greatest affect. Surely no one could resist being known for helping the Avatar or a request for help in general.

She saw some people nod at Aang's call to let the past rest. Other looked like they pondered this, and still other shook their heads.

It would take years to bury the past. Mari knew this as well as some people could. She didn't call for people to never remember the past, only to stop living in it.

Almost as if on cue Hahn climbed onto the stage and made Mari grind her teeth. Selfish glory hound can't just leave it alone can he?

Hahn gave what to most must have looked like a polite applause at the end of Aang's speech for unity. "Nice speech Avatar Nang but your forgetting the real point of this gathering. We're not here to make nice we're here to win a war!"

"Shut up Hahn." Sokka sneered.

"You know it as well as I do Soaka. That's why you did your duty and defended your camp against that firebender!" Hahn said pointing at Zuko who glared back at him. "We're here to defeat the Fire Nation. Period."

"Defeat does not mean destroy..." Katara started.

Hahn snorted and waved dismissively at Katara. "You shouldn't even be here. Girls have no place in war."

Katara could feel a vein pulsing in her forehead, her hand were balled into fists with her desire to punch Hahn in the face.

"I think you've said enough." Iroh stated sourly.

"See! See what I mean people? The Fire Nation does as it sees fit and the rest of us suffer! Where's our justice? Where is..."

Whatever Hahn was about to say was lost in a scream as he suddenly flew up into the air. A relatively small tornado whipped him around as he shrieked in terror and finally slammed him down on the ground. He was alive but badly shaken. Everyone gapped at the angry bender in fear.

"Justice!?" Mari yelled at the top of her voice. "Suffering!? You of all people know nothing of either! Have you ever starved because you can't get work due to being from the Fire Nation! Have you ever been deemed an animal for being different! No! You see it fit that everyone who's ever wronged you is made to be miserable! Your justice would have this war NEVER END!"

Mari sneered at the crowd as the wind whipped and carried her rantings farther then she realized. She was sick of it. Sick of the games, lies, and intrigue. She knew others were sick of it to, and if no one was going to get up and do something then by every spirit there was she would do it.

"We are not here to avenge fallen families, lost homes, or broken dreams! We're not here to go murder more innocent people because the other side did it first! We're not here to fight Fire Nations, Earth Kingdoms, Water Tribes, or Air Nomads! We are not here to point fingers and blame!"

"We are here to help the Avatar! We're here to restore balance! We're hear to stop a war not continue it! If you are here for any other reason then those three then get out! NOW! If you stay you are no longer part of any tribe, kingdom, or nation! You'll be part of an army!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Aang called out after letting them digest Mari's words for a moment. "Welcome to the Army of the White Lotus."