Chapter 27 The Pieces are Falling into Place Part 3
The sun was low in the evening sky over the fire nation Capital as the city started to head to bed; everyone knew that tomorrow was the day the comet arrived. The fire benders could hardly sleep knowing that tomorrow they would the strongest they could possibly be. The comet would add to their bending powers in the same way the full moon adds to the power of any water bender. Standing on a balcony with a glass warm tea in her hands was the soon to be fire Lord Princess Azula. She wished she could have a glass of wine but her father had a strict rule about drinking. She nor her brother was allowed to drink until their 21st birthday and he left order with the kitchen staff that she wasn't allowed to have it and his orders were still above hers.
"You seamed disappointed about something." said a voice from behind her as she turned around to see Sasuke standing there.
"Kind of wish I had some wine other than that no." answered Azula in a strangely honest tone. She had never experienced this before ever since she was little she was able to lie without trouble however with Sasuke she found it difficult to lie. "I get crowned tomorrow as Fire Lord and we end the avatar, my brother and Naruto all in one day."
"About that, maybe we should hold off on the crowning until the day after the comet." said Sasuke
"I have waited since as long as I can remember to be fire Lord." explained Azula as the almost sixteen year old girl crossed arms and looked at the sixteen year boy across from her. She knew that if anyone apart from Sasuke had told her that they would be punished. "Why should I wait?"
"And I wouldn't want our enemies to interfere with that event." explained Sasuke as Azula nodded her head. "Besides wouldn't it be interesting to have your brother watch as you are crowned Fire Lord?"
Azula smiled like a fox at the image that came to mind.
"You always know what I need to hear." said Azula as she walked forward stopping within a foot of him "How come you and only you seem to do that
"Because I am not afraid of you." answered Sasuke as he looked down into Azula's golden eyes with his black eyes "Everyone else is afraid of you because they know you have powers they don't, you are one of the best fire benders in the world and you are soon to be their ruler."
"And you're not afraid of me because you can easily kill me." Answered Azula, Sasuke was a little taken aback at her honesty. He knew he could kill her with a few moves but it wasn't like her to admit any weakness. "However I know you wouldn't do that. You could send the Death God himself running but I know you wouldn't hurt me."
"No I wouldn't." admitted Sasuke with kindness in his voice as he took Azula's hand and kissed it.
"I don't know why you won't do more than kiss my hand?" asked Azula
"Do you want me to do more?" asked Sasuke as he held onto Azula's hand.
"I know you want to do more too." said Azula as Sasuke looked at her "Just because others can't read you doesn't mean I can't."
Sasuke let his defenses drop for a moment as he considered his next move; he had no training for something like this. He hadn't run though training on how to act when he was alone with a young woman on a balcony as the sun started going down. Azula noticed that his defenses where down and took the opening she leaned forward closing the twelve inch gap between the two of them, pressing her lips against his. Sasuke's eyes snapped opened as he was caught totally off guard by the fire nation princess. He just stood there as she kissed him one of her hands moved behind his neck pulling him in closer. Sasuke soon started moving as he placed one of his hands on Azula's back. Both of them relaxed and focused only on each other as they both started kissing each other. The sound of the door opening caused both of them to jump apart and look toward the door only to see Mai and Ty Lee standing there with stunned looks on their faces.
"Where you two making out?" asked Ty Lee as Mai simply blinked before grabbing Ty Lee hand and pulling her out the door leaving the two of them alone.
"Can you believe it, Azula kissed Sasuke." yelled Ty Lee as she almost the top of her lungs.
"Shut up Ty Lee!" ordered Mai "Do you want to die?"
"Why would we die?" asked Ty Lee
"We just saw Azula one of the most dangerous fire benders in the world and Sasuke who can control lightening as if it was nothing in an embarrassing state." Stated Mai "One of them by themselves could kill us and leave no trace, it would be better if we just kept it quiet."
"Alright but you do realize that someday those two will be married." said Ty Lee as she skipped up and down the hallway she suddenly stopped mid skip "And someday have kids."
"I know a scary thought isn't it." said Mai as the two of them kept walking.
Thousands of miles away the flying bison Appa was coming in for a landing beside a tavern in the earth Kingdom.
"Please don't tell me we are here for a drink." said Sakura as she jumped down.
"No we are here to find her." Said Zuko
"Her?" asked Katara
"June, best bounty hunter in the world." explained Zuko as they walked into the dark smoke filled bar. More than a few of the people in the bar looked at the strange kids walking in however they turned back to their drinks and card games. Zuko walked toward the bar and toward a tall beautiful woman with long black hair.
"So your back again." said the woman as she ran her hand down Zuko's arm, which caused Katara to glare at the woman.
"Hello June, we need your help." said Zuko
"Well you know that my help doesn't come cheap and from what I heard your worth more to me as a prisoner then as a client." observed June "However I am not in the mood to deal with the trouble of fighting against you and the rest of the avatar gang."
"We need your help to save the world." said Katara
"Judging from how you looked at Zuko when I touched her arm you are more concerned about me then the world." laughed June as Katara's glare only grew more harsh.
"Katara?" asked Sokka to his sister.
"No, we need your help to find either Aang or Zuko's uncle." growled Katara
"Well I still don't see why I have to help? Not like I really care about the rest of the world." said June
"You should because by tomorrow night this place along with every part of the Earth Kingdom not totally in fire nation control will be turned to ash." Yelled Zuko as everyone looked at him.
"If you value your lives I would go get your family and head somewhere else." Stated Sakura
"Why should we listen to you kiddy?" asked a drunk man as he walked up to Sakura "Your just a little kid with stupid pink hair. You don't know anything."
Sakura simply glared at the man for a moment, than he did the unthinkable and placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. She reacted faster than anyone could see as she sent him flying backwards and through a wooden wall. Everyone looked at her stunned.
"Any more stupid Questions!" yelled Sakura as everyone apart from Jun and the avatar gang ran out and headed away from the bar.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side." said Toph as she looked at Sakura.
"You should remind Naruto-kun he has a habit of getting on my bad side from time to time." explained Sakura
"But we still love that baka." added Inner Sakura
"Ya, I wonder how things are going for him." said Sakura back
"Alright if I am going help you find those two I need scent samples." said June
"We have some of Aang's dirty cloths but we don't anything from Iroh." said Suki
"Yes, we do." Zuko as he pulled out a shoe.
"You have one of your uncle's shoes?" asked Suki
"It was all I had of him." explained Zuko as Katara touched her necklace it was all she had of her mother so she understood why Zuko had held on to the shoes.
"Well let's go see if we can find these people." said June as they walked outside toward a strange mole like creature. "Wake up Nyla."
The creature stood up as June held out a piece of Aang's cloths.
"I need you to find the Avatar, girl." said June as the beast sniffed the clothing before moving around a bit before sitting down.
"What does that mean?" asked Sokka
"That the avatar isn't around anymore." explained June
"How could the she know that?" asked Sakura
"A trained Shirshu can find anyone in the world even if they are dead." explained June "If she can't find the avatar then the avatar isn't in this world anymore."
"What does that mean?" asked Suki
"He must be in the spirit world." said Katara "So we have to find Iroh."
"Alright then." said June as she took the shoe in hand. Once Nyla took in Iroh's scent she took off like a rocket with June on top of her.
"Follow her!" yelled Zuko as they jumped onto Appa and began to follow June from above.
Back in the fire nation Naruto had just finished explaining the deal he had made with the Kyuubi to the demon council.
"Interesting arrangement you two have come up with." Said the leader of the spirit council Abidan
"It is the deal we have agreed on." said Naruto
"I am inclined to agree with the terms of this agreement." Said the phoenix Frea
"So am I." said the ocean spirit La
"I will agree to it as long as I get my mate but I don't like some of the terms." stated the Kyuubi's mate Aella the silver eight tailed demon fox. She had been severing as ruler of the demon foxes while her mate was contained. "Our nation will honor the terms of this deal."
"We will vote all those in agreement with the terms raise your hand." ordered Abidan as one my one all the members of the council raised their hands or another limb in agreement.
"Very well then, we the council of spirits agree with this agreement." said Abidan "We will make sure the deal is honored. Painted Lady you may remove the Kyuubi from Naruto Uzumaki."
"Thank you." Said Naruto as all the spirits apart from the Painted Lady and Aella disappeared.
"Naruto in order to extract the Kyuubi without killing you, you must be in the water." explained the Painted Lady as Naruto walking into the water.
"Like this?" asked Naruto as he stood in chest high water.
"You must lie down and submerge yourself." Explained the painted Lady as Naruto lied back sinking a few inches in the water. He took a deep breath as he submerged himself in the water. To his amazement he found himself unable to move, he began to panic a bit since he was below the surface however he noticed that his lungs didn't burn for more air.
"Don't worry Naruto, this is healing water." explained the Painted Lady as she walked up to him placing her hands over him. "As long as I am here you can't drown. Now this will hurt."
Naruto nodded his head as his entire body began to burn up as he noticed red demon chakra beginning to come out from his body.
Elsewhere in the Earth Kingdom Appa was nearing the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, they had been following June on Nyla, suddenly she came to a stop at the base of a small rise as Appa came in for a landing.
"Why have we stopped?" asked Zuko
"Because your uncle is on the other side of this rise." explained June as Zuko looked toward the top of the small hill. They hadn't noticed anything as they came in for a landing but that couldn't mean something wasn't hidden.
"Are you sure?" asked Katara
"I am sure." stated June as she turned Nyla around "Well good luck."
The avatar gang just stood there and watched June disappeared.
"We have company." Said Sakura as she pulled a kunai out as she looked around them only to see a bunch of people dressed in blue and white uniforms.
"Bumi?" asked Katara as she recognized Aang's old friend, she looked around and noticed even more people they had met as they traveled the world "Pakku? Piandao?"
"Yes, Katara long time no see." said Piandao as the fire nation sword master who had trained Sokka in the ways of the blade. "I don't see the Avatar and who is the young woman with pink hair."
"Aang is missing and this is Sakura she is from another world." explained Sokka
"Another world you say, we heard rumors that Princess Azula newest soldier is from another world." said Bumi
"Sasuke." answered Sakura as Pakku looked at her.
"You know him?" asked Pakku "Because he destroyed the entire Northern Water Tribe in one night."
"He was my teammate until he went rogue." explained Sakura "Avatar Ruko came to our world and offered to bring Naruto-kun and I here to bring him back to our world."
"Naruto?" asked Pakku
"Pretty much the only one who can beat Sasuke." explained Sakura "He is preparing to deal with the snake."
"We need to find my Uncle." said Zuko
"Your uncle is right up here follow me." said Pakku as they walked up the hill only to enter a camp filled with a bunch of old and middle aged people.
"What are you all doing here?" asked Suki
"We are all members of a secret order known as the order of the white lotus. The order is spread across all nations and all professions." explained Pakku "Before you are the best Earth, Fire and Water benders on earth not counting the best swordsmen and fighters in the world. Come tomorrow morning we will retake Ba Sing Si."
"A force of only a few hundred against thousands?" asked Toph "Sorry but that would be next to impossible."
"Numbers aren't everything they will have experience and surprise on their hand." explained Sakura "It will be hard but they can do it."
"And we have Grand master Iroh to thank for it, he has been the leader though it all." added Bumi "He is the one who got the entire order together for this one operation."
"We actually came to get him." said Katara "We need him to help us defeat the Fire Lord because Aang is missing."
"I see." said Piandao as they stopped in front of one of the tents "We will let him explain. He is in there."
"Let me go." said Zuko "I have a lot to say sorry for."
Zuko slowly walked into the tent only to see his uncle lying down with his back to him. Zuko knelt down as he lowered his head.
"Uncle I don't know where to begin, I have failed you in so many ways. I betrayed you in a vain attempt to win the love of my father but he has no love in him. I turned my back on you and I am so sorry for failing you uncle." said Zuko
"You didn't fail me Zuko." said General Iroh as he rolled over to face his nephew before sitting up "You could never fail me Zuko, you are like a son to me. I was only worried that you wouldn't be yourself."
Zuko just sat there as his uncle knelt down and hugged him.
"How can you forgive me just like that?" asked Zuko
"Because there was nothing for me to forgive Zuko." said Iroh as the two of them pulled apart "In the end you found yourself, by training the avatar."
"Yes, I have trained the avatar in fire bending but he has disappeared and that is why we need your help." Explained Zuko "Father is going to…."
"We already know of his plan." said Iroh as Zuko looked at him "There are members of the white lotus everywhere including in the war room of the fire Lord."
"We need your help to stop him." Said Zuko
"No you don't." stated Iroh "Because if I am the one to stop him History will only see it as a brother killing a brother to take his place. No the avatar must be the one to do it."
"But the Avatar is gone." Said Zuko
"Believe in him Zuko, Believe that the Avatar will appear." explained Iroh "Now he will need you when the battle starts, we need to get you all to the red island."
"The Red island?" asked Zuko "That is only a tiny island in the middle of the ocean"
"It is the gathering spot for the fire nation air fleet, the fleet which will burn the world." said Iroh "If your all there and you can help the avatar defeat the fire lord before you go and take his place as fire lord."
"Alright but Azula and Sasuke will be waiting for us at the capital." said Zuko
"And then you will beat her." answered Iroh
"Alright let's do it." said Zuko
Hundreds of miles away Phoenix King Ozai was sitting in his private study preparing himself for what was to come. A knock at the door caused him to look up.
"Enter." stated Ozai as the door opened and the Capitan of the airship walked in.
"Sir we just got a message from the rest of the air fleet over the Red Island." said the Capitan
"I am assuming you didn't come in here just to tell me that the rest of the fleet is there?" asked Ozai
"No sir, the message reads under attack by unknown air bender and others. All other ships destroyed do not come. They are heading to Capital." Read the Capitan as Ozai simply blinked. "It goes on to give a brief description six men with orange hair, a woman with blue hair and a masked man all dressed in black with red clouds."
"How many airships did we have there?" asked Ozai
"Twenty sir." answered the Capitan "They where suppose to come after us in different attack waves."
"Twenty airships gone." said Ozai
"Sir we are turning the airship around, we have to protect you." explained the Capitan as Ozai tried to hid his hatred of that degree. Ever since the founding of the Fire Nation royalty had to be protected at all cost and against an unknown threat they had to turn around and because it was a law in the founding documents of the fire nation he couldn't over rule it.
"Very well." said Ozai as he wondered who this strange air bender could be because it was unlikely that the Avatar could have destroyed twenty airships. "Send message to have all forces gather around the capital we need to defend it."
"At once." said the Capitan as he headed out of the room. The moment he was gone Ozai sent a fireball against the metal wall as he cursed the fact that he had been denied his great victory and now had to go defend his capital.
Standing on top of the water surrounded by the remains of destroyed fire nation airships was the six paths of Pain, Madara and Konan.
"Well that was a nice warm up but let's get going." said Madara as they stepped over the remains of dead fire nation soldier which was one of hundreds which now floated on the ocean surface. "So Pain what are you going to do once we get to the capital?"
"I will make them learn the truth meaning of Pain by turning their greatest strength against them." answered Pain as they kept walking across the ocean.
Well I hope you liked this chapter, I know some people may wonder why I had the fire nation identify Pain as an air bender. I felt that if the fire nation saw someone jumping extremely high or floating in the air that they would believe it to be because of air bending. I hoped you all had a great holiday and I will see you all in the New Year. Thanks Wilkins75.