Remember how everybody's just a little bit older than they were in the series? Yue isn't too happy about that right now. I might have made Hahn into a monster. Ah well. We also see Sokka being noble, and Iroh knows things that don't seem to make sense.

Sokka stood with the other men of the tribe. The waterbenders, universally male, had their own barracks, and the soldiers here, also universally male, waited at attention. Arnook had only just returned, with a sour look of anger on his face. "The day we've feared since the black snow has finally arrived. Because of our forewarning by the emissary of the Southern Water Tribe, we were not caught unprepared. But regardless, the Fire Nation now approaches our gates with hellfire and damnation walks with them," he said. Yue, standing near the back of the room, gave a long, sad look at Sokka before turning away. He still felt a tug in his heart every time he saw her. He claimed he could 'just be friends' with her, but he knew that he was anything but.

"It is with great sadness and trepidation that I have called forth the greatest single muster of the Water Tribe's warriors since the time of the Great War which erupted at the death of Avatar Uammanaq. As I look around this room, I know in my heart that come this evening, some of these faces will vanish from the Water Tribe forever. But they will never vanish from our memories, and the glory, the knowledge that they protected their home and their people will echo the eternity," Arnook turned and faced the open balcony, which looked upon the entire city, and beyond it, the sea. He cast his hands up in supplication. "As we enter this battle for our existence, I implore you! Tui, spirit of the ocean! La, spirit of the moon! Be with us this day!"

A bellow was uttered by every soldier in the room, except Sokka. He tried to join in, but just managed to get one out after everybody else had stopped. A few people looked at him like he was an idiot, but Arnook was already turning back to the soldiers. "I need volunteers for a dangerous mission," he said quietly.

Sokka's arm shot up. "Count me in."

"Sokka!" Yue whispered, alarmed. He put on a brave face. If he couldn't be with her, the least he could do was protect her. Others began to move near him, while others backed away. Arnook nodded.

"You must know that not many of you will return. Those who would undertake this task, step forward and receive my mark," Arnook said. Sokka was the first to step forward. Arnook dipped a finger into a bowl and marked three lines on Sokka's head. From the smell, it was probably in tiger seal blood. Hardly the most disgusting thing he'd had on his head. Sokka walked over to the balcony, and watched the sun slowly dipping toward the horizon, over the dozens, perhaps hundreds of Fire Nation ships.

"Nervous?" Katara's voice came from nearby. She was standing on an adjacent balcony, looking the same way. She squinted. "What is that on your head?"

"I'm going on a mission," Sokka said, nonchalantly. In truth, he was nervous enough that he had to hold the rail to not have his knees knock, but he knew he was doing the right thing. Pakku was also staring at the sea, but was silent. Aang came out of the building and stood next to Katara. The whole gang was here, it seemed.

"A mission? You?" she asked, incredulous. "You should leave the fighting to the real soldiers."

"I'm a real soldier!" Sokka complained.

"You're a teenage boy who's in over his head," Katara said.

"Katara, I'm sure he'll..." Aang said, but Sokka cut him off.

"And what are you doing here, then? Are you just going to stand back and let the Fire Nation invade the North Pole?"

"No, I'm going to fight them with everything I have," she said.

"And why shouldn't I?"

"Because there are others who can do it, and you're too yo..." her expression became flat. "Oh, you think your so clever, don't you?"

"I have my moments," Sokka said proudly.

Pakku watched as the ordinary soldiers, who hadn't taken Arnook's task, filed out to the walls. "This stillness before the battle; it is unbearable. Such quiet dread fills the air."

Aang snapped his staff into its glider form. "I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people last time," there was an expression on the boy's face that Sokka had not seen for a long time, not since that day in the Southern Air Temple. Abject rage. "This time, I'm going to make a difference."

The Avatar leapt off the balcony and flew across the length of the city, disappearing into the confusion of the wall, only to have a huge white form separate from it and move off into the distance. Pakku nodded, and turned to his room. "Alright, students and soldiers. You know what you have to do. To the walls and your positions."

"What about me, master Pakku?" Katara asked.

"You have your orders, Katara," Pakku said. There was a different note in his voice than when they first met him. This time, when Pakku spoke to her, it was with respect.

"Sokka, come here!" Arnook called. Sokka returned to the group, much smaller now. Only a handful of the soldiers remained. He knew the names of some. Hahn, Tohnai, and Luuq. All were annoying. When they were finally gathered, Arnook addressed them. "Men, you will be infiltrating the Fire Nation navy, which means you'll all be wearing one of these uniforms," he said. Sokka's eyes shot up, and then he found himself laughing when the 'example' soldier came out, wearing the most ridiculous uniform Sokka had ever seen. Contrary to the basic and practical, if not very protective armors the firebenders and soldiers wore every time Sokka needed to give them a drubbing, this thing was stylized and overly, oh-so-unbearably pointy. Hahn turned to him.

"What's your problem?" he demanded.

"Fire Nation uniforms don't look anything like that!" he said between laughs. Hahn scowled.

"Of course they do. These uniforms were taken from real Fire Nation officers," he said.

"When? Like, a hundred years ago?" Sokka asked.

"Eighty five," Arnook said dryly. Sokka stepped forward.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The whole ensemble is more streamlined. And there's no metal on the chest. None at all, in fact. They use boiled leather to resist impacts. And the helmet: don't get me started on the helmet," he rolled his eyes. "If any Fire Nation soldier saw you running around in that thing, you might get the drop on them, but only because they were laughing too hard to fight back."

Hahn turned to Arnook. "How can we trust this interloper? He doesn't know his place," he turned to Sokka. "You speak boldly for an outsider."
Arnook was not amused. "He is from our sister tribe and is a capable warrior. I value his input, especially since he, unlike any of you, has actually fought the soldiers of the Fire Nation and won."

Sokka grinned smugly at Hahn. Hahn looked like he was ready to punch something. Yue, still in the back of the room, was staring pointedly away. Sokka didn't understand it. He'd just schooled the uppity brat, and she didn't even have a glance to throw at him. Arnook continued. "Our first objective is to locate and identify the leadership of the fleet," he said.

"Oh, that'd be Zhao," Sokka interrupted. All eyes turned to him. Arnook simply nodded. "Middle aged, big sideburns. Bigger temper."

"My sources were correct, then," Arnook said lightly. He clasped a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn, since he is leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka some respect. I expect better behavior from my son-in-law."

Arnook left, to deal with whatever other metaphorical fires needed to be put out. Sokka turned to Hahn. "You?" he asked. "She married you?"

Hahn smirked. Sokka thought he was in need of a spine-punching. "Yeah, what of it?" he asked.

Sokka just stared at him for a moment. "You?"

"We're here," Iroh said at the door. A number of the firebenders within looked at him. One of them actually got up and joined him. "Discretion is key, Prince Zuko," he said in Yqanuac. "You will have little time to reach the spot I mentioned before people would be alerted to your presence."

"Slow down, Uncle, I can't understand you when you talk that fast," Zuko said.

"There is a spot, fourty bu from the Red Stone of Night," Iroh said quickly, ignoring his nephew's plight. "It is marked by a gentle vortex. Beneath it is a cave, and beyond that cave is a passage to the inner courtyard," he paused, taking Zuko by the shoulders. "I cannot say where the Avatar will be, but I know that a cave north of the Hall of Many is a highly spiritual place. Please, Prince Zuko, promise me you will not defile it."

Zuko took of his helm as they entered the skiff launch. "I'm not here to deface some hokey religious shrines. All I want is the Avatar," he said. It would have to do.

"Listen," Iroh said, reverting to Huojian since the room was empty of others to listen in. "When you fish for pentapus, you must use a tightly woven net or it will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape," Zuko cast him a look as he readied the boat.

"I don't need any of your stories right now, Uncle," he said.

"I'm sorry, but I nag you because... well, ever since I lost Lu Ten..." Iroh said. Zuko placed his hand on Iroh's shoulder. There was some circularity in that.

"You don't need to say it," he said.

"I think of you as my own son," he said. Just like the vision had said, forty years ago. A brother's son as son, a son as brother's son. One by one his visions were proving true.

"I know, Uncle," Zuko said softly, kindly. He turned to the boat. "We'll meet again, after I have the Avatar."

As Zuko pushed off into the water, Iroh shouted after him. "Remember your breath of fire, your direction of chi! It will save your life!"

"I know, Uncle."

"And keep your ears warm! You'll catch your death of cold," he shouted. This time, Zuko didn't shout back. From the open gate, Iroh could see that the bombardment had begun. Hundreds of great balls of fire were searing through the air. How many good, decent people would die today? How many could he save if he succeeded? How many more would perish if he failed?

Iroh made his way back through the ship with a speed belying his age and shape. He finally made it up to the bridge, and looked out upon the carnage as Zhao smiled upon it. Some of the fireballs were caught with great skill by the waterbenders, but enough of them got through, and caved in sections of the wall. Others still overshot the wall entirely and landed in buildings. Every time one did, Iroh had to restrain himself so he didn't wince. He took his place next to Zhao.

"The twilight is approaching," Iroh said. "I advise you halt your attack; waterbenders draw their power from the moon, and with the full moon tonight, they will be especially powerful. Any attempts to breach their walls tonight would only end in needless bloodshed. You should pull back and resume at daybreak."

Zhao smiled that heinous smile at Iroh. It was a smile of a murder standing over his sleeping victim. "Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem. I'm taking steps to rectify it. But for now... daybreak. Direct the men to protect the ships. I want to see what these people have in mind for a counterattack."

Sokka had an axe to grind. A boomerang, actually, and it was in dire need of sharpening. But even as he worked at it, he couldn't take his eyes off of Hahn. Blaggard he was, he was directing the people in this task in ways that even Sokka could tell were suicidally wrong. Sokka stood, preparing to say speak his mind, but Yue entered the room.

"It's almost time," she said.

"Good," Hahn laughed. "We'll show Admiral Cao what it means to be a Tribesman!"

"Zhao! His name is Zhao!" Sokka said.

"Whatever. Yue, come and wish your husband good luck," he said. Yue scowled, but moved to him. When she did, he pulled her into a very close embrace, kissing her powerfully. Sokka's eye began to twitch. Doubly so when he saw that Yue's fists were clenched white-knuckle tight in quiet resistance. When he was done, and utterly oblivious to the misery on her face, he swatted her in the rump and laughed. "That'll do, woman. I gotta tell ya', Soaka..."

"Sokka," he said, trying to keep a lid on himself.

"Whatever. I've... courted... a lot of ladies, but Yue is the finest," he said. Yue, still on her way out the door, went red. Sokka guessed not with embarrasment. "And she comes with the best perks."

"Perks?" Sokka said. Hahn was making it very easy for him to justify punching him in the face.

"Don't get me wrong, she's nice and all. Wonderful body, let me tell you," he laughed. "But having the Chief in a headlock and nailing his daughter is just the kind of life I like."

Sokka now fought with every whit of his being not to do something stupid. It was hard, because just about every whit of his being wanted to do something stupid. "Yue is wasted on a monster like you," he said through gritted teeth.

"Excuse me? I thought I just heard you say something to me?" Hahn said. "Oh, right, why would you possibly think you have that right? You're just some pissant peasant from the other side of the planet. You know nothing of the real world, little hamster. What could you possibly know about the intricacies of politics in this city?"

"I know you're a self-absorbed ass who has no soul," Sokka said.

"Yeah, well this self-absorbed ass is starting a dynasty," Hahn said. "In a year, my children will start coming along, and I will be the next chief of this tribe. And oh, the fun I'll have. You should have heard her screaming, peasant."

Oh, to Hell with it.

Sokka gave in and did the stupid thing, and he didn't care any more. His leg lashed forward, smashing right into Hahn's... valuables. Hahn's eyes rolled up into his head, and he dropped to his knees. Sokka followed it up by smashing his fists into Hahn's face and chest a few times before some of Hahn's cronies dragged him off. Still, Sokka continued hurling vulgarities and curses at the demon until Arnook came running into the room.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted. He jabbed out a finger at Sokka. "You're off the mission. Everyone else, mobilize. This is your only chance."

The others laughed as the threw him to the floor. They gathered up Hahn and his wounded... pride... and got moving out of the room. "Yeah, that's right, peasant. You stay there on the floor," he said. His voice was a little higher than usual. "It'll be me who takes down Admiral Jo, and me who gets all the glory."

"It's Admiral Zhao," he said quietly. The others didn't even pay attention as they filed out of the room. Arnook watched them with hard eyes, then offered his hand to Sokka.

"That is something I will always regret," he said. "Marrying my only child to that brash idiot. If only I had Pakku on my side back then... Sokka, I didn't take you off the mission because of your outburst. I was going to anyway."

"What? Why?"
"I have a special task in mind for you, something that I have confidence that you, above any other under the heavens, will see through," Arnook said.

"Let me guess, you want me to muck out the latrines?" Sokka said bitterly.

"I want you to protect my daughter," Arnook said. He smirked at Sokka's gobsmacked look. "I know how you feel about her. It's written all over your face. And now, all over Hahn's groin as well. I have absolute faith that you will not allow any harm to come to her."

"Yeah," he said, his voice creaking a bit, and not from puberty for once. "I can do that."

"Good. Now go. She's waiting for you."

Sokka almost ran out of the room, and barreled straight into Yue. He just stared at her, and she stared back. Tears were in her eyes. He pulled her close, and she let out a sob into his shoulder. "It's okay. You had no choice," Sokka said.

"I still hate it," she said quietly.

He breathed deep, trying to keep the tears from leaking from his own eyes. "Don't worry anymore. I'll keep you safe. I promise."

Zuko took a breath, long overdue. The cold assaulted him, and he pulled himself the rest of the way out of the water. Iroh hadn't mentioned the ceiling. Or how long the tunnels were. But it didn't matter. He was here, now. He shivered uncontrollably as he tried to look at the city, to find where he was headed. It was no use. He couldn't focus. Breath of fire. He took a few deep breaths, and began to channel that heat throughout his body. Uncle was right. The Breath of Fire was useful.

"Where are you, Avatar," he asked. The city stretched out below him, impenetrably dense. He could be anywhere. He felt a stab of uncertainty. Was Uncle right? Was this a fool's errand? How would he even know where to go? He sat down for a moment to consider, when he felt something in his pocket, something he hadn't put there. He pulled it out.

Zuko unfolded the paper, and goggled at the map. It was drawn in Iroh's hand, and seemed to be a perfect map of this city. "What is this?" he asked nobody. "How could you possibly have...?"

He decided it didn't matter. He was so close. His honor was within reach. All he needed to do was get the Avatar, and bring him in. He looked to the sun, and found it vanished beyond the horizon completely. The only light left was the full moon. Zuko's eyes widened when he saw that big beast, that white bison land near the palace. The Avatar had to be there. Renewed in his resolve, he began to clamber down into the city. The Avatar was here. His destiny was at hand.