Life under Fire Nation rule had not been easy for the citizens of Ba Sing Se. Cho was doing what she could to help resist, but she didn't want to risk too much, or Lu Ten would have gone away for nothing. The closer the day of Sozin's Comet came, the more she worried that the war would not end. The presence of the Fire Nation in the Earth Kingdom capital was strong, and it seemed to be so wherever they were.
The soldiers stationed in the lower ring were really just thugs with authority. They bullied the impoverished people of the area out of anything they had. They even scared children from playing in the streets. It was cruel.
Cho was doing her best to maintain the inn. Without her husband, she struggled to balance the business and Malina, but she knew she had no choice. With one child, and another on the way, she did not have the luxury of breaking down from the stress of it all. She allowed those escaping the city to stay the night before they departed. It was her little part of the war effort.
She was not immune to the harshness of the Fire Nation soldiers. When they first arrived, they came to collect "taxes." They took her box of money from the counter and pocketed it. It was a rude awakening to Fire Nation life. After that, she learned to keep most of her money in her bedroom at home, and only what she needed in the inn. They came every week to collect.
Abruptly, the door of the inn burst open and two soldiers walked in. Clad in armor, they intimidated the guests. Malina took her usual hiding spot behind the counter.
"Evening, Cho," said the usual soldier, whose name was Kai. "Time to pay taxes for the week."
"Of course," Cho replied levelly, although anger was boiling up inside her. She retrieved her box and placed it on the counter. As she opened it to give them what was due, Kai snatched it and dumped the contents into a pouch on his belt.
"The Fire Nation thanks you for your loyalty," he said.
"Kai," said the other soldier. "That's way more than they owe."
"So what?" Kai returned.
"So give it back," the other insisted. There was a gentleness to his voice, and Cho was so shocked by this act of decency that she even forgot to be angry.
"I'm not giving it back," Kai maintained. "No way. It's a fee for sending me to this dump."
Without warning the second one reached into Kai's pouch and grabbed a fistful of coins. Kai tried to get it back but the other one held it out of his reach and kicked him. It wasn't hard, but it was enough to force him back several steps. The second guard counted out Cho's change and handed it to her. She stared wide-eyed at him.
"Kazuo!" Kai cried indignantly. "That's mine!"
"No, it's not," Kazuo said sharply. "We're soldiers, not gangsters." He turned back to Cho and continued kindly. "Here you go. Sorry about the trouble."
The coins jingled as he placed them in her hand. She still could not find words.
"I…thank you," she finally managed as Kai stormed out.
"Please, it's your money," he replied. "This can't be easy for you."
Malina poked her head out from behind the counter and peered at the man. It seemed the confrontation drew her out from hiding. Kazuo spotted her.
"Oh, I see," he said. "You're about to have your second."
Cho nodded. "So, it's Kazuo, right?"
"Yep," he said. "What's your name?"
"Cho," she told him, extending her hand. "Can you come every week for tax collection?"
He shook her hand and chuckled. "I'll do my best."
"I have to ask," Cho continued. "What made you be so nice?"
"I know you probably don't have the best impression of the Fire Nation, but we're not all bad," he said. "I've got a little girl myself, and if the roles were reversed, I know I'd want the occupying force to treat my family with respect."
"You have a daughter?" she asked.
He smiled in a way that reflected a deep ache. He clearly missed her. "Yeah, I do."
"What about your wife?" she pressed, then clapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. That's personal."
"Not at all," he assured her. "My wife is home with my daughter. Last I heard, they're both doing really well. My daughter learned to write her name and signed the letter herself."
Cho couldn't help but smile. For the first time since Lu Ten left, she was reminded that the Fire Nation consisted of people just like everyone around her. They were complex and diverse.
"Well, thank you again for standing up for us," she said, shaking her head to clear it. "It means more than you know."
He offered her a small bow. "Of course."
Over the next few days, Kazuo checked back to make sure Kai had not returned to frighten Cho into giving him the money he stole. In that time, Cho learned more about Kazuo. He was a really good natured man with a great sense of humor. He enjoyed simple things in life even though his family was Fire Nation nobility. He had joined the military at the same level as everyone else because he didn't want an unfair advantage. Cho had to admit she admired this man.
"So is your family part of the governing body now?" she asked him as she served him a cup of tea on his break.
He shook his head. "No. My father was General Fu. He is a great engineer so he helps design war machines for the Fire Lord. Then he goes with the troops using those machines to work out any technical difficulties that might arise."
"I see," Cho said. "Well, has he ever been to Ba Sing Se before?"
"Only once, back when General Iroh was leading the invasion," Kazuo said. "I was there too. I lost my best friend in that battle."
"I'm so sorry," she replied. "What was he like?"
"He was the prince of the Fire Nation, actually," he explained. "Prince Lu Ten. He was killed on a reconnaissance mission."
Cho felt as if he had slapped her. This was Lu Ten's best friend? He had never mentioned anyone by that name. But, Lu Ten hardly ever spoke of his life in the Fire Nation. It always seemed too painful or too harsh. Now, a choice was before her. Tell Kazuo that his friend was still alive and ease the loss or maintain her silence on the true identity of her husband. Did she trust him enough to speak out?
She didn't.
"Wow," she said, though her throat felt suddenly dry. "I heard how hard that was for General Iroh. It made him call off the invasion."
Kazuo nodded. "I had never heard someone so devastated. My father said that General Iroh was weak. That he should have used his anger to fuel the rest of the invasion and he would have succeeded. But, I don't think General Iroh was angry. He was just…sad."
Cho digested this. A wave of guilt crashed over her. She knew that Iroh forgave Lu Ten for leaving, but she had been involved in the former's grief. At the time, it seemed to work out for the better, but now she couldn't help but wonder if she and Lu Ten had only delayed the inevitable. The Fire Nation still took the Earth Kingdom capital. Only, Iroh had been robbed of his inheritance and Ozai became the ruler of the Fire Nation. The chain of events might have been so different.
"I understand General Iroh's grief," she finally said. "If I lost Malina, I would be heartbroken."
"I would be if I lost my girl too," Kazuo agreed. "Well, my time is up for today. I appreciate the tea and conversation. You're a great listener."
"You have led an interesting life," she told him, and that was honest.
He chuckled bashfully. "Well, it's just another day for me. Anyway, I'm glad to have made a friend in Ba Sing Se."
She smiled. "I'll see you later, friend."
The following day, Sozin's Comet arrived. The people in the lower ring were terrified when they heard a group was attacking the city. No one knew who they were or what they hoped to gain by taking on the Fire Nation today of all days. Tanks rolled through the streets toward the main gate. Cho risked stepping outside to assess the situation. Her eyes scanned the surroundings but she barely took in anything before a loud BOOM shook the outer ring to the core. Rocks and debris flew everywhere. Cho had gasped at the sound and was now coughing heavily as she breathed in dust. Her ears were ringing but she heard the Fire Nation soldiers shouting.
"The wall is breached!" one cried.
"Who are these guys?!" wondered another.
Cho dared to open her eyes. The dust was settling, and she saw in the distance a gaping hole in the outer wall. Tongues of flame leapt up from the buildings in the vicinity. She turned to go back inside, but saw that now everyone had emerged from their homes and business to watch the action unfold. As more citizens realized what took place, chaos broke out.
Out of nowhere, people were running as far from the blast as possible. People were screaming, children were crying, and Fire Nation soldiers were irritably pushing through the crowds to fulfill their duties and defend the city. Cho felt panic rise in her heart. Even if she fled, where would she go? Where could she go? Knowing the answer, she turned tail and retreated inside her inn. Malina was crouching beneath a table, covering her ears.
"Mommy," she said in a terrified voice. "I'm scared."
Cho knelt down, struggling a little with the small bump in her belly, and looked at her daughter. She reached out a hand.
"Come here, baby," Cho said soothingly.
Malina took her mother's hand and allowed herself to be pulled out into the open again. Cho realized Malina was trembling. She picked her daughter up and held her close.
"Listen," she said. "Mommy is not gonna let anything happen to you, okay?"
Just then, from outside, they heard a huge clang and saw a piece of a tank go flying past the window. Malina clutched Cho's robes and hid her face in her mother's shoulder. Honestly, Cho was just as terrified, but she needed to be strong now. Stronger than she ever had been. When the Fire Nation took the city, there had been no battle. Now they had to face the reality of war that they had only seen the effects of before.
Cho moved quickly and locked the door to the inn. She knew a lock could not keep out the fire and metal and earth that were flying back and forth outside, but it made her feel safer. Then she carried Malina to the back and set her down in a storage closet, away from any windows. In it, hung a traveling cloak of Lu Ten's. Cho tugged it from the hanger and wrapped it around Malina's shaking form.
"I need you to be brave, okay?" she said. "Can you be brave like Daddy?"
Malina's face scrunched in concentration and she nodded.
"I'll be back soon, I promise."
Cho closed the door and went back out into the lobby of the inn. She was gathering some things in case she and Malina needed to make a quick getaway when she was startled by a loud banging on the door. She dropped the bread she was holding and gave a squeak of fright.
"Cho!" called a voice from the other side. "It's me! Kazuo!"
She breathed a sigh of relief and went to the door. She opened it just enough for him to slip inside unnoticed.
"What's going on?" she asked.
He was breathing hard. "There's a group of men attacking the city. They're being led by General Iroh."
Cho gasped. "But – he's Fire Nation!"
"I know," Kazuo said. "I'm not sure what his goal is. I know he fought to protect the Avatar back when Princess Azula and Prince Zuko took the city, but I'm not sure how he escaped prison or anything. I don't understand a bit of what's happening right now. I just wanted to make sure you and your daughter are okay."
"We are for now," she assured him. "Are you fighting out there?"
He nodded. "Yeah. It feels weird when last time Iroh and I were on the same side."
"What are you going to do now?" she wondered.
"I guess I need to get back out there," he said. "Stay away from doors and windows, but close enough to an exit to make it out should the place catch. There's a lot of fire out there right now."
"You be careful too," she returned.
He gave a bow and then reminded her to lock the door behind him before he took off down the street. He wasn't wrong about the fire. The comet gave the fire benders powers that amazed her even in her fear. The things she saw in that brief glimpse were both beautiful and terrifying. She did not waste too much time looking though. She shut the door, locked it, grabbed her things, and then went to join her daughter in the storage closet to wait out the battle.