Author's Note: Oooh, yeahhh... I'm writing a story. I have so many ideas for stories and comics lately, it's driving me crazy. I can't get the ideas out fast enough to follow my brain rate. But I'm getting really excited about this story. This is the last boring chapter, after this the action begins. I just needed to sort of set the mood first. There are still more things to uncover but these are the basics that you need to know to get the story started. Next chapter we will embark on the adventure!

Aang arrived right on the nick of time, right before Zuko was about to call the meeting to a start. He sighed at the Avatar's version of punctuality, but he otherwise ignored it.

"Men, we are here today to discuss the current status of our nations' unity. My correspondents tell me that many people are complaining that the changes that need to be made aren't occurring. We need to ensure the happiness of the people. Any suggestions?"

The politicians looked at each other in hesitance. Aang looked around and timidly raised his hand, appearing anxious.

"Anyone else have any suggestions?"

At this remark, Aang raised his hand even more stubbornly.

"Avatar, this isn't preliminary school, you may speak."

Zuko sounded agitated.

Aang's hand shot down.

"I was thinking… most people are just complaining about Ba Sing Se. It's still unoccupied even though our original plan after the war was to rehabilitate it. That was our main focus for a long time and it kind of… died. The fall of Ba Sing Se was a major blow in the war. If we restore it, it will be like opposite effect. It will raise pride and security. People still need Ba Sing Se."

Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Avatar, but we already know that's impractical. The cost to repair the damage was too much, it would be easier still to build an entire city from scratch—that's how torn apart the city is. It's in shambles."

"And build an entire city from scratch is what we did."

An advisor spoke up, one of the more respected men in the room—Tao Ling.

"We created an environment where all benders can live together in harmony… it doesn't have a specific territory. Ba Sing Se was Earth Kingdom territory… it only represented one nation. Our new city, Republic City, should have been good enough for them. Why must we waste our valuable time and money just to hush a few grumbles?"

"Tao Ling has a point, Avatar. You must look at this practically."

Aang crossed his arms. What good was it to be there if no one took him seriously?

Hakoda smiled pleasantly.

"With what do I owe the pleasure, Katara?"

"I need you to make something for me. I'd do it myself but I'm not handy with craftsmanship. And this is important."

"Well, of course. What do you need me to make?"

"A boomerang."

Hakoda looked confused.

"Why do you need…?"

"It's not for me. It's for Sokka… for his birthday. It's coming up… and I wanted to get him something special this year… after what happened. You know. He deserves it."

Hakoda nodded solemnly.

"I understand. That's very thoughtful of you, Katara."

"I just want him to feel better. We can share it, too… to save you the trouble of getting him something else. We can say it was my idea and your work. One thing: make it exactly like the one you made him before. I want it to be perfect."

"I will. I promise."

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"You should stop spending so much time around Mom and Gran-Gran… it's giving you worry wrinkles."

"You're not happy here."

Ty Lee turned to see Raichi standing behind her, at the doorway to the building where the Kyoshi Warriors practiced every day simply for the tradition of it.

"And you are?"

"I have family and friends. I'm… content."

Ty Lee sighed.

"There's nothing for me here."

"I'm here. The girls are here."

"Let's face it—I'm born to travel. I've never stayed in one place so long before except for when I was younger… and living in a family with six identical sisters."

Ty Lee shuddered at the memory.

"I hated it there."

"Do you hate it here?"

"No. I'm just… obscenely bored."

Raichi looked worried. She put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Are you going to leave?"

"Where would I go?"

Raichi looked out the door and back at Ty Lee. She smirked.

"I think you know the answer to that."

Toph spent her entire day roaming restlessly around the vast expanse of the city. She needed to go somewhere, anywhere—go on a journey. She was tired of receiving letters from her parents that she couldn't read, tired of the messengers that they sent to her door, and tired of expecting her friends to show up and save her.

She was lonely.

She hadn't made any new friends and she hadn't kept in touch with any of her old ones. They had become so close—their bond was something truly magnificent. Why did she let that go?

It was too difficult to correspond with them. Letters took so long to get from Republic City to the Fire Nation, to the South Pole, and back to Republic City. By the time they reached the intended reader, they were obsolete. It was useless. Not even Hawky could deliver messages fast enough.

Since when did Toph become such a damsel in distress, anyways? That wasn't her. Toph Bei Fong didn't wait on anyone to come save her. Toph Bei Fong saved herself.

She was the Blind Bandit. The Runaway.

She was going to run away.

"Mister Fire Lord, I have a suggestion."

Zuko cringed. He recognized that critical and sarcastic voice before he even saw the face that had uttered it.

"Yes… Xing Lao?"

"I suggest for the most effective way to make the people happy is to give them what they want."

"Isn't that what we're here today for?"

"Don't be snappy, Good Lord, I'm simply insinuating that the answer is right under your nose and you can't even sense it."

"What do you mean?"

"The people are tired of the Fire Nation's stifling rule. You are still the most influential figure of all the nations, along with the Avatar. The Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom are simply left behind. I suggest… you give up your power."

Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"Are you telling me to give up my rightful throne?"

"Why, what this nation needs right now is one powerful ruler above all the other nations. They need someone indifferent—someone like the Avatar—to take the lead. Then there needs to be separate branches to control each individual nation—that's where the Fire Lord comes in."

Aang perked up warily at this. He looked uncertainly at Zuko, who looked away.

"And one more thing… the continuation of your family's dynasty is causing tension. You're the son of the tyrannous Phoenix King. You share his blood. It simply doesn't rest well with the citizens."

Zuko clenched his teeth.

"What are you implying, Xing Lao?"

"That you be indicted from the throne."

The fire crackled and died and Sokka didn't even bother getting up to start it again. He stared at the ashes and the dying embers sullenly and didn't even notice Katara enter the tent. In fact, he hadn't even noticed she'd left, either.

"Sokka, you let the fire go out. It's cold in here again. You have to pay attention to these things. A storm is coming and I don't want to freeze to death."

She plodded over to the remains of the fire and replaced it with new logs. Sokka didn't acknowledge her presence and she didn't comment. She was used to it.

"There we go. All better now, right? Weren't you getting cold, Sokka?"
Sokka buried his face inside his hands and shook his head.

Katara furrowed her brows in worry. She stood up and walked to the other side of the room, lying down on her polar-platypus-bear-fur bed. She stared up at the tent's ceiling with her arms behind her head.

"If you say so."

Zuko slammed the bedroom door open, causing Mai to jump from her position on the bed.

"Sure, take your anger out on inanimate objects! Don't mind me over here, taking a nap!"

Zuko pulled out his tight bun, which was starting to give him a headache. He rubbed his face with his hands in frustration and plopped down on the bed.

"Take your cloak off, you'll wrinkle it."

Zuko did as he was told, and Mai took it and hung it up.

"I'm assuming the meeting was bad?"

"Bad? What an understatement!"

"What happened?"

"Oh, you know, Xing Lao trying to undermine me. The usual."

Mai wrinkled her nose.

"Again? Zuko, you really need to do something about him before he gathers up too many supporters."
"He'll gather up supporters off the streets if he has to. That man is too influential. He scares me."

"Oh, don't say that! You're just falling into his plan by saying that."

"I know… but it's true. Today, he told me I should be thrown out of power."

"Zuko, don't stand for that! What did the others say?"

"They're scared of him, too. Besides, the way he said it… it was so regal and unpretentious. No one could argue him. He's too good."

Mai sighed and placed her hands on her husband's shoulders from behind.

"Don't let him bother you just yet… not until you find out what to do with him. You need to retaliate before he gets the better of you, you know that."

Zuko sighed.

"I know."

His hand reached to rub her stomach. She smiled and placed her hands over his.

"I should stop complaining so much when you're sitting here in this bedroom day and night with nothing to do. How are you coming along?"

Mai shrugged nonchalantly.

"Good, you know. Mood swings, morning sickness, strange cravings… nothing much different from before, anyways."

"You're amazing."

Zuko pecked his wife on the lips, both of them continuing to affectionately rub the large bump that was now Mai's stomach.

Author's Not: So, hopefully not too, too boring. I feel like I kind of rushed this chapter but I just find writing about meetings sooo boring. I hate reading things that make sense. I just want to delve into adventure and any story that has long descriptions or long dialogues that are not fun, I'm so over it. So please don't read this and be like, "They're talking politics. This story is stupid." Basically, don't do what I do. Trust me, I hate politics just as much as the next person and I don't understand the terminology and it's plain old boring. I really didn't want to write a meeting scene but it was absolutely necessary to introduce the character Xing Lao, who is Zuko's political enemy. So as far as I'm concerned, the meeting scenes are over for this story (unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary to have another) but it was also good to introduce the state of the world ten years after the war. As you can see, not much has changed and there's still much strife. So, it was at least factual!

OH AND MAI'S PREGNANT, WHAT?