CHAPTER RATING: T (Language, Violence.)
A/N: Fight scenes finally make a return! I know that bending essentially makes every battle a ranged skirmish, but to add more punch (heh.) to the descriptions, I'm going to keep it more physical to keep it more interesting.
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Chapter 27: Family Ties
"It's good to see you again, my Son." Zuko struggled to keep silent as he heard Ozai's voice. He tried his best to keep calm as he had promised. To see his father before him, an evil, smug grin that held no remorse or care for him, his sister, his uncle…or anyone else.
"Firelord Ozai." Iroh's voice echoed in the large throne room. He held his hand across his chest and bowed. "To what do we owe this honorable visit?"
Ozai stood from the throne. "Don't act as if you don't understand, brother." Another soldier who stood at his side presented an aged piece of paper, which Ozai took and unfolded. "This letter you sent me months ago."
Even more of a rush from worry washed over the two. Everything in that letter was a lie. And if Ozai had learned of the ploy, they were both doomed. They'd have only two choices: face death, or try and escape to become fugitives again.
The Firelord cleared his throat, "The Earth Kingdom has been conquered. After weeks of besieging the stronghold, the great city of Ba Sing Se has fallen to the hands of the Fire Nation. The Great Wall could not stand the power of our great Nation, and its great Lord. The army stormed the city, and after a one-sided batthel, we were victorious. Not even the infamous Dai Li could hold their own against us. After all of my failings, this victory over the city brings me honor." He read the rest of the letter with an even greater satisfaction. "The Earth Kingdom has fallen…The Avatar is dead." Ozai folded the paper and handed it back. "But there is still an unanswered question..." Ozai tapped his chin. "Why are there no Fire Nation banners around here? Why are the guards still dressed in Royal Earth Kingdom armor? What are you planning, brother? You don't have any ulterior motives, do you?"
Zuko and Iroh froze. They couldn't read him. They didn't know what he thought. They didn't know how to react. Ozai stepped down from the throne with deliberate steps.
"Of course not, Firelord. It's just that, without your presence, the People of Ba Sing Se would have rioted, and instead of oppression, I choose assimilation. We will win their hearts in time."
"Dragon of the West." Ozai stood tall in front of his brother. "Six-hundred days this city eluded you. And now it is finally under your control." Surprise hit Iroh as he felt his brother's arms wrap around him in a hug. "And even more admirable, you sow the seeds of loyalty without any unnecessary bloodshed. You have finally proven that the impenetrable city was a lie, and proven yourself as an asset to the empire."
"It-It is an honor, Firelord-"
"Please. Enough with the formalities. Are we not brothers?" A smile. A genuine smile it seemed, spread across his face.
"I am honored, Ozai." Iroh hugged his brother back.
Zuko watched his Uncle return his Father's embrace, in total confusion. He found it hard to believe that this was actually happening before him. The initial scorn of his expression was weakened to relief. But he retained his guard as Ozai turned to him.
"And my son." Ozai placed his hands on Zuko's shoulders. "I am overjoyed to see that you are well." Ozai's right hand, moved to cup Zuko's cheek. A gesture that Zuko himself would never have expected. "For what you have accomplished. Your exile is lifted. And your honor, restored." He pulled Zuko into an embrace, and held on tightly.
The Fire Nation Prince did not have a response for this. But could already feel the anger, and resentment building. He stood with his arms to his sides, and looked to the one who was always true to him. Iroh nodded, tears falling from his eyes.
Some time passed, and Zuko's own vision began to blur, the image of his uncle becoming a mixed mosaic behind his tears.
"I'm happy to see you, too, Father." He brought his hands up, and returned his father's embrace. Zuko wiped away the tears that formed when his father pulled away.
"Now is a time for celebration." His father stated. "My Brother. My Son. You have regained your honor, you have served your country. And I am honored to have you as my family." He hugged them both. "I have organized my greatest chefs and cooks from across the entirety of the empire. Tonight, we will have a feast unlike any other."
In that one meeting, it felt like he had lost all anger, and all resentment towards his father.
Zuko's honor had returned, and he had finally regained his Father's admiration.
At the same time…
Just above Chameleon Bay, Azula sat in her room, a decorative place for being located in a giant metallic War Zeppelin. Sprawled across her desk was a piece of paper, a brush, and an inkwell. She took up the brush, and wrote down a message before rolling up the parchment.
"Han!" She called, and a man burst through the door.
"Yes, Princess?"
She held out the rolled parchment that had been sealed with a ribbon. "Send out our strongest hawk to Ba Sing Se. I have a message for my Uncle. Do not let anyone else see it, do you understand? Even you are not to lay eyes on it."
He nodded, accepted the note, and took off.
She looked out towards the bay that extended into the ocean towards the horizon. Her mind wondering if it was the right decision to send off the letter while continually repeated the message in her mind.
The Avatar is safe.
…
"Thank you for taking care of us." Aang bowed to Tia, Lin, and Mei Shan.
He turned around, but felt a tug on his robe. "Before you go, Avatar Aang..." Tia spoke. "We have a request."
Aang turned back. "What is it?"
"We would like to accompany you." Lin answered. "We've waited for so long, and to see you just leave now seems so sudden. We humbly ask that you allow us to join you." They fell to their knees, and bowed before him.
"I...Well..." He looked to Mei and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged and offered him an open palm as if she were saying 'it's your decision.'
He took a deep breath, and smiled. "Okay." They looked up at him with ecstatic joy in their eyes, jumped up, and he felt the warmth of a hug around him. "We're leaving in a little while, so, go get ready."
And they ran off back into the temple.
"You are wise to choose them as companions. They are some of the most devoted followers you will ever find." Mei said.
"I'm sure everyone is just as devoted."
"Give us a chance to prove our devotion, and we will always succeed. That, I am sure of." She replied, turned to him, and bowed. "I asked you before, Avatar Aang. And it is now that I will ask you again."
Aang nodded.
"You have returned, what is it that you would have is do? What does the Avatar command?"
He'd dreamed of this goal for a long time. He was the only airbender then, so it was impossible.
But now, there were hundreds of air nomads, there were enough to...
"Take back the Temples." He nodded. "Now is the time."
"We shall begin immediately." Mei Shan replied witha light in her eyes. "We will restore our people to their former glory, and we will start in the South."
"I'm thankful to have you on the Council, Mei."
"I will keep our people safe, just as my parents and grandparents have. Is there anything else?"
"Before Sozin's Comet comes, I will need the majority of you at the Western Air Temple. I'll be calling on you again that day."
"Just let the wind guide your words, and we will answer."
...
"They're coming with us?" Sokka looked over at Tia and Lin. "Not that I have a problem with you guys coming." He tried to recover. "Y' know...I mean, no offense, but our group is pretty big already."
"No offense taken." Lin replied.
"Come on, Sokka." Aang threw a bag into Appa's saddle. "We could use the extra two pairs of eyes and ears."
"Yeah, I mean, remember what happened at the Western Air Temple?" Toph's voice shattered Aang's projection of safety and security like a stone thrown through a mirror.
"The Western Air Temple?" Tia looked toward Aang. "What happened?"
Aang felt a terror rise in him. A terror followed by excitement, then guilt as he recalled how Azula has captured him, restrained him, held him against his will, and...
"He'd rather not talk about it!" Katara's voice snapped him out of the trance that made his blood rush. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, TOPH!" Her deadly gaze shifted towards the earthbender, who shrugged. "All that matters is that Aang is safe now."
"Right." Aang agreed. "What happened, has happened. Now we need to focus on what we can do."
"Very wise words from the Avatar." Toph said in a rather sarcastic tone.
"Exactly!" Tia jumped up with a rather serious, if perky tone, to Toph's annoyance. "Speaking of what we can do..." She began rummaging through a small bag. They saw her eyes almost glow, when she found what she needed. In her palm, there was a handful of mud.
"What's that?" Aang eyed the slop that drooped to the ground.
"It's my own creation, a makeup cream." Tia stepped closer to him. "May I?"
"Uh...Sure, I guess." Tia placed a small amount on Aang's forehead, and grinned.
"With this, no one will ever know you are the Avatar." Everyone stared at the obvious, out-of-place goo that began running down Aang's nose.
"Just one more step." Tia took a step back, pulling her leg and arm in the same motion, in a quick burst, she threw a punch, and a hard breeze ran across Aang's face. "Just add air."
The wind stung his eyes. And he opened them when he heard a voice.
"Aang, you're arrowhead's gone." Katara said.
"Yeah, it looks like it was never there to begun with." Sokka added.
"Yeah Twinkletoes, you look like a totally different person!" If Toph could see the disapproving glances that she was receiving, she'd probably laugh harder than she already was.
"This bag is for you." Tia handed Aang another bag. "We'll use this one." She motioned to the one she had just opened. "There should be enough to cover all of your tattoos. And it'll last until you wash it off."
"Is everyone ready then?" Lin asked. "We're leaving soon."
"Oh, I need to do just one more thing before we go." Katara said, then ran back into the temple. The group split up, but Suki, Sokka, and Toph were stopped by Aang.
"Guys, I'm gonna need you to ride with Tia and Lin."
"What, why?" Sokka asked.
"Because..." He had to think of something quick. "Because I'd rather not have you guys with me on Appa's back while I put this stuff on my body."
"Well! I guess that means I'm riding with Twinkletoes!" Toph pushed Sokka and Suki aside.
"No, Toph. Sorry. But your going to be going with them, too." He tensed. "Even if you can't see."
Toph took a deep breath, her eyes holding an expression that even Aang didn't want to read. "Fine, but remember Twinkletoes. You owe me for what I did in Ba Sing Se."
"And I'll pay you back as soon as I can. I promise."
"I know what you mean, Aang. Why you're splitting is up..." Sokka whispered. "But you best remember: Appa's back is a hell of a weird place to get..." Sokka's eyes shifted back and forth. "...Intimate." The three turned back and two of them stormed off towards the other Sky Bison.
"Heh..." Was all Aang could muster for an answer.
A new Team Avatar took off from the Eastern Air Temple. With two massive Sky Bison, whose roars interrupted the waves of the ocean.
But only minutes into their flight, did the two beasts stop.
And then there was an echo. An echo that mirrored the same harmonic melody that Katara had heard at the Western Air Temple.
A peaceful signature that ensured a safe journey.
A peaceful signature that told anyone who could hear it, one thing...
The Air Nomads had returned.
...
"So, how did you manage this?" Katara asked with her hands covered in Tia's makeup mud. "Us riding alone on Appa?"
"I told them that I didn't seem right if they saw me...Without my clothes." He smirked.
"What?" She laughed. "Aang, you don't have any tattoos down there."
"I know that. But they don't." He chuckled, and began taking off his robe. "Besides, if I told the truth, I would have just said...'I just want to spend some time alone with Katara.'" He smiled.
"I wanted to spend some time with you, too." Katara blushed. "Now, turn around, and we'll get this mud on you." Aang did as instructed, and tried his best to relax. His heart-rate spiked whenever he felt the cool cream against his skin, followed by Katara's warm and comforting touch. His nerves ran rampant as he realized that she'd be able to pick up on all of it.
Aang's robe fell, and Katara took in the sight of his airbending tattoos. Her eyes ran up from the base is his spine to the crown of his head. With a handful of the cool cream, she ran her fingers along the tattoo, blushing as she felt the rush of exhilaration coming from him. This same rush he always got when he was with her.
"There." She pulled the mud off of her hands. "Now, you just need to add..."
"Air." Aang waved his hand, and a gust of air shot by, drying the cream, and covering up the markings.
"You know, Aang..." Katara bent the mud in her hands. "It looks like I could just bend the water out of it." She pulled the liquid out of the cream and watched it mold into her natural skin color.
"Actually, Katara...I'd prefer it if you'd just use your hands...Yeah, that's it." A nervous plea escaped from his voice. "I mean...J-Just to make sure that we get everything covered."
"Don't worry, Aang." Katara's hands fell upon his shoulders, and ran down his arm. "I like it this way, too." He held his arm out, watching her fingers move down to the back of his hand. "About your tattoos..." She turned him around, took his other hand into her own, and turned it over. "I don't think I've ever asked you about them." Katara traced her finger along the tattoo from his shoulder to his fingers.
"What is it?"
"I used to think that every Air Nomad had tattoos, but back at the Temple, I noticed that young children, and even some adults didn't have any. But you..."
Aang nodded. "These tattoos are a symbol for us. Once an airbender masters Airbending, they're given these tattoos. That's why most children don't have them. In my case, they found out I was the Avatar when I was twelve, so I got mine."
"What about the adults?"
"Some of them could have been Air Acolytes. They can't Airbend. Instead, they're given orders by the Council of Elders to maintain our culture and history."
"But there's more to these than that, isn't there?"
"What do you mean?"
"I can feel an energy that runs through you, an energy that follows your tattoos."
"I guess I should have mentioned that too." He shrugged. "They follow the flow of chi within the body. That's why they glow like my eyes when I'm in the Avatar State."
He shut his eyes, and the brilliant light of all his past lives shined through his eyelids, and tattoos.
The glow faded. "See?"
Katara was silent. Her silence caused embarrassment with a hint of shame I'm him.
"Is something wrong, Katara?"
"Now it's your turn to ask me that?"
"Could you be more honest with me than I have been with you?" His head sunk down, recalling the things he had done.
No matter how many times she'd said 'I forgive you' it never made the guilt on his shoulders any lighter.
"There is something." She whispered. "Azula, she said one thing to her before she left."
"What was it?"
Her grip around his hands tightened. "'Spend as much time as you can with him, because when he makes it to Ba Sing Se, he's mine.' I just wished we could have more time together."
A moment of silence passed before Aang replied.
"We can." Aang's hands wrapped around Katara's, and brought them together between them. "Just like before. Close your eyes."
He waited.
Nothing.
"Come on, trust me like before." He chuckled while peeking through his eyelids.
"Okay." She laughed, and closed her eyes. A familiar feeling came over her, the feeling of floating. The wind brushed against her back, and carried her hair over her shoulders.
"We can have more time here." Aang's voice came. Katara opened her eyes and found them sitting in the clouds among a sapphire sky.
He stood up with a smile, and held out his hand. "Care to take another look at the Spirit World?"
She took his hand, held it tightly, and jumped up to her feet.
"That sounds perfect."
...A few weeks later...
"We'll be landing in Ba Sing Se in a few hours, Princess."
"Thank you, Han. Now, please, leave." Azula looked through the window of her room, staring down at the massive rice paddies surrounding Ba Sing Se.
"Princess, excuse my insolence, but, are you angry with me?"
"Come in, Han. And...Close the door." He nodded, and stumbled into the room.
"What is it, Princess?" His voice was shivering like his skin. Azula could feel it. She could feel his fear.
"Han, could you be honest with me?"
"I like to think that I always am, Princess." He replied. She held her hands out, and watched as his twitching fingers reached for them.
"I want you to be brutally honest with me, Han." She channeled lightning, and sent aa jolt through him. "Do you fear me? Everything I ask, you do. Is it because you're afraid of the consequences?"
"Yes." He answered with no reluctance. "We are terrified. All of us."
"What do you think would happen if you defied an order?"
"I am forbidden to answer." She sent another shock through him. "The Firelord, Princess. He would put us to death."
"If I set you free, would you still serve me?" She let go of his hands.
"Of course. Not through fear. But through faith." She saw his eyes lighten up from the fear they held before. "We would follow you to any end. Your orders give us purpose."
"Send a word to everyone. Assemble on the main floor, I have new orders for all of you."
"Immediately, Princess." He bowed and turned.
There was a hatred she harbored against her father. A hatred mixed with these ironic circumstances.
Azula had decided.
She'd set them free.
...
Azula stood on platform above her personal guard, and company of one-hundred loyal soldiers. The Captain who oversaw her commands, stood beside her.
She looked out to them, Han's words replaying in her mind. They looked up to her, ready for her orders, as they had been trained to do.
"You've all served me with loyalty. And you shall all be rewarded." Her voice echoed through the speakers in the hall. "We will land in Ba Sing Se within the hour. And as you set foot again into the impenetrable city, I only have one command: Do whatever you see fit to live your life to the fullest." they tightened their stances as Azula's lightning ran through them. "You are all free."
The soldiers began to mumble to themselves.
"From here on out, you are all relieved of duty." She turned to step down from the podium, but was stopped by her Captain.
"Princess." He bowed. "Please. Don't leave us."
"You have your orders, Captain. Follow them." A roar arose, and before her, Azula heard her name come from one-hundred voices, chanting in unison.
"We will follow you. No matter what." He bowed lower. Azula sighed, and stepped back up into the podium to louder cries of her name.
"Your orders are to rest in Ba Sing Se. Tomorrow, I will return. If at that time, you have decided that you will follow me...I will command you, once again."
The cheers grew louder as they neared the city, only interrupted at the sound of the zepplin's landing, and the huge ramp that opened before them.
"Move out!"
...
The ramp descended, and Azula stood before her Company, the first one to see the earth-stained colors of Ba Sing Se's royal palace. And there, standing before her, was her older brother.
"Azula, it's good to see you." He bowed.
The action surprised her for just a moment. And even more surprising was what he was dressed in: A royal robe, red and black, a robe that was too formal for Zuko, a robe that any Royalty from the Fire Nation would wear during a coronation, or a Royal affair.
"Zuko." She walked across the stone ground, and hugged him. "It's good to see you two." She whispered. "But one question: Why so formal?" She whispered with a laugh.
"You'll see soon enough." He smiled. "Let's go."
"What happened?" Azula "Why are there more guards…More Fire Nation guards. And what happened to this room? The last time I was here, it wasn't like this." The room was scarred with emblems of black fire strewn across scarlet cloths.
"Think of it as a little piece of home." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Get dressed. Formal. You have a VIP in the Throne room that needs to see you."
"Who could that be, I wonder." She stared into her wardrobe.
"I'm sure you already know." He whispered.
"Zuko, before you leave…Did Uncle receive my message?"
"What message?"
It was then that Azula had a panic rush through her that she hadn't felt in a long time. "Nothing. Never mind what I said."
…
Azula walked down the long hallway towards the massive doors that led to the Throne room. Every guard bowed as she passed. Her arrival was announced with loud screaming of the doors that rumbled through the palace.
"Azula." Ozai's voice was almost as loud as the doors.
"Father." She kneeled before him.
"It's a pleasure to see you again." He stepped down and opened his arms. Azula was perplexed. It'd been almost ten years since her father had last offered a hug to her. "Come now, are we not family?"
"We are, Father." She walked up to him, and returned his embrace. The doors cried again as they closed. And Azula could feel the atmosphere break before her.
"If we are family...then you wouldn't have betrayed me." He pushed her away, letting her fall to the ground. A piece of parchment fell at her feet. "The Avatar is safe. Where is he?"
Azula smiled, and spat on the ground. "I'll never tell you."
"I don't think you understand." A shock ran through her, her muscles gave way and she collapsed. Ozai dragged her up by her collar. "You will give me an answer!" Another shock.
Azula didn't reply. She only smiled with a smug satisfaction. "I learned a few tricks while I was away, Father. Some tricks that you never taught me. You can't force the answer our of me. Sentence me to death. It doesn't matter anymore. The Avatar will defeat you, and your tyrannical vision will be lost forever." She looked into his eyes. "For what you did to us…I hope you die."
She looked into his eyes that burned with fire. A grin stretched across his face. "Your insolence will be your undoing." He pushed her back. "An Agni Kai. Now. You will learn your mistake through suffering."
"If I don't defeat you. The Avatar will." She pushed herself back up onto her feet.
"Not with me." He laughed. "With him."
The doors opened again, and Zuko stepped into the room.
"Zuko, you-"
"Prince Zuko. Your exile is lifted, and your honor, restored."
Zuko's eyes became dormant, and an anger rose in Azula, anger that a she hadn't felt in a long time.
"How could you do this, to your own children?!"
"The Agni Kai begins now."
"Zuko." Azula turned around. "I won't do this. I decline this-"
"This is not a challenge! This is an order!" Ozai interrupted. "Now!"
A ball of flame shot by Azula's head, barely burning her as she fell backwards onto the ground. She rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up.
"I know you're not doing this by your own will, Zuko." She took her stance. "So I won't burn you again. Forgive me." With a charge, she broke through a wall of fire. Her fist was caught by him, but the other struck his sternum, sending him reeling back.
Zuko kicked forward, a ball of fire shot from the sole of his foot. Azula planted her left foot into the ground, pivoted with it, and delivered a kick to his abdomen; he slid across the ground with the impact. She waited, hoping that he wouldn't stand.
And with a sluggish obedience, Zuko returned to his feet. He threw a punch, which she caught. He threw another punch, which she caught. There, she held him, her fingers nearly digging into his hand as they twitched against each other.
"Listen to me, Zuko." Her voice was breaking. "Power out of this. He does not control us anymore." He pulled back one hand, and threw another rounding hook. Azula moved out of the way, and turned with another kick, sending him back to the ground. "Wake up, Zuko!"
"Azula..." His voice was just as sluggish as his movements. "Just end it...I can't control it." Zuko returned to his feet, and charged again. Azula side-stepped him, and swept his feet from under him.
He crashed down, his head snapped back, and a thud was heard through the room.
"Zuko...?"
He didn't respond.
She feel to his side, and brought his head into her arms. "Zuko, are you okay? Answer me!" She shook him, he didn't respond.
"Finish him." Ozai ordered.
"I won't." Azula spat back. "I won't do what you say anymore." She placed two fingers on Zuko's neck, a pulse was still there.
"You will obey. Or you will suffer the consequences."
"Fine." Azula stood. Her hand began to flow and crackle with electricity. She drew her hand back and shot it towards him. Ozai dodged the lightning, letting the throne shatter into dust with her attack.
"Really?" Ozai said. "A dishonorable attack, from the Princess herself? What a shame." He stepped down further, and stood across from her. "It's obvious that you're much better than Zuko. Much more useful, stronger, and devious. Guess who you take after?"
"I'm not like you anymore." Azula shot back. "I challenge you for the right of the throne. I defeat you, you step down. I become Firelord."
"Bravado, audacious, bold. Just like your father." He smiled. "If you defeat me. You will be worthy of succession. Unlike your pathetic brother."
"Don't speak as if you know him!"
"You will suffer for your insolence."
Azula charged, her feet engulfed in fire. She leapt into the air, turning in a somersault towards him. The flames of her attack dragged with the air.
Ozai stepped aside with no hint of concern or fear.
"Impressive." He mockingly praised her. Azula landed in a low stance, she swept her leg around, sending a stream of flames around her.
But the chain merely missed Ozai, as if they had never intended to strike him.
"You've improved. But you still have no idea what you are dealing with." He opened his arms. "Like we used to train." He smiled. "Again."
He was infuriating. She was overcome with annoyance and rage. She would make him pay.
Two streaks of lightning passed through her fingertips, both failed to find their mark. Another two strands of fire escape through her palms, but found no target.
The room began to fill with a thick grey smoke.
Everything went silent for a moment.
Then the smoke began to clear with Azula's renewed assault. Her swiftness blew the smoke behind her, and she threw a punch directly to his throat.
But she was caught.
Her hand was trapped in his palm, and the pressure slowly built as his massive hand began to close around her fist. Her fingers began to compress, the nerves in her hand began to sting.
Then pain. Unbearable pain. It felt like the bones in her hand were being ground into a powder. The paralyzing shock in her nerves shot through her arm, and it dropped.
Gasping for breath, she brought another flaming fist to him, but with a simple movement of his hand, he blocked her attack, letting her other arm fail into paralysis.
"Poor, poor Azula. I told you, you stand no chance." A blunt pain struck her stomach. The air burst out of her lungs, and her abdomen began to burn. "This duel is over."
She collapsed, her gaze shifting over to see a single foot, covered in blue flames looking back at her. She saw it rear back, and an even deeper pain struck her stomach again. The flames stuck to her, she could feel her own flesh burning behind the dress.
Blood began dripping down her lips, forming a pool under her cheek. Her vision began to darken as he stepped closer. Then, footsteps. More footsteps. And she heard the Firelord's command.
"Take her away."
…A few days later…
"Guys. We have a problem." Sokka said while looking over at Ba Sing Se's outer wall. "Those weren't there the last time we were here." He pointed to massive banners of red and black slung over the fortifications. "Pull closer to
Appa. We need to talk to Aang and Katara." Tia nodded, and urged her bison to fly over.
"Wait, what's wrong with them?" Suki looked at Aang and Katara, they sat across from each other, they're eyes closed.
"Hey! Aang! Katara! Wake up!" Sokka leapt over to Appa and shook them.
"They're in the Spirit World." Lin clarified.
"Again?" Toph shouted. "This is like the eighth time!"
"They will awaken when they return to their bodies. We just have to give them time."
"No, No. You see, we don't have time." He pointed to Ba Sing Se. "I'm pretty sure there's some funny business happening over there. If we enter now, we could be heading into a trap. Zuko's uncle didn't force the residents to wear Fire Nation clothing or anything like that."
"So, what do we do?" Toph asked.
Sokka looked around, behind the massive walls of Ba Sing Se, he saw a break from the ocean, followed by an island. "There! We'll fly around the city, avoiding the guards, and wait on that island until Katara and Aang come back. Simple."
"Yip! Yip!" Tia shouted, and the two bison took towards the island.
PUBLISHED ON: 12/27/2014
A/N:
With the publishing of this chapter, I reached a new milestone.
Cherry Blossoms in the Wind, has a word count of 83,030 words.
With this chapter, A Change of Heart will have over 85,000 words.
Some people will tell you that Word Count of a story is a prime example of determining how good of a writer someone is. Others will tell you that a Word Count doesn't matter, and that it is an art to telling a coherent story with the least amount of words possible.
I'm not here to do anything with that debate. There is one thing I learned about myself from the word count of my two major stories.
-Cherry Blossoms in the Wind has 83,000 words in 43 chapters. With a lengthy afterword.
-A Change of Heart has 85,000 words in 27 chapters. Without a lengthy afterword.
I've managed to double the length of the chapters that I write, within the last 6 months. I've roughly doubled the amount I can write within half the time that I've been here.
And that progress is something that I'm proud of.
A Change of Heart is now the largest writing project of my life. And that is a fact that I'm proud of.
So, for the third time…Thank you for the support.
And…
Thanks for reading!
Oh, and, a public apology to DrunkenGoat is in order, there isn't justice in this world...At least, not yet. ;)
Oh, and one more thing. If you have time, please drop by my account, and check out the StrawPoll that I've set up. For future uses. (FanFiction only)
Chapter 27 on the 27th!
Happy New Year!