Ozai sat in his council meeting, and he was livid. Only a quarter of the councilmen were there. He yelled out to a servant. "I wish to reward my loyal men. Tell the Madam that tonight I'm throwing a dinner party. Tell her not to bother dressing the women.
Shinu raised one eyebrow. "I missed these dinners. I'm glad you're going to bring them back."
Another councilor nodded and said, "I'm so damn hard already."
"You do love watching," Ozai stated. "You'll love watching me with my whores. They fucking get off on the violence. It's so sexually satisfying."
Yet another chuckled, "yes, didn't Katara find them for you?"
The man beside him flinched and whispered, "are you an idiot?"
Ozai stood and stalked over to the man who reminded him of Katara. "You think you're so funny?" He then pulled him off his chair by his neck and choked him. He loved the look of panic and fear in the man's eyes. He squeezed harder. He then thought of how he was Fire Lord and how he had to show his power. How his men had scattered, and how he needed to put everyone in their place. He cocked his head and smiled.
Even after the man passed out, he held on. He was going to make an example of him. He then felt his heart stop, dropping him in a heap on the floor. His eyes looked dead –he smiled.
"Dinner tonight!" He roared out and left the council meeting.
He was so fucking hard right now he stroked his cock through his pants as he walked to his room. He slammed the door open, and his whores looked at him in surprise and excitement.
"I need a rough, violent fuck. I just killed a man, and all I want now is a cunt to stick my big dick in."
They both got naked and lay on the bed, ready for him. One said, "take turns fucking us. We want it to be brutal." He smiled and slapped her, and she moaned in pleasure.
One councilman paced his room as his wife walked in. She asked, "what has you so worked up?"
"Ozai. He's…" he shook his head. "I don't know what to do!"
She shrugged, "I thought we both decided that you'd stay loyal and play the game. It will elevate us."
"The council meeting was a damn shit show."
"What? I mean, I heard he's throwing a 'dinner party.' You know I don't mind you going. Please bring her back tonight, and we can both play with her. You know you love being teamed up on."
"Yes. But that's not it. One of the councilors mentioned Katara giving Ozai the whores. He choked the man to death in front of everyone!"
She shrugged, "so, less competition for you."
"And if I say the wrong thing?"
"You die then. Don't worry; I will remarry. I always fall on my own two feet."
He huffed out in annoyance. "Trust me. I know you'll be fine. Plus, it's not so much your two feet. If I remember right, you always fall onto a cock. It's how you got me."
"And I enjoy having another woman in bed with us. No man would feel bad for you."
He raked his fingers through his hair. "Ozai is out of control. Even his loyal men aren't safe. We aren't staying much longer. I can't rise in position if I'm dead. We leave in two days."
"Fine. I'll have us packed quietly."
He frowned. "Damn, I can't believe I'm going to admit we need Katara back." He sat on the couch and raked his fingers through his hair. "We need to just wait at home until she returns. Ozai is a lunatic, and he's getting even more unpredictable."
Katara walked the gardens of the Earth Kingdom palace. She had discovered she loved flowers. Still, she was lost in her own thoughts at the time. It wasn't until Mai walked down the path to join her that she noticed her surroundings. "Hello, Mai," she greeted.
"The letter is sent. I've officially informed Ozai of Azula's death –defeat, at Zuko's hands."
Katara gave her a kind smile. "Thank you. That must have been hard."
"It was," Mai admitted. "It's the first report I ever made to the Fire Lord."
"And how does that make you feel?"
"No. We're not playing this game. I'm working with you; that's it right now. I'm not braiding your hair and talking about my feelings." Mai glared at Katara and said, "I'm not a broken toy for you to fix."
Katara was unperturbed. "Gosh, how dramatic of you. You wrote a letter to your best friend's father informing him of her death. I was assuming 'it sucked' would be your answer."
"It sucked –a lot." Mai cast her eyes to the flowers. "Shit, Azula hated flowers. She said they were a waste of time and resources. She wanted to set this whole garden on fire."
Mai kicked at a rock, and it went skittering away. "Will that man even care?! She gave everything to him, and he only paid attention to her when she was useful, and dead isn't useful to him. On top of that, won't this make him proud of Zuko?!"
Katara replied, "no, he won't care. And yes, he will be so damn proud of Zuko for killing her."
"You absolutely suck at this comforting thing," Mai shot back, annoyed.
"And lying would make you feel better?" Katara scoffed. "Okay, then Ozai will weep bitter tears over the loss of the child that adored him. He will mourn for the daughter that made herself in his image to please him. He will honor her devotion and commitment to the Fire Nation and his goals. Does that make you feel better? It's all pig-bullshit, and you know it. Grow the hell up."
Mai faced her and yelled, "I just lost one of my best friends. There is no need for you to be such a raging bitch!"
"I'm glad someone will mourn her. You and Ty Lee will be the only ones. Don't you think that Ozai will throw a party in Zuko's name when he finds out? I do."
"What the hell!?"
"She wasted her life, and you know it. You're just worried that yours is a waste too." Katara cocked her head. "Will only Ty Lee mourn you if you die?"
Mai's bottom lip trembled, and tears pricked her eyes. Katara pushed more. "Or if Ty Lee dies first, will anyone one be left to weep for you?"
Mai burst into tears, and Katara pulled her into her arms and held her tightly, letting her cry on her shoulder. Her hurt, worry, and anguish had spilled out, and she was sobbing. Katara was glad she had finally gotten past Mai's walls. Once she eventually got herself under control, Katara rubbed her back and whispered, "want to braid my hair?" Mai chuckled and was able to pull herself together.
Katara then added, "you're not a broken toy. You are hurting, though. I'm not trying to fix you. I'm offering to be there for you. I'm not stupid. You're a very strong and powerful woman. Could you imagine if we learned to work together? We could be a significant force. The other women around me are essential. But could you imagine what the two of us could accomplish? You have a mind like mine."
Mai sighed. "I would have to like you first."
"You're so stubborn –it's a compliment. But don't get into lying. You do like me, you absolutely hate the fact that you like me, but you do."
"It pisses me off," Mai admitted.
Katara laughed. "Just know I don't regret stabbing you."
"Damn, that was embarrassing. Azula was so pissed I got her kicked out of the palace. She kept pushing on my stitches until they came out."
"She's such a bitch!" Katara lamented.
"Yeah, but still, I care for her."
Katara laughed and teased, "you're an idiot for that."
Mai teased back, "works for you since I'm warming up to you." They both laughed.
The Madam pulled one of her women to the side later that evening when they returned from dinner. "How was it?" She whispered.
The woman frowned. "The Fire Lord… He's different now. He demanded everyone had sex, and he stalked the room watching. When he was 'particularly entertained', he sometimes got involved."
The Madam sighed. "I need to check on all the women. What did he do to them?" The Madam grew pale as she whispered into her ear.
Toph smirked as she stood in the underground arena. "The Blind Bandit" was announced to a cheering crowd.
She cracked her knuckles and spit. "Okay, rock head. Let's do this," she challenged. She could feel him shaking. It made her smile; soon, he would be unconscious. She was undefeated.