Adi, the injured man, was awake the next day, but was banned to bed rest until he could move without pain. Naruto, of course, went to visit him as soon as he heard and was greeted by tears and emotional thank yous. Naruto patted him on the back and tried to leave to let him rest before his arm was grabbed.

"Thank you, again, general. I will follow you to the end of the earth. No matter what happens, because I know it's for good reason." Adi spoke as he held Naruto's arm.

Naruto stared at him for a while before sitting in the chair next to the bed. "Let me ask you something Adi, what do you fight for? What do you personally fight for?" Naruto questioned.

"The Fire Nation, general." The man responded confused.

"No, who do you fight for? What idea do you believe in? What drives you to face the fight?" Naruto asked again.

Adi sat in silence for a while as he thought about the questions. Naruto watched his face as he did and noticed the exact moment Adi had his answer. "A better future for my children, sir. I want them to grow up without war. To not have to fight and see death like I have. I want to see their smiling faces as a new world comes to be." Adi stared Naruto in the eyes as he spoke and Naruto could see the determination and passion in them as he spoke.

"Do you think what we are doing is accomplishing that?" Naruto asked the man once again as he put his head on his folded hands. "Is what we are doing the right thing or should we try a different approach? Is it too late for that? Has the damage already been done?"

Adi sat there in silence as he stared at Naruto, "Do you sir?" He finally asked.

Naruto sighed as he looked around the room and then back to the man in front of him, "I believe that if the world remains divided the way it is nothing can change, but this war, this power grab, it's the wrong way to do it. Too many people die every day. Too many people suffer." Naruto looked the man in the eyes, "Too many people fear us." Once Naruto had finished his thought he stood up and turned to before the man calling back to him stopped him.

"If that is what you believe, general, then why stay in the war?"

"Who do you trust more, a person who has lived with you, bathed with you, eaten with you, seen death with you, who has starved with you; or the man that just moved into town and screams the way you are living is wrong? The battles you are fighting are wrong?" Leaving that for Adi to think on, Naruto left the medic center and went back up to the deck to get some fresh air.

"General, a letter from the Fire Lord." A woman ran up to Naruto and handed him the note that arrived from a hawk.

"Thank you." Naruto responded before opening the letter. His eyes widened. He rushed up to the bridge before speaking to the helmsman. "How far out are we from the North Pole?"

"About a day, general." The man responded after a quick calculation.

Naruto thanked him quickly before rushing off to his room to re-read the letter before letting it fall from his hands and onto the floor. He took deep breaths before realizing he really had no choice in the matter. He would have to inform the Earth King of the change in plans, but that was to be expected.

Naruto quickly made a clone and gave him the letter, "Give this to the king and tell him what we choose." The clone nodded before disappearing in a flash. Naruto took a deep breath before leaving his room to go back up to the deck. It was emptier than it was before and it gave Naruto the breathing room he needed to clear his head.

"General, the others are enjoying dinner, care to join us?" A man asked as he came out onto the deck to get his leader.

"I believe I will." Naruto responded as he made up his mind. The Fire Lord wasn't the only one that could play games.

As Naruto walked through the dining hall he sat down at the head of the table in the middle. He slowly ate his food as he thought about his option and the words Adi had spoken.

"Are you okay, general?" The man to his right asked, breaking him from his thoughts as he looked around the table he could see the same worried look reflected in the eyes of the rest of the warriors that surrounded him.

Naruto shot up and tinged his glass to get everyone's attention. "I know most of you can tell that I have been off for most of today. I would like to inform you all of the reason why and of some other important matters that tie into it." Naruto took a deep breath, "I know a lot of you have questioned why a general would be leading men like a caption. This is because my rank was given to me by the Fire Lord as a way for me to fail." People shot each other confused looks, "He didn't like what I had to say about how he treated his son for trying to protect his people or how I questioned his head space and ability to lead because of this act. So he placed me as general so he could keep a close eye on me. When that worked he tried to banish me like he did his son, but that couldn't work because of soldiers like you. The people that will always have my back. He knew that if something were to happen to me by his hand the country would rout, so he instead sent me off to lead you all.

I want to make it clear that I am not complaining about leading you all. You have all shown me so much kindness and loyalty that I will never forget you, but this is where our journey ends." A gasp ran through the hall, "The Fire Lord sent me a letter today telling me that I would no longer be your general after this final battle and that I would instead be protecting Princess Azula as she tries to capture the Avatar." A few people shouted in rage as he spoke before he calmed them down. "This does not mean that you should not fight in this upcoming battle. This does not mean you need to give up. I want each and every one of you to return to this ship and go back to the capital with me with our heads held high as we part for the final time." Naruto had begun shouting by the time his speech came to a close and the entire hall erupted into cheer and applause as he sat down once more.

"Just test me Ozai, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into." Naruto thought to himself as let the dining hall as men and women cheered for him and wished him luck. JUst as he exited the hall this clones memories returned to him.

"Do what you must, for I believe in your judgment." Naruto mumbled to himself as he laid on his bed. He turned his head to look at the sky as the stars appeared and the icebergs floated by. "Easier said than done."

"General Naruto,

It has come to my attention that you might be purposely sabotaging your mission in order for other nations to fight back. I want to remind you that I have the power to take away everything you care about and make you disappear. So here's the deal, if you don't return from this mission with the Avatar in tow, as I know you can, you will accompany Azula as she tracks the Avatar. You shall lose your men, your place in meetings, and you shall lose your ability to influence my citizens. You aren't special and you are merely a tool. A face for the people to believe in. Remember your place, because without me, you are nothing.

Fire Lord, Ozai."