The letters

2

"I understand we've started on the wrong footing. But you, as well, have to understand that this isn't the time to be fickle or foolish. I have been asked to watch over you for now, only until your mother returns… so no peeing yourself. And no pooing yourself, either. Don't spit. Don't throw up. Don't… don't cry. That, in particular, just… don't cry. I'm going to do this carefully… and you're going to obey me. Have I made myself clear, Zuko?"

The baby sitting before him certainly didn't appear to have understood any of what Ozai had said. He appeared to be on the brink of another of his typical waterworks displays, and Ozai let out a deep sigh, shaking his head for it… but the tears hadn't started yet. Perhaps Zuko would behave himself a little, this time. Just a little…

Just enough for Ozai to finally test him properly today and discover whether or not his son was a firebender.

He was ready. He had requested the cotton, birch bark and oils from the temple a few weeks ago, but with Zuko being as attached to his mother as he ever was, Ozai's every attempt to test him had gone nowhere. But Ursa wasn't here right now: it was only the little boy and his father… and it was about time Zuko understood that Ozai had certain expectations of him, expectations he wasn't supposed to shirk away from out of some ill-placed fear: what did he even expect Ozai would do to him, anyway?

Whatever it was, though, the boy's eyes were still fearful as Ozai raised the test carefully to the underside of Zuko's nose. He'd notice if the object caught fire, burning under his son's breathing… he'd know for sure if Zuko was a firebender today. Once he did, Azulon's dismissiveness of his son might finally come to an end. He might just understand that Ozai had made the right choice by marrying Ursa, and that their lineage would only strengthen through their bond…

And if Zuko wasn't a firebender, something that Ozai supposed couldn't be conclusive after a single attempt anyway, then maybe Azulon would be right to think his marriage wouldn't achieve anything for the Royal Family. And would that be the worst thing ever? Ozai couldn't say he was sure it would be… for, as much as his ambitions to prove himself would take a serious setback, the truth was that the past two years had been the brightest period of his life. His wife had certainly changed him in surprising ways, and while he still did his best to stand by his firebending training routines, ever polishing himself to the utmost, he found himself easing up whenever she longed for his company, whenever she required him for any purpose. Zuko certainly had been troublesome, and he seemed particularly volatile whenever he was in Ozai's arms, or alone with Ozai in a room… but he could always ask Lo and Li to help him appease the boy if Ursa wasn't available. If she was, the three of them could simply spend time together – as long as Ursa was constantly holding Zuko, of course – and all would be well.

That Zuko hadn't been presented at the temple until a year after his birth due to Azulon's wretched commands had certainly disgruntled Ozai… but Ursa's smiles were warmer than ever after it was done, and as prone as Zuko was to crying whenever he was confused, he always calmed down quickly when his mother spoke to him. Their bond was certainly tight, probably the tightest either of them had ever known…

And while he felt like an outsider to it more often than not, Ozai had resolved not to be a petty fool over the matter. He would bond with his son in due time too, of course he would… his bond with his wife was no concern: she had seemed to grow even more affectionate with Ozai after Zuko's birth, often smiling warmly at him with similar fondness to the one she showed Zuko, even asking him at times, in bed, if he thought Zuko would grow up to be as handsome as he was. That certainly tickled Ozai's ego in all the right ways… as did the fact that his wife had grown even more eager to spend private time with him as of late. Zhao had visited recently, meeting Zuko for the first time and finding the boy's behavior perplexing and unpleasant… but he had been even more shaken by Ursa's clear ease around Ozai, by her willingness to clasp his hand and gaze at him fondly as she spoke of what a wonderful partner Ozai had been throughout her pregnancy and the raising of their little boy. A part of Ozai supposed she was exaggerating just to irritate Zhao and prove a point… but the way she looked at him whenever they were alone suggested that Zuko wasn't the only person in Ursa's heart, no matter how strongly attached the child was to his mother.

Hence, he couldn't let her down. He'd prove himself a responsible father, both to Ursa in her absence and to Zuko, who seemed to be close to tears yet again. Ozai's hand inched closer…

"Come, now. Your mother didn't allow me to test you until now so you could grow safe and sound, with no expectations if just for a year…" Ozai said, his voice more menacing than he realized it sounded. "You have shown no signs of being a firebender, but that makes no matter: you will try now. So… breathe into it and do it, Zuko."

The baby sitting before him inched away from Ozai's hand to no avail: he was sitting on a wooden highchair, where he typically ate his meals, and he was trapped within the safety of the chair's banisters and tray with no escape, exactly as Ozai had intended it. There would be no squirming out of the test for the little boy, no matter how far back he pushed his head in his desperate attempts to flee from his terrifying father.

Was it his beard? Was it Ursa was actually visually impaired somehow, and Ozai wasn't handsome at all, regardless of her beliefs? Was it Ozai's eyes, maybe? Ursa did mention once that his scowls were very menacing… which she apparently found rather alluring about him. Zuko surely didn't agree with the sentiment, but Ozai didn't expect that faking a smile for the boy would result in a different outcome. He'd probably just cry louder than he always did anyway…

But he wasn't crying yet. No, he was tense… and his face was flushing slowly. It was, and the tinder under the boy's nose wasn't even slightly burnt. Ozai frowned, lowering the test and raising his other hand to Zuko's nose: the boy flinched, inching back, his face redder still…

He was holding his breath.

"Oh, for crying out loud…!" Ozai exclaimed, pulling back: on cue, Zuko let out a happy breath once his father was further away from him. Ozai's eyebrow twitched as he glared at the child with disbelief. "So, you'll just make a sport out of going against whatever I require of you, is it?"

As expected, Zuko's mood changed upon hearing his father's scolding tone: he let out a soft whimper before lashing out into a full-blown wail, tears spilling rapidly down his chubby cheeks. Ozai's nose twitched with utmost displeasure.

"Fine, then. Fine! Be that way!" he said, marching towards the nearest window behind Zuko's chair and throwing it open. "I will leave you be! That's all you want from me, isn't it?!"

He marched to the door next, closing it behind himself as subtly as possible. He waited only for a moment, a matter of less than half a minute… and he heard Zuko's wailing ease up as he calmed down once his father was gone. His irritation only surged further.

"What have I ever done to him, curses…?" Ozai hissed: there was no way a baby could tell his father had struggled with accepting the changes Zuko had flung into his life, right? Babies weren't all that smart, they could barely tell one person apart from another… well, as long as that person wasn't their mother, who seemed to be the sole human being they actually liked. At least, it was the only human being Zuko liked…

Ozai sighed: he barely had memories of his mother, but he knew he hadn't been much better than Zuko in his youth. If just for that reason, he couldn't be too upset about Zuko's behavior… but he couldn't help but wonder, too, if that was part of what Azulon's resentment had stemmed from. Had Ozai hogged up his mother too much, without his awareness…? It hardly seemed reasonable to despise a child across three decades for that reason…

Oh, but to hell with Azulon: Ozai had a mission to focus on, and he had already laid down the foundations to make it work, whether Zuko was aware of it or not.

He slipped out into the garden, walking with utmost dignity as he returned to the very window he had opened from inside the building. Zuko had his back turned towards him and he seemed to be entertaining himself by tapping his hands on his tray happily now… so all Ozai had to do was sneak in when Zuko wasn't paying attention. Not a sound, not even a smidge of a sound…

He hoisted himself up to the windowsill carefully: the utter ridiculousness of his behavior at the moment might just get him a few raised eyebrows if guards or servants caught sight of him… but he supposed his father would be amused, at least, if he learned he had been up to something quite as embarrassing as entering his suite's dining room through a window just to avoid his son's tantrums.

His physical strength saw to the quick success of the first stage of the mission. Then, he tiptoed all the way to where Zuko sat, still cheerful, still making weird noises and spit-bubbles as he gazed about the room with careless curiosity. Ozai angled himself carefully, staying as silent as could be… and then, upon finally stopping exactly behind the boy, Ozai raised the tinder subtly, carefully, right under the nose of his son…

He miscalculated. He raised it too high. The cotton tickled him…

Zuko sneezed.

"Ack!" Ozai exclaimed, dropping the test as he grimaced: oh, this child. Were all children this prone to drooling and snoozing and simply caving into any disgusting human needs as carelessly as that…?

But of course, the sound of his voice, paired with the fact that he had surprised him from behind in such a foolish manner, caused Zuko to lash out in another burst of wails and tears.

"Oh, come on! You'll never get properly tested at this rate!" Ozai hissed, reaching for a nearby towel to wipe himself with – it seemed taking care of babies would mean winding up frequently covered in drool or snot if you were lucky, in worse kinds of excretions if there were any diaper mishaps. Fortunately, towels sufficed for the first thing… so he reached for one as he glared about irritably, looking for the tinder he had dropped while Zuko wept as dramatically as ever.

He couldn't spot it right away… had it rolled under the dining table? Ozai sighed, shaking his head as he wound up in all fours, lighting a speck of fire in one hand in order to locate the object he had been seeking, all while ignoring his son's very loud wailing…

Wailing that concealed the sound of an opening door.

"Oh, no! What did your mean father do to you now? Zuko!"

Ozai flinched: even under Zuko's cries, he succeeded at hearing and understanding his wife's words. He grimaced, shaking his head as he reached for the tinder: it was, as expected, in a most inconvenient spot under some adornments over the beams that helped support the long table…

Zuko's crying eased slowly as his mother picked him up, cradling him against her chest and easing him with her soothing voice. Ozai sighed, pulling back his hand after finally closing it around the tinder, and he crawled out of his most inconvenient position under the table: he met Ursa's eyes with remorse, and wasn't all that surprised to find reproach in hers.

"Oh yes, he sure is mean. What a spectacle he was offering me, with his perfect rear up in the air like that… and now he's sitting up properly and I can't admire it anymore. Your father is truly merciless, Zuko…"

Ozai's face predictably flushed, and Ursa couldn't hold back a spring of laughter at his earnest reaction: her amusement seemed to soothe their son even further. Ozai shook his head, running a hand over his hair to tame it once more, for it had certainly fallen out of its proper top-knot throughout his ordeal of jumping back indoors and, of course, of searching for the fallen tinder under the table.

"We were… mostly alright. But Zuko continues to refuse testing," Ozai said, grimacing. "Down to even holding his breath when I brought the tinder to his nose…"

"Aw, Zuko doesn't like that test, does he?" Ursa asked, rocking her son carefully: he was well and truly silent now, a gentle smile spreading on his face. "No, he doesn't at all…"

"Ma…!" Zuko exclaimed happily, and Ozai rolled his eyes, even if he smiled slightly upon rising back to his feet. Ursa chuckled, pressing a kiss to her son's cheek.

"He's too cute. Impossibly cute. You're to blame for that, though, because we both know he takes after you…" Ursa said. Ozai let out a bark of laughter.

"He and I have nothing in common, I'm sure. He positively despises me," Ozai said. Ursa laughed, shaking her head.

"Now, don't be so dramatic. He has your hair, your eyes, your temper…"

"My temper? I don't cry remotely as often as he does…!"

"Oh, but when you're in a bad mood and I kiss you…"

Ursa clasped his cape, pulling him close and pressing her lips promptly to his. Ozai, of course, had no defense against that, and she grinned brightly for it.

"See? You're just as easily bought and paid for as your adorable son. You have so much more in common than you'll ever want to admit," Ursa winked at him, rocking Zuko gently again as she walked away from a stunned, blushing and certainly no longer moody Ozai.

Well, perhaps she did have a point, didn't she?

He let out a deep breath as he watched Ursa easing Zuko further, pressing more kisses to the top of his head as the boy's mood swung radically from one end of the spectrum to the next: yes, perhaps Ozai could understand why Zuko liked his mother better than anyone else in existence… for he, himself, felt that way about Ursa, too. Perhaps their respective cherishing of Ursa would evolve into common ground for them in the future, if only based on respecting each other's fondness for the wonderful woman who stood at the very core of their small family.

As she was back, though, Ozai would do best to stop attempting to test Zuko right now. Ursa hadn't been absent for no reason, and he supposed she'd share exactly what she had been told once he…

A chance glance at the tinder in his hand revealed there was a scorch mark on it that hadn't been there before.

He yelped. It was an odd sound coming from the usually stoic Ozai, whose stiff behavior typically saw Ursa teasing him with devious delight… and hearing such an unexpected sound from her husband certainly seemed to compel the woman to tease him for new reasons. Even so, she turned with a puzzled frown on her face, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you alright?" she asked, point-blank: Ozai's hands trembled as he hoisted the small ball of tinder.

Ursa's eyes widened: the blackened area wasn't large… but it caught her eye immediately.

"W-wait, is that…?!" she gasped. Ozai shuddered, shrugging nervously.

"I… I suppose? I did use my bending to look under the table and find the tinder just a moment ago, maybe a spark from my fire fell on it…" he said, stepping closer to Ursa and the perfectly comfortable Zuko. "But it… it's definitely possible that it could have been him. He… he sneezed. Perhaps he let out a spark in that sneeze and I didn't notice it because, well… he also covered my hand with snot."

"Oops," Ursa smiled sympathetically at him, though she eyed her son with curiosity. "Could it really be? I… I didn't care much about knowing if he's a bender or not before, but I kind of do now. Do you want to test him again?"

"I, well… it probably won't work anymore," Ozai said. Ursa scoffed, offering him a confident smirk.

"If we try it together, it'll go swimmingly."

Ursa hadn't cared to test Zuko so far: she wanted their son to live his life happily and peacefully, with as little to worry about as could be. A part of Ozai suspected she was putting Ozai to the test, on some level, too: would Ozai still do his best for their son if he was a non-bender? Would he continue to appreciate her as his wife even if she failed to deliver a firebending heir for him? At times, the pressures his father's judgmental glares had built up for him caused him to waver, to feel an alarming need for Zuko to be a firebender so he could prove marrying Ursa had been the right choice… and yet at times the possibility that Zuko might be a non-bender didn't disturb him at all. He'd fail Azulon? He had done that all his life, apparently. Would it even matter if he did it in these regards? Perhaps his father would simply ignore him for good, dismissing him as a potential heir even further… and then Ozai and Ursa might just become one of the typical secondary branches of the Royal Family, supported financially during the first few generations before being demoted slowly into nobility and pushed away from the core family…

Living elsewhere, frankly, might be interesting. Not having Azulon breathing down his neck didn't sound like a bad idea. Yes, he wanted Zuko to be a firebender… but his wife was a non-bender, and she was the most special person he had ever known. If Zuko weren't a bender, Ozai's political concerns would fade away: he wouldn't even need Seethus's loyalty and support anymore, for why would he even require the services of an assassin, at that point? Seethus hadn't done much for him in the past years, even Ozai's urges to spy on his father had been quite absent as of late…

Life was, somehow, good. It was probably the first time he had genuinely thought so. He was at peace with his wife, with their son, no matter if Zuko didn't like Ozai in the least… so he couldn't help but smile as he appreciated a moment as unexpectedly domestic as sitting at a lounge with his wife: Zuko rested on her lap, her hands holding his flanks firmly as she whispered reassuring words to the little boy.

"Just let your dad do his tests, okay? You'll be fine, Zuko, there's nothing to worry about…" she said. Zuko definitely loved her voice… and he didn't love the ball of tinder Ozai raised to his nose again.

The child stiffened, stopped breathing at once, and Ursa pouted slightly as she watched his tense, awkward face.

"Well, then. As your mother, I apologize for what I must do… but I cannot accept this level of disobedience," she teased… just before her cleverly positioned hands tickled her son's flanks.

Zuko couldn't continue to hold his breath: his little legs wiggled in the air as he laughed, as he breathed…

As he set the ball of tinder on fire with a single huff of air.

The tickles stopped as both Ozai and Ursa exclaimed unintelligibly out loud, startling their son out of his amusement. Zuko glanced between them both as Ozai held the tinder in his hands, a proud smile across his face: perhaps the peace of a non-bending son would have been agreeable… but maybe he had wanted him to be a firebender after all.

"You did it! You did it, Zuko! Oh, my little firebender!" Ursa laughed, hugging her son tightly: he had been moments away from breaking down in tears, it seemed, confused by their very loud voices, but the tender hug eased him quickly.

"He's a bender. He's a firebender," Ozai said, with a chuckle and a relieved sigh. "Oh, he did it. He really did…!"

"He'd never shown signs of it so far…" Ursa smiled fondly, pulling Zuko back and smiling brightly at him. "But look at him now! He's going to be as wonderful and powerful a bender as his amazing father, of course he will be…"

Ozai chuckled at Ursa's excitement: he had a firebending son… a firebending son he ought to train himself, of course. That would be ideal…

If only said son wasn't utterly terrified of him, of course.

"I… suppose once he's older I might take over as his master, but he's probably better served learning from someone who doesn't scare him the way I do at the moment," Ozai said. Ursa blinked blankly, glancing at him in perplexity.

"I assumed you'd be happy to train him fully yourself," she said. Ozai shrugged.

"I would do so, but look at him," Ozai said: he raised a hand towards the boy only for Zuko to flinch away and press tightly against Ursa. "I suppose I have a scary face…"

"Scary? Not the word I'd use…" Ursa smirked. Ozai chuckled.

"I'm growing to suspect, through Zuko's reactions, that your eyesight might not be of the quality you think it is, dear wife…"

"Oh. So it's not that babies are irrational, that Zuko will get over whatever his problem is eventually, no: I have some manner of visual impairment?" Ursa asked, raising her eyebrows in a menacing way that brought Ozai to laugh nervously, feeling diminished and small in the face of her apparent wrath. "Well, then, I suppose you should be grateful I'm visually impaired if it makes me see you as the most handsome man alive. How nice for my eyes to malfunction in such a convenient way for you…"

"I certainly am grateful for it. Zuko, apparently, is not," Ozai smiled. Ursa rolled her eyes, though she smiled fondly at him.

"You're quite the fool when you wish to be, dear husband," she said: she typically used those words to tease him, and they never failed to make him feel self-aware and thrilled all at once. "Well, then, we'll have to stage an intervention and ensure he grows fond of you, or else you'll continue to claim my eyes are no good…"

"Your eyes are beautiful…"

"I speak of function rather than appearance, but I thank you for the flattery nonetheless," she said, with a smirk. Ozai chuckled again: his fond smile only widened as he gazed at her in wonderment.

"We'll have to announce to the family that he's a firebender eventually," Ozai said, lowering his gaze at the small boy cradled in his mother's arms. Ursa hummed, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Zuko's head. "I can't pretend my father will care to hear of it, but… perhaps we can do it during our next stay in Ember Island, if Lu Ten and Iroh join us again. Iroh should be back from his latest missions sometime by the fifth month, according to my father's council, so…"

"Uh… Ember Island," Ursa said, with a weak grin. "By next summer, you mean?"

"Yes?" Ozai raised an eyebrow. Ursa's nervous smile widened.

"I'm just… not sure we'll be able to go next time," she said. Ozai raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps the year afterwards, once everything's a little more stable… if everything's a little more stable, rather."

"What do you mean by that, exactly?" Ozai asked, his brow drawn together slowly. "What did the physicians say? Lo and Li's guess…?"

"Well… your indigestion over that fruit tart was certainly indigestion," Ursa said, with a guilty smile. "Mine, though? It… wasn't that at all."

"Ursa," Ozai's eyes widened. She shrugged, tightening her grip around Zuko.

"I… I know we didn't talk about another one just yet. We probably should have, it feels like it's too soon after Zuko, I don't know, but…" Ursa said, shaking her head. Ozai's hand reached out to clasp her shoulder, and Zuko winced upon noticing his father was closer than before.

"You're… with child again?" Ozai asked. Ursa's cheeks didn't redden often these days, but they did this time as she nodded slowly.

"It… might have been that night, you know, after the theater function?" she said.

"Or the night before," Ozai pointed out.

"Or the night after…?" Ursa sighed, her guilty grin strengthening. "We've been a little reckless as of late. Lo and Li say there may be a few things I can do to prevent pregnancies in the future, but… but this one's certainly happening now, whether we were working towards it or not."

"Another child, then…" Ozai said, smiling slowly as his hand rolled down Ursa's body, settling on her still-flat womb – Zuko inched away from his touch, allowing Ozai to get away with his intent perfectly.

"I don't know how many you'd like for us to have. Two sounds like a reasonable number?" Ursa said, nervously. "We really should've talked about this some more, I don't even know if I want two or three or… well, two should be more manageable, right? I would think so, at least…"

Her nervous gaze rose towards Ozai… but the Prince's eyes were aglow with illusion, far more of it than upon hearing of the very first child. The circumstances were infinitely better, he could announce Ursa's pregnancy properly to his father this time and the bastard would have no chance to twist matters and disrespect Ozai's family now. He might as well reveal Zuko's bending skills too at the same meeting, surely Azulon wouldn't be able to dismiss their union anymore, Zuko was a bender and they were already expecting another child… perhaps another bender, too?

Another child. A second child… just like Ozai. The younger sibling to a bender… a whimpering bender who seemed to want nothing to do with his father, that was. Ozai's delight upon the news diminished as he glanced at the boy who squirmed away from his hand… but it came back accompanied by determination shortly afterwards.

"Perhaps I won't seem quite so hideous and disturbing to our second child…" he said. Ursa snorted.

"If they inherit my allegedly impaired eyesight, that's for sure," she said. Ozai smiled brightly at her. "You… you seem happy, though. I thought you might be a little more anxious about a second child, I can't even seem to figure out how we'll keep up with two if Zuko can already be so much trouble all on his own…"

"We'll succeed at it," Ozai said, proudly. "I… I'll do better this time. I didn't hold Zuko for several days after he was born, for instance. But after everything we've learned through Zuko… I might just be able to do better this time. I'll be a better father."

"You're a good father as it is," Ursa said, smiling warmly at him. "You've been here with us all along, Ozai. Lu Ten… he loves his father to no end, but he misses him dearly. The way he looks at us whenever he shares dinner with us rather than Azulon… you can tell he wishes he could have experienced the same family life we have, especially after Daiyu's untimely death…"

"Well, hopefully Zuko will learn to appreciate my presence further in the future," Ozai said, with a weak grin. "But… I'll work to ensure our next child will grow used to me far faster."

"I'm sure it will work out wonderfully," Ursa said. "And that Zuko will get over his silliness sooner than later. I know he loves you, he just needs time to… to realize it, himself, I suppose?"

"I suppose," Ozai echoed, smiling warmly at his wife. "I know we didn't plan for this… but we can make more plans now to make sure this new pregnancy is as smooth as possible. We'll be able to present this child at the temple… we'll test them even sooner, and this time my father won't be able to dampen or sour things for us at all. It's a chance to do everything all over again, better than ever before…"

"Here I thought you weren't quite so ambitious as of late… I suppose you just have changed your goals from bending the sun back across the sky to being the greatest parental unit of all time with me?" Ursa smiled. Ozai chuckled and shrugged. "Well, I can't say I mind that new ambition of yours, dear. Let's do our best to raise our children properly."

"Let's do so," Ozai smiled: Ursa raised a hand to his cheek, and regardless of Zuko's mortification, the Prince leaned close to kiss his wife fondly.

A child… they would have another child. He had no idea why the concept was so thrilling this time, other than because he knew this second child might go through similar struggles as he did, growing under Iroh's shadow… but he would provide his children with a better future than that. They would be closer in age, perhaps that would make matters smoother between them… but more than that, Ozai wouldn't favor his firstborn over the second one, no matter what. He would ensure his new child grew up lacking nothing, knowing themselves worth everything their older sibling was given, too… knowing that their father wouldn't set boundaries or limits for them, that he would always encourage them to fulfill their greatest potential… so that he'd never become the father Azulon had been for him.

Another child…

Azula.

"… She seems to have lowered her guard so far. I cannot attest to it with any level of certainty, but I do hope that's the case. My efforts to hold that birthday celebration for her adoptive daughter appealed to her emotions, on some level, so I do believe I have ensured that she trusts me once again."

Ozai frowned: he had spaced out throughout his spy's report. Fool… pondering the past yet again when he should have been listening to every word Ukano's daughter spoke. She kept her head bent, in reverent respect… and somehow, Ozai's irritable thoughts had taken him through a rather strange journey as the young woman spoke: first, through the most frustrating and unnerving circumstances of Omashu, which he had been focusing on so persistently that he had neglected to summon Mai for her report for almost a week. Then, his thoughts had inevitably drifted towards Ukano, the father of the girl before him, a man who had once been a loyal subject and now appeared to have betrayed him, much as Azula herself had betrayed him.

And somehow, his thoughts had returned to Ursa anyway. Was it for comfort? Was he simply longing for simpler days? He hardly cared to reminisce about Zuko's childish, spoiled behavior whenever Ozai was nearby, back when he had been a baby… only to grow up to crave his approval constantly, approval Ozai grew more convinced, every day, that the foolish brat had never deserved. But at that time… back when Ursa had still looked at him with those warm eyes, everything had seemed brighter. Their future hadn't been the bleak, twisted, loathsome situation in which the sole family member he had left, the child he had raised by fulfilling his vow to help her attain her full potential, would turn her back on him through the most unforgivable of treasons.

"Then you failed to unravel new information," Ozai said. Mai gritted her teeth. "But you have set the stage and eased Azula into a false sense of security so you may wean out her closely guarded secrets, next you meet?"

"Indeed. I did inquire if she had any communication with the outside world," Mai said. "I asked her midwife about it, too, and she said to have noticed nothing alarming of that nature. Unless she's found someone else to contact furtively, though I'm not sure how she'd go about that…"

"I've had her watched on occasion. Her guard, as well," Ozai said, curtly. "Unless the midwife and the maid themselves are incurring in foul play with unprecedented stealth, it may very well be true that she… that she isn't in contact with anyone at all. That being said, you will continue to unravel whatever information you can obtain from her… such as if, perhaps, she's the one playing you rather than the other way around."

Mai flinched. Ozai's eyes narrowed at the irritable expression on the woman's face as she raised her head in his direction.

"I… I won't pretend that's not possible. Azula is remarkably paranoid, always was…"

"She might not trust you at all and simply intends to use you so you convey to me whatever information is convenient for her purposes," Ozai said, raising his eyebrows. Mai gritted her teeth. "I meant for you to be the one to spy on her because I trusted that you would be able to tell the difference between being manipulated by her or not…"

"I've sensed none of her usual tells this time," Mai said, shaking her head. "If she's deceiving me, she's certainly going about it with far more caution than she ever has before. But I will pay even more attention to everything she says and does, from now on… I can't be sure if she has determined I'm untrustworthy and solely a tool for her purposes."

"You, of course, haven't made the mistake to reveal any of what I've conveyed to you here… have you?" Ozai asked, eyes sharpening. Mai shook her head. "Not regarding your father…"

"I wouldn't be so foolish as to share that information with her. Who knows what madness would overtake her, what new treasons she'd prepare, if she believed she has stronger allies in someone like my father, for whatever reason? I cannot presume to know if she intends to turn against you, but I won't risk letting her learn that there's anyone out there causing any unrest for your rule. I'll be as careful as can be going forward, my Lord."

Ozai nodded… though something about her words didn't sit entirely right with him. They were… too perfect, somehow. Too perfect…

Was that how he felt about Ukano's letter, too? His heart pounded as he pondered that particular thought. Ukano's blather typically was far more self-centered than what had arrived in that letter, a realization that had hit Ozai after Mai had admitted to finding her own letter unnerving. Ozai had read that one several times too, convinced further of Ukano's treason by his alleged intent to protect his family no matter what came next: why would he feel that way if he had done nothing wrong?

And yet every word in the letter sent to the Fire Lord had been poised to ease him. They were words fully catered to him… as though written by someone who knew him far more deeply than Ukano did. Someone who would know exactly how to phrase matters to appease him, to calm his restless spirit, to tone down his distrust and to reassure him that everything would go exactly as he intended it to. The behavior of a noble, for sure… but not of Ukano. It was closer to Ukano's daughter's own… perhaps her words were carefully chosen, planned beforehand, to soothe Ozai with her alleged loyalty.

But that behavior didn't suit Ukano at all. That definitely didn't feel appropriate from Ukano, so… who? Who at his side could possibly read through Ozai as easily and successfully as that…? Even Mai's attempts to do so hadn't been as perfect and smooth as the ones he'd seen in Ukano's letter. If Mai was trying to deceive him, if she remained loyal to Azula, she still appeared to have enough moments of uncertainty, of not having every possible answer…

He could ponder the mastermind behind Ukano's letter later, though. Mai… he had to deal with Ukano's daughter, first of all, before elaborating further on his thoughts pertaining that damn letter.

"Ensure to fulfill my orders, then. Though I suspect I should warn you, lady Mai, that if I…"

"My Lord."

Ozai frowned heavily: Shaofeng knew better than to interrupt a meeting as delicate as this one. At least, he should have known better than that… and yet the General of the Guards had marched into the Throne Room, a foreboding scowl upon his face.

"General. I believe I said I would not be interrupted other than for…" Ozai started, and Shaofeng cut him off again.

"An urgent message has reached the Palace. War Minister Qin sent it," Shaofeng said, bluntly. Ozai's frown gained a different quality now. "I expect you'd rather see it in private."

"I… curses," Ozai hissed: he was tempted to ask, immediately, what this was about… but not in Mai's presence. Not when he had only just started to suspect the girl of having played him all along… "You are dismissed, lady Mai. I will summon you again if need be."

"Yes, my Lord," Mai said, bowing her head in his direction and performing a proper reverence. "May our March of Civilization continue."

"May it. Now leave."

Mai's heart pounded in her chest as she stepped past the Throne Room's curtains. Guards escorted her to the door… and she couldn't help but wish she could have slowed down once they passed the hallway that led to Azula's room. If only she could warn her… if only she could have told her something was stirring, she would have done so immediately. The urgency in that interruption brought her to suspect that the Fire Lord would finally gain clarity regarding whatever was happening in Omashu… but the tidings they had received might obey even worse motives than the ones the Fire Lord might be prepared to face.

Ozai marched to his study with a heavy scowl, followed by Shaofeng. The temptation to simply ask what had happened almost overcame him, but Ozai continued to walk in silence, holding back his temper and curiosity alike.

He turned to Shaofeng once the study's door was closed behind them. Shaofeng, solemn and stern, handed the scroll to the Fire Lord without another word.

Ozai unfolded it quickly: Shaofeng's presence went forgotten as the contents upon that scroll took over his attention entirely.

To the most honorable and esteemed Fire Lord Ozai,

I deliver most distressing news from the Fire Nation Colonies: the scouting groups sent to Omashu have reported that the statue in your likeness, erected at the tallest pyramid in the city, is no longer in place. The unfamiliar mercenaries manning the walls do not appear to be affiliated with the Fire Nation. The scout groups have reached the conclusion that the city has been seized by hostile elements, whether with the Governor's aid or not. It is entirely possible that he is a hostage, and that the letter you have received from him was the result of coercion.

Omashu's situation is worrisome, but new, urgent reports arrived from Ba Sing Se as well: an army numbering well over thousands succeeded at breaching the Outer Wall, the Inner Wall and, presumably, every ring of the city. It appears to be an army comprised, on the most part, by White Lotus leaders: known traitors to the Fire Nation such as the Deserter, the former Admiral Jeong Jeong, the sword master Piandao and General Iroh were sighted among their forces.

Nevertheless, they were not the main leaders carrying forward this army. I intend to confirm this information as soon as possible, for it seems unlikely due to another report we received months ago. Yet I must warn you of this dire development, my Lord, for we must not be caught off-base in case these reports are correct:

The leader of this army was reported as the Blue Wolf.

The letter continued. There was more to it still.

Ozai dropped it, however, as his blood ran cold within his body.

"My Lord…" Shaofeng said, as Ozai shook his head. He raised his eyes towards the General, but he only stumbled back, bumping into the nearest furniture by walking right into it. His head continued to shake, as though he expected the contents of that letter to change… "I've read the letter myself. I had to screen it in order to ensure it was urgent enough to warrant interrupting your spy's report…"

"No. No, no, he… I had him killed. He's dead, Shaofeng, he's dead!" Ozai exclaimed: a heat he had never known before suddenly seared him on the inside, a fear unlike anything he remembered experiencing, not even when he had faced his own father…

The Blue Wolf… leading an army? It couldn't be true. Even if the bastard had survived, that was impossible. The White Lotus? He couldn't have… the White Lotus tried to kill him. Jeong Jeong himself tried to…!

His blood seemed to curdle, then to heat and rush through his body at alarming speed. His lips twisted into a snarl…

The Blue Wolf… and the White Lotus.

The Blue Wolf and…

"No! NO!" His voice rose higher as he slammed a fist into the cabinet beside him: the whole bookshelf trembled under his violence. "It cannot be him! He's dead! He couldn't have joined…! If the bastard is in league with the White Lotus, then…!"

"You… you have to listen to me now, Ozai," Shaofeng said, startling the Fire Lord: he didn't use that familiar tone often. He didn't dismiss all layers of formality even when they were alone, most days… "War Minister Qin is not certain that it is him. There are possibilities… perhaps his weapons and armor were taken by someone else, and he is being impersonated in order to deliver a blow against you…"

"Who would even know I wanted the bastard dead?!" Ozai roared.

"General Iroh would," Shaofeng said, curtly. Ozai scowled. "He's the one who started this madness, isn't he? Then perhaps it is him, with whatever treacherous fools he gathered, who has staged whatever is happening now in Ba Sing Se, and the claims that the Blue Wolf is leading them are merely for the sake of… of causing you undue distress. Perhaps the fool isn't even aware that the Gladiator is dead!"

Ozai's pounding heart didn't slow down still, no matter if Shaofeng's words offered him reassuring hopes. He could hear that pounding in his ears as his unfocused eyes, probably bloodshot after the immense, sudden tension he had felt, shifted towards the scroll once more. Shaofeng breathed deeply upon noticing Ozai seemed to wish to read more, but he only handed the scroll after speaking clearly to the Fire Lord.

"There is more… and some of the message's remaining contents may be disturbing for you as well, my Lord," he said. "But I must ask that you keep in mind that this may very well be a ruse. Our communications' system might have been jeopardized and overloaded with drivel and empty messages intended to sabotage the organization of our army. It does not seem likely that... that a single army, no matter how well-manned, could ever take Ba Sing Se in one day."

"That… that is what the message says?" Ozai scowled. "That… no. General Tiang… he is not Ukano. He is a firm military official! He would have never…!"

"I believe so too. Thus, this message seems mostly inflammatory and worrisome to me. Whatever claims there are in it, there are more reasons to believe every bit of information here is false rather than accurate. Keep that in mind before you continue, if you would."

Ozai gritted his teeth as Shaofeng placed the open scroll on his hands once more. His heart pounded painfully in his chest with an unwanted warning: the brief calm he had indulged in until Ukano's foolishness had begun was well and truly gone by now.

The leader of this army was reported as the Blue Wolf. Conflicting reports have complicated the confirmation of the leader's identification, for one report indicates that someone clad in the Blue Wolf's helmet was a waterbending woman instead, yet most other reports suggest it would be the former Gladiator indeed. I intend to confirm the enemy's identity at haste, but I await direct communication from General Tiang anew. All attempts to reach out to the General have gone unanswered after the beginning of this conflict.

There are also disturbing reports that the hostile forces taking Ba Sing Se were backed by a considerable force of coordinated earthbenders, a number of firebenders, and even a few squads of waterbenders. A handful of reports have declared the presence of a scarred man among the firebending groups – it is presumed he might be the Exiled Prince, but yet again, this information has yet to be confirmed.

"Impossible…" Ozai hissed: not Zuko. That incompetent fool, the scaredy cowardly child he had been thinking of only a short time ago… he wouldn't have had the guts to join an organization like this. He wouldn't have served any purpose in it, either: he was incompetent, a subpar bender, lacking any manner of charisma… he was only there because of Iroh, surely. Iroh… he snarled, steeling himself as he continued reading the next paragraphs on the letter.

The last identified foe may be the most alarming of them all. Several reports informed that a flying beast was seen accompanying the enemy forces, and the later reports identified it as a sky bison. At some point, distress messages sent at haste seemed to indicate that the man guiding the creature jumped into battle as well, wielding all four elements and bearing blue, arrow-shaped tattoos across his body. The sensationalism of such a report has certainly given me pause: the Avatar, if an airbender, should be an old man rather than a young one. I have intended to confirm and attest to the veracity of such outlandish claims, but I must confess to be overwhelmed by the volume of reports and information that have reached me. If this is a manner of attack against our communication systems, it appears likely that we are being overwhelmed by information intended to saturate our systems and cause strife to, perhaps, cover up other, far more reasonable and realistic threats lurking elsewhere in the Colonies. Nonetheless, it is far too soon to reach any conclusions, whether favorable for our troops or not.

I await your wisdom and counsel. The troops amassed to attack Omashu in case of foul play remain at our disposal, but with Ba Sing Se's condition being as confusing as it is, I find myself at a loss regarding what to do. Control of both cities in the Colonies is crucial for our army, therefore, I await your charting of a course of action for your troops, my Lord, for the situation may be dire for our forces in either city.

I remain your humble servant,

War Minister Qin

Even after hearing Shaofeng's advice to keep his head steady, Ozai couldn't help but tremble as he lowered the scroll in his hands. His head shook from side to side still… and then he snarled, tossing the letter to the floor in fury. Shaofeng's eyes followed him as he marched to the window, breathing heavily, perhaps even hyperventilating…

"It's excessively absurd. It reads like a fantasy out of some foolish fairytale," Shaofeng said, shaking his head. "It is possible that something is happening in Omashu, and something as well is happening in Ba Sing Se…"

"Just as it is possible that the wretched scum who set that Arena on fire could be behind whatever both the cities are plagued by!" Ozai roared, slamming his fist against the windowsill. "You… you'd be a fool to underestimate him. That mongrel broke my daughter's mind and turned her into the aimless husk she has become… he's a menace. He's a threat. He's…!"

"He's dead, or he was, the last you told me," Shaofeng cut him off: Ozai winced upon hearing those words. "What reason do you have to believe otherwise?"

"What reason do I have… to believe he truly died when I was told he did?" Ozai responded, glaring at Shaofeng sharply. The General, for once, frowned with genuine concern.

"You… what?"

"You've said… as has War Minister Qin, that the messages we've received are convoluted, confusing, a potential sign that our communications' system has been disrupted, corrupted, affected by whoever is causing strife in my nation!" Ozai roared. "What makes you believe that whoever was behind this couldn't have deceived me with claims that the blasted Gladiator was dead? If it was him…! If he's the one behind this deceit, that spineless scum would scurry away, hiding behind an alleged death, counting on my daughter's anguish upon learning of this development to further cement his lies…!"

Azula's anguish: he had told Zhao, point-blank, that there was no way to believe it hadn't been genuine. Even now, after reading that letter, he refused to believe the disturbing screams that had left his daughter's throat that night could have been an act. Her trembling, her helplessness, her begging… it was no deceit. She would have never stooped so low, not so successfully, if she hadn't been genuine. Ozai had seen desperation countless times in his life in no shortage of enemies… and it had been as genuine in those other occasions as it had been in Azula.

Was she unaware of the Gladiator's choices? Of his allegiances? Had she been fooled to the extent where she had turned a blind eye to… to lies and deceit schemed by that monstrous man?

The White Lotus… he was in league with them. Had he always been in league with them? He had requested that Ozai kept the prisoners alive… a choice that had wrought positive consequences for Ozai eventually, as the prisoners had allowed Seethus to obtain the information he had required to fulfill Ozai's mission. He almost owed the Gladiator for making such a pitiful request… and yet now he wondered if the reasons why he had made the request at all obeyed deeper motives than Ozai had ever imagined possible.

Azula… for all her faults, she would have never been so foolish as to aid the White Lotus. Even when she had wrongfully attempted to stop Seethus, she had done it from a place of foolish concern for traitors who masqueraded as Fire Nation people. Any choices against Ozai, anything to undermine his rule, signified betrayal… and it would mean they were no Fire Nation people at all. Azula had changed afterwards, learning hard lessons Ozai had feared she might never come to terms with… but all her choices afterwards, beyond the ones pertaining the wretched Gladiator, had been agreeable. She had almost sacrificed herself to save the Fire Nation…

A flash in his mind brought back his return to the Palace. His intent to speak with Azula… and that insolent bastard attempting to stop him. Those wretched blue eyes bearing into him with such rage…

Had he planned this all along? Had he used Azula, swept her into a mindless reverie of feigned affection and love just to use her for his purposes? Was she to be his puppet Fire Lord, had he hoped to marry her and take advantage of her foolish infatuation to steer the Fire Nation into the path of its own destruction? And as Ozai had thwarted that plan… he had changed his mind. He turned against the Fire Nation now, with no regards towards Azula – surprising no one, Ozai had mocked her feelings for the man, fully aware of the fact that he would never return any such feelings for someone who had enslaved him, as Azula had – and no intent to hold back in order to achieve whatever violent goals he had in mind…

Zhao's question from merely a few weeks prior still hung heavily in Ozai's mind: what if he was still alive? What if Zhao's intuitive suspicion that the bastard could have some connection with all this madness was correct? What if…?

He had to ask him, then. He'd show Zhao the letter… but first, he'd do what needed to be done. His priority now was to ensure he had not been deceived by wretched falsehoods, by some ploy of his enemies, attempting to drive him mad through confusing, impossible information.

"Don't lose your center, Ozai," Shaofeng urged him, scowling heavily. "You know better than to be weak against whatever lies your enemies spout…"

"I also know better than to take for granted something is a lie when it is not," Ozai said, his voice grave and shaky: his eyes bore into Shaofeng's, harshly. "My brother… he may or may not have staged everything that has been happening as of the last six months. He may or may not have anything to do with this. But he… he told me of the wretched relationship between my daughter and that scum, and I acted in consequence. I learned and confirmed the truth. And I intend to do so now, too."

"I understand. But… how?" Shaofeng frowned, watching as Ozai yanked one of his desk cabinets open forcefully, drawing out ink and paper to write his own missives with.

"I… refuse to believe General Tiang could have been caught defenseless in the most defensible city in this world," Ozai growled. "A competent official like him… he would not have allowed the walls to fall. He will respond. He will explain himself. And once he does… I will act in consequence."

Shaofeng frowned but nodded: he certainly hoped Tiang would reveal it was nothing but a devious plot by the White Lotus to confuse and trouble the Fire Nation's communications systems…

For he wasn't sure he cared to know what kind of mindless fiend Ozai would become if his reign's greatest conquests had been stolen from him. Omashu and Ba Sing Se, the two jewels of the Earth Kingdom… if they were no longer in Fire Nation control, regardless of who was responsible for that situation, Ozai was certain to lose his mind to rage and wrath, making reckless and pointless decisions in order to retake what he had lost. Without Sozin's Comet, however, conquering Ba Sing Se anew would be as good as an impossible mission…

But whoever was behind this chaos was a threat, Ozai wasn't wrong to think so. Whether the information was real or not, the person who had caused the Fire Lord's current bout of madness would pay for what they'd done sooner or later. Shaofeng knew all too well that defeating Ozai's vengeful sprees required many resources, such as keeping him in check by finding a counterweight to his threats, to force his cooperation. He was innately treacherous, willing to play dirty to get whatever he wanted… but so was Shaofeng. And while they had been at odds in countless occasions in the past, they certainly weren't when it came to ensuring the victory of the Fire Nation in the blasted war that had certainly lasted far longer than it should have.

Ozai would send his letter, then… and Shaofeng would begin preparations of his own for the future as well, far beyond War Minister Qin's control and awareness.

Recomposing the walls was not as difficult as expected if sufficient earthbenders joined forces: the fallen parts of the Outer and Inner Walls hadn't been destroyed, only tucked underground while the battles were waged, and while it certainly took them several hours of continuous effort, the two walls were closed and sealed again within a few days. The strongest and most talented of earthbenders, such as Shiju, took care of solidifying the cracks in solid stone, amending what might otherwise become a weakness that enemies could exploit easily if they attempted to strike at the city they had reconquered.

Repairs, hence, were underway all across Ba Sing Se. The Upper Ring had taken the worst blows, with no shortage of collateral damage, with injured and even dead civilians. Buildings had been burned and even torn down in the fierce battle waged over seizing control of the city. While Tiang's old conquest had seen to even more collateral damage than this one had, the extensive damage still needed to be amended.

Thus, while still nursing what seemed to be an ongoing, perpetual headache, Sokka sat at a long table in one of the most spacious halls of the Imperial Palace of Ba Sing Se. His main concern throughout the two weeks since their initial conquest of the city had been the recovery of not only the city's defenses, but of its infrastructure in general. The last weeks had been difficult, however: his every attempt to sleep saw him waking up fretful and anxious, as flashes of the many battles he'd fought and seen repeated themselves in his mind. All of them seemed to lead constantly to what should have been a distant nightmare by now: Azula's body, limp in his arms, her chi corrupted, her face pale, her life fading…

He couldn't bear it. Fears plagued him without respite when he should have been at the very heights of his achievements at the head of their army. Today, in fact, the discussion that took place in Ba Sing Se's Palace's golden halls revolved around their army's identity. Sokka hoped they would represent a storm of elements conjoined in one place rather than presenting themselves as primarily of any one nation – although the bulk of their members were, inevitably, of Earth Kingdom descent. Focusing on this matter of naming their army ought to have kept Sokka's spirits afloat, and yet doing so didn't help matters much when their actions and choices didn't cease to haunt him, no matter if their cause was righteous and true.

"I understand your interest in giving us a neutral name, not just in terms of elements but also in regards of gladiators, White Lotus members and general Earth Kingdom benders and warriors who joined our cause…" Piandao said: Sokka endeavored to focus on his voice, ignoring the irksome thoughts in his pounding head that continued to bring dark images to his mind. "But I believe the separation in our organization has been well and truly remedied now. After what you've achieved at the head of this army, Sokka…"

"Nobody is bound to take much offense to it being the Gladiator Army," Zuko said, with a shrug. Sokka sighed, unconvinced.

"I get what you mean, but it feels wrong," he said. "I guess we've repurposed our role, all of us gladiators, but it kind of sounds like I'm at the core of it all and I'm not sure that I…"

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Unnuaq, one of Anorak's fellow waterbenders blurted out: Sokka couldn't quite pretend to like him, for the aggressive man had made it his mission to become Anorak's equal in the White Lotus somehow, no matter if Anorak hardly seemed amused by that notion. "You're the one who's been leading us so far, you're the only guy who could come up with a way to conquer Ba Sing Se in one day! I mean, yeah, I had my reservations about you, but all those stories about you groveling to the ashmakers have to be lies considering what you…"

"Unnuaq: be quiet," Anorak hissed. Unnuaq eyed him reproachfully as Sokka glowered in his direction.

"I didn't… grovel," Sokka said, bitterly. "And I'm trying to save their nation every bit as I'm trying to save all of ours. We're not going to restore balance for good otherwise."

"But…!"

Anorak's exasperated growl caused Unnuaq to quiet down, if still reproachfully. Whatever his reservations were, Anorak was wise to put a stop to him when he had, Sokka thought… he didn't need to hear a total stranger dismissing his bonds with the people who had become his closest friends and family when he had been in the Fire Nation, and whatever Unnuaq intended to say was bound to be just that.

"Be that as it may…" Jeong Jeong said, dragging an inkbrush over paper with careful, long and slow strokes. "I understand your willingness to use a unifying term, but perhaps you are seeing things in the wrong way. We can find a symbol that serves the purpose of unification, while not necessarily being our forces' name."

"A symbol?" Sokka repeated, skeptical.

Jeong Jeong set down the inkbrush and raised the paper he had been working on. Sokka's eyebrows rose over his forehead at the sight of two lines that spun around each other to form a swirling spiral, evocative of a powerful storm. The tips of each line branched out in two, offering the symbol a sensation of further balance… four lines, and four elements. Sokka swallowed hard as he gazed at it intently.

"We might be able to use this, or perhaps a variation of it, as the symbol of our army. Yes, there will be entire battalions that will be associated with the White Lotus, and others associated exclusively with Ba Sing Se or Omashu… and of course, the Gladiators," Jeong Jeong said. "Each squad might be able to develop a banner of their own by adding the symbols of their primary element, perhaps, or their weaponry, or whether they're mounted squads…"

"But this would be the primary symbol," Sokka said. Jeong Jeong nodded.

"You are indeed humbler than I anticipated if you would rather not take full credit for your achievements," Jeong Jeong said. "But I should warn you… that humility is not going to benefit our army. You set out on this path to protect your people, didn't you? As well as to end this war, liberate cities and individuals alike, even return to your Princess… but the initial purpose was, indeed, to keep the Fire Lord's attention focused on you. This is what you told us back in the Fortress…"

"And it's still true, but… I don't know how daunting a Gladiator Army would be," Sokka said. Katara, next to him, snorted.

"After the wild stories you shared, you really think gladiators aren't intimidating?" she asked. "Honestly… if anything, those of us who were never gladiators have a lot to live up to, if you ask me."

"Well, see, there's a disparity between both groups, whether for better or for worse," Sokka said, with a slight pout. "If you feel you have a lot to live up to, then that's just another sign of what I'm…"

"Sokka, Sokka, Sokka! SOKKA!"

As foolish and careless as Kino was known to be, he wouldn't have interrupted a meeting of their army's leadership if he had no true reason to do so. Sokka frowned, raising his head and glancing down the long hallway through which Kino, the flying Momo and numerous other members of their army sprinted in the direction of their grand meeting.

"Kino? What's going on?" Katara frowned: her eyes had been drawn immediately to something the former soldier was holding firmly in his hand.

"Was there trouble in the rebuilding efforts?" Sokka asked, springing up to his feet immediately – Momo glided all the way to Aang's shoulders, wrapping his tail around his neck for support. "Is it…?"

"N-no, I… I hope that's going well?" Kino said, swallowing hard as he raised what Katara had noticed him holding: a scroll. "But this just arrived: it's a black ribbon message."

The ongoing headache was easy to forget about after hearing those words. Sokka's face shifted into a scowl as he stepped away from the table, approaching Kino with determination.

All other members of their army's council watched in silence as Kino offered the scroll, shivering lightly. Sokka took it in his hands firmly, his eyes glaring daggers into the paper as he dared unfurl it to read yet another of the Fire Lord's messages.

"Well? What does it say?" Unnuaq, ever eager, spoke what was in everyone's minds. Sokka frowned heavily: reading the letter's header sufficed to clarify the situation for the Gladiator.

"He… is addressing this letter to General Tiang," Sokka said, with a deceptively calm voice. "Looks like… like he's in denial, actually."

"What? He hasn't learned of what has happened in Ba Sing Se?" Jeong Jeong asked. Sokka shook his head.

"Oh, no… he has. The distress messages definitely reached him," Sokka said, eyes scanning the scroll quickly: the writing was even more frantic than in Ukano's letter. Learning about what had happened in Ba Sing Se certainly didn't sit well the Fire Lord…

General Tiang,

Nonsensical rumors have reached War Minister Qin pertaining a hostile army that attacked and allegedly seized control of Ba Sing Se. Your competence and ability to lead your troops in battle were the reasons why I assigned you as Governor in this city. Any failures on your part to ensure that the city remains in Fire Nation control would be severely punished if they were a possibility at all: I refuse to believe that you could have wronged your Fire Lord by not upholding your duty as that city's protector.

The suspicion held by both War Minister Qin and myself is that the encryption and safety of our communications systems have been jeopardized. The messages and information that arrived, full of impossibilities, suggest nothing more than an ill-intended ploy to stir chaos and trouble across all Fire Nation-held territories. I urge you to respond at once, both to confirm our suspicions and to clarify the source of these irresponsible rumors that will only cause dissent and strife for our nation, were they to be known to the common public.

I expect answers and explanations, General Tiang. Ensure to provide them at once, or there will be consequences.

Fire Lord Ozai

"He's assuming someone's tampering with the communications system," Sokka said, shaking his head as he handed the scroll to Zuko. The firebender scowled as he raised the paper, irked to so much as touch something he knew his father had held before him… "I assume the reports that the Avatar had been sighted sounded all too fantastical for him?"

"Or that you were sighted," Katara said, raising an eyebrow. "We made sure he thought you were dead…"

"I'm pretty sure learning the Avatar's back is bound to send him into an even bigger panic than just knowing I want to hack his head off. He always knew about that last thing, but he's spent most his life assuming the Avatar is gone and won't ever return, as far as I know," Sokka said, with a shrug and a sigh. "But the piece of shit seriously thinks it's impossible. He doesn't believe we could've done what we did…"

"Which means… we'll continue to pretend nothing's going on?" Kino asked, perplexed. His many companions seemed as confused as he was. "We'll keep things quiet…?"

"Wasn't the plan to reveal yourself here and now?" Piandao asked Sokka.

"It was… and it still is," Sokka said. "Regardless of Ozai's denial, it still is."

"Why not make the most of his denial, though?" Anorak asked. Sokka sighed.

"Because he's heard I'm alive. Which means he's going to send word, and eventually troops, to the South Pole. Then, he'll learn that his fleet was completely destroyed and who knows if he'll try to retaliate against the Water Tribe anew?" Sokka said, shaking his head. "I meant to surface here, to be recognized and to oust myself as the army's leader precisely to ensure that his focus would not be on the South Pole…"

"Perhaps we could send troops, if possible, to confirm there have been no new Fire Nation movements around the South Pole," Iroh proposed. "I understand your plan might still pay off if you can convince Ozai that you still live… but it would be best to stay on the safe side and ensure your families are not in danger."

"Well, if we have the means, I wouldn't be opposed to that," Sokka said, arms folded over his chest. "Though I advise that, if anyone travels to the South Pole, they go about it carefully and keep their distance from the Pole itself. The Tribe's probably geared up and ready to fight against any strangers, and they'll continue to be unless someone familiar for them goes too…"

"And we can't really afford that right now, can we?" Aang said: his eyes drifted towards Zuko, whose jaw squared upon hearing those words. He would have been the first to jump at the chance of seeing his family again, if just briefly… perhaps that wouldn't be a terrible idea, if just for Zuko's peace of mind, but…

"It's probably safer not to send anyone there just yet. Not until we confirm whatever Ozai's next steps will be," Sokka said, shaking his head. "The letter doesn't explain what the rumors he heard were… maybe he even knows Zuko is with us, I don't know if Tiang's forces recognized him. The less chances we give Ozai to kill those of us he'd likely single out as his worst enemies, the better. And that means…"

"You, Zuko, Aang… and the three White Lotus leaders," Katara concluded, glancing at Piandao, Iroh and Jeong Jeong.

"The outlandish rumors he talks about are probably that he's heard about all of us being here," Sokka said. "I wonder if he'd believe I'd never join forces with the White Lotus… or if he'll rush to conclusions and assume that I was some sleeper agent for the White Lotus since the first time I drew breath."

"Knowing my brother… that last possibility sounds more like his line of reasoning," Iroh said. Sokka gritted his teeth.

"What are you going to do?" Zuko said, passing the letter on to whoever wanted to read it next. "Will you get Tiang to respond? He's still in his cell, maybe he'll comply…"

"Oh, no," Sokka said, shaking his head. "I know that's what we did with Ukano… but there's no need, and no point, in doing that this time. We want him to know what's going on, don't we? I know I want him to. I want him to know I'm back. I want him to believe I've returned from the dead, even. So… clearly, the best way to go about it will be for me to reply to his letter. Considering he was nice enough to send us a letter himself…"

Zuko's eyes widened. The rest of the sitting members of their council appeared perplexed by the choice Sokka was making, though Unnuaq smirked gladly, throwing a fist into the air.

"You're going to scare him shitless, heh. If someone can do that, it's you."

Sokka wasn't as certain of that as Unnuaq was… but suddenly, being the head of their movement, the leader of their army, the one from whom the army would take its name, felt like a true calling. His willingness to share credit and leadership, to serve in the role of a mediator among different factions… all of it faded to the wayside as he glared at that letter once more, in Aang's hands this time.

The pain, the anguish so many people were suffering through, and possibly blaming him for, was Ozai's fault and responsibility. Ultimately, if the wretched Fire Lord had made a different choice, at any point in time, none of this would be happening at all. If he had ever known how to respect others, rather than demanding for respect he had never felt towards them…

Maybe Sokka wasn't worthy of numerous things in his life. Maybe his choices at the head of this army would only make him even more unworthy than he believed himself to be… but this letter renewed his resolve. It strengthened his certainties. It ensured that he would finally break out from his shell, fully ready to take on the mantle of leadership if that meant being the man who would challenge the Fire Lord head-on to determine the fate of their world.

"I… might make a mess of this," Sokka admitted, with a weak grin. "So… I'll make a few drafts until I come up with the right way to convince him of the truth, I suppose. All constructive criticism will be appreciated, any ideas are welcome, too…"

He said those words as he returned to his seat: empty paper sat next to the ink set he hadn't even touched in this meeting thus far. He poured water into the appropriate container and rubbed the inkstone against it with perhaps excessive force before scooping up his brush…

Writing multiple drafts until he finally composed the perfect letter would be a great way to stall Ozai, to keep him in veil for a while longer. Once he started to panic, to plan on sending his troops to attack… Sokka's letter would arrive. And it would reassure him, at first, to receive a message bearing the seal of the Governor of Ba Sing Se… and then its contents would take him by storm, rendering him helpless to a reality he had meant to deny and avoid for as long as possible.

It was but a small, petty revenge in the larger scale of things… but it was one Sokka would gladly take as he dipped the brush in ink and began composing the first draft for his letter to the Fire Lord.

The days passed. Enough days for a response to arrive from Ba Sing Se. More than enough days for War Minister Qin to fill Ozai's minds with further worries once Ozai summoned him directly, demanding a thorough explanation pertaining every message he had received. They had gone over the most alarming of them in Ozai's study, and Zhao had even been part of the final sessions of studying the utterly unbelievable and numerous letters that had reached the War Minister over the course of one very distressing day – as efficient as their messengers might be, the letters would arrive with a delay of multiple days, so whatever was happening in Ba Sing Se, if anything was, it would be well and truly over by now.

But as distant as Ba Sing Se might be, a response should have already arrived. Tiang's reluctance to reply suggested that he, much like Ukano, had something dark and unsettling to hide from his lord, who could not be more cross with them. The governors and mayors appointed abroad were sworn to him… they couldn't have chosen to band together in some foolish manner of insurrection, perhaps attempting to turn the Colonies into a new, independent nation, could they? That thought had occurred to Zhao and Ozai had nearly retched as the notion registered in his mind. He would kill them all, every last one of those traitors, if that was what they were doing…

He hardly ate. He sat in his study, consumed by unsettling thoughts, as good as alone, for Seethus remained reverently silent and invisible unless asked to reveal himself. This time, not even the memories of the past could assuage Ozai's mounting fears: Avatar Roku's statue alight. Iroh and Zuko, working together alongside an army helmed by traitors of the caliber of Jeong Jeong and the blasted Piandao… he should have had the damn swordsman executed so long ago. He had always known he would be trouble, but fool that he was, Ozai had found Piandao amusing ever since learning he had been one of the very few men to refuse to serve Azulon. He had developed some manner of respect for him because of that, even if he hadn't found him all that agreeable after the last of Zuko's swordsmanship lessons that Ozai had witnessed… but that respect certainly had faded away when Azula had discovered the bastard had gone missing. He had been the Gladiator's sword master, too… was he the one who had recruited the whelp? Had he filled his mind with delusions of power and the destruction of the Fire Nation if he cooperated with his damnable White Lotus?

That debacle caused by Jeong Jeong, by his attack against Azula, allegedly against her gladiator… she had been fooled by them all, of course. Whatever the Gladiator had faced then, it was likely nothing but a smokescreen as he received new orders, who knew if orders to seduce Azula… and the fool had been swept up by that man's pretenses. How could she have been so weak? How could she have ever grown fond of a man as lowly as that Gladiator…?

No man could have been worthy of his daughter, Ozai had believed that faithfully for a long time. His rage had brought him to think otherwise briefly… and yet now, after everything that had happened between Azula and Zhao, Ozai struggled to continue deriding Azula as he had when her secret relationship had been uncovered. His visceral reaction at Zhao upon learning of what he'd done on that wedding night… Ozai had needed another of his unwinding sessions in the Agni Kai Arena in order to exteriorize his overwhelming wrath that day. How could his friend betray his expectations in such a manner? How could Azula ever allow it, too? She was… she was better than that. She was better than him, than the Gladiator, than any man who had ever so much as looked at her, so why…?

He dropped his head in his hands, elbows on his desk. There was no point in pondering why… no point in fretting over whatever his daughter's personal decisions had resulted in. He was a fool, in the end, for a myriad of reasons… but expecting her to never grow up, to never experience the needs that so many lesser fools certainly experienced aplenty, had been one of his gravest mistakes. Ensuring she found a suitable husband had been a concern for a long time… but he had put it off, ignored it, choosing to believe that Azula could make such choices correctly without his meddling. And then she proved otherwise, entirely.

What kind of man could ever hope to be worthy of her? What kind of man could ever prove himself worthy, anyway?

Not a man who had been born to a lesser nation like the Water Tribe. Not a man with no abilities to bend, regardless of the ridiculous messages War Minister Qin had received claiming otherwise. Not a man who had faltered on the battlefield as many times as he had – it mostly had happened in the earliest stages of his career, but still…

Lost in his miserable thoughts, knowing himself in a loop of dark ideas that would never take better shape, Ozai almost failed to notice the sound of his study's door swinging open. He raised his head, his hair spilling out of his traditional top-knot once more, to find War Minister Qin, General Shaofeng and Admiral Zhao marching into his room…

There was a closed scroll in War Minister Qin's hands.

"M-my Lord… this letter bearing Governor Tiang's seal has just arrived," Qin said, bowing down as he placed the scroll upon the desk.

"His… seal?" Ozai said.

He saw it, plainly, keeping the scroll safely closed: Tiang's seal. It was the assigned seal for the Governor of Ba Sing Se… Ozai had seen it numerous times across the ten years since the city had been conquered and the position had been created. It was a legitimate letter…

And its existence meant their suspicions had to be correct: if Tiang could send letters still, it meant the alarming messages they had received around two weeks ago were but the result of sabotage that Ozai would deal with immediately after reading this letter.

"I can only wonder as to what delayed the Governor's response…" War Minister Qin said, but he smiled nervously once Ozai's relieved eyes gained a hint of concern as they turned towards him. "But it must be nothing noteworthy, I'm sure! Perhaps he has already handled the troublemakers who caused this debacle, General Tiang is quite efficient after all…"

"Will you read it?" Zhao asked, almost pleadingly: of course he wanted this to be over with, unsurprisingly, and as much as Ozai didn't care to join in on whatever Zhao meant to do with his time once this sudden meeting ended, Ozai couldn't help but agree with the sentiment.

He cut the seal open, unfolding a surprisingly long scroll…

A scroll written in handwriting he failed to recognize.

Isn't it strange how memories work? Sometimes you want to remember something forever and it fades into oblivion in a matter of days. Just so, the things that scarred you, that were so damn close to destroying you, never truly leave you no matter how you try to escape them.

The memory I'd like to remind you of is one that stands in a different spectrum for me… surely, for us both. It's a memory of what could have been a perfectly ordinary conversation, and yet it came to mind just as I was pondering how to answer your very thoughtful letter.

You asked to speak with me. You summoned me in your study. We spoke alone. You asked all sorts of questions regarding my latest near-death experience at the time. I answered as truthfully as I could, and then you asked me why I hadn't joined the White Lotus. I responded earnestly: I didn't believe theirs was the correct path. I was tired of the fighting, the mounting death toll, the needless violence, and you as good as told me that your path had been charted for you by your forefathers: you had to wage this war to the bitter end, regardless of how you might feel about it, personally. In short: you had no choice.

For some time after that, I wondered at times whether you would correct course or not, if someone actually provided you with an opportunity to choose another path. The crimes you've already committed against the world will never go away, but if you made the attempt to change things, to end the war… maybe your continued existence could be justified. Maybe, if that happened, I'd find myself understanding why Azula was so loyal to you when I could always see that she deserved far better than you for a father.

Of course, I wasn't surprised when you proved all my minuscule hopes about you had been misplaced: you're nothing but a murderer, a cowardly one who won't stain his own hands with blood. You've only deceived yourself when pretending to be superior, better than other people: everyone else can see you for the pathetic excuse for a man you are, no matter if you attempt to hide all that unsightly, despicable spinelessness behind charades of false greatness. The deaths your orders have caused don't weigh on your conscience solely because you lack one. You refuse to believe reality whenever it's inconvenient for you. You've built your castle of pretenses and lies on foundations of delusions of grandeur. And you attempt to smother anyone who tries to open your eyes to the truths that you find unpalatable: a child displays better self-control, as well as understanding of actions and consequences, than you do.

Ultimately, you are a monster. And I'm not scared of monsters. Not anymore.

Perhaps because I've become one, too.

I'm not scared of being one if that's what it takes to rid this world from you, your rule, your conquest and your war.

General Tiang is alive. So is Governor Ukano. They are my hostages, my prisoners now. Your fleet in the south has been obliterated beyond hope. Most soldiers stationed in Omashu have been imprisoned – those that survived, of course. Far more of them died in Ba Sing Se: yet again, I'm sure their lives won't weigh on your conscience, will they? You'll pretend it's my fault that they're dead. That I was the butcher who struck against your poor, helpless soldiers… the truth is that I gave your soldiers multiple opportunities to surrender. I gave Tiang, personally, numerous opportunities to surrender: he rejected them until the final one. He would be dead if he had stuck to following fit with your childish designs, with your indoctrination that taught every soldier that their very existences were inferior to yours, that they had to be ready to sacrifice their lives for a cause as rotten and pointless as yours. You're a proud, arrogant fool who likely thinks he'd be better off dead than defeated: rest assured, I can arrange that for you if you insist on being unreasonable and not surrendering or withdrawing your troops so this war can truly end.

As you may be able to guess, I've taken residence in Ba Sing Se's Imperial Palace. I reveal this as boldly as I have because you're powerless in this city now. You won't be able to reach me here, no matter how badly you may wish to. Your crusade to see me dead will never bear fruit. For, unlike you, I don't fight blindly to fulfill whatever my forefathers demanded of me. Unlike you, I understand my limits and boundaries and I have principles to abide by. Unlike you, I have earned the loyalty of thousands by my own hand, and I lead their armies because they chose me for the job… you know, rather than simply murdering my predecessor and putting his crown on my head, as I'm quite sure you did.

I do hope you know that none of this would be happening at all if you hadn't chosen to stake your very life on destroying mine. None of this would be happening if only you had even a miserable amount of self-control and the ability to respect anyone other than yourself. But how could I ask for a man as egotistical as you to think of someone else, for a change?

To think that there's people out there who genuinely cared for you… people who would plead with me to spare your miserable life. I can only pity them… for I know you wouldn't do the same for them if your roles were reversed. You would never jump into the fire to save someone you love… for you cannot love. It's the true mark of a monster, I suppose: all you understand is wrath, hatred and anger. It's all you spread in the world, too. Ultimately, you exert and enforce all the power you do because you're scared of the truth: nobody needs you. You don't mean anything to anyone. You've burned every bridge, torn every sail, sacrificing everything just to continue deluding yourself with dreams and longing for power and control.

You don't deserve your throne. You don't deserve your crown. You don't deserve your titles...

And above everything else, you could never so much as hope to deserve Azula.

Just as I did it with Tiang, I give you a chance to surrender now. Pull back your forces from the Earth Kingdom. Order your fleet to surrender in the North Pole. Agree to those two conditions first and we may yet reach a diplomatic agreement and solution to end this war. Believe it or not, I would genuinely prefer that.

I already know what your answer to that proposal will be. You're predictably stupid that way: you'll double down, lose your mind to rage as you did back when you first attempted to have me killed… and you'll immolate your entire nation if you somehow grow to believe that's what will kill me: it won't, though. I'll cut down every single soldier in my way… I will take no joy in doing so, but I will certainly kill anyone who foolishly gives their lives to carrying forward your pitiful cause of clinging to power like a toddler holds on to his favorite stuffed toy. Your people deserve better than to spend their lives mindlessly serving a bastard like you, and if death is the only release I can give them, it will still be better than serving as your puppet forevermore.

So, go ahead. Try to have me killed again. Try to send your assassin if you dare… I'm sure the Avatar will have very little trouble defeating and destroying your favorite pet if you do. It might even be fun to watch, frankly. Go ahead and send troops to fight against mine, and know yourself outmatched at every step of the way. Waste your forces as you always do, the Earth Kingdom will be most grateful to rid itself of even more occupation forces than it already did after the start of my campaign of liberation. This continent will never be yours anew: your only choice going forward is to capitulate early or to continue losing a war you foolishly believed you'd already won, Ozai.

So, just as you claimed you had no choice but to continue this senseless war, I'd say I have no choice but to fight it against you, since you've seen to that. You've singled me out as a target to destroy… and I won't let you get away with it. I deserve better, frankly, than being killed by the poorly-trained slobs you call soldiers… perhaps I ought to challenge you to an Agni Kai, even if I'm no firebender. I'd have some respect for you if you had the guts to fight me one-on-one, the way Tiang did before I defeated him for good… but I'm sure the very notion of crossing blows with me has made you shit your pants, hasn't it? Heh, I can almost smell the stench all the way across the world, fancy that…

I'm nowhere close to done. I'm only at the beginning of my war path. And you will keep losing every battle, at every damn turn, because that's all you could ever do against the magnitude of the forces I'll command against you: all nations have united at last. True balance has been achieved in the army that now answers to me. Balance is not solely found in the Avatar: it's in all of us. And I take quite a bit of pride in knowing myself the leader of the Gladiator Army… in knowing myself the commanding officer of the forces that will finally put an end to the Hundred Year War.

I am the storm in the horizon. I am the scourge of your corruption. I am the harbinger of a new dawn in which all nations will know themselves free.

I am the Blue Wolf.

I am the Gladiator.

And I will make you pay for every drop of blood, every wasted life, with your own.