Gladiator

by Seyary-Minamoto

In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually depend on the Fire Nation Princess, who needs him for her own ends...

304. Chapter 304: Taking Omashu 7

Taking Omashu

7

The small group's stealthy journey had taken them across lands Ursa only had confusing memories of. Her heart churned as they progressed north towards that quiet forest where she had watched her daughter from a distance while rejecting reality still, seeking refuge from the hard truths she hadn't wanted to face. Truths she had no choice but to accept upon waking in Zuko's arms and seeing the scarred burn across his face.

Forcing herself to relinquish the fantasies the swamp had nourished within her had taken more strength out of her than Ursa had realized. Her mind still threatened to play vicious games with her on occasion, tempting her to make mistakes she no longer should, all be it to hide away from the darkness of their world by seeking another kind of darkness in her mind. A reassuring, empty, meaningless darkness that shielded her from everything the White Lotus had wanted her to face. She had been too weak, too helpless against the despair that had broken her mind, effectively, for well over a decade.

She withdrew into herself, even now. She wouldn't do it as often when she was with Zuko or his friends, but it still happened to her at most every other point in time. Piandao's voice often broke through her thoughts: she'd answer his questions about how she felt with evasive words, hoping he'd understand she wasn't ready to speak about her innermost struggles yet.

If only she'd reacted sooner… if only she had faced the truths she had constantly rejected. If she had realized that Ozai was capable of worse monstrosities than those she had witnessed herself, could she have saved either of her children? Trusting him to look after them had been a mistake, a grave one… and she had refused to accept as much for a long time, for if she had been wrong to trust him at all, wasn't she to blame for Zuko and Azula's struggles, for not putting a stop to Ozai when she had the chance? For not breaking through his stubbornness as early as possible, snapping him out of his selfish pride to save her children…?

She could only see the young woman she had been once, so upstanding and dignified, in the most unflattering light, entirely contradictory with the pretense of perfection she had attempted to embody. Could she berate Ozai for his selfish pride, when she had been no different once their relationship began to fall apart? She had refused to see his side… he had refused to see hers. Only after her last moments in the Palace – when she broke down in tears while standing in her daughter's dark bedroom –, only after spending so many years away from home, after enduring the loneliness as well as the judgment and even spite of the captors who fashioned themselves as her saviors… only after all that pain had she truly opened her eyes to the myriad of mistakes she had made in her younger years.

A humble life, of crawling back to the swamp through muck and filth if need be, had torn asunder the shell of the pristine woman she had spent her whole life hiding behind… and now she no longer had to ask herself who she was, or what she wanted. Now she knew exactly what her purpose in this world would be, a purpose she had chosen for herself once she had spoken with her daughter's true husband that night…

She would stand by them and their fight against the Fire Nation, all be it for Azula's sake. For the girl whose spirit Ursa had tried to quell and diminish long ago, only for the child to refuse to yield against her, no matter how daunting she found her own mother to be, displaying no end of courage that Ursa had failed to recognize as such until it was too late. And to think that the man who had once been Azula's staunchest supporter had become the one to break her instead… Ursa's blood boiled at the thought.

And yet it was that very thought that pushed her forward, traversing the forests and mountains, no matter how difficult the terrain, in order to find the city of Omashu. She needed no acknowledgement, no gratitude, no rewards… all she needed was to ensure that her daughter would survive the nightmares she had faced by Ozai's hands. The only thing that drove her was the hope that Sokka would find her, protect her, ensure to walk with her towards the brighter future the two of them deserved… it didn't matter if Ursa was never involved in such a future. If Azula wanted nothing to do with her, Ursa would never fault her for that… the more she reflected on her failings, the more she feared there was nothing she could do in this world to atone for her mistakes. But she needed no acknowledgment… she needed no forgiveness, even if Zuko offered it immediately, even if it seemed he had thought there was nothing to forgive. As long as her remaining lifetime was spent helping them somehow, even if she didn't know what else she could do for young people so much more competent than her, she would want for nothing else…

Not even for the man who had once claimed her mind, heart and soul. Not for the man who had taken his time to know her, and sought her approval at every turn, so long ago. Not for the man whose hand had reached for hers as she sailed away, her face covered in tears as her blurry eyes failed to properly see his handsome features for the very last time…

But her resolve would not break. The past wouldn't change the present.

Her introspection was brough to a halt once the group's leader, a scout Jeong Jeong had recruited for their mission, raised a hand to stop on their tracks. Piandao frowned as he eyed his surroundings carefully.

"We can't be far now. Omashu is ahead," he said. A shiver rushed down Ursa's spine.

They had been climbing uphill for a few hours now, up the tall peaks that surrounded the city they were marching to. Three days of travel had seen them crossing the southwestern Earth Kingdom until they reached their destination, guided by the scout who often dashed ahead to ensure the road was clear, or to steer them towards a path that would keep them away from small villages or human settlements of any kind. The scout stood high upon the peaks now, far higher than the rest of their traveling group, but while Jeong Jeong had acknowledged the man's gesture, his eyes were drawn to the ground, to the unsightly, dried droppings akin to those that the moose lions had left behind in the Fortress's outskirts.

"They were here," Jeong Jeong concluded, eyes drifting up at the scout, who slid downhill carefully.

"There's signs that suggest they must have built a fire around here," the scout said. Jeong Jeong hummed before marching past the scout. "U-uh, Master Jeong Jeong? You shouldn't head too high, we might be spotted from the city!"

He ignored the man's words, careless about exposing himself, confident that his profoundly changed appearance would never allow a guard in Omashu to identify him at such a distance, regardless of how potent their spyglasses might be.

He heard the others following him, the scout included, but Jeong Jeong didn't slow down on his way to the peak of this mountain over the man's warnings: he couldn't hear noise, he couldn't hear anything noteworthy at all. His fists clenched as he finally reached the heights necessary to lay eyes upon Omashu, the city where the Gladiator's mad endeavor had most likely reached its untimely end…

He froze on the spot. The others joined him, and they as well gasped at the astonishing sight before them.

The walls were broken in many places. The bridge that connected Omashu and the outside world was gone. Pillars of smoke rose from within the city, their cause unknown.

"What in the blazes…?" the scout winced, shrinking in place as the others gazed intently at the city.

"Signs of battle, for certain," Piandao said, his brow furrowed. "Though… it's hard to say who was victorious."

The Fire Nation's red-and-black banner still dangled above the city gates… though it was lopsided, and it was easy to imagine that Sokka and his friends might have simply forgotten to remove it. Piandao's fist tightened as Ursa finished climbing the mountain, her chest heaving anxiously as she eyed the city with uncertainty – she had never laid eyes upon it before.

"Omashu…?" she gasped, glancing up at Piandao, who nodded firmly. "This is it?"

"It doesn't look as damaged as I would have anticipated, after a decade of Fire Nation occupation," Piandao said. "Not that it's not damaged, of course it is, but… slapping a Fire Nation flag across a city that embodies the strength of the Earth Kingdom would never change the city's true nature."

"Then… do you believe they liberated the city after all?" Ursa asked, breathing in deeply as she gazed at Omashu anew.

"I can only hope so," Piandao said, gritting his teeth. "But even now, it's hard to determine if…"

"It's gone."

Ursa, Jeong Jeong and Piandao frowned upon hearing Captain Shiju's words. He stood between the two Fire Nation men, eyes sharp and set upon Omashu's silhouette.

"What's gone, Captain Shiju?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"I was not native to Omashu. Regardless, I visited it on occasion," Shiju said. "The last time I saw the city, they had only just finished constructing a massive statue at the tallest pyramid: a statue of Fire Lord Ozai."

Ursa's stomach seemed to clench and twist upon hearing those words: her eyes returned to the city as both Piandao and Jeong Jeong frowned, in realization.

"It… it is gone," Jeong Jeong acknowledged. "I heard about that statue, never laid eyes upon it myself… but you are correct. It appears to be gone."

"Unless it's a remarkably small statue," Piandao commented, a slight smile on his face.

"Knowing Ozai, it wasn't small. But, if it's gone, then…" Ursa said: Piandao's smile gained strength, his hand shaking.

"We cannot cross as it is," Jeong Jeong commented, frowning. "Captain Shiju, you may need to help us get across with your bending."

"Of course, Master Jeong Jeong," Shiju said dutifully, bowing his head towards Jeong Jeong.

Ursa's heart seemed to drum in her ears with anticipation: a part of her berated her for rejoicing in the chance that the Fire Nation would have lost a battle, and yet she pushed it aside promptly, her heart flooded with hope that Zuko had succeeded at the quest Sokka had set him and all his friends on…

The scout helped them find a safe path down the other side of the mountain, and Piandao gave Ursa a hand whenever she struggled with the difficult terrain. They marched cautiously, aware that they would likely alert any sentries by the walls of their presence, but if their suspicions were correct, they wouldn't be Fire Nation guards anymore. Little by little they moved closer to the surface level, past the complicated mountain ridges and to stable grounds…

The scout raised a fist suddenly, alerting them to stop their march at once.

"There's something there," the man said, gesturing at a sinuous path in between the hills. It wouldn't be an easy path to travel, but it was much smoother to traverse than the forceful one they'd taken through the mountains to avoid detection. "I… I'm not sure if it's…"

Shiju frowned, bending some earth to ease his climb down, stepping forward and past the scout. His eyes sharp and steady, he scrutinized the scenery firmly… and he watched as a brown-furred creature's tail swept carelessly on the ground.

"The moose-lions," he said, frowning. Jeong Jeong hummed.

"The Gladiator intended to use them in his plan to conquer the city," the Deserter said. "They served the function of the troops he had hoped we would provide."

Ursa's breath caught: no deep bond had developed between her and the moose-lions in the short time she had known them… but she still rushed past the other men by taking advantage of Shiju's small platform, anxiously fearful even if all sense suggested she had very little to fear. Her eyes glimpsed the silhouette of the creature before long, the capricious swirls of its tail… her heart raced faster yet when she heard voices. Human voices near the moose-lions… voices she had grown to recognize over the course of the past month.

Hidden behind a few bends along the road, the herd of moose-lions relaxed carelessly among a few humans who, after reuniting with their sky bison, had taken a short trip and dropped by to visit the moose-lions. One of those humans had never met the moose-lions before, but Arakan still thrived in being near the majestic creatures, smiling brightly as he caressed the antler of the one Aang had bonded with most.

"These big buddies helped us get all the way to Omashu," Aang smiled, a hand on Appa's horn. "They're pretty cute, right?"

"Yeah," Arakan said, beaming: where he had seemed so hardened by darkness and war, by the misery of his life on the streets of Omashu, the light Aang shed upon the young man's heart seemed to have brought back the childhood innocence he had been alarmingly close to losing forever.

Katara smiled fondly at them, watching as Arakan asked another question about the moose-lions and Aang answered it enthusiastically. She bit her lip before rummaging through the pack she had brought along for this incursion out of the city.

"Do you think it's time for a snack yet, or should we wait a little longer for…?" she asked, raising her gaze towards Kino, standing beside her. He answered her with a nonchalant shrug… followed by a sleazy smirk.

"You know what I'm thinking?"

"No, and with that smile, I don't think I want to," Katara deadpanned, but Kino ignored her.

"This feels like… training. You know. For when you and Aang have your own little tykes just like Ara-…"

"Could you stop?!" Katara groaned, blushing and pinching Kino's nose. He squeaked and whimpered, his arms flopping helplessly. "You were the most serious, goal-oriented and determined guy just yesterday and now you're back to being a goof!"

"W-what's so wrong with thaaaat…? Katara, my nose is going to be bigger than the tallest pyramid if you keep pulling it, ooouch!"

Katara huffed, releasing it and rolling her eyes. Her cheeks remained red as Kino whimpered pitifully, rubbing his nose with the palm of his hand before pouting in her direction.

"I don't even know why you're so flustered, it's not like Aang's a bad guy to have a crush on," Kino mumbled. "He's too nice, if anything! But if you keep being mean to me, and he'll decide you're too mean to marry…!"

"Kino!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking, I… oh! Oh, spirits, Lady Ursa!"

The complete shift in tone and attitude had been too genuine for it to be just another of Kino's jokes… and yet Katara was tempted to think it was nothing more than that until she glanced over her shoulder, in the direction Kino's had turned moments ago.

It was her turn to gasp in disbelief when Ursa emerged from around the mountain. Katara froze when her eyes fell upon several unknown White Lotus members, then on Piandao, Captain Shiju, and finally, none other than Jeong Jeong himself. The Deserter was the last to step into the scene, but Katara hardly had a chance to notice him when Ursa came rushing towards her, eyes wide with anxiety.

"Katara…!" Ursa called, glancing at the rest of the group: several moose-lions eyed her nonchalantly while Appa groaned a greeting at her. Her eyes met those of the little boy that now hid behind Aang's leg, immediately apprehensive about the new arrivals, especially of one who looked as Fire Nation as Ursa did.

"Lady Ursa? And everyone else!" Aang gasped, though his face broke into a smile quickly. "I thought I'd go fetch you in a day or two, but you're already here!"

"What has happened?" Jeong Jeong asked, following Ursa as she approached Katara and Kino nervously. The Deserter's eyes, however, were set on the Avatar. "If you're here with the creatures and a child, does that mean…?"

"We won," Aang said, simply, with a careless smile.

The statement, so straightforward and simple, seemed to petrify Jeong Jeong even if he had known, upon bumping into these three, that it would be the most likely answer and explanation for what had happened in Omashu. Even so, he failed to face that reality right away: his eyes scrutinized Aang as though expecting him to laugh and confess to joking around, but it didn't happen.

Moreover, one of Jeong Jeong's companions stepped forward, a proud smile on his face:

"The city is free?" Piandao asked. "Did Sokka's plan work?"

"Well, we had to tweak things here and there on the go, but mostly, yeah," Aang grinned. Piandao laughed softly, closing his eyes.

"What an extraordinary man he is," he said, and Aang nodded promptly in agreement. Katara smiled and shrugged as Ursa gazed at her, inquisitively.

"Then everyone is alright? Zuko, and Sokka…?" she asked, and Katara nodded.

"They're dealing with the aftermath of the battle, but yeah. Zuko wasn't in much danger after we broke the resistance out of prison, from what I heard," Katara shrugged, folding her arms over her chest. "I got hurt but not too severely. Jet took a worse wound than mine, but he's recovering. Everyone else made it through unscathed… well, everyone in our group, that is. I'm afraid there were a few losses regardless, though the resistance members say that they usually lost much more than that, about half their forces whenever they attempted to rebel, so maybe we handled things well, considering we didn't lose that many…"

"Where's Anorak?" Jeong Jeong asked, bluntly. The hint of uncertainty and fear in his voice startled Katara, who raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Somewhere in the city, helping reel things back into order… no need to worry, I included him when I said everyone in our group was fine," Katara said, with a weak, reassuring grin. Jeong Jeong's eyes widened. "We got a lot of help from the locals, the resistance, the Enforcers… it wasn't going to be easy if it had just been the eight of us, and it wasn't easy anyhow, but the backup sure helped."

"The statue is gone, though…" Piandao said. "Courtesy of Toph Beifong, as expected?"

"Yeah, she was very pleased with herself for that," Katara smiled.

"And King Bumi…?" Jeong Jeong asked. Aang grinned again.

"He's recovering too, but he's alive and… and he's still his old self, for sure," Aang chuckled.

"Then this means…" Shiju started, but he stopped talking immediately and glanced at Jeong Jeong instead.

The Deserter appeared to be bottling up countless things to say, his eyes shifting from side to side. Withdrawn in his thoughts, he seemed incapable of speaking his mind for the time being and Katara preferred it that way, selfish as it might be on her part: Sokka was far better equipped for verbal fencing with Jeong Jeong than she ever would be.

"And this young man…?" Ursa interrupted the silence, smiling kindly at Arakan. He continued to hide behind Aang, though he seemed less tense now upon realizing they were friends of the grown-ups he had been with.

"He's Arakan," Aang smiled, patting the child's back kindly. "He's one of Omashu's citizens, and he helped us retake the city…"

"A child?" Shiju asked, eyeing the boy skeptically. Arakan pouted slightly, and Aang grinned proudly.

"That's right. He's very brave, braver than many people five times his age!" Aang declared, and Arakan's face flushed as he smiled slightly. "We were taking him to visit the moose-lions just now, he was curious about them when we mentioned them last night… and then we bumped into all of you out here, heh. So… welcome, I guess! Want a lift back to Omashu? The bridge isn't going to be rebuilt until later today, I think…"

"Appa can't carry all of us, though, can he?" asked Kino, raising an eyebrow. "There's like ten of you guys… Momo didn't come with us because he stayed with King Bumi today, but it's still a lot of people."

"And Appa can mostly handle about six people at once, and preferably short distances, but we can do two trips…" Aang said, with a weak smile. Jeong Jeong shook his head.

"Piandao and Ursa will do. Bring them into the city," he said, startling both his own group and that of Sokka's allies. "The rest of us will find our own way inside Omashu."

"You're sure?" Aang asked, biting his lip. "We should rebuild the bridge soon, I think I can even help a bit…"

"You're still pretty new to earthbending, aren't you?" Kino said, glancing at Aang questioningly. "Are you sure you should try helping with something like that?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm sure, but still…" Aang said, with a weak grin. Jeong Jeong shrugged.

"If you wish to rebuild the bridge properly with others, feel free to do so. My group can build a small, temporary bridge wherever the chasm is most narrow and tear it down for safety's sake afterwards," he said. Aang bit his lip and nodded. "Get going, then."

The Avatar climbed on Appa's saddle, helping hoist each of his companions, one by one, onto Appa's back. Piandao seemed genuinely fascinated by his first flight on the creature's back, whereas Ursa only glanced at the city and its billowing smoke anxiously.

"Everything's okay," Katara reassured her, with a smile, as she sat next to Arakan – the boy crawled closer to where Aang would sit, at Appa's neck, eager to talk some more with his hero. "Zuko didn't have to deal with anything too dangerous, at least, not while he was alone. Last I knew, no one had even touched a hair from his head."

"That's a relief," Ursa said, with a small grin of her own: Appa took flight then, while Kino asked a dumbfounded Piandao if he could be eligible for lessons with him. "And your brother? He seems…"

"Unlikely to stay safe and prioritize his wellbeing?" Katara finished. Ursa offered her a weak, sympathetic smile. Katara chuckled and shrugged. "Unfortunately true, but I think he's grown in ways I didn't expect him to. He's staking everything on this operation, after all. He would die for Azula, it's clear as day that he would… but he wants to live for her, instead. As reckless as he may be, I think his plans are always aiming towards returning to her side, no matter what."

"Good, then. She would be cross if he got badly injured trying to find her, I expect," Ursa said, with a sad smile. "And she's had enough anguish and misery to last her a lifetime as it is."

"You really don't mind… their relationship?" Katara asked, dubious. Ursa raised an eyebrow. "I mean, well… I wasn't all that pleased about it when I finally understood it. It took me a while to wrap my head around the concept. I thought… maybe it wouldn't have been that easy for you either? But if it is, all the better, for sure…"

"It's hard, but not for the reasons you might think. Or for the reasons why it was hard for you," Ursa said, lowering her gaze. "I… I wish I could have been there to advise her. To help her navigate the complications of… of what I assume has been her first love. I wish I could have been the sort of mother who could have supported her daughter through the terrible ordeals they faced even before being torn from each other. And yet I know that, had I stayed, I… if it had been possible somehow, I probably would have never been the mother she deserved. I would have never wronged her as Ozai has, but… I can't pretend I would have been as supportive as I should have been if I had still been the impressionable, ignorant woman who married Prince Ozai so long ago. If just because your brother wasn't noble, I would have likely advised Azula against their relationship and… it's all the better that I wasn't there to cause her more unnecessary, misplaced grief, isn't it?"

"O-oh… well, that is way more complicated, heh," Katara said, with a weak grin. Ursa sighed, offering her another sympathetic smile.

"Listening to an old woman's woes must be tiresome. I apologize," she said. Katara bit her lip.

"You don't have to apologize, but, uh… well, I'm just going to put this out there because it's probably a bigger deal for your culture than it is for mine," Katara chuckled. "My dad, well, Sokka and I's dad… he's the chief of the Southern Water Tribe."

"He… he is?" Ursa blinked blankly. Katara smiled and shrugged.

"Which probably doesn't mean a lot because we weren't exactly royalty anyway, but if you try to compare both Fire Nation and Water Tribe cultures… you could try and make the case of me and Sokka being a princess and prince respectively, too," she said. Ursa's lips curled in a warmer smile. "Just saying…"

"You don't need to reassure me of the greatness of your heritage, Katara," she said. "I have only known you and your brother for a short time… and I have no doubts there is more nobility, strength of heart, purity of spirit, passion and virtue in the two of you than there was in most anyone I ever met in the Fire Nation. Perhaps you are, indeed, highborn in some ways… but after everything I've been through, such titles and idle fancies appear as empty words, hot air and nothing more. The courage of your actions, the fortitude with which you've faced challenges as steep as reconquering this city… that speaks far louder of what valuable, extraordinary people you are than a title ever could."

Katara's cheeks flushed, and she smiled to herself as she watched the city speeding below them: they had finished crossing the chasm and Appa progressed quickly towards the most ornate Fire Nation-styled residence near the top of the tallest pyramid in Omashu. An assortment of Earth Kingdom buildings spread below them, as did the delivery system… all seemed quiet, calm and right in the city, save for the occasional damaged buildings and the pillars of smoke that rose here and there. It wasn't long before Ursa finally detailed one… and she understood then that they were pyres for the dead. Her heart seemed to shrivel at the realization, and she pulled her gaze away abruptly, hoping to shake off the fears in her heart, fears that promised everyone she cared for would wind up in such pyres, sooner or later…

But today was a day of triumph. Today, Ursa's son and her true son-in-law, along with all their friends, had brought a new dawn to the city of Omashu. Loose ends were surely being tied up now, such as those that pertained the now-deposed governor of Omashu, whose home Appa approached steadily…

---

Ukano had tried to brace himself for meeting the enemy leader, determined, stubborn, set to stand by his dignity… until his eyes met Sokka's glacial glare when the Gladiator crossed the threshold into the balcony. All his bravado faded well before he could attempt to make use of it.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" he said. "Former Governor Ukano."

"Y-you… Gladiator," Ukano said, his voice choked as Sokka stepped up, arms folded across his armored chest. "I… I don't understand how you… w-what you're hoping to accomplish, to begin with, but I surrendered. You know I'm not standing in your way. Prince Zuko told me that my family would be safe? Y-you… you vow as much as well? Please…"

"I intend no harm to the Fire Nation," Sokka said, humorlessly. "Your family will remain safe as long as you keep your head down and stop pretending you're entitled to a position in this city that you never should have held, to begin with."

"I… I don't understand," Ukano said, pleadingly. "You… we hosted you several times, didn't we?"

"Twice," Sokka said, dryly.

"And you never…! Y-you were the ideal slave, or at least, that's what everyone interpreted the Fire Lord's choices to mean, and…!"

"The Fire Lord tried to kill me," Sokka cut Ukano off, and the man's face paled. "In front of Azula. He set up a whole charade of an execution for me, and I only got away thanks to her. I survived because of her. And I'm here because of her, just as well. That I stood by quietly for years, that I supported her through all her endeavors, that I was the 'ideal slave', as far as you and your people perceived me, was but proof of how deeply I believed in her. Of how much I trusted that she'd change this fucked up world for the better… how much faith I had that she'd break the legacy of cruelty her forefathers have been spreading across history.

"And then one day, Ozai decided she was unworthy of succeeding him. One day, he decided that I was the greatest scum of earth rather than the so-called 'ideal slave'. On that bloody day, he made sure that I'd chase and hunt him down for however long he has left to live, so that I might snuff the light out of his eyes myself. And if the only way to put an end to Ozai's regime is to destroy all the things that I trusted Azula could peacefully change for the better… then I'll do exactly that, because she can't do anything by her own hand anymore. And that quest starts with Omashu."

"W-wait, you're trying to say that… that Princess Azula meant to commit treason of this nature too?" Ukano gasped. Sokka snorted.

"Treason, huh?" Sokka said. "The Fire Nation sure loves hurling that word around without giving a fuck about what it means, huh?"

"It is, though! U-unless your words mean something else, you're claiming the Princess was conspiring to… to hinder Fire Lord Ozai's march of progress. Unless you're saying anything else… it's treason against the Fire Lord."

"Really, then? That's what treason is for you?" Sokka asked, his eyes colder by the minute. Ukano's momentary bravery withered quickly as Sokka spoke anew: "Treason is in a father who subjects his daughter to no end of punishments and humiliation just because she made one choice he didn't agree with. Treason is in swearing promises that go broken in the blink of an eye, such as promises not to attack the Southern Water Tribe, only to send a fleet of fifty ships to annihilate a small civilization and, with it, an entire culture, all of it motivated by injured pride. Treason is pledging your entire existence to serving a Fire Lord as rotten and despicable as Ozai rather than serving your people, your nation, out of true love and conviction. Ozai is not the Fire Nation, and even if he were… the one I swore myself to was Azula, never him. And I won't rest until I've set her free from his grasp, no matter how far I may have to go to make that happen."

Ukano appeared to have been shaken into true terror over Sokka's words. He opened his mouth and closed it again, a shiver wracking him as he gaped at the Gladiator with utmost disbelief and confusion. Sokka breathed deeply, stepping forward and clasping a chair in the balcony, taking a seat before the former governor.

"So… with all this in mind, I expect you'll understand my intentions a little better now," Sokka asked, his cold glare upon Ukano's own, uncertain gaze. "And that means I expect you to cooperate with me when asked to. Your family won't be harmed… but the more you help, the easier it will be for you and your own to avoid whatever consequences Ozai would want to inflict upon you over your failure to retain this city. Right now, he's a bigger threat to you than I could ever be."

"He's only a threat to me because of what you've done!" Ukano whimpered, gazing at Sokka helplessly. "You and your allies… whatever you intend, you will wreak havoc across the Fire Nation. What little peace has been attained since the war ended…!"

"The war has never ended," Sokka said, frowning. "Nobody has surrendered, and what happened in Omashu yesterday proved as much. All those rebels, standing up for their city… each of them embodies the pride and strength of the Earth Kingdom. You never broke them… just as nothing I went through, not even at the very last moment, broke me. The Fire Lord has failed… and that you'd advocate for peace now when he has been the proudest warmonger, the one who has brought violence, blood and death to every other nation, is a remarkably ironic turn of events, isn't it? Was the Fire Lord willing to listen to pleas for mercy when he decided to take over this and every other city he dared storm across? Did he ever relent with his warfare for the sake of the commonfolk who only wanted to live in peace, just as you do? Be grateful, Ukano, that I'm a lot more forgiving than your lord is. I will keep my word, and I will keep you alive and safe… but you'd do best to think twice about your constant pleas and attempts to appeal to me by claiming I'm the one who's started this. This started over a hundred years ago, and it only bothers you now because you're on the losing side for once."

Ukano gritted his teeth, lowering his head in apparent defeat. Sokka breathed out slowly: his patience for Fire Nation propaganda had run out after all his years at Azula's side. He was done turning a blind eye, bearing with the supremacist delusions and overlooking twisted narratives in which the Fire Lord was, somehow, a victim when he was the perpetrator of all crimes, instead.

"So… if we're finally clear, please tell me everything you know about what's happening in the Fire Nation right now," Sokka said. Ukano winced, eyeing him warily. "I would rather get this over with quickly, so the faster you talk…"

"I… I'm afraid you're out of luck, and not because I'm determined to remain loyal to the Fire Lord," Ukano said, with uncertainty. "The truth is that Fire Lord Ozai has become progressively unresponsive as of late. He barely communicates with anyone anymore. If you truly don't believe me… w-well, I only learned of Princess Azula's nuptials with Admiral Zhao a week after it happened. I wasn't even invited to attend the ceremony."

"You… you weren't, then?" Sokka said: the information, he knew, was important… and yet his heart seemed squeezed by a chilling hand upon hearing those words again. He had to focus, though. He couldn't let himself fall into that pit of despair once more. "And you learned about it… how, then?"

"Once it was official, news about it were spread across all Fire Nation-held territories. I should have known sooner, I thought, it made no sense that I wouldn't have been invited to such an important event…" said Ukano, grimacing. "Governor Tiang was invited, and yet I wasn't? I… I don't really understand why. It's like…"

"Like he's punishing you too, somehow?" Sokka asked, frowning. Ukano winced.

"I've done nothing to warrant punishment by the Fire Lord…!"

"Neither did Azula, and he's spent months tormenting her all the same," Sokka said, bluntly, eyes drifting towards the sky: a dark shadow that streaked across the balcony revealed that Appa was back… surprisingly early, but Sokka hoped the bison's quick return wasn't motivated by anything troublesome.

"I… I can't quite… understand it, when you say that," Ukano said, frowning. "I mean… the Princess was injured. This is the latest development we learned about surrounding her. Perhaps you didn't know of this? I… I don't know where you were all along, frankly, but…"

"I helped bring her to safety on the very day she was hurt. I killed the man who hurt her," Sokka said, his cold eyes turning on a frightened Ukano once more. "I'm quite aware of what happened to her when she got hurt, and what happened right afterwards, too. I don't need conjectures about that… only factual information about whatever happened since the w-… since Ozai married her off to Zhao. That's what I don't know enough about."

"And like I said, I don't know anything else," Ukano grimaced. "You're saying that he's tormenting her and punishing her… but you're also saying that you want no conjectures, so… you know for a fact that this is the case? That this is some sort of punishment? So far, it seems that the Princess may not be in good health to perform her duties as Crown Princess anymore and that's why Admiral Zhao has been named Crown Prince in her stead…"

"Ugh, you're unnerving and you're not even trying to be," Sokka groaned, burying his face in his hands as he threw his head back, over the backrest of his chair. Ukano gasped.

"I… I'm willing to talk to you, to give you whatever information I can provide, Gladiator, but if I have no information at all, what could you possibly ask of me? Search all my correspondence, if you don't believe me, but the truth is still the truth!"

"The truth is you don't know what Ozai's been capable of, and you and your people have come up with convenient explanations that can't even begin to come close to reality," Sokka said, shaking his head. Ukano gritted his teeth.

"Then explain yourself, if you would. Prince Zuko said he'd do so, but… he hasn't done it yet. Why are you here? Why did you turn on the Fire Nation, and why are you claiming it's the Fire Lord who turned on the Princess?"

Sokka breathed in, tapping his chair's armrest for a moment… only to find himself distracted by the sound of footsteps. He glanced over at the door mere seconds before it was pulled open by a familiar face: Ukano had already seen Aang before, but he continued to gawk at the Air Nomad with utmost disbelief and confusion. Aang's identity as the Avatar had remained concealed so far, as far as Sokka had been told, but his tattoos and choice in attire didn't help keep his Air Nomad roots hidden from people like Ukano.

"Ah, you're back pretty fast," Sokka said, pushing himself up to his feet as Aang entered the balcony. "Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," Aang grinned: Arakan stood right behind him, clinging to his leg, and Katara and Kino followed…

And Sokka's eyes widened when a familiar man stepped forward afterwards, a proud smile on his face.

"As you can see… we bumped into some surprising guests right outside the city," Katara explained, smiling too as Piandao stepped past the threshold into the balcony.

"Master…" Sokka smiled a little, puzzled as Piandao clasped his shoulders with firm hands. "I wasn't expecting you so soon, we couldn't even tidy up the city yet…"

"Jeong Jeong figured out your intentions quickly, we couldn't hold him back for much longer than we did," Piandao confessed, clapping Sokka's shoulders proudly. "But you were lightning-fast at setting your plan in motion, it seems… it's done, from what they've told us. You've reconquered Omashu…"

"As you can see…" Sokka said, with a weak smile. Piandao let out an uncharacteristic laugh before pulling Sokka in for a hug. Sokka couldn't hold back a soft chuckle, clapping his master's back gently.

"I knew your potential was limitless, I did, but… it's fascinating to see you proving it, time over and time again," Piandao said, pulling back with his proud grin still. "Well done, Sokka."

"Well, it wasn't just me, but…" Sokka smiled, though his attention was claimed by the last newcomer just as Ukano began to react to the unexpected surprises before his eyes.

"M-master… Piandao? Piandao?!" he exclaimed, wincing as he leapt off his own chair – the shackles around his wrists and ankles rattled when he did. "You were in league with…? Piandao, with the Gladiator?!"

"Well, I was his sword master, but I suppose that's not what you're asking about," Piandao said, with a weak grin. "We've never met before, have we, Former Governor Ukano?"

"N-no, but I've heard more than enough about you to know that… t-that you were suspicious all along," Ukano said, with a firm scowl. "That Fire Lord Azulon distrusted you and… and even then, you were valuable, so he wanted you in the army, but you refused to return and…"

"And I was part of a suspicious group of soldiers who attempted to murder General Iroh," Piandao said, with a dry grin. Sokka tensed up next to him. "Anything else?"

"W-why would you…?" Ukano started, and Sokka sighed audibly.

"You're just going to ask that question every single time whenever you find out that someone's working with me? Really?" Sokka asked, skeptical. Ukano winced.

"I apologize if it's hard for me to fathom that Fire Nation people would turn on the Fire Lord quite as boldly as…" he started, but a new voice cut him off.

"Perhaps it may be time for you to fathom that it's not a matter of the Fire Nation and its Fire Lords… but of Ozai committing sins on top of sins against his nation, his people, and his own family without a single smidge of remorse. Maybe, once you realize that's the true crux of this matter, you'll stop having to ask why anyone has turned against him. Some of us never wished to do so… but he gave us no other choice."

This time, Sokka feared Ukano might jump off the balcony out of sheer impulse. His jaw dropped, and his knees bent as he fell on the floor. As shaken as he had been by many revelations over the past two days, nothing had affected him quite as much as meeting the eyes of Lady Ursa, far older than when he had last seen her in the Fire Nation Capital, almost two decades ago.

"It's come about in a rather unforeseeable occasion, but I suppose it's still good to see you once again, Ukano. Though it's some relief to see that time has been no more forgiving with you than it has been with me," Ursa admitted, with a cynical smile. When Ukano's only response was an unintelligible whimper, her eyes shifted towards Sokka. "Sokka… you're alright. The others, they said as much, but… I'm glad I can confirm it for myself."

"I'm fine, yeah," Sokka said, with a tight-lipped grin. "Though I really wasn't expecting either of you just yet. Jeong Jeong caused trouble, then?"

"Some, but nothing that couldn't be handled," Piandao said. "Surprisingly, we had the first vote that did not end in his favor in the White Lotus council in years. We were to come here to check if you needed aid in your endeavors… and of course, you had already sorted everything out by the time we arrived."

"I wouldn't quite say everything, but…" Sokka said, running a hand over his hair. "At least the fighting is done. We have captured soldiers everywhere – it's not as much of a massacre as the battle in the South Pole was. They ought to be grateful for that, if nothing else."

"We'll need to move more White Lotus troops into the city," Piandao reasoned. "They can help keep the peace: Fire Nation soldiers will likely attempt to fight back in the coming days."

"They won't be likely to succeed while they're buried to their necks, but it's not a bad idea, no," Sokka nodded. Piandao crooked an eyebrow at Sokka's statement, but he couldn't ask anything before Ukano's latest, troubled squeal broke across the balcony.

"Boy, is he loud…" Kino winced as Ukano sank on his spot, eyes still glued to Ursa's figure.

"L-lady… Lady Ursa! It's… it can't be. It can't be! Y-you… you were alive? For all this time, you were…?!"

Nobody said a word as Ukano continued to suffer some sort of meltdown over Ursa's presence. Sokka blinked a few times before letting out a sigh, turning his gaze towards Piandao once more.

"Did you come alone?" he asked. "You said the vote was against Jeong Jeong, but you didn't exactly explain…"

"We settled on sending a delegation here… and yes, he was part of it as well," Piandao confirmed. Sokka winced. "He's seeking his own way into the city, by his own choosing."

"I offered to give them a lift if they wanted to wait for us, but he said we should go ahead without him," Aang shrugged.

"Well, if he waits a little longer, he may just cross into the city once Toph and her new crew rebuild the bridge," Sokka said. "She's overseeing the restoration of the bridge with a group of local earthbenders. Zuko was with them too."

"I had meant to ask…" Ursa said, with a nervous smile. Sokka smiled too.

"He's alright. He'll be thrilled to see you once he comes back, I doubt he'll be gone for too long," he said, reassuringly.

"Maybe he can help snap the old governor back to his senses, once he does?" Kino said, eyeing Ukano with uncertainty. "He's the only one who's managed to talk sense into him so far, so…"

"It's not possible. It's… it's not possible, you couldn't have…" Ukano yelped, staring at Ursa once again. "You were gone. F-for years, nobody knew… we thought you had died, lady Ursa, and that Fire Lord Ozai was grieving still. We thought… b-but you're here. You're here with… w-with Piandao? And with the Gladiator, y-you're allied with them?"

"Indeed, I am," Ursa confirmed, without a shred of hesitation. Ukano gritted his teeth.

"Y-you've mentioned… Jeong Jeong. The Deserter? Is he… i-is he your leader? Is he…?"

"He's 'a' leader, not 'the' leader. None of us obeys him blindly, if that's what you want to know," Sokka said. "Well, maybe Anorak does, but surprisingly he's not that bad, no matter how devoted he may be to Jeong Jeong…"

"I suppose you worked together to take the city," Piandao smiled as Sokka nodded in response to his assumption. "Quite right, then. As much as he may remain loyal to the White Lotus above all else, he will have learned what a valuable leader you can be."

"Hopefully," Sokka said, with a sad smile.

"White… White Lotus," Ukano repeated, eyes vacant, head shaking from side to side. "That's… of course. Of course, it's… the only thing that makes sense. You're all White… b-but lady Ursa…"

"Actually… out of all of us in this room, only I am a member of the Order," Piandao smirked. Ukano winced. "The others are… well, varying degrees of guests of the Order, I suppose."

"Some of were as good as prisoners, for a long time," Ursa said, folding her arms over her chest. Ukano's eyes seemed to light up upon hearing such words from her lips.

"Then… b-but why would you help them now?" he said. "Why…?"

"This is just going to happen over and over again, isn't it?" Sokka sighed, shaking his head. Ursa smiled slightly at his exasperation.

"It is a rather perplexing situation for one whose life has been turned upside down from one day to another, I suppose," she said. Ukano shuddered.

"Fire Lord Ozai… if he had known you were with the White Lotus, he would have searched the whole world relentlessly to find you," Ukano said. "If he learns of this…"

"If he does, what of it?" Ursa asked, raising an eyebrow. Ukano's mouth opened, but no sounds came from his lips. "He will waste the lives of hundreds, thousands, millions of soldiers in the vain hopes of taking me back, perhaps? I can imagine he would… without ever considering that I might no longer wish to stand at his side."

"He is the Fire Lord, he is… he is your husband," Ukano said, shaking his head still. "Surely you don't mean that… lady Ursa, your place is at his side, he would believe so. You're his wife…"

"And my entire life ought to be spent by standing beside him, playing the compliant, complicit, meek wife who supports her husband by turning a blind eye to all his faults, all his wrongdoings? That, perhaps, is what you believe my duty to him should have been?" Ursa asked.

Ukano's silence spoke louder than any words he could have spoken in response. Ursa, however, didn't give him enough time to compose a sanitized response, meant to recolor agreeably the unsettling image Ursa had just described.

"Well, Ukano… I was that woman," she said, her voice trembling as she spoke earnestly, and powerfully. Ukano winced. "And perhaps if I hadn't been… perhaps if I had figured out how to put a stop to him, how to get through to him, how to teach him there were boundaries not even a man of royal blood should ever cross, perhaps none of this would have happened. Perhaps this world would be a better place already… the kind of world our children deserved to grow in. But I failed because I didn't know any better when I was younger. Because I allowed myself to be blind to his worst faults. Because even when I grew to see him for what he was, I could not find a way to reach the goodness I stubbornly trusted existed in him… and that I suspect may have been but a figment of my imagination, in the end. For what kind of father… what kind of father could have hurt his children the way he has hurt Azula and Zuko? Burning his son's face… under what pretense, what excuses, could a loving father commit such a heinous act? And his daughter… he destroyed her chances at happiness, at a life on her terms with the man she loved while changing this rotten world for the better.

"Both… both Zuko and Azula were so much braver than him or I, than you or Michi… they dared to love on their terms. They found something truly worth fighting for. As it is… I can only admire them and find myself wishing that I had been half as strong as the two of them have proven to be. But I… I am old, and I am weak. I am not capable of the great deeds they can achieve. So, if the only strength, the only courage I can muster is by speaking to people like yourself and showing you the light that I refused to acknowledge for so long… then I will devote my every ounce of energy to seeing it done. Don't plead with me. Don't expect me to be swayed by appeals of the past… for, truly? I look back at the woman I used to be when I stood beside Ozai and… and I cannot help but find her despicable. I am far from atonement, I have not been a good mother, nor was I a good wife… but if I've learned something over the past months, it's that it's well past time for me to open my eyes to the world around me. I've spent too long hiding in memories, shadows and pretenses: what little I can do to set things right, I shall dedicate myself to the task. And if all I can do is see off my son, and the one man I can accept as my son-in-law, as they bring defeat to Ozai by any means necessary, then I will do so with my head held high, with full faith in their success."

Ukano gawked helplessly, his jaw dropped… Ursa's words dawned on him and, with them, understanding at last. The questions he had needed answers for, the ones Zuko had promised earlier, the ones Sokka had been about to provide just before this group's arrival…

"Y-you… you and Princess Azula?" Ukano asked, eyeing Sokka in disbelief. "Is that what…? I-is that why…? You say… Fire Lord Ozai meant to kill you? Was it because of…? Oh, dear. Oh, goodness. Oh… oh goodness…"

Ursa blinked blankly, color flushing her cheeks as she glanced at the sheepish expression on Sokka's face. He breathed deeply as Ukano raised his hands to his head, struggling to grapple with what Ursa hadn't realized was new information for the man.

"You… hadn't explained that?" she asked. Sokka swallowed hard.

"I was about to when you guys arrived," he said.

"Goodness. I… I'm sorry," Ursa said, covering her face with her hands. Despite himself, Sokka smiled slightly. "I assumed otherwise, I… I shouldn't have run my mouth that way."

"Actually… it's probably for the better that you did. I wasn't sure of how to go about it, myself," Sokka admitted, though his humor fled quickly, replaced by a thoughtful frown. "Yet… this conversation wasn't as useless as I feared it would be."

"What do you mean?" Piandao asked, raising an eyebrow. Sokka folded his arms across his chest.

"I had wanted to question him, to find out more information about what was going on… but I'm only finding that Ozai continues to be a proud, stubborn idiot," Sokka said, tapping his elbow with his index finger. "If Ukano didn't even think this was a possibility, if he never even heard rumors about us or, if he did, he paid them no mind… it means that Ozai has kept the truth and motivations behind his latest choices to himself. Most people have no idea what he's doing… and I wager he wants to keep it that way. I thought maybe it was only the common folk, the lesser soldiers, who wouldn't know… but the ones I questioned in the South Pole were about as unaware of the truth as Ukano is. Ozai's not thinking clearly, if he ever has. Informing the rest of the Fire Nation's government officials would have been reasonable, logical even… but he's so ashamed over this that he has refused to do it. Hell knows how many people even know the truth in the Palace itself, at this point. I can imagine maybe… maybe only those in Ozai's closest circles know what's really going on. That could even be one of the reasons why he forced her to marry Zhao. He was one of the few people who knew what was happening, so…"

"Then… it's not just that he thinks you're dead," Katara pointed out, eyeing her brother with uncertainty. "But that most his forces don't even know you ever were an enemy to be hunted down? Is that really how it is?"

"The ones in the South certainly knew they had to kill me," Sokka said, nodding. "The ones here… those who recognized me seemed confused, but ready to fight back anyway. My false death isn't public knowledge anymore than my status as the Fire Nation's worst enemy, I'd guess…"

"H-he won't be silent about it once he finds out about Omashu," Ukano said suddenly, interrupting Sokka and Katara's musings. "He'll care little about protecting the Princess's dignity if he realizes you've taken this city…"

"Her dignity…? The only one who endangers her dignity is him," Sokka snarled, shaking his head quickly to brush off the unsettling, wrathful emotions such thoughts brought forth in his heart. "But I'm well aware of the fact that he'll come after me as soon as he learns that I'm alive. I'm counting on him making mistake on top of mistake in his mad quest for revenge. So… that's why I'm keeping the truth hidden for as long as I can. I'll be ready to come back from the dead once we've moved on from Omashu."

"M-moved on from…?" Ukano repeated. Sokka shrugged.

"Thank you for your… complicated cooperation. I appreciate that you weren't trying to keep information from me, but frankly, Ozai's distrust in you should alarm you, Ukano," Sokka said. The fallen governor winced. "Can you really be a faithful subject of a king who deems you unworthy of knowing whatever's happening in his Palace? Is it even worth it to be loyal to someone who rewards said loyalty with indifference?"

Ukano gritted his teeth and lowered his head as Sokka turned towards the doorway again. The Gladiator breathed deeply, meeting the eyes of those who stood by that threshold, the many new arrivals who had showed up moments ago.

"Well, then. The city is ours now, but we have lots to do still, so…"

"… Mom?"

Zuko's voice prompted Ursa to gasp, turning towards the corridor outside the balcony quickly. Everyone cleared the way to ensure that Zuko, recently returned from his latest missions in ensuring peace would be kept in Omashu, as well as supervising the rebuilding of the bridge, would be able to rush towards Ursa, taking her into his arms as they both smiled in relief.

"You really are fine… oh, Zuko," Ursa buried her face in her son's shoulder, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"I'm sure they already told you I wasn't hurt or anything… you didn't have to worry about me at all," Zuko said, pulling back, hands on his mother's shoulders. "I was told you'd likely be here… I hadn't expected you to come by until we sent word that we'd secured Omashu, though."

"You heard that I'd be here, though?" Ursa asked, and Zuko's lips tightened into a line.

He stepped out of the way, gesturing at the group of men who stood behind him… men he had led here on his way to reuniting with his mother.

Sokka breathed deeply when his eyes fell upon the Jeong Jeong's mat of shaggy hair. The man studied him intently, probably with displeasure, Sokka expected… unsurprisingly, if so. He'd have to deal with that later, he supposed, but first…

"Are Toph and her earthbenders done rebuilding the bridge?" Sokka asked Zuko, who nodded in response.

"Jeong Jeong and the others were about to cross by building a bridge of their own. They wound up helping out by building the main one instead," he said. "The bridge is up once more, though… and the city gates closed, too, just as we agreed."

"You need the city gates closed?" Ursa repeated. Sokka breathed out and nodded.

"It's a measure the city will have to take for the time being. At least until we move on to our next destination. No visitors can be allowed into the city or else Ozai will learn of the city's occupation far too soon for our liking," Sokka said. "White Lotus troops would be allowed in, of course… but merchants, and any Fire Nation envoys, cannot enter the city for our mission's sake."

With that, he breathed deeply before stepping towards the far end of the corridor, where Jeong Jeong and his men waited, seemingly patiently. Sokka released that very same breath once he reached the older man, and Jeong Jeong's amber eyes bore into Sokka's own.

"Gladiator," Jeong Jeong said, in acknowledgement. Sokka raised his eyebrows.

"Deserter," he responded. A streak of displeasure crossed Jeong Jeong's features, but he schooled them back into tranquility quickly.

"I have been told you have freed King Bumi," he said. "Where might I see him?"

"Ah? That's it?" Sokka asked. "No long-winded speeches on what an oaf I am, for having done what I've done? No high-and-mighty pretenses either? Just 'bring me to King Bumi', and nothing more?"

"We shall speak thoroughly, and plainly, once I've seen him," Jeong Jeong declared. Sokka's eyes narrowed. "Is he healthy? Is he safe?"

"Healthy is probably the wrong word for it. Alive, for sure. It's going to take him plenty of time to recover properly," Sokka admitted. "Ten years of torture and he still survived at such an old age… it's nothing short of a miracle."

"King Bumi is a remarkable soul. Enlightened in ways most of us cannot comprehend," Jeong Jeong said. Sokka smirked slightly.

"Well, he does say a lot of incomprehensible stuff, that's for sure," he said, letting out a sigh. "Anyway… you're sure you just want to go see him now? That's all? You won't even ask about Anorak…?"

"I've been told he assisted you in this endeavor," Jeong Jeong said. "Personally, it seems. I am slightly surprised by it… but confirming the wellbeing of a Grand Lotus is of the utmost priority, especially when he has only just been freed from torture and imprisonment after a decade. Surely you can understand that, can't you?"

"Understand it… sure. The problem is simply that I trust you just as little as you trust me, so…" Sokka sighed, shaking his head.

Footsteps behind him revealed Piandao had approached them: the swordsman placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder reassuringly before turning his attention to Jeong Jeong.

"I as well would like to see Bumi. Perhaps a conversation between you and Sokka can wait until there are two other Grand Lotuses present, Master Jeong Jeong?"

"Very well," Jeong Jeong acquiesced quickly. Sokka shrugged, glancing back to confirm the rest of their group would follow too.

"Well, then… if that's how it is, let's get going," he said. If his friends and associates were around too, he'd feel a lot less concerned about Jeong Jeong's intentions.

After ensuring that Ukano would be watched by some of the rebels-turned-guards that now protected the former governor's residence, Sokka led the group through the city, walking past areas that had witnessed violent altercations only on the previous day. The broken streets, such as the one Toph had shattered and turned on itself, the charring marks across the buildings… all of it seemed to suggest this city had seen too much strife, and yet every cluster of people in the streets gave away that the atmosphere in Omashu was celebratory, instead of mournful.

Still, they wouldn't get to see much of the rejoicing common folk, as Sokka led everyone to a location he hadn't wanted to set foot in again: Ozai Arena. Bumi's old palace had been torn down on the most part, and only his old fighting arena had been preserved, meant to be used by the Gladiator League. Where Bumi might have hoped to return to his old home, he had found none of his old riches and commodities in what had taken the place of his palace… albeit, upon their arrival, it appeared that he wasn't all that troubled by the building's current state.

"… Then the refurbished chamber is not refurbished anymore?"

"King Bumi… the refurbished chamber is gone, outright," Yung answered his questions, a grimace on his face. "No, it isn't the bad chamber all over again, it's outright gone."

"Ahaha! Then we will have to refurbish this whole place, refurbished chamber included!"

"Oh, goodness," Yung sighed, dropping his head in his hand.

Bumi had insisted on coming home, and many of his most faithful subjects had rushed at haste to serve him, even if this was, as far as anyone could tell, no true home for the sovereign anymore. Even so, a large bed had been brought to what used to be the vestibule of Ozai Arena, as well as several cushions and small tables. All the commodities sat in the vestibule now, looking entirely out of place. Bumi would have no trouble living carelessly this way until the Palace was properly rebuilt, which brought a smile to Sokka's face. He had met many royals so far, but King Bumi was the least regal one out of them all, for better or for worse.

"Aha! There you are, there you are! Come to have a snack with me, have you, rebel leader Sokka?" Bumi asked: he laid down on his bed right now, with many bandages covering his body, while he chewed on lettuce leaves. Momo sat beside him on the bed, happily sharing the lettuce with the king who seemed ready to pamper the lemur without restraint.

"Well, I wouldn't be opposed to it, but that's not all I'm here for," Sokka said, gesturing at Jeong Jeong, who walked a few steps behind Sokka.

Bumi finished chewing quickly, his eyes falling upon Jeong Jeong next. For the first time since he had first met the man in a forest clearing, in the middle of the night, Sokka saw genuine emotions crossing Jeong Jeong's features. Bumi, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes with a clever spark, far more serious than everything he had displayed so far.

"Well, well. If it isn't young Jeong Jeong," he said… and then he chortled and chuckled. "Ahahaha, young, young, young… that's a good one, don't you think?"

Sokka had to muffle a chuckle, though he failed at hiding it successfully. Jeong Jeong, naturally, shifted his disposition to a deadpan glare he leveled at Bumi first, at Sokka second.

"Oh, Bumi," Aang laughed, smiling fondly at his old friend as Bumi cackled madly.

"Ahaha! Oh, but this one has a sense of humor!" Bumi declared, pointing at Sokka. "I like you! You're my favorite right after Momo!"

"Not because he helped set you free, not because he's reconquered your city… but because he has a sense of humor?" Piandao asked, with a slight smirk of his own. Bumi cackled and nodded. "It seems you truly are the same as you ever were, King Bumi."

"And you're still too tall, Master Piandao!" Bumi cackled. "Am I lying down too low on this bed, or is it you grow taller every time I see you? You're too old to keep growing up!"

"I'm certainly not growing any taller anymore, no…" Piandao said, but Bumi gestured at Yung, who approached with a grimace.

"Find me ten mattresses. We'll stack them all, one on top of the next, and that way I can look him in the eye when I speak with him!"

"Or maybe you could just use earthbending to hoist yourself a little higher than you are right now, that way Yung doesn't have to do anything that demanding," Sokka suggested. Yung glanced at him, almost gratefully, before earthbending to follow Sokka's suggestion, startling Momo as the bed shifted so abruptly.

"Woops! Ahaha, I'm taller than all of you now!" Bumi declared, happily. Jeong Jeong let out a deep sigh before turning to Sokka.

"Clearly… he is the same lover of nonsense that he always has been. I feared imprisonment might have damaged more than his body… but I underestimated his fortitude."

"He's fun, at least. I'll give him that much," Sokka smiled, watching as Yung worked now to raise every other piece of furniture, as well as the cushions, to Bumi's current level. Still, the amusement faded from Sokka's features as he turned towards Jeong Jeong anew. "So… Bumi is free indeed, as is Omashu. You've seen it for yourself now, so… what's your verdict? Still think I'm a good-for-nothing oaf who will get himself and his allies killed, or…?"

Jeong Jeong breathed deeply, turning towards Sokka. Bumi continued to give out wild orders, but by now, the attention of those who had resided in the White Lotus fortress over the past month had been focused on what, they hoped, should be the final struggle of power between Sokka and the White Lotus's apparent leader.

"You knew, all along, that I had no hopes in a man like yourself," Jeong Jeong said. "Your insistence that you would overcome every expectation, outdo all odds… I refused to believe any of it. But I did leave you for dead once, only for you to prove too resilient to die…"

"She saved me," Sokka said, sternly. Jeong Jeong nodded.

"And perhaps that is how it was always meant to be," he said. "This war has been fought for power, territory, profit, economic advantages… you're the first one who fights it for love. It may be a fluke… perhaps it only worked this once, and you might never be able to recreate such a success with the same number of resources, if asked to do so. But if you survived the shirshu's attack, the countless gladiatorial fights, the Fire Lord's grudge and thirst for revenge… perhaps, at this point, explaining it all away as good luck, coincidences, chance, would be a fool's mistake."

"It was never as simple as a coincidence," Sokka said. Jeong Jeong nodded.

"It seems so. My expectations could not be outdone… for I expected nothing, to begin with. It is not every day that I find myself with no choice but to acknowledge that I may have been in the wrong… but today appears to be one such day. Your victory in Omashu is the result of stubbornness, resilience… surely some madness, too. You have freed King Bumi, and in doing so, struck a blow against the Fire Nation that it remains unaware of, even now, if what I've heard is true."

"We've captured every official messenger hawk. Ozai won't be likely to find out about what happened in Omashu, not anytime soon," Sokka said. Jeong Jeong nodded.

"If so… what's next?" he asked. Sokka frowned.

"You… uh, you're asking what my next plan is?" he repeated. Jeong Jeong nodded anew. "So… what does that mean, exactly? Are we joining forces now? Did I finally prove myself worthy of your army's support?"

"I suppose I cannot expect you to display much maturity over making me eat my own words and speak others I never thought I'd say out loud…" Jeong Jeong said, bitterly. Sokka huffed.

"I'm only trying to understand where we're standing here," Sokka said, raising his eyebrows. "Last I knew, my request for an alliance had gone nowhere. You're aware that I won't be joining the White Lotus under any circumstance, and that I don't intend to don any uniforms or fly any of your banners…"

"Smart boy, I say! He truly is a clever one!" Bumi declared, and Sokka blinked blankly before glancing at the king on his earthbending platform – he was drinking some juice now, watching the argument between Sokka and Jeong Jeong as though it were some sort of theater play.

"W-well, thanks for thinking so, but anyway," Sokka said, focusing on Jeong Jeong again. "I haven't changed my stance when it comes to any of that: I won't bend over and pledge allegiance to your Order."

"I am aware that you won't," Jeong Jeong said. "Your actions from the past days suggest… that you might not need the Order of the White Lotus altogether, considering we scarcely offered you any aid in finding a path to liberate this city."

"Well, Anorak was pretty useful, I won't deny that," Sokka said, with a shrug. Jeong Jeong breathed in.

"That being said… it may just be that it isn't you who needs us, but us who need you," Jeong Jeong stated. Sokka frowned, and he heard a few of his friends muttering amongst themselves over Jeong Jeong's words. "You wished for an alliance… you proved yourself worthy of one. Worthy of being followed into battle, worthy of earning allegiances of strangers who might have not known of your very existence, and yet they were inspired by your leadership, joining you in liberating this city. That… that is no small feat. Whatever my personal feelings towards you may be… I vow to set them aside. If you still believe the odds to end this war shall be improved with our alliance, then… I say you have it. King Bumi does not object, or does he?"

"Our big fancy uniform is very uncomfortable in the summer," Bumi stated carelessly. Jeong Jeong blinked blankly as Sokka smiled. "You'd be cooked inside it, on top of that fancy armor too!"

The man cackled recklessly and Jeong Jeong sighed.

"I assume this means he thinks you needn't be part of the Order in this exchange… and I agree. Piandao?"

"Agreed," Piandao smiled at Sokka, who grinned back at him.

"Iroh and General Fong would likely agree just as well," Jeong Jeong said. "It seems our best chance at victory, at stopping the legacy of Fire Lord Sozin, will be found in this alliance. If you truly wish to join forces with us, even now… consider it done."

Sokka breathed deeply, a rush of relief coursing through his body. No, he didn't trust Jeong Jeong, not one bit… but the man's words meant his efforts, his month of apparent uselessness in their fortress, had not passed by in vain. He had proven himself through this conquest of Omashu… enough that this man was pledging his forces to Sokka's cause.

He had an army.

"Well, that sounds good… but are you sure your people will follow Sokka?" Zuko chimed in, stepping forward and staring at Jeong Jeong intently. "Last we were there, he was far from the most popular person in the fortress. I know what he achieved in Omashu speaks louder than anything else, and that was what we hoped for… but if he won't be part of the Order, what guarantees that you won't just turn against him whenever it suits you? What will ensure that he'll be a figure of authority for your troops?"

"Being an associate leader wouldn't be enough," Kino reasoned, tapping his chin. "Sokka doesn't have to join their armed forces or anything, I guess none of us do… but I know what the small guys think like: we follow whatever our leaders tell us to follow. But in a group with so many leaders…"

"Your concerns are in good faith," Jeong Jeong said. "But they are, ultimately, unnecessary. I do not know under what banners we will march forth, perhaps under a combination of them, if you so wish. An alliance of this nature requires proper respect from all sides, does it not? Two allied factions would respect the figures of authority on either side of any such association. While the White Lotus council will of course retain primary command over our troops, the Gladiator will be a figure of authority acknowledged by our forces all the same, much as General Fong is one.

"I do not know if you require any ceremonial procedures, but in times of war, such rites feel like pointless vanity. Therefore, considering we have much yet to do, I ask that you forgive us skipping the pleasantries for now as we cut to the chase when it comes to determining figures of authority… General Sokka."

Another gasp shook the Palace, and no one was more astounded than the Gladiator himself. Jeong Jeong, to everyone's surprise, crooked a slight smile at their reactions.

"That sounds… crazy," Zuko said, blinking blankly: yes, he had wanted Sokka to be acknowledged properly by the White Lotus… but he hadn't expected said acknowledgement to take this shape.

"Wait. You're serious?" Sokka asked, eyeing Jeong Jeong in amazed disbelief. "You're giving me the title of General…? I… hell, it's going to take some time to get used to that."

"All troops that are not sworn to the White Lotus but intend to follow us into the warfront will be exclusively yours to command," Jeong Jeong said. "We will discuss the next steps of our reconquest of the Earth Kingdom once the rest of our leadership converges here, in Omashu. You, of course, have plans of your own… and we will need to hear of them in order to choose our direction for the coming months, at the very least. I do not know how many recruits Omashu may yield for our efforts… but once we've discussed how to fulfill your future strategies, we shall ensure that our forces follow your leadership into your future ventures. Is this enough? Or is it, perhaps, inevitable that you would distrust me until you see these promises fulfilled?"

"Well… it does sound too good to be true," Sokka acknowledged. Jeong Jeong closed his eyes and bowed his head curtly.

"It was I who demanded that you proved your worth, your trust, to the White Lotus before. It is I who shall endeavor to prove ours to you, as well, in the future. I am not quite so blind as to believe that you will be an infallible leader… but it's quite clear that I cannot boast of being one, either. The White Lotus will provide aid and succor to the city of Omashu in the coming days while we debate and discuss this alliance's future steps."

"And these discussions won't be going in circles constantly, now, will they?" Sokka asked. Jeong Jeong shrugged.

"I cannot guarantee constant unanimity… but you are certainly capable of much more than I gave you credit for. We will work steadily towards the success of your strategies, unless they're quite so wishful and foolish that we have no choice but to make you discard them and come up with something else, but…"

"Kind of like the ones that got me to conquer Omashu?" Sokka asked, amused. Jeong Jeong snorted.

"Oh, well. You and King Bumi might be kindred spirits," he said, shooting a glance at the king, now busy competing with Momo over who could eat the most lettuce. Sokka blinked blankly, uncertain if the words were poised as an insult or not. "There may be wisdom in your choices that are simply not apparent to the rest of us until it yields fruit. I will exert more patience… and I will trust that you are as determined to end this war as any of us are. Perhaps we have much more to learn from you than you from us, General Sokka."

The title still sounded odd… but Sokka accepted it with a weak smile this time. He nodded gratefully towards Jeong Jeong, who bowed his head in Sokka's direction…

Long ago, Azula had teased him about his knack of joining forces with those who had been his worst enemies in the past. They had discussed this possibility, even if they'd had no idea how to approach the White Lotus, how to establish any manner of alliance with them… and she had seemed to believe he could sway them, much as she had been swayed by him into seeing the world with different eyes. He wasn't quite so wishful as to believe that Jeong Jeong had already changed vastly, fundamentally, just in the face of Sokka's second triumph against Ozai's forces… but this might be a good starting point towards that outcome. He would have the power to shape this world differently, even if he had come across it in a different way than he had thought he would.

"Would you change the stars with me, then?"

The question he had posed to his lover remained unanswered. He hoped she'd forgive him for starting that journey without her… but he had faith, deep in his aching heart, that she wouldn't hesitate to join him if she had the chance. He wanted to believe that she was waiting for him… that she needed him by her side just as badly as he needed her. Change had already begun: the ripples of it had already started to spread, and soon they would affect every life across the Earth Kingdom continent and beyond. One day, those ripples would reach her… and Sokka hoped she'd know his offer would always stand. That he would keep his arms open for her, the partner whose lifeforce remained deeply entwined with his and always would be.

"Well, then… General Sokka?" Katara smiled, glancing at him with undisguised amusement, and yet with a hint of admiration, just as well. Her brother's eyes seemed more alive than they had been in months right now, even if he remained a far cry from the man she had reunited with in Whaletail Island. "What, exactly, are we aiming for next? If I can ask, that is…"

"Ah! Good question!" Bumi grinned madly, glancing down at Sokka once more. He cast a glance next at the king over his shoulder. "What shall your next plans be, General Gladiator?"

"General Gladiator…?" Sokka repeated, amused.

Well, that was certainly the main question to be answered at this point. What was next? What else lay in wait in the horizon? His goal was obvious to him, but not so much to everyone around him, he knew…

They might think him crazy, reckless, even foolish for trying to bite more than he could chew. But they had thought that already when it came to Omashu… and he had proven himself, to the point of changing Jeong Jeong's mind about him. He would have dreaded their response to his next plans if only he weren't still riding high on the wind of his latest success, the payoff of his first strike… all of which would lead to the one he hoped to prepare everyone for through the next weeks:

"Well… Omashu is free," Sokka nodded. "Their people have reclaimed their city and their king. Holding this bastion is important… but we can't stop here if we truly mean to challenge Ozai. One city is a good starting point… two, however? He wouldn't know what to do with himself if he loses two, so…"

"Two?" Zuko repeated, eyes widening. "Sokka…"

The Gladiator smirked, glancing at his friends once more: certainty, purpose, permeated his very body as he raised his head to reveal his latest, ambitious goal:

"We're taking Ba Sing Se next."

Jeong Jeong might have balked and withdrawn his support, Sokka's closest allies might have been confused and frightened… yet, where he anticipated to some pushback, he found none. Instead, he saw bright eyes. Instead, he saw smiles even wider than his own.

Most shocking of all… Jeong Jeong stepped forward, eyes cold and yet burning with intent:

"If you believe we are ready… then we shall see it done, General Sokka."

---

Omashu changed over the course of the next weeks. The White Lotus leaders sent word to the fortress, and troops marched as stealthily as possible into the liberated city. The moose-lions remained in the outskirts of the city, slowly but surely becoming more domesticated by the more animal-friendly members of Sokka's group. Sokka himself visited Foo-Foo Cuddly Poops a few times, but as expected, he found himself stuck indoors more often than not, in meetings that finally didn't feel as bleak and redundant as those he'd held with the White Lotus leaders in their fortress before.

Most everyone, residents of the city and newcomers alike, worked together to patch the city back together, fixing the broken infrastructure as best they could while also building up, little by little, towards the next stages of their rebellion. A city that had appeared dormant had sparked to life with all the preparations for the full rebirth of the Earth Kingdom. All communication with the outside world was kept to a minimum, and all attempts to travel out of the city were denied for the time being.

After a seemingly wasted month, now it appeared as though Sokka's group never had a moment's respite – whenever Aang was ready to take a break, Toph would drag him off to any secluded spaces in Omashu to force him to train some more, away from the spotlight. Katara was frequently busy healing and helping with the injured, occasionally with Zuko's assistance – Jet, to their relief, recovered quickly and even appeared rejuvenated over the fact that Omashu was well and truly free, at long last.

Kino, as it happened, was quite scarce as of late. His involvement in the squad that had reconquered Omashu had turned him into a surprisingly important man, especially among those who had turned their backs on the Fire Nation too. As more preparations were made, Sokka had a rather surprising request for Kino to take up a role in the musical squad for what would one day become a sizable marching army: he practiced playing the tsungi horn almost every day, and while he started out quite clumsily, he improved constantly and memorized different marching beats for armies, the right sound sequences that communicated essential information about the enemy forces, and the important commands given by the leaders of the army. He had never expected to take up such an odd role, but paired with his budding weapons training with Master Piandao, whenever the swordsman was available, it seemedthat Kino's old feeling of being the meaningless member of their group would dwindle and fade away in no time.

On one casual morning, when Toph had overslept, Aang had a chance to offer some of his help to the injured over the battle across Omashu with Katara and Zuko. The convalescing patients had been kept in small houses near the entrance square of the city, where Aang and Katara's fighting had taken place on the day of the battle for Omashu. The Avatar had been carrying supplies for Katara when he caught sight of strange activity by the city gates from the corner of his eye.

"What… is going on?" Aang blinked blankly, setting down the crates with bandages and ointments carefully, right by one of the buildings that served as infirmaries now.

"Hmm?" Zuko grunted before turning his head in the same direction Aang was staring at. "At the gates?"

"Looks like an argument," Aang admitted, frowning. "I'll be right back, I'll check it out real quick."

"Go on, then. I can help Katara here meanwhile," Zuko said, jerking his head towards the gates.

Aang offered him a grateful smile before rushing away to cross the square, resisting the urge to produce an air scooter to make himself go faster – while communications had been secured, only a handful of people in the city had witnessed his airbending and understood what it was, and the less rumors abounded about his true identity, the better.

A loud sound startled him just as he was slowing down near the White Lotus members who had taken up duties of watching the city gates for that day: the gates were only just closing behind them.

"… Can you believe that guy? Bringing something like this to the city, one would think the moose-lions would make people like him go away…"

"Can't blame him for being crazy-brave, though. Most everyone else lays eyes upon those beasts and they run for cover at once, from the looks of it."

"Crazy-brave my ass: didn't you notice he's an Earth Kingdom man dressed in Fire Nation garb? He's a bloody sellout, is what he is…"

"A lot of people just did whatever they had to do to survive. Don't be such a dick."

"Hey…!"

"Hello there!" Aang exclaimed, startling the four soldiers into jumping away from what appeared to be their quarry… if it could be called that.

Aang raised an eyebrow as the White Lotus members blushed but retained their determination and stubborn demeanor, unwilling to back down even before the Avatar. Aang tried to offer them a friendly smile… but it waned quickly when his eyes fell upon what the four men had been crowded around.

"Wait… that's a cart. A merchant's cart?" Aang asked. One of the men groaned, shaking his head.

"Some dumbass Fire Nation Honorary Citizen guy spent all bloody night and morning begging for the doors to be opened for him," said the man. "We ignored him at first, but he was so persistent that we decided to have a word with him instead."

"And… what did you say to him?" Aang asked, his amusement fading.

"That commerce with Omashu is suspended for now," another of the men said. "Because of the moose lion problem, we said, but you know…"

"And he… believed that?" Aang asked, nervously. The four men shrugged.

"It didn't look like he didn't," said another one. "But it's probably because the only thing he cared about was his goods. Which, I won't lie, looked pretty decent, but…"

"Wait, you confiscated his cart?" Aang asked, finally putting it together. "What for? We're not supposed to be thieves or anything like that, we're here to help people…!"

"He came here to trade with the city, we gave him some gold and sent him on his way, all because he insisted on selling his nonsense here," said the first of the men. "So no, we didn't steal anything…"

"If you paid him, it must have been for his products, not for the cart," Aang pointed out. The White Lotus member scoffed.

"W-well, fine, then! But it's too late for him to take it back anyhow. He's bound to be halfway past the bridge by now, I'm not going to call him back or we'll risk him noticing more stuff than he might have already. Aren't we supposed to keep everything quiet in the city? To make them think the Fire Nation still controls this place?"

"We are, but… I don't think returning his cart is worse than letting him inside," Aang said. The men huffed.

"We didn't let him in altogether, we met him halfway into the gates," explained one. "The earthbenders up there opened the innermost gates for us, then the next ones, then closed the innermost ones before opening the outer ones for him to come to us. He saw nothing."

"He saw you," Aang said, matter-of-factly. The man snarled. "I mean… you're not exactly Fire Nation guards, are you?"

"What about it?! It's not important! He can think there was a mishap with the laundry for once, I don't know…!" said the first man. "The point is we didn't do anything wrong! He has his money, we have his wares…!"

"And his cart," Aang repeated, shaking his head. "Okay, you know what? This bugs me. I don't… I don't want us to be like the Fire Nation's worst people, okay? So… I'll trust you about having paid for the food, but I don't want us to keep the cart. I'll bend it back to him."

"W-wait, you'll do what, now?" the White Lotus officials stared at Aang in disbelief as he carelessly took to unloading the cart's contents without asking any further questions… by using his bending.

It was instinctive, foolish of him, of course it was, to focus so much on helping the helpless… but that was Avatar Aang's way of life, and he couldn't hold back a small smile as he stepped close to the gates: he used his improved seismic sense to measure where the man was, sensing him close to the other end of the bridge's chasm… and so, he harnessed his strength, creating a stream of air powerful enough to send the cart flying all the way across Omashu's chasm, to the shock and horror of the White Lotus guards.

An old man with graying hair and tan skin, wearing a red turban hat and crimson-and-gold clothing, marched clumsily, hunched over, towards the end of the bridge. Clinging to his dreams had been difficult, his hopes for the future constantly were in jeopardy for one reason or another… but he had thought the dark days of his youth had ended already. To think that the cities that had finally started doing business with him were backtracking on it now, though… how come? Why? He couldn't understand it, and as much as the lack of a statue to honor Ozai should have been telling, same as the odd attires of the men who had confiscated his cart, nothing seemed to register in his mind but one tragic thing…

Until he heard a whistling sound, heralding that a projectile had been launched in his direction.

He only had a moment to scream and jump out of the way before his cart, newly emptied, dropped heavily right by his side, cracking loudly upon falling – one of the wheels broke off, spinning in a circle before rolling to a stop by dropping flat on the ground.

The merchant gawked at the cart with horror, chest heaving… but that he'd been in danger of being knocked out by his own cart, or that he'd have to patch up the wheel and whatever other parts of the cart that had been rattled by the impact, lacked the impact of devastating horror that accompanied the realization… that his cart was entirely empty, and his pocket no heavier for it, regardless of the claims made by the men inside the city.

"M-my… m-my…" he gasped, before clasping his head in utmost despair, letting out the most heart-wrenching scream to ever leave his lips: "MY CABBAGES!"

---

One heavy breath, then another. Then another, and a few more still. The tension on his shoulders didn't recede, and he knew it wouldn't until he delivered the report, but… perhaps even that wouldn't suffice. Surely the reaction the report would elicit would only make his lingering tension worse yet, but he had to do his job. This was very important… even if it was, most likely, the very worst of news he'd had to deliver in months, perhaps even years. Never had anyone said his job was easy, but this development was horrifying…

"You're allowed to enter the Fire Lord's study now, War Minister Qin."

War Minister Qin offered the guard a nervous grin before stepping into the study, holding his report against his chest. He nearly stumbled over his own feet before performing a reverence that a seemingly distracted Fire Lord, busy gazing out of his study's window, didn't notice.

"You have a report for me?" Ozai asked, point-blank. War Minister Qin nodded.

"I, uh… well, it might be nothing, in the end, my Lord. But it could be meaningful too, and I… I didn't want to overlook anything that might shape up into a more important threat than we can recognize yet," War Minister Qin said, nervously: Ozai turned his gaze towards him, glaring at the man coldly.

"Do not waste my time by rambling. Get on with it," he said. The War Minister nodded promptly.

"Well, then, my Lord… I received news from the town of Xianhua, in the western Earth Kingdom. It was a captain of the occupation army who sent word, because another soldier, a lieutenant in the village of Wu Chu, sent word about some odd rumors spread by merchants coming from the southwestern area, the first was a fishmonger, the other one a pottery maker, the last was a…"

"Get to the point!"

"I apologize, my Lord…!" Qin yelped, squeezing the report tighter: Ozai's patience, famously thin, seemed thinner yet these days. "T-the thing is, a cabbage merchant…"

"You've made this fuss over merchants, War Minister Qin?" Ozai said, snarling. "Whatever happened to a merchant could have been conveyed to me through a letter if need be, not through an urgent meeting scheduled on my dinnertime!"

"I-it's not… as simple as that, my Lord," Qin said, shivering. "The merchant says he… he visited the city of Omashu, my Lord. There was trouble in the area, I've been hearing rumors about a horde of… moose-lions, I believe? Dangerous creatures, they're obstructing the safest paths into the sole bridge of the city, but this one cabbage merchant seems to have sorted past them somehow. Possibly by feeding them cabbages, apparently, but as you say, that is not… not relevant, no. What is, though, is that… the merchant attempted to enter the city of Omashu and was turned away by the guards."

"Turned away?" Ozai repeated. "Why? Was this merchant untrustworthy for some reason?"

"I don't quite know if the merchant is what we should be concerned about, my Lord…" War Minister Qin said, grimacing. "T-the rumor says… t-that the guards who turned him away were not wearing the Fire Nation's uniform."

All the roundabout nonsense Qin had spouted so far had felt innocuous, but this brought a spark of confusion to Ozai's steel glare. He frowned, studying Qin's nervous disposition once more.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked. Qin shrugged.

"I wish I knew, my Lord," he said. "I… I thought to send word to Governor Ukano personally, but I expected it might be better to convey this information directly to you, first of all. I do not know what might have happened, but if anything did… well, it's better if you're informed of it, right?"

"I would rather be informed of problems once they've been solved," Ozai said, with a stubborn scowl.

"I… I'm sorry, my Lord, I… I will compose a letter and I shall learn the truth from Governor Ukano right away. I'm quite sorry…"

"No," Ozai said, his lips tight with displeasure. "You've brought this to my attention as it is… I will be the one to reach out to Ukano, personally. Whatever nonsense his guards are up to, I'll ensure he answers to me. When did this occur, War Minister?"

"In all likelihood, it was, at most, a week ago," War Minister Qin said. Ozai grunted.

"I will demand for explanations personally, then. You're dismissed," he said. Qin nodded promptly, setting his report on the desk before scrambling away without another word.

Ozai scowled at the papers: how utterly shameful for his nation to be in any manner of distress over some cabbage merchant. The man was, truly, of little to no concern for him, but that odd guards were seen in Omashu… guards out of uniform? It was preposterous and ridiculous. Ukano couldn't possibly have a reasonable excuse for a breach in protocol of that nature… not to mention the obvious: if he had a horde of moose-lions nesting outside his city, he ought to send all soldiers, in uniform or out of them, to fend off the creatures at haste. So why the blazes hadn't he done it?

It truly didn't sound like something Ozai ought to be concerning himself with… but Ukano acting out in his management of Omashu seemed to be the last thing the Fire Lord cared to face. Life was finally returning to some semblance of normality, of stability… and now his damnable governors in the Colonies would begin acting out, behaving sloppily and carelessly rather than honoring their titles and duties as expected?

He shook his head, resolving that dinner would wait: he picked up an inkbrush and readied a sheet of paper upon which he'd compose a stern, harsh letter for Omashu's governor.