Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: I think he can, he demonstrated he's not power-hungry or malicious, the main thing that seems to be holding him back at the moment is inexperience.

Zigzagdoublezee: Aang did something similar in the first or second episode of the canon series when he gave himself up to stop Zuko from burning Katara and Sokka's village. So while I doubt he'd be happy about this, nobody including Yue is, he'd probably understand.

As Always, Please Review!

"I'm glad common sense has prevailed, Avatar. Welcome."

Kaito was sat on a chair on a raised platform outside a raised tent, and Yue was standing in front of it looking up at him. The General was clearly loving every moment of this. His men filled the space around them, staring at Yue curiously.

"You made an offer," she said. "Me in exchange for leaving the fort alone. So, here I am."

Kaito leaned back in his chair.

"Yes," he mused. "Yes, I like this. Alright, Avatar. You've got yourself a deal."

A soldier approached her with some rope, but Yue waved him away.

"You will leave the fort though, won't you?" She pressed.

"For a prize like this?" Kaito exclaimed. "Of course!"

"And you'll pull your men back from the other side?"

Kaito nodded.

"And let your human shields go?"

"Fine," Kaito suddenly looked irritated. "Is that all?"

Yue had to drive away the rope-wielding solder again.

"One more thing," she said. "Tell him to stop. I'll come with you without that, it's beneath my dignity as a Princess of the North. If he doesn't I'll just start glowing again and the deal's off."

"Glowing?" Kaito seemed confused.

"Yes!" Yue nodded. "Did you hear about what happened the last time I did that?"

"Oh!" Kaito seemed to understand. "You mean the Avatar State! Yes, I did hear about you destroying that prat Zhao's fleet. Maybe I should be angry about that, but... It's only the navy, isn't it."

"Good," Yue tried to sound firm. She wasn't sure if she had succeeded. She wanted to ask more about this "Avatar State" as the glowing was apparently called but if she let slip that she was almost completely ignorant about it then the threat of its use would become less potent. "Then don't try any funny business."

"But then how can I be assured that you won't try to run?" Kaito asked.

"Because if I do, you'll just return and overrun the fort," Yue pointed out. Kaito considered, and then waved for the man to stop.

"Alright," he said. "I'm sure some other arrangement can be made."

"Why are you using human shields anyway?" Yue asked. "It's inhumane!"

"War is inhumane," Kaito replied. "That's rule one, the first thing you learn. And we do this because it ends the war faster."

"How?"

"Wars are not won by the side that can simply fight better," Kaito said. "Well, they can be, but it would be a slog and many people would die unnecessarily. Wars are won quickly through clever tricks. Get into your opponent's head and he becomes far easier to defeat. And an enemy archer, for instance, is going to hesitate when loosing an arrow against a civilian from his own country. That might cause him to hesitate, save the lives of my men, or run away giving me an easier victory. I know it sounds inhumane, but the inhumanity is the point! We're doing this to save lives by ending the war faster!"

What kind of twisted logic is that? Yue thought angrily. You could have simply not gone to war in the first place, but what do I know.

Instead, she asked a different question, remembering something a different Fire Nation commander had said.

"But you were promising them that you wouldn't hurt them before!" Yue remembered. "Or at least I've heard Fire Nation officers saying that."

"And we don't hurt them," Kaito replied smoothly. "But we can make no promises on behalf of the Earth Kingdom soldiers we're fighting."

"Sounds like a lie."

"At worst, a lie by omission," Kaito said. "And that's rule two, by the way; wars are won by deception."

"Shouldn't you be trying to deceive enemy generals and leaders?" Yue asked. "Not just ordinary people fleeing the war?"

"Who knows who could be a spy?" Kaito shook his head. "And Rule Two says nothing about who you're supposed to be decieving."

"Why do you want to win this war so badly anyway?" Yue asked. "You say you're doing these terrible things to win faster, fine. What happens once you do?"

"I'm doing this because I'm a professional soldier who swore an oath to his Firelord, and I have orders," Kaito shrugged. "As for why the Firelord is doing it, I imagine you'll have time to ask him yourself soon enough."

He stood up.

"I'm sending you home," he said. "The Firelord will be very interested to see you. I imagine he'll be interested enough to make me a Marshal, or grant me a title. At least a hefty pay increase. Other armies can go for Ba Sing Se, I have my prize."

Yue nodded reluctantly. She wasn't at all sure she wanted to help this man get what he wanted now, but what choice did she have? She was now surrounded by armed guards in the heart of the enemy camp.

"Maybe we can find a nice prison wagon for you," Kaito said. "Wouldn't want the journey back to be too difficult."

"Why not?"

"Because you're doing me an enormous favour, of course!" Kaito exclaimed. "And it would be dreadful of me to repay that with poor treatment. I imagine you were probably worried that I was going to kill you?"

Yue hesitated, and then nodded.

"So don't be," Kaito told her. "I'm not sure I could kill you even if I wanted to. You will remain unharmed, you have my word."

"Just like the human shields you use have your word?" Yue demanded.

Kaito snorted.

"Well, like I say, I cannot make promises on behalf of others," he said. "But I shall endeavour to make your journey as easy as possible. Goodbye, Avatar Yue. It's a pleasure working with you."

Yue scowled as she was led away. She missed her friends already.