Azula

The view from the balcony of her room was superb and it would be even better once she saw that garishly and overly decorated airship that her father was so enamored with plummet to the earth, she could already imagine it! then the princess took a sip of her drink as her mind flashed her images of the end result of her plan. Azula wasn't someone who drank often or at all really but today she was enjoying a glass of the most expensive wine in the world because today was the day her father died and she would ascend to the throne as Fire Lady!

And the best part was that she didn't even need to risk her life or beauty, (as she doubted that there would be no repercussions if she faced Ozai and unlike Zuko Azula didn't like scars) as Minister Qin had deployed some of his skills to perform the assassination. One not-so-little bomb stashed beneath her father's feet as he cruised over the capital on his brand-new airship, a true tragedy that would leave everyone speechless only for Azula to come out and reveal her desire for a peaceful transition of power in which she would air the 'secret' of Zuko's parentage and her intention to marry him.

Things would be tense but with the army well in hand they could outlast whatever feeble counterattacks the rest of the world threw at them (well, the Earth Kingdoms since no one else was really fighting them anymore) until Zuko arrived to marry her and then both would be crowned by the Fire Sages

Then Azula would make sure that Zuko had a wedding night to remember, she would have him on his knees begging for release or maybe she would be on top of him begging for cum. Azula shuddered at the phantom sensations that coursed through her body. Maybe Ty Lee and Mai could make an appearance or two while Azula enjoyed Zuko's body.

Yes Azula had won and there was nothing anyone could do now as not even her closest friends knew that by the time the airship exploded (which was the signal to start their rebellion) Ozai would already be dead.

Of course, that was when the spirits decided to show her the price of hubris and Azula saw perfectly how the ship that she was sure wasn't carrying her father suddenly exploded or at least the 'tail' of it did. Azula spit out her drink as flares started going up in the air, there was no stopping things now as any attempt to do so would be considered suspicious by Zuko's supporters who weren't too keen on having her as Fire Lady and would take the chance to remove her or at least try.

As if those worries weren't enough the airship was coming directly to the palace or falling towards it at least, worse than that it was full of the most crazed of Ozai's supporters who were going to take the blame for the bomb and her father's death. Azula was sorely tempted to ignore all of this but she had chosen a side and there was no way to get out of this now.


Piandao

It was finally time, like Sozin's comet that started the war as it cruised across the sky now Ozai's airship the 'Pride of the Fire Lord' would put an end to it, there would be no more hiding, no more waiting for the Avatar to magically come and save everyone.

Today those who stood up for what the Fire Nation should have always been would take it from the usurpers and install a man that would promote peace.

Piandao turned from the window and looked over at his students, they were all men now, some were fathers and yet they still stood up to fight for what was right, to fight for the future of their children and of every other child across the Fire Nation even if they wouldn't be able to see that future with their own eyes.

"I'm proud of you and I thank you for joining me today" Piandao bowed his head to them, he wished he could say more but any other words would just be vanity, thus bowing was the only way he could express his gratitude for the support that they had given him. "But if any of you has doubts please leave, I will not blame you for it and will not allow anyone to blame you for it"

"Master! Today we repay your teachings!" when Piandao raised his head it was to see eyes full of determination and strength. He smiled at them and gave another bow this time as an apology for doubting their ideals.

"For the Fire Nation!" Piandao said as his head rose and his sword was unsheathed.

"For the Fire Nation!" with that battle cry they rushed out from the servants house that sat beside the palace and started causing a ruckus, Piandao's job was to take the palace and seal it so that no one could escape to warn the rest of Ozai's slaves to start a civil war and he wasn't going to fail.

The aging sword master took off the head of the guards standing at the door with a single swipe, with a nod his group of ten divided itself, already flares were flying in the sky and the rest of his students would be taking key positions in the rest of the city but the most important one was the one Piandao was after, the aviary where the messenger hawks rested.

Two firebenders that weren't carrying the mark that singled them out as rebels came running over and started spewing fire but a simple flick of his sword was enough to redirect the attacks, from behind Piandao two of his students jumped and tried to flank the aggressors but were held back by another arriving group.

"Master we will take care of this" the three that remained launched themselves at the arriving firebenders "Go!"

Piandao had a moment of doubt before he steeled his heart, he had to trust in his students and had to finish the mission no matter what but he would tilt the balance for them even if it was only a little. So with renewed focus, he pushed forward deflecting fire and dodging as he closed the gap between himself and the initial pair of guards and delivered two devastating slashes to their arms as he pushed past them and went further into the palace.


Minister Qin

Something had gone terribly wrong, the minister once more looked at the design on his desk and cursed at the dammed thing. The bomb had gone off prematurely and the rebellion had started but with Ozai alive things would get complicated. Still, he had a part to play and even if things were fucked he could still make it out alive if he played his cards right, just like in Pai Sho there were no wrong moves when it came to politics just different positions that called for new strategies.

With a nod the minister decided to do as the plan commanded and stepped out of the office he had appropriated just to see a frantic commander standing outside.

"Sir! Something is happening in the palace but we've received no messengers and no hawks, what do we do?"

It was funny in a way that a person who was technically outside of the chain of command of the army would be asked for orders but his position as war minister gave Qin more authority than many realized or cared to know.

"Calm yourself, commander, we must act carefully and wait for orders but as we wait we must keep the peace. Seal the city, no one leaves and shoot down any messenger hawk that isn't coming to this place Agni only knows what the rest of the world would do if they found out something was happening in our capital."

"You're right! Then I will do my duty" The man then grabbed one of the newly designed communication systems that was put on the base and spoke into it "as of now Martial Law is in effect, let the garrison into the city and ensure that there are no people on the streets anyone causing a disturbance is to be arrested and should they resist then they will be killed as of now the city is to be sealed!"

As he finished speaking flares went into the sky and the minister grimaced, with what just happened the students of Piandao would have a fight on their hands but hopefully, the men part of this rebellion would be able to even the odds when it came to taking the port and the armory of the city.

The minister watched from the tower as soldiers stepped out into the streets, families started running, and merchants quickly moved to safeguard their wares as everyone rushed back to their homes.

"I want it passed down that I don't want fires to spread, your men must be careful and anyone using unnecessary force and causing damage to the capital will be burned at the stake and fed to the bull pigs" The last thing the minister needed was for prince Zuko to come back to a destroyed capital and he doubted that the prince would blame his cousin and future bride to be instead of him.

"Of course minister"