Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: No, I wouldn't.

Zigzagdoublezee: No, it didn't happen in canon. But I would have thought, needing manpower and to get their new subject peoples a bit of a stake in their new world empire, hopefully helping to prevent future rebellion, that it seems like a decent solution.

As Always, Please Review!

The first thing Yue heard were the screams. A crowd was gathering in the street leading to the main square, and the air was full of shock and confusion. Many buildings were still on fire, and debris littered the streets. The Fire Nation attack had been swift and brutal, and had devastated the village.

Shock and confusion were going through Yue's head too. The Fire Nation were employing waterbenders now? What did they get out of that? And who were they, anyway? One of them had called her princess. Was she their Princess? Were they northerners? And if they were, did they really have so little self respect that they would willingly take up arms for the people who had attacked them without warning and destroyed their home?

"Yue?"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Katara, looking at her with some concern.

"Are you alright? You were shaking."

Yue made a conscious effort to calm herself down.

"I'm fine," she said. "I was just thinking about-"

"The traitors?" Katara finished.

"Yes," Yue admitted. "The traitors. Who are they? Why are they doing this?"

"I don't know, and I don't really care," Katara shrugged. "But I know this. When we win, and we will win, they will have to explain themselves. And their reasons had better be phenomenally good."

Yue nodded.

"Maybe they were coerced," Rinzen suggested.

"I suppose that's possible," Katara conceded. "But why didn't they take the chance to run then?"

"The Fire Nation might have their families?" Rinzen shrugged. "That would be a good way to make sure they didn't run."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Sokka joked. Rinzen just folded his arms.

"The Fire Nation's doing it, not me!" He protested.

"I don't think that's it though," Yue interjected. "If the Fire Nation had their families, surely they would have... apologised? While they were attacking us. Instead they gloated."

"They might have been trying to justify their actions to themselves," Suki replied. "Turning traitor like that, even if you have no choice, can't feel good."

"That," Katara suggested darkly, "or they're true believers in what the Fire Nation is doing."

"Why would they be? The Fire Nation hates waterbenders!" Suki argued back. "I heard plenty of them talk about you when they were on Kyoshi Island. They called you- well, they call you Snow Savages. I'm sorry for saying it, but it's true."

"That doesn't mean they can't decide to help each other," Katara pointed out. "I have no idea what they think they'll get, but it's obviously something."

"Avatar!" A voice screamed, interrupting their debate. Yue groaned. She knew that voice.

She turned to find Mayor Tong storming towards them.

"You did this!" He screamed.

"Did what?" Yue demanded. She was already bored of this man and she had only known him for a day.

"You led them here, and they killed him!"

"Killed who?" Suki asked, concerned.

The crowd's attention had been attracted by this display, and people were beginning to turn to watch the argument.

"The governor," Tong was trembling. "You've doomed us all! Again!"

"Shu?" Yue felt shock wash over her. "They-"

"Killed him!"

"Oh," Rinzen nodded his head in respect. "My deepest condolences. I am sorry for your loss."

"It's a loss to all of us!" Tong pointed out angrily. "Without him, this province might fall! The Fire Nation will get us! They're probably coming right now!"

"This must be revenge for that Fire Nation general yesterday," Suki realised. "But General Dun did that, not us!"

"And this doesn't have to be a disaster," Sokka pointed out. "What happened to Dun? He was good, can't he do it?"

"Maybe," Tong snarled. "But that's not your problem."

"What do you mean?"

"The only reason you were allowed to stay in this village at all was the Governor's authority. But the governor is gone. So get out."

"Gladly," Suki snarled.

"You killed Chin the conqueror, long ago," Tong's voice trembled. "And now look at you. The Avatar Spirit isn't even trying to hide it any more. You dress head to toe in white. Even your hair is white! You are a manifestation of death. You bring destruction with you, and leave sorrow and mourning in your wake."

"You think Chin didn't do that?" Suki shouted. "You don't conquer the entire Earth Kingdom by being nice!"

"That's not what this means!" Yue protested, as Sokka had to be held back from physically attacking Tong.

"Isn't it?" Tong jabbed a knarled finger at her. "You come to this village, and within hours death follows. You are an ill-omen, a curse, a scourge upon this place. Get out. Or face the consequences."

"And what consequences would those be?" Yue folded her arms and stared him down.

"We like to let the spirits decide," Tong grinned. "But being boiled in oil or thrown off a cliff seems appropriate for a murderer such as you."

Rinzen jumped between them before Tong could experience the violent consequences of his words at the hands of Sokka, Katara and Suki.

"Alright!" He shouted. "You've said your piece. We're going. We've had everything we need here anyway."

But Tong seemed to be considering something. Or as much as he was capable, anyway, as he had worked himself up into a rage.

"Seize them!" He demanded.

"What?" Yue was horrified.

"I've changed my mind, you're not leaving," Tong told them triumphantly.

"But that's stupid!"

"I don't care. You're going to face justice for what you've done. You can put forward your side, I'll put forward mine, and then I'll decide who's right!"

Again, Rinzen stepped in front of them, his hands raised in a conciliatory way.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said.

"Why are you apologising? She did it!" Tong pointed at Yue again over Rinzen's shoulder. The Air Nomad merely shrugged.

"I did not make myself clear. That's not what I'm apologising for. The Avatar's destiny lies elsewhere. You'll thank me for this, one day."

And he pushed, causing a howling gale of wind to push Tong and a good portion of the crowd over with a surprised yell.

"Come on!" He shouted. "Gembul isn't far away!"

"Stop them!" Tong howled as Team Avatar ran for it. "You'll pay for this Avatar! I will have my justice!"

Yue suspected that there was no justice here for her, not truly, and this knowledge propelled her on, away from Chin village as the howls of outrage of Tong and his lackeys rang in her ears.