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RonaldM40196867: Humour is subjective, so I'd say that's up to the reader to decide.

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The room was decorated ornately, with paintings and tapestries depicting scenes from the history of the Beifong family. In the centre of it, Avatar sat on either side of the large table, with Poppy Beifong at its head. She beamed at them.

"I'm so happy you've come," she said. "We have much to discuss."

In front of them, plates of food richer than anything Yue had had since at least the South Pole stood; large slabs of beef with all the trimmings, food fit for nobility, for everyone except Rinzen. Like the rest of his people, he was a vegetarian and so had been provided witn a suitable alternative by the Beifong family's chefs, who knew the makeup of Yue's group and so had known what to expect.

Though he regarded their plates with suspicion, Yue had no such inhibitions and happily bit into her meat. It was delicious.

"We do," Sokka leaned forward, seriously. "Are you the one paying for all those workshops in town?"

"Yes."

"Then how have you managed to keep your identity secret? Surely they know who you are."

"Some of them do know," Poppy said. "And they probably realise that letting the Fire Nation find out is not a good way to continue getting paid. But others don't."

She looked around at them.

"You see, many of these people think I'm a recluse, locked in her house, mourning."

"Because of your husband," Yue guessed.

"Exactly, Poppy replied. "Meanwhile I've been using some... creative accounting to disguise the flow of money. They know someone is paying them for the goods, they don't necessarily know who."

She sighed.

"War is an expensive business though. My husband's fortune is vast, and my own family are also rich and powerful, but we're burning through it at an alarming rate. If we carry on the way we are, my accountants estimate we'll be bankrupt..."

She counted on her fingers.

"In about five years," she finished. "Maybe a little longer if we cut back in other areas. Sell houses and jewellery. Even we cannot match the resources of an entire country."

"Then why bother?" Suki asked. "Why keep going if you're losing so much money?"

"Because some things are worth it," Poppy said. "A Fire Nation victory will be the end of us. Unless we promise to roll over and work for them like good little servants. And I have resolved never to work with those monsters again."

Nobody said anything for a moment. Poppy looked like she was working herself up towards something.

"My husband was away when war broke out," she said. "He'd gone north for some kind of business deal. I think he was preparing to buy stocks in some shipping company? To make money from international trade with the Fire Nation and Water Tribes. Not that there's going to be much of that at the moment."

Yue realised what must have happened.

"So he was in one of those coastal cities which were the first to be attacked," she whispered.

"He was," Poppy confirmed mournfully. "Only one of his retinue made it back. I've heard nothing of him since. Ever since it's just been me and..."

She trailed off, lost in her memories. Then her expression grew dark.

"That is why I fight, in the ways that I can. Like I said in that letter, I am not a warrior. I am not even a general. So I use the tools at my disposal, and in my case that's money."

"And an army," Suki pointed out.

"Oh, I didn't create an army," Poppy shrugged. "I simply heard about a band of freedom fighters who had moved in nearby and was beginning to do rather well. And they'd met you too! That provided me the opportunity to help them. And the mark of a good businesswoman is knowing when an opportunity for mutual gain presents itself."

Yue looked around, and saw Sokka and Katara looking at their host with a strange look in their eyes. And Yue knew they must be seeing their mother in her, another woman forced to struggle on after their husband was taken by the Fire Nation. But Kya had been luckier than perhaps most; She had got Hakoda back. Yue didn't know if Poppy would be so fortunate.

The noblewoman didn't seem to notice though. She fixed Yue with a steady gaze.

"Which brings me on to why I brought you here, Avatar. For many reasons, I would rather like this war to be brought to a swift conclusion."

"I think we would all like that, my lady," Yue replied politely.

"So what's your plan?" Poppy leaned forwards.

"Step one, find an earthbending master," Sokka told her.

There was a strange, faint bump that seemed to come from the next room. Nobody except Yue took much notice.

"And that will be your... second element?" Poppy asked.

"I'm pretty confident about waterbending now, I just need the others, yes."

"I see," Poppy leaned back in her chair. "I know people. I could see what I can do about securing you an earthbending master."

"Then we're headed for Ba Sing Se," Katara continued.

"You'll have to be careful that way," Poppy warned. "The city has been besieged. By troops commanded by the Firelord's older brother no less."

"We can just fly in," Rinzen said.

"Oh absolutely," Poppy nodded. "But then what? Are you going to fight again, like you did at the South Pole?"

"If that's what it takes," Yue nodded, determined. "You're not the only one who's lost family to the Fire Nation."

"Your father?" Poppy asked gently.

Yue nodded.

"It's terrible, isn't it?" Poppy said sympathetically. "It makes you want to fight harder for the family you have left."

She suddenly perked up, looking like she'd had an idea.

"Speaking of which..."

She turned to a servant.

"Please fetch my daughter."

The servant nodded, and his footsteps receded. A door opened, a voice was heard, and then the servant was back. Trailing in his wake was a girl. She was tiny, she couldn't have been older than about 12, and she was small even for her age. She wore fine robes like her mother's, and stared straight ahead, not looking at any of them.

"Darling," Poppy said warmly. "We have visitors! The Avatar herself, no less."

"How nice," the girl said without much feeling.

"This is my daughter," Poppy told Team Avatar. "My only family left to me at the moment. I'm doing what I do to keep her safe. Her name is Toph."