《The Middle Child of the Fire》


 Book 0: Chapter 1

    "Prince Tadashi, the Firebending Master!"


    He could be a man of unparalleled skill. Unbeatable and revered by all, a hero of the Fire Nation. Capable of producing blue flames with ease, bending lightning that would go unchallenged and able to set anything alight with his intense flames. From a young age he was gifted, amazing, envied by his peers and enlightened before even maturing into an adult. Recognised by someone as powerful as the Avatar as a true master of Firebending.


    But he was no prodigy.


    "Crown Prince Tadashi of the Fire Nation!"


    He was certainly loved by his country, a brave man that stood for his people and pushed them on the path to greatness. No threat was too big for the prince who could protect everyone. From the moment he was born he would have been loved, cared for and taught how best to lead his people. He would have contributed in every war meeting, stood up for those that couldn''t speak for themselves and been the model prince. Certainly a sight to behold.


    That being said, he could never be the crown prince.


    "Captain Tadashi of the Imperial Guard!"


    Not one to shy away from responsibility, this amazing man was in charge of the best firebenders in the world. Leading a team of talented individuals in the protection of the royal family, the cities'' aristocrats and important figures of interest. Already born into nobility, the military officials would have recognised his insight, power and talent as a Firebender. The members of his team would protect him as he protected them, forming a bond that would span their entire lifetimes.


    A position that has never been taken by nobility.


    "Fire Lord Tadashi!"


    A name that sounded all too familiar yet was virtually unobtainable.


    A soft self-inflicted slap brought the boy out of his daydream as he sighed to himself and checked his appearance in the mirror once more, adjusting his top-knot for the sixth time that afternoon. He forced himself to inspect his clothing again, making sure that he did not miss any blemish in his appearance that had to be fixed before he appeared in front of his grandfather. He had heard the news that his grandfather wanted to hold a meeting with his father and their family, but due to a servant making a career-ending mess in the throne room the meeting was postponed for an hour.


    The sound of light footsteps shuffling brought him out of his obsessive trance, much to the surprise of the servant girl who had been waiting for her master to speak.


    Turning to face the source of the noise, the girl immediately bowed as she was taught to, a small tremble taking over her body.


    "Forgive me Prince Tadashi, I meant no disrespect."


    Tadashi moved towards the young girl who spoke, a servant that had moved from the colonies to personally serve the prince. Fire Lord Azulon had given her as a birthday gift to the Prince, a consolation prize for ignoring the boy on his birthday, a day that happened to coincide with the departure of Crown Prince Iroh and the invasion force for Ba Sing Se. Tadashi leant forwards to console the young girl before pausing and withdrawing his hand, not wanting to mess up his hand or clothing.


    "Don''t worry about it Naoko," he chuckled, a name he thought fit too well for the girl.


    Naoko raised her head and allowed a small smile to escape, her body refused to stop shaking but she let out a breath of relief that made Tadashi chuckle. The two had been in this position of master and servant for almost 2 years and she still refused to always relax when no one else was in sight. If it were any other person they would have been fed-up with her unchanging attitude, but he couldn''t bring himself to ever blame her. A memory of a time he had attempted to gift the servant on her birthday came to mind. It was the first time in his life that he had been rejected by someone, although more out of embarrassment than distaste, for a person of her status to reject the call of their master would be unheard of but the combination of the thoughtful Tadashi and timid Naoko certainly broke expectations. It was also the first time that Tadashi had gotten Naoko to laugh and ever since the two would make subtle jokes about the day.


    Tadashi slapped his cheeks again, chastising himself for letting his mind wander again, an action that made Naoko jump ever so slightly.


    "I better hurry up before I''m late," Tadashi excused himself, quickly bounding out of the door to his room.


    As he ran a few of the servants he passed spared him a few glances, quickly giving a small bow before returning to their work. The boy was used to this treatment, his reputation with the servants was a well kept secret between the lower class. Unlike Azula who was bossy and Zuko who talked with an air of ignorance, Tadashi respected the servants although he was wasn''t afraid to put them in their place when they seriously stepped out of line.


    Another memory surfaced as he raced passed the palace guards, a time when one of the new cooks had snuck into Azula''s room and stolen one of her golden bracelets only to run into the young girl who was busy giving her friends their 20th tour of the palace. At the time Azula had only begun learning to fire bend, so when she tried to bend at the thief he quickly avoided the small tufts of orange fire and sprinted out running straight into Tadashi and Zuko. Mai and Ty Lee quickly running to hide behind the two brothers who tried to stand in an intimidating way as boys of their age would. Both boys stared at the thief for minutes on end while Azula glared at the man, Ty Lee cowered behind Zuko and Mai tried to contain the excited grin on her face.


    Before he knew it Zuko had called out for help.


    Instead of running to go and find their mother like Zuko did or shout obscenities in frustration like Azula, Tadashi confronted the thief and had managed to hold his own against the intruder, much to young female firebender''s delight. The bout between the young man and the prince lasted for minutes yet Tadashi felt his breath grow heavier every second. The thief, who was clearly a non-bender, would swipe and kick at the young prince who dodged as nimbly as he could, using a footing technique he learnt by watching Ty Lee. As the palace guards could be heard approaching the thief grew desperate and brought out a dagger, knowing it in the direction of Azula who was taken by surprise.


    The fight didn''t last much longer after that.


    That encounter had been the first time that Azula truly acknowledged Tadashi as one of her elder brothers. Their mother had shouted at Tadashi for being reckless and not waiting for the palace guards, his father had spoken to him briefly for the first time in many weeks, telling him that he did a great service for his country by saving Azula. All he had to show for it was a scar on his hand, where he had accidentally caught the blade with his hand. Of course Azula came to see him as soon as the palace physicians finished bandaging the wound, she poked and made fun of Tadashi''s foolishness but he could see the faint traces of recognition in her voice and that made it all worth it.


    Of course, that was a long time ago.


    "No, it means Uncle''s a quitter and a loser." Tadashi recognised the voice as Azula''s, so he approached the scene quietly whilst his siblings talked.


    "What are you talking about? Uncle''s not a quitter!" Zuko protested angrily.


    "Oh yes he is! He found out his son died and he just fell apart! A real general would stay and burn Ba Sing Se to the ground, not lose the battle and come home crying."


    That news shocked Tadashi. Although Uncle Iroh had never given him special attention, Lu Ten was always a welcome face, had always spoken words of encouragement and was one of the few people that he could call a friend. Tadashi closed his eyes and sighed, letting his thoughts clear before listening again to Zuko.


    "How do you know what he should do? He''s probably just sad his only kid is gone. Forever." Zuko pointed out.


    Tadashi found himself nodding in agreement, which only seemed logical in his mind. Before anything further could be said, their mother had stepped into the hall the three were in and everyone turned to face her.


    "Your father has requested an audience with Fire Lord Azulon. Best clothes, hurry up!"


    Zuko didn''t say another word and ran towards him room, going past Tadashi but failing to see him. Azula however had decided to stick around, clearly harbouring a question as Tadashi recognised the look on his sister''s face.


    "Fire Lord Azulon ... Can''t you just call him ''Grandfather''? He''s not exactly the powerful Fire Lord he used to be. Someone will probably end up taking his place soon."


    That shocked Tadashi. He knew his sister could be quite the bold person but even she should know that there were limits to what a Princess could get away with.


    "Young lady! Not another word!" their mother spoke angrily, her hands tightening into fists.


    As Azula ran past, most likely about to order her servants to give her a new fresh of clothes she glanced to her side ever so slightly, meeting Tadashi''s gaze for a mere second before she continued on her way.


    "What is wrong with that-" Ursa started before catching herself, "I know you are there, Tadashi."


    The boy gasped, wondering how his mother had spotted him before coming out like a caught criminal. He noticed that she gave him the same look she always saved for him, a pained smile that always his stomach ache.


    "How did you know?" he asked, already knowing the answer.


    "A mother know these things," she replied without thinking, "but why are you dressed already?"


    "Naoko," he simply stated.


    "Ah," Ursa replied, that name alone enough to satisfy her question, "so you knew then?"


    Tadashi was caught off-guard for a second, unable to comprehend what she meant.


    "Oh, you mean what happened to cousin? No, I only learnt just a few moments ago listening to Azula."


    "I see," she said. "Well, you''d better join your brother and sister, it''s time to appear before Fire Lor- I mean your grandfather."


    He immediately noticed the face his mother made when she corrected herself. It must have felt uncomfortable addressing his grandfather in such a way, but he couldn''t understand why.


    "Okay." Tadashi nodded, turning on the spot to catch up with Zuko and Azula.


    It was custom for siblings to enter the Fire Lord''s chamber from eldest to youngest. Tadashi didn''t need a reason for his family to pay any less attention to him, so it was a rule he followed at every possibility.


    The Fire Lord''s chambers was warm, but not the comfortable kind that Iroh''s held. This was a much harsher and fanatical flame that could lash out at any moment. The meeting started as all other meetings normally did. Their father would exchange pleasantries with the Fire Lord whilst he in turn would ask short and quick questions about their upbringing. When their father questioned Zuko about the exploits of their great grandfather, Tadashi noticed the small smirk that grew on Azula''s face and the grimace that their mother held.


    For the moment Zuko seemed to be holding his own, barely able to answer the questions but still showing that he was knowledgeable on the subject.


    "And how was it Great-Grandfather Sozin managed to win the Battle of Han Tui?" their father asked, his voice revealing that he was already bored of this proceeding.


    Azula''s smirk widened even more as Zuko struggled to answer. Tadashi wanted to speak out, having learnt about the battle in great detail but was beaten to the punch by Azula who spoke in that tone that clearly displayed a sense of superiority.


    "Because even though his army was outnumbered, he cleverly calculated his advantages. The enemy was downwind and there was a drought. Their defences burned to a crisp in minutes."


    Tadashi nodded in agreement, meeting eyes with Azula for a split-second who seemed delighted by the proud smirk he gave her.


    "Correct, my dear. Now, would you show Grandfather the new moves you demonstrated to me?" their father spoke once more, clearly giving Azula her cue to stand up.


    What proceeded was a form of firebending that was meant to be performed by those nearer to Zuko''s age. She spun in several promising twists, throwing fire as if it was second nature and going through the forms of advanced techniques that Zuko had just started learning. The entire routine finished with a graceful flare, evident by the proud smile on their father''s face.


    "She''s a true prodigy! Just like her grandfather for whom she''s named."


    Once again Tadashi had to agree; for such a young girl, Azula was certainly talented. On her way back to her siblings she grinned happily in Tadashi''s direction before smirking towards Zuko, who had watched the whole procession with amazement.


    "You''ll never catch up¡­." Tadashi heard her whisper.


    "Tadashi, you were not present at the last meeting due to your broken leg. Perhaps you shouldn''t demonstrate anything today?"


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    The double meaning of his father''s words weren''t lost on Tadashi. It was true that he missed the last meeting that happened over two months ago by fracturing his leg in a firebending experiment he conducted with Azula. It was the first time that Azula had gotten reprimanded by their father for acting dangerously, which surprised even their mother.


    However, the words their father spoke today meant something completely different. If he were to make a fool of himself in front of their grandfather, than he would certainly regret it. However Tadashi was ready, he had spent that last year practicing in secret, and constantly studying the archives the palace contained on bending to prove to his family that he could be useful. This was something he had to do.


    "I''m ready!" He stood up dramatically, earning a look of surprise from their father. Ozai didn''t say another word, yet watched intently.


    Tadashi felt the gaze of his grandfather and managed to resist the urge to quiver. This was his moment and no one was going to take it away from him. He walked over to the spot where Azula had stood moments before and took a deep breath to push away any concerns that popped into his mind. He started in a similar fashion to his sister, arms brought inwards, then outwards, falling into the stance that he had practiced hundreds of times alone.


    Without looking he could feel the gaze of everyone in the room as he brought his hands to release the first fireball. The rising tension, expectation and most important of all attention on him was more than enough to raise the boy''s spirits.


    However as he punched out the rather large ball of dark grey smoke there was no doubt that everyone was shocked. Tadashi continued, producing enough smoke to make a ring around his body, the display was certainly unique in the sense that no self-respecting Firebender would be proud of their ability to make smoke and not fire but Tadashi continued regardless. He could feel the temper of his father rising and just before he knew he would call out in anger he performed his second trick of the little performance he put on.


    The smoke suddenly ignited. Rapidly and in all directions a ring of orange and red flames seemed to explode from the smoke, Tadashi directing the heat with small and precise manoeuvres. He was too busy concentrating on his form but could tell that the trick had done its job and surprised his family completely. From there he went into a routine of creating gusts of smoke, turning and simultaneously creating another gust as he ignited the one behind him. To those observing him, it seemed like he had a shield of fire protecting his back at all times.


    Tadashi could feel his breath starting to waver, he couldn''t keep this up for too much longer and if he wanted to finish on a strong note he''d need to act now. Using the framework of a cross-step waltz he read about in scrolls, he brought in all the excess smoke, fire and energy around his body back into the palm of his hand. Small beads of sweat were already dropping from his forehead as he poured more energy into the sphere of fire in his hand. The fire circled in place creating a sphere the size of an apple, the smoke would cause tiny eruptions like miniature solar flares and the chi he poured into this trick would make the flames spin faster and faster, growing hotter by the second. As he had practiced many times before, Tadashi turned his hand around, throwing the ball of fire in the air at the same time. He closed his fist, not in an attempt to put the fire out but to actually condense the energy into a smaller ball. This action he had practiced the most after his smoke ignition trick and for one reason only. As the ball got as small as it dared, the remaining smoke that had settled into the innards of the sphere exploded in a violent reaction and a shower of blue embers scattered around Tadashi in a grandiose fashion.


    For mere moments they boy was too shocked at his accomplishment that he almost forgot to bow to his grandfather, a mistake he quickly corrected in the astonishment his firebending created. No one spoke as Tadashi breathed heavily, trying to collect as much energy as possible to repeat his actions if asked.


    "Incredible, even in your absence you have shown the drive to become a true Firebender, much like your grandfather before you." His father spoke slowly and carefully.


    Although he knew that the words at the end were more for their grandfather''s benefit than anyone else he couldn''t help but let the words go to his head.


    His father was actually proud of him.


    "I see you have unlocked the art of blue fire," Fire Lord Azulon spoke in a tone that sounded wise yet frightening. "You have also utilised smoke in your bending. Usually a substance that all firebenders want to avoid creating, yet you found an application for it. Certainly impressive."


    Tadashi bowed in acknowledgement, unable to see the small smirk that formed on his grandfather''s lips as he already started envisioning applications of his smoke attacks for the war effort.


    "Today you have shown me two promising children, Ozai. How about you eldest son? Will he show the genius of Azula or the brilliance of your second son?" Fire Lord Azulon spoke.


    Tadashi couldn''t help but internally wince when he wasn''t called by name, but he wouldn''t let anything keep him down, now when he had just accomplished a feat that not even the Fire Lord could accomplish, blue fire. Before Prince Ozai could respond to the Fire Lord''s question Zuko stood up and spoke defiantly, mimicking the action Tadashi took before his performance.


    "I''d like to demonstrate what I''ve been learning." It was clear from the way Zuko spoke that the anger he held would control his judgement, but no one challenged him.


    As Tadashi returned to his place between Zuko and Azula he glanced at his parents. His father was already looking at Zuko with a frown, their mother had another pained look on her face but this one was full of worry not sadness. As he got closer to his position he could see Azula stuck between gloating towards Zuko in an attempt to bait him into a mistake and gazing towards Tadashi with eyes of pride and slight jealously.


    "You won''t be the only one producing blue fire," she said as Tadashi knelt next to her.


    "I look forward to the day, but in the meantime I could give you pointers," he teased, earning a playful grimace from his younger sister.


    Their attention was both drawn to Zuko as he reached the same spot where Tadashi and Azula had both put on interesting yet varied performances. At first Zuko started off on the right note, his footing was somewhat slow and shaky but he was sliding into the correct forms. His circular motions almost mimicked Azula''s; however the pale blast of fire he created was not impressive at all. As he tried again and again it became apparent that he wouldn''t stop his failing act until he got it right once, something that a prince of the fire nation should not consider doing in front of the Fire Lord. It was their mother that quickly got up and moved to console Zuko, much to the annoyance of everyone else seated.


    "I failed." Zuko said, the sadness in his voice was enough to wash away the jealousy Tadashi felt towards the interaction he had with their mother.


    Azula on the other hand was finding it hard to switch between a grimace at the sight of this display of affection and a grin for the failure of Zuko''s performance.


    "No. I loved watching you. That''s who you are, Zuko. Someone who keeps fighting even though it''s hard."


    The words their mother spoke hit both Tadashi and Azula. Both suddenly started wondering why she would never say such a thing to them, only to Zuko who seemed to be her favourite. Tadashi''s thoughts darkened even more so when he thought that even their father favoured Azula over them all, barely speaking to Tadashi and treating Zuko as if he were a failed project.


    To Tadashi, the kind words his mother spoke were sickening, enough to make him want to lash out, so he was thankful when the Fire Lord clicked his tongue and spoke out, clearly annoyed by the sudden turn of events.


    "Prince Ozai, why are you wasting my time with this pomp? Just tell me what you want. Everyone else, go!"


    At those words he was glad to leave, waiting for his mother to leave first with Zuko behind him before walking next to Azula. The young Firebender then tapped him on the shoulder and placed a finger to her lips before leaning closer and whispering in his ear.


    "Time to tease Zuzu some more," she said with a playful smirk and dashed forwards grabbing Zuko and pulling him off to the side.


    Tadashi thought to himself for a moment but decided against following them, he was too tired to walk normally let alone sneak around the throne room and he didn''t want to risk getting all the blame if they got caught, knowing that he''d willingly take any blame off his younger sister. As he stumbled out of the throne room Tadashi tripped on something unseen and landed into his mother''s arms. Ursa had turned around, sensing that there was a lack of children behind her, only to see Tadashi stumble and fall.


    "Are you okay?" she asked, waving for one of the guards to call a physician.


    "Just exhausted," Tadashi managed to let out, earning an inquisitive look from his mother.


    "Where are your brother and sister?" she asked.


    Tadashi contemplated whether to lie or not but decided against doing so. He could see that his mother would see through anything false he fed her, there was no way his skills were up to par with Azula, at least not yet.


    "They decided to stick around," Tadashi mumbled.


    His mother frowned, her mouth opened seemingly wanting to tell of Tadashi for letting them go but decided against it. The two stayed like that for a while, waiting for the palace physician to come.


    "I''m proud of you too," she suddenly said.


    Tadashi couldn''t help but gasp, he had never heard those words from his mother but there was no way that she didn''t mean it.


    "I probably don''t say this enough but I''m glad that you''re here and get along well with both Zuko and Azula."


    That statement made him feel guilty, it was true that his relationship with Azula was good. They would tease each other and act competitively in their firebending training. Zuko on the other hand was different. Because he spent too much time by himself or with their mother it was hard to approach him. Sure they were brothers and still talked every now and then, they didn''t hate each other and often ate lunch together but their relationship seemed nothing more than a script that the two followed during their day to day lives. It was then that Tadashi made a promise to himself to spend more time with his brother, perhaps even helping him with his bending.


    The palace physician arrived, an old man who seemed older than anyone else in the world yet moved with the elasticity of a teenager. He took a quick look at the young boy before anyone could even move and nodded to himself.


    "Ginseng Tea and rest, not particularly in that order." He said to no one in particular, but Ursa nodded. "He must have expended a lot more energy than usual, a common ailment for firebenders in training."


    The explanation seemed to be enough because without a word he turned around and left, his head twitching ever so slightly as he mumbled something to himself.


    "Naoko!" Ursa called, surprised by how quick the servant stepped out of the shadows and bowed in place.


    "I take it you heard then? Take Tadashi to his room, he needs some rest and when he wakes up give him some tea," she ordered then looking towards another guard, "You, help her take my son to his room."


    Surprised again that day that his mother had called him her son in public he couldn''t help but feel a happiness deep inside his heart. Naoko and the guard quickly moved to lift up Tadashi, allowing Ursa to stand up and walk away without another word. The three moved towards the young boy''s room, trying to limit the amount of walking he had to do as they traversed up a set of stairs. When they reached the door to the room Naoko turned towards the guard and insisted she could take it from there. The guard just shrugged and bowed towards Tadashi before leaving, hoping to get back to his post before anyone questioned him why his was moving around the palace.


    It was harder for Naoko to help Tadashi take off the outer layer of clothing he was wearing and into more comfortable garments. During that time the young boy had been mumbling words of joy, pride and surprise. His apparent happiness was enough to make Naoko smile, glad that her master was happy.


    "I take it everything went well," she spoke softly, ensuring that no one was entering the room at that moment.


    Tadashi, who was now in bed, looked up towards his servant with heavy eyes but a satisfied smile on his face before speaking.


    "Yeah, it went very well." He assured her, drifting off to sleep within seconds.

 Book 0: Chapter 2

    The sound of someone barging into Tadashi¡¯s room stirred him from his sleep. Although he wouldn¡¯t admit it he was glad for the intrusion. The dream he was having moments ago was more horrid than most other days. Images of a faceless man and woman shooting blasts of fire at a baby Tadashi. The figure of an ancient man, his features indescribably from the shadow created by a huge flame.


    ¡°Tadashi wake up!¡± Azula whispered aloud, slapping her brother¡¯s face several times.


    ¡°Wha? How long has it been? Why are you hitting me?¡± Tadashi asked with a slurred voice.


    ¡°Never mind that, follow me!¡± she replied, pulling on her brother''s arm.


    Tadashi reluctantly got out of bed, still wearing most of the clothes he had worn when facing his grandfather. He spied Naoko who was kneeling in the corner, most likely hoping to avoid Azula¡¯s wrath. In fact Tadashi was surprised that his younger sister hadn¡¯t said anything to her yet, most usual encounters would start with Azula taunting the girl about her brown hair or putting her down about her status as a servant in which case Tadashi would come between the two and attempt to distract Azula with a new firebending trick. This time however Azula was more excited than usual, almost bouncing on her feet to pull Tadashi out of the room.


    Normally Tadashi would happy that his sister was giving him so much attention, even to the extent that she would seek him out but if Azula was happy like this then something was certainly wrong.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tadashi asked, rubbing edge of his eyes with annoyance.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Zuzu,¡± Azula stated, ¡°Father was speaking with grandfather for almost an hour after you left.¡±


    ¡®Well at least I slept for that long¡­¡¯ Tadashi chuckled inwardly.


    The two kept on moving until they came up to Zuko¡¯s room, no one was around so they slipped in quickly.


    ¡°Dad''s going to kill you!¡± she started singing playfully, before her voice grew serious, ¡°Really, he is.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, Azula. Nice try.¡± Zuko replied bitterly.


    Tadashi looked at Azula, although she had her usual playful smile on he was certain that this time she wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡°Fine, don''t believe me. But I heard everything. Grandfather said Dad''s punishment should fit his crime.¡± She spoke, before attempting to imitate their grandfather, ¡°You must know the pain of losing a first-born son. By sacrificing your own!"


    ¡°Liar!¡± Zuko shouted, turning to face Tadashi with a glare.


    Tadashi simply shrugged before turning to Azula.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t really say that?¡± Tadashi asked, even though he knew what the answer would be.


    Azula tilted her head towards Tadashi and raised an eyebrow at her brother¡¯s question, giving him a look that said ¡®really?¡¯ before sighing.


    ¡°Of course he said that, I''m only telling Zuzu for his own good. I know! Maybe he could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt him!¡±


    ¡°Stop it! You''re lying! Dad would never do that to me!¡± Zuko¡¯s rage seemed to be growing with every word.


    However when a fourth person slipped into the room and spoke everyone froze.


    ¡°Your father would never do what to you? What is going on here?¡± their mother asked.


    Tadashi immediately looked towards the ground, knowing that they¡¯d been caught teasing Zuko, even if he didn¡¯t really say anything.


    ¡°I don''t know...¡± Azula nonchalantly spoke.


    ¡°Tadashi?¡± their mother asked expectantly.


    ¡°Well¡­..I don¡¯t know, I only woke up a few minutes ago.¡± He spoke truthfully, glancing at the frown his mother was giving him, ¡°but it¡¯s probably got something to do with the meeting to-¡°


    Tadashi scowled as Azula kicked him in the leg.


    ¡°It''s time we talked!¡±


    Their mother dragged Azula away whilst the young girl reluctantly followed, turning to scowl at Tadashi.


    ¡°That¡¯s for slapping me earlier¡­.¡± He whispered.


    Upon hearing Tadashi¡¯s words, Azula¡¯s scowl turned into a smirk, her eyes rolled in an ¡®I¡¯ll get you next time¡¯ sort of way.


    ¡°I wonder what that was all about.¡± Tadashi said after Azula and their mother had left, glancing at his brother who was clutching the bed sheet tightly.


    ¡°Azula always lies. Azula always lies¡­.¡± He continually spoke, annoying Tadashi slightly.


    ¡°Is she really that bad?¡± he asked in response.


    Zuko seemed to wake up from his trance and glared at Tadashi, hopping out of bed and stomping towards his younger sibling.


    ¡°You only say that because you two get along!¡± he argued.


    ¡°Well if you didn¡¯t hang around mom all the time I¡¯m sure you¡¯d get along with her as well!¡± Tadashi replied.


    ¡°She¡¯s crazy though, the other day she set one of the servant¡¯s robes on fire.¡± Zuko fiddled with his clothing before looking back at Tadashi.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Zuko said smugly, ¡°She even called the palace physician over because one of her nails didn¡¯t grow like she planned.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that did happen.¡± Tadashi conceded the argument with a sigh, ¡°I guess she can be a bit¡­..¡±


    ¡°Troublesome?¡± both boys spoke together.


    They paused, looking at each other in mock surprise before laughing. Zuko was the first to speak after a few moments.


    ¡°We should do this more often.¡±


    ¡°Hang out or mock Azula?¡± Tadashi asked with a smirk.


    ¡°Hang out, although I wouldn¡¯t mind the second option either¡± Zuko replied.


    The two stood there for a few moments, taking in the silence. Azula¡¯s words reverberated in their heads, a thought that neither of them wanted to be true.


    ¡°Do you think she was lying?¡± Zuko asked somewhat timidly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­.¡± Tadashi shrugged, not wanting to believe those words either.


    Again they stood, unsure of what they should do. Tadashi¡¯s stomach then made a sound, making Zuko laugh until the same thing happened with him.


    ¡°Should we head to the kitchen and see if we can rescue some Fire Gummies?¡± Tadashi asked with a grin.


    ¡°From the treacherous hands of the killer kitchen staff? Sure!¡± Zuko joined in, running off towards the kitchen.


    Both ran with bright smiles on their faces, the words that had been spoken earlier were quickly forgotten as they indulged themselves with the game their minds concocted.


    <hr />


    Tadashi, for the first night in many, slept peacefully. Although many events happened, some upsetting and some minor, he couldn¡¯t have asked for a better day.


    Azula was Azula, he would never ask anything more of her, or rather he couldn¡¯t. By creating a blue fire, something he had only read about in scrolls, he had set the bar in terms of firebending. Although no one had yet to speak about it he knew that Azula would be pestering him in the future in a race to not only catch-up but out firebend him. That much couldn¡¯t be avoided but Tadashi didn¡¯t mind their competitive yet playful relationship. Zuko was slightly different. They both found Azula annoying at times, Zuko to a much worse degree than Tadashi but they both enjoyed eating spicy food, something their mother claims comes from her side of the family. Today they¡¯d broken down a barrier that was keeping them apart, it seemed like they too were going to spend more time together.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    His father and grandfather had finally acknowledged his abilities, it had taken years of practice to get to the level he was and it paid off during that one performance. All he had ever wanted was for his father to acknowledge his presence as a prince of the Fire Nation and today his goal was realised. His mother on the other hand was still a mystery, the words she had spoken still wrapped his heart in guilt, all the disdain he held towards her evaporated and he made a promise to himself to try and understand her more, something he would regretfully admit to not doing enough.


    Sleep came easily, so much so that he barely recognised when his mother entered the room and sat by his bed. By her heavy breathing he could tell that she was either tired or extremely nervous, that much he had picked up over the years from watching his family. She carefully placed a hand over Tadashi¡¯s head and sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, you should never have had to live this life.¡± Her words slow and steady.


    Ursa pulled back her trembling hand, unsure of what to do anymore, she sighed to herself and pulled away from the half-sleeping boy.


    Tadashi continued to sleep, barely registering the words his mother spoke but unable to hold back the tears that were escaping his closed eyes. For hours he stayed like that, turning every now and then in frustration, the words echoing around his head as if he were some lost cause. In fact he almost found solace when a loud and childish voice stirred him from his sleep once more.


    Almost.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve got some interesting news!¡±


    Azula ran into Tadashi¡¯s room and jumped onto the bed, shaking Tadashi awake.


    ¡°Ugh¡­..it¡¯s not even sunrise yet,¡± Tadashi groaned, turning away from the small Firebender.


    ¡°But mother is gone, oh and grandfather passed away.¡± She spoke, knowing it would catch her brother¡¯s attention.


    Tadashi almost jumped out of the bed, frowning slightly before coming to terms with what Azula said.


    ¡°How?....wait, what! Really? Does that mean Uncle Iroh will be the new Fire Lord?¡± Tadashi asked curiously.


    Azula put on a face of mock surprise, holding her hand over her mouth whilst holding back a giggle.


    ¡°And how about mother, you don¡¯t seem sad that she¡¯s suddenly disappeared?¡±


    Tadashi thought to himself for a moment, the voice he had been thinking of whilst sleeping long lost from his mind. He couldn¡¯t help but feel angry for some reason so wasn¡¯t surprised by his own words.


    ¡°Are you? If she really left without saying goodbye then it¡¯s got nothing to do with me.¡±


    Azula was surprised for a second, she knew that the relationship between the two wasn¡¯t too good but she never expected those words to come from her brother.


    ¡°I guess not,¡± Azula admitted, her face changed for a few moments to one Tadashi recognised as genuine sadness.


    Tadashi patted her head, an action he¡¯d rarely do and one that Azula would never usually allow him to get away with.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll always be here to play pranks on you,¡± he gave Azula a smile, genuinely grateful he has a sister that approves of him.


    Azula almost smiled, a pure happy smile that Tadashi hadn¡¯t seen since she was a baby but then her mouth changed into a smirk, befitting that of the manipulative prodigy he knew. She withdrew a knife, one Tadashi recognised as a gift from their Uncle Iroh to Zuko.


    ¡°How did yo-¡± Tadashi began to ask when Azula placed a finger on her lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret, but I¡¯m going to find Zuzu now, I bet he¡¯ll be devastated!¡± Azula giggled in delight as she jumped off the bed and ran off to find her eldest brother.


    Tadashi frowned slightly, he didn¡¯t know what to say or think but he knew that Zuko would need a friendly shoulder to cry on later, but as he tucked himself back into bed he thought another five minutes of sleep wouldn¡¯t hurt either.


    <hr />


    Within hours arrangements for Fire Lord Azulon¡¯s funeral had been complete and Zuko, Tadashi and Azula were standing beside their father garbed in the ceremonial cloaks worn at such events. Tadashi tried to gauge how the others were feeling but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Zuko was still upset, most likely missing their mother, Azula was bored, sighing every third second and their father seemed to tapping his foot impatiently, a chuckle attempting to escape his mouth every time someone would offer their condolences.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Uncle Iroh?¡± Tadashi leaned to the side and asked Azula.


    ¡°Still on his way home from Ba Sing Se, the failure shouldn¡¯t be allowed to be here anyway.¡± Azula grimaced, having missed out on firebending training to attend this funeral.


    Tadashi simply nodded and straightened his posture, attempting to look as sad as possible without looking weak. It was a look he had learned by watching his father and perfected years ago, whenever his parents forgot to include him in their plans. All of a sudden one of the fire sages stood forwards and started speaking.


    ¡°Azulon. Fire Lord to our great nation for twenty-three years. You were our fearless leader in the Battle of Garsai. Our matchless conqueror of the Hu Xin Provinces. You were father of Iroh, father of Ozai, husband of Ilah, now passed. Grandfather of Lu Ten, now passed. Grandfather of Zuko, Tadashi and Azula. We lay you to rest.¡±


    The smell of burning flesh threatened to fill the area when two attendants bent fire into the casket. The wood had been heavily drowned in perfume to help mask the smell but it did nothing to alleviate the disgusting feeling in Tadashi¡¯s stomach, something his siblings seems to share.


    ¡°As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son.¡± The fire sage continued speaking.


    Tadashi¡¯s head snapped to the side, looking at his father that now had a stern expression on his face. He looked back to Azula and confirmed that she had known all along, their father was now the new Fire Lord. It all made sense why the funeral was planned and conducted before their uncle could return. Not knowing what to feel, Tadashi realised what this all meant, if his father was the new Fire Lord then Zuko would become the crown prince and he¡¯d be second in-line for the throne.


    Everything made much more sense to the boy, the reason why their mother disappeared, the meeting between their father and grandfather and now why their Uncle didn¡¯t get a chance to come home in time. Although he struggled to put all the pieces together Tadashi couldn¡¯t help but smirk in admiration for such a well thought out plan. In his mind such an act, especially as Uncle Iroh had no child, meant that the Fire Nation would prosper for much longer. As the Fire Sage begun hailing the new Fire Lord, Tadashi turned to Azula who had put on the biggest grin he had seen from her all day. Zuko on the other hand was seemingly terrified as he shuffled backwards, wanting to run away, but Tadashi grabbed his hand and raised an eyebrow, mentally slapping his elder brother who seemed to understand what Tadashi was doing. It goes without saying if Zuko was to bail now then it would be the ultimate disrespect towards their father and no one, especially not their missing mother, would be able to stop him.


    ¡°Hail Fire Lord Ozai!¡± the crowd cheered, waves of approval reaching the new Fire Lord who smirked triumphantly.


    In his heart, Tadashi approved too, but subconsciously his mind was already planning something far crueller.

 Book 0: Chapter 3

    The next two months passed quietly, much to Tadashi¡¯s annoyance. Everyone kept themselves busy, including his father, the new Fire Lord. With a complete reconfiguration of the higher administration, Fire Lord Ozai banished those that he didn¡¯t trust, although simply sending them away would be too apparent of his mistrust. Instead he sent them on glorified suicide missions, martyrs to the Fire Nation cause and an inspiration for new soldiers who were enlisted into the army.


    Uncle Iroh was oddly absent, he would visit from time to time, speaking with Zuko whenever he visited but never seen at other times. Azula would often say that he was wallowing in his failure, a thought that Tadashi himself saw as pitiful. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that his Uncle had often given him pointers on his firebending and was the inspiration behind the smoke-style he developed then Tadashi was sure he¡¯d see him in the same light that Azula does.


    Zuko had strangely opened up more, although it was merely artificial. Whenever Tadashi and his elder brother would meet each other the older boy would try to hide his grief and put on a mask of indifference. Tadashi of course would pretend not to notice and play along with the charade, something that Zuko appreciated. The two would practice their bending sometimes, often sparing. Zuko would struggle to keep up with his younger brother but managed to keep on finding some hidden drive to even the odds, even if the resulting fire came out raw and inaccurate.


    Azula was the only one that didn¡¯t let the surrounding events affect her, instead she focused on the one spark of blue flame that Tadashi had created and spent all her free time practicing. The moments where Tadashi glimpsed at her training program were impressive, great plumes of red fire released in every attack, but the young girl would always shout at him to leave, annoyed by his presence, even throwing fire at him until he went away.


    That was until this week.


    ¡°Brother, come quick!¡± she whispered aloud, pulling the boy by the sleeve into one of the palace training rooms.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m coming,¡± Tadashi murmured, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.


    He wanted to swear, it was the dead of the night and Azula had sneaked into his room, passed by the guards patrolling and dragged him into one of the sparring rooms. As Tadashi closed the door he sighed to himself, stifling a yawn and turning to face the young girl who was bouncing on the balls of her feet.


    ¡°I did it!¡± she spoke, barely able to contain her excitement.


    ¡°Did what?¡± Tadashi asked.


    Instead of replying Azula got into her firebending stance started making the same motions she had done two months ago, her arms falling outwards and inwards into the correct stances but what came next was a surprise for the boy.


    Smoke, great big puffs of it surrounded Azula like a trail of dark clouds. As she moved she created rings of the ash-like air on the ground, using heat to slowly rise it. Then with a display of finesse the room exploded with a breathtakingly immense wave of blue fire. A mixture of intense flames soared through the air, enough to make Tadashi unconsciously sweat. Azula had mimicked her elder brother¡¯s performance and perfected it. Every movement was made deliberately and with grace yet the fire felt harsh and cold, ready to strike though the heart of any opponent. With a final series of moves, the young girl drew the remaining embers and smoke in to form a ball, similar to what Tadashi had done but instead of condensing it she expanded the ball. This resulted in the room being filled by a surreal glow, more than enough to entrance the boy who watched in amazement. The ball continually expanded until Tadashi noticed that he was slowly backing away.


    ¡°Umm¡­..Azula-" Tadashi wanted to warn her sister but saw the intense look on her face.


    A soft scoff escaped the boy¡¯s mouth as he couldn¡¯t help but smile, taking in his sister¡¯s hard work for the first time in months. Even as he reluctantly stepped back he could see the ball of fire visibly start wavering, eventually dithering out into nothing more than blue embers, a sight that Tadashi made a note to never forget.


    The two stood there for moments, the girl unable to speak, drawing great breaths despite her small frame and the boy who didn¡¯t know what he could say, his mind taking in the sight his sister decided to share with him.


    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± Azula asked expectantly.


    Tadashi paused, looking back at the girl who was waiting somewhat impatiently. Her whole form suited a ruler, someone of exceptional confidence in their abilities. But Tadashi could see it, the moments of hesitation, the way her lip would waver or how her eyes would briefly look away. Thoughts that were nothing but envious of her ability surfaced, the need to point out how childish her need to copy him or find non-existent flaws in her performance. Thinking of such things, Tadashi walked forwards, taking a deep breath and pushing the thoughts away. As he wrapped his arms around her, surprising even himself, he couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. A feeling that he never thought he¡¯d feel so much for another person.


    ¡°I¡¯m exceptionally proud,¡± he spoke quietly, stifling a laugh as the young girls body stiffened, ¡°you did so well, I¡¯m sure father would say the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Azula asked, for once her voice conveyed nothing but honest curiosity.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure of it,¡± his hand rubbed Azula¡¯s head, much to her annoyance.


    Tadashi pulled away from the girl, giving her a confident smirk.


    ¡°Well of course it was exceptional, I¡¯m going to become the best fire bender in history, and it¡¯s only natural I display such talents now.¡± She spoke with as much arrogance as a ten year old girl could muster.


    Tadashi, one to not let such an opportunity pass, came up with a similar reply.


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡± he said exaggeratedly, ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I¡¯ve already come up with a new use for firebending, something you¡¯ve never even thought about!¡±


    Azula looked at him incredulously, trying to stifle a set of giggles.


    ¡°Oh yes, I do mean it. Of course I¡¯d be more than happy to teach my precious little sister some new tricks¡­¡­¡­.if she were to swear fealty to me?¡± Tadashi purposefully paused before he said those last words.


    Azula¡¯s face almost contorted into one of rage before she picked up the meaning of his words, a deep blush formed on her face as she attempted to maintain eye contact with Tadashi.


    ¡°You know if father heard those words they could easily be mistaken for treason?¡± Azula stated, placing one hand on her hip, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll forgive your foolish words this time,¡±


    The two laughed, happily bantering with each other, demonstrating what they knew from their private training session and before they knew it many hours had passed.


    ¡°Did we stay up the whole night?¡± Tadashi asked, unable to stop yawning.


    There was no answer, in fact as Tadashi looked to Azula who was sitting next to him, her head dropping slightly as she snored quietly. The boy smiled warmly, knowing he had been in the presence of an Azula that not even their father got to see. He moved his hand to wake her but paused, deciding to carry her back to her room instead. The journey back was thankfully uneventful, the guards either too tired or bored to patrol properly, dawn only a few hours away. As Tadashi crept back into his room he couldn¡¯t wipe the smug grin of his face, it wasn¡¯t that he was exceptionally happy but that he had not been bluffing earlier, he really did know a new trick to teach Azula.


    ¡°I wonder what Zuko would say if he saw that performance?¡± Tadashi mumbled to himself as he slipped into his room, quickly drifting back to sleep.


    <hr />


    With everything seemingly falling into a steady pace, life continued somewhat peacefully for those within the Fire Lord''s close family. Azula had her friends over more often, the trio of girls would play pranks and practice their unique talents. Tadashi had learnt that Mai and Zuko harboured feelings for each other, the way they would glance at one another before looking away in embarrassment made Tadashi feel awkward around them. Out of Azula¡¯s two friends, Mai never really spoke to him, often saying a curt greeting before moving along with Azula or looking for Zuko. Ty Lee was more approachable, having taken an interest in Tadashi. He too couldn¡¯t help but admit that he admired the athletic ability she held, her acrobatics were advanced for her age. The day that he asked if she could teach him surprised her, but she readily accepted, more than happy that someone appreciated the work she put into her abilities. Before they knew it a year had passed since the day Fire Lord Ozai was crowned, the group of five had grown somewhat close, although tensions between Azula and Zuko never seemed to settle.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    One particular afternoon the group had been given time to spend on Ember Island, relaxing by the beach but also chaperoned by the twin advisors Lo and Li.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do something,¡± Azula stated, bored from staring at the ocean for the third time that day.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°I know!¡± Ty Lee jumped to her feet,¡± Why don¡¯t we go exploring the local jungles? I bet we can find some amazing flora there!¡±


    Azula sighed, contemplating what her friend has said whilst gazing at Zuko and Tadashi who were busy playing a game of Shogi. Zuko had put up a good effort, using his Silver Generals to protect their King with a valiant effort but Tadashi had used a underhanded technique, sacrificing his Gold General and a quarter of his army to stealthily promote his Rook, and two Silver Generals, giving him the advantage. Although Azula found such games to be a bore, she couldn¡¯t help but admire the skill that a tactical game like Shogi forced you to use, not only had Tadashi been several steps ahead of Zuko but the elder brother had not even realised.


    Before she knew it an idea formed in her head, she leaned towards Mai who was lying down beside her and whispered in her ear. Ty Lee looked at the two curiously before ignoring them and practicing her handstands as usual. After Azula had finished talking, she got up, motioning for Mai and Ty Lee to follow and walked over to where Lo and Li were sunbathing, finding it hard not to grimace at their decrepit bodies.


    ¡°Lo, Li, we¡¯re going exploring.¡± Azula stated.


    Both women glanced at one another for a second before nodding in respect.


    ¡°Be careful Princess Azula,¡± Lo spoke.


    With a curt nod, Azula turned on her heel and left, followed closely by her two friends. Tadashi, facing the direction that the trio were coming from, glanced briefly towards Azula who placed a finger to her lips. The boy sighed, rolling his eyes and focusing back on the board.


    ¡°Why did we start playing this again?¡± Zuko suddenly asked, frustrated that he didn¡¯t know what to do next.


    ¡°Because,¡± Tadashi spoke in an all-knowing tone, ¡°this will help you when thinking of military strategies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a stupid game!¡± Zuko replied, throwing his arms in the air.


    ¡°That may be true, but if you treat all your units like their special you¡¯ll get nowhere.¡±


    Zuko gave his brother a surprised look, taking in his words before speaking slowly.


    ¡°I never knew you¡¯d be so¡­..blunt.¡± he said, somewhat disappointed.


    ¡°Blunt? I¡¯m not sure you have the right word there, but I¡¯ll do what it takes to ensure the majority of my forces return safely. It¡¯s a mixture of saving resources, manpower and approval. Be sure to remember that manpower and approval aren¡¯t the same thing, a man with outward courage dares to die but a man with inner courage dares to live¡­..or something like that.¡± Tadashi spoke.


    ¡°You sound like Uncle,¡± Zuko chuckled.


    ¡°Oh¡­..I guess I do,¡± Tadashi frowned slightly before focusing back on the board.


    ¡°At any rate by sacrificing one of my pieces I ensured that the rest were safe and captured the enemy King with ease,¡± Tadashi moved his Gold General to capture Zuko¡¯s King piece, ending the game.


    Zuko nodded, accepting the loss but already thinking of another strategy to win the next game as Tadashi reset all the pieces. The two continued to play, at times Zuko switched up his tactics and came close to putting Tadashi on edge, but his over caring attitude would always give his brother the victory. Before they knew it the sun had started to set and most of the people who were relaxing at the beach had left.


    ¡°Prince Zuko, Prince Tadashi, it is time to go and look for your sister and her friends!¡± Lo and Li said together.


    Zuko turned to face them before remembering what they were wearing and failed to hide his grimace, instead looking back at his younger brother who chuckled in amusement.


    ¡°They¡¯re not here?¡± Zuko asked.


    ¡°Apparently not,¡± Tadashi replied, ¡°We might as well go now.¡±


    The two packed up the Shogi set before walking towards the beach house they were staying at, owned by the elderly twins. Azula was waiting by the entrance, an uncharacteristically worried look on her face.


    ¡°Oh, Zuzu¡­..Mai is missing!¡± she said, with a pained look in her eyes.


    ¡°What! How did that happen?¡± Zuko asked, his face getting paler by the second.


    ¡°We were exploring the jungle and got separated, poor Mai didn¡¯t respond to my calls so I came back to find some he-¡°before she could finish, Zuko was already off.


    ¡°Zuko, wait!¡± Tadashi screamed, but his elder brother ignored him, running down a road that led into the local jungle.


    Azula maintained her distressed appearance for all of two seconds after Zuko ran off, preceding to laugh maliciously as tears formed by her eyes.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­.that was my best trick yet!¡± She said, turning to face Tadashi.


    ¡°So Mai is inside then?¡± Tadashi asked.


    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s not stupid enough to get lost that easily,¡±


    Tadashi paused, somewhat conflicted. He didn¡¯t want to admit that he was impressed by his sisters acting capabilities but it was getting increasingly late and traversing any jungle in the dark was beyond dangerous.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get Zuko,¡± he sighed, ¡°No more tricks though, it gets tiring cleaning up after you,¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Azula smiled as she rolled her eyes, clearly making no promises.


    Tadashi remained calm as he went after Zuko, walking down the path that led to the edge of the jungle. He didn¡¯t want to spend any time in here, especially as it was possible to run into wild Armadillo bears which tore their prey to shreds without warning. Tadashi unwillingly gulped, taking in his surroundings.


    ¡°It would be foolish to shout,¡± Tadashi murmured to himself, putting himself into a stance.


    Taking deep breaths, the boy put his mind at ease and focused on the heat around him. He felt the coldness of the trees, the humidity of the air and the last intense rays of the sun. As nice as those felt it wasn¡¯t what the young firebender was looking for, so he took a deeper breath, extending his chi further than he had before. The first sign of life he sensed came from a bird, a flock that was nesting in the tall trees the jungle offered. There were small creatures moving along the floor and a komodo rhino grazing not too far away. Frowning in annoyance, Tadashi tried to extend his reach further when the familiar flame of his elder brother popped up.


    ¡°Zuko!¡± he said delightedly, running off in the direction he felt the heat coming from.

 Book 0: Chapter 4

    Zuko was visibly shaking. The sun had set, the warmth had left the land and every insect in a 1km radius was making unbelievable noise.


    ¡°Mai!¡± he shouted for the eighty-seventh time, met only by a chorus of chirps, creeks and caws.


    It continued, the same pattern over and over. Zuko would call and the only thing he heard were insects and birds. It frustrated him, hearing nothing yet everything, constantly. It wasn¡¯t long until he regretted his rash decision to enter the jungle, not even bringing Azula or better yet Tadashi with him.


    ¡°If I brought Azula I bet she¡¯d leave me for dead,¡± Zuko chuckled darkly, kicking a stone into a nearby bush, only for a barrage of birds to scatter about.


    The sudden disturbance unwillingly gave fuel to all the insects, their calls growing louder by the second until Zuko couldn¡¯t stomach it anymore.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Zuko roared, fire unceremoniously pouring from his fists.


    For a second this worked. Complete peace where nothing made a sound, a second that Zuko wanted to praise but fell into a fit of rage as every small insignificant creature called out in a symphony of innate annoyance. Nothing could stop Zuko as he started thrashing about, throwing fire in every direction, anything to drown out the noise.


    Then it roared.


    Zuko froze, the insects froze and even the jungle froze as the mighty beast roared with all its might. He didn¡¯t need anyone to tell him that he just put himself in a bad situation and with no grace ran away from the source of the sound, wary of the thumping that was coming from behind. As thickets and branches whipped past the young firebender he ran into a small clearing where a pile of rocks formed a small cave. Zuko quickly threw a ball of fire at the cave, scaring a poor pack of baby Iguana seals out of their home.


    Diving into the hole, Zuko thanked the spirits that the cave was deeper than he imaged because as he saw the Armadillo Bear storm out into the clearing his face went pale. The beast seemed confused, unable to see the person who raised it from its slumber, roaring in annoyance. Luckily for the older boy, Tadashi had been hot on his brother¡¯s trail. Ever since the initial burst of firebending, the boy had been using his honed heat senses to locate the direction that Zuko had went in, then when he reached the first traces of disturbed foliage all it took was following the path of carnage to reach the spot where the Armadillo Bear was stomping about.


    Tadashi crouched behind a downed tree, unable to see Zuko before he saw the quivering form of his older brother inside the rock formation. Unfortunately the Armadillo Bear had noticed too, attempting to claw its way into the cave, but being deflected by the rocks protecting Zuko. The beast raged, moving its heavy body in an attempt to topple the whole structure.


    ¡°Help!¡± Zuko shouted, his voice unable to hide his fear.


    Tadashi grimaced, struggling to think of something. Looking around there was nothing he could use as a weapon, the only tool he had access to was his firebending. Almost smacking his head for forgetting, the boy started releasing smoke, ensuring it remained low and dense. He poured as much energy as he could into the cloud, making it denser than he¡¯d ever attempted before. It took a few minutes, the rocks seemingly able to hold during that time, but Tadashi created a low circle of dense smoke between himself and the beast. Taking a step back, the boy called out.


    ¡°Hey ugly! Over here!¡± Tadashi shouted as he threw a ball of fire at the Armadillo Bear.


    As the beast turned around Tadashi tried to contain the need to run, eyeing the smoke trap he had laid which was slowly filtering away. Fortunately for him the creature took the bait and charged towards the younger boy, running right over the cloud of condensed smoke as Tadashi ignited it.


    The resulting explosion was huge, illuminating the evening sky for longer than Tadashi imagined. Embers flew in every direction, some of the plants had been singed dry but the plants in the Fire Nation were more resilient to fire than any other type of fauna in the world, a useful material for soft armour. Of course this didn¡¯t save the Armadillo Bear who got caught directly above the explosion. To put it lightly, there was nothing left.


    No entrails, no body, nothing.


    ¡°Um¡­..Zuko, it¡¯s safe to come out.¡± Tadashi mumbled, so surprised by the explosion that he could barely focus his attention on anything else around him.


    Zuko was in a similar state of shock, having witnessed first-hand how powerful Tadashi¡¯s nonsensical smoke technique really turned out to be.


    ¡°You saved me,¡± he said after a while.


    ¡°Nah, I just went Armadillo Bear hunting,¡± Tadashi grinned, ¡°I didn¡¯t do too badly considering the circumstances.¡±


    Zuko wanted to give his brother a death stare but found that he couldn¡¯t stop shivering, the ability to kill someone or something in such a brutal way shook him. He didn¡¯t want to look at his brother¡¯s face, even if he had just saved his life, instead focusing back on the reason he had come out here.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it Mai never entered the jungle?¡± Zuko asked, frowning slightly.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Tadashi replied with a frown of his own, ¡°Azula lied,¡±


    ¡°¡±Doesn¡¯t she always¡­..¡± Zuko mumbled.


    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Tadashi chuckled, nudging Zuko slightly, ¡°cheer up, at least we can tell Azula that we took down an Armadillo Bear.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t, it was all you.¡± Zuko argued.


    Tadashi shrugged, already moving backwards civilisation.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to know that¡­.¡±


    Zuko paused, giving his brother a small smile as he continued walking.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he whispered, jogging to catch up Tadashi.


    When they arrived at Lo and Li¡¯s house everyone seemed worried, even Azula. Of course the young girl couldn¡¯t help but laugh as the two boys dragged themselves in and fell with the grace of a seal onto one of the sofas. Zuko was filthier than he realised, twigs and leaves in his hair and lines of mud on his face. Tadashi was no better, having singed the clothing he wore and appearing to sport a rather awkward tan on his face.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Azula asked between fits of laughter, ¡°We saw an explosion earlier was that you?¡±


    Before Zuko could say anything Tadashi jumped in, a sly grin on his face as he got up from the sofa.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it! I with my all powerful smoke technique laid a deadly and efficient trap to capture an Armadillo Bear and when Zuko ignited it¡­boom!¡± Tadashi moved his hands for emphasis, ¡°No more Armadillo Bear!¡±


    ¡°Like nothing?¡± Ty Lee asked, grimacing at the thought.


    ¡°Nothing!¡± Tadashi confirmed, ¡°Completely incinerated!¡±


    Azula tried to nod in approval, finding it hard to believe even though she too saw the explosion from the beach house.


    ¡°Zuzu¡¯s fire did that?¡± she asked skeptically.


    ¡°Umm¡­..yea, why do you ask?¡± Tadashi questioned with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive,¡± Mai said, approaching Zuko with a relieved face.


    She leant forwards to fondle one of his hair strands when a sudden smell entered her nose, forcing the young girl to recoil in disgust.


    ¡°Of course you need to wash first, you stink.¡± Mai said, moving as far away from Zuko as possible.


    ¡°It¡¯s no worse than this room¡­¡± Tadashi mumbled, gaining a snort from Ty Lee who immediately looked away hiding the small blush on her face.


    <hr />


    The remaining stay at the Island went about uneventfully, much to Azula¡¯s disappointment. Zuko had confronted her about lying and she went about her normal routine, twisting her words until the older boy couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the situation. Mai had somehow grown closer to Zuko, the prank that Azula had played showed the quiet girl how much Zuko did care, a feeling she was starting to heavily reciprocate. Ty Lee and Azula were always off in their own worlds, either practicing their gymnastic abilities or harassing the locals with orders from ¡®the most powerful female in the Fire Nation¡¯.


    Eventually there were all back in the Fire Nation, Uncle Iroh was more active around the palace, talking with generals or inspecting regiments about to depart. Everyone seemed to go about their daily lives with no problems, the Fire Lord had taken more interest in Zuko after Azula told him about the Armadillo Bear incident and Tadashi even gained some recognition for remaining ¡®loyal to his family¡¯ as his father put it. Everything was going well and Tadashi found himself at peace, content with his position within his family.


    That was until the day Zuko got himself into an Agni Kai.


    ¡°What!¡± Tadashi almost screamed at his servant who instinctively bowed as all servants did.


    Tadashi realising that he had just spooked Naoko, immediately apologised and pinched the bridge of his nose, an action he had seen his father and uncle do many times before.


    ¡°I bet Azula is ecstatic?¡± Tadashi mused wistly.


    ¡°Yes, your sister was¡­.um, dancing when she heard the news.¡±


    Tadashi frowned, deep in thought. After a few minutes he decided to change his clothing and head towards the door.


    ¡°Um¡­..wait!¡± Naoko meekly spoke out, ¡°Lord Iroh asked that you don¡¯t disturb your brother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tadashi asked, his temper raising by the second.


    ¡°Prince Zuko said he didn¡¯t want to speak to you or Princess Azula, Lord Iroh said he¡¯d need all the time he could get to practice before the Agni Kai¡±


    Tadashi sighed, disappointed that Zuko had said such a thing. He climbed back into his bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking of something he could do. Of course no solution came.


    ¡°Am I a bad brother?¡±


    ¡°No, Pri- Tadashi.¡± Naoko stuttered as the question caught Naoko off-guard.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    She fiddled with the lining of her clothing, looking at her master who seemed to be more depressed than usual, a side of him that only Naoko saw.


    ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because you have to¡­.¡± Tadashi mumbled.


    Naoko shook her head, moving from her normal position to Tadashi¡¯s bedside. She raised her hand, fighting the urge to take it back and stoked her master¡¯s forehead, an action that always seemed to calm him down.


    ¡°You¡¯re kind, smart and sometimes funny Tadashi,¡± she said quietly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have survived here without you and I think everyone is grateful you¡¯re here, even if they don¡¯t show it.¡±


    ¡°Even father?¡± Tadashi¡¯s voice could barely be heard.


    ¡°Yes, even your father.¡± Naoko replied, unable to look at the boy whilst speaking.


    The two remained like that for a while, Tadashi enjoying the gentle touch that Naoko gave him, until he inadvertently purred. The action causing both to blush immensely as Tadashi attempted to calm his heart. Naoko let out a soft chuckle, smiling at the boy who was a year younger than him.


    ¡°I have to go, other duties to attend to.¡± She excused herself, slowly backing away from the boy.


    Tadashi sighed, looking towards the painting on his wall of a distant Fire Lord, one he didn¡¯t know much about but was named after.


    ¡°Perhaps in another life we could have¡­..¡± he started, disappointed that he let something like that slip.


    Fortunately Naoko had left the room by then, leaving the prince to himself.


    <hr />


    It was the day of the Agni Kai and Tadashi was there, standing beside Azula and their Uncle Iroh, waiting for the duel to begin. The arena was full, ministers and high ranking individuals were all here to see the duel. A hand from behind tapped the shoulders of the young boy, a man with side burns going down his face and a smug grin on his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting?¡± the man asked, gaining Tadashi¡¯s attention.


    The boy didn¡¯t speak, waiting for the man to continue in an act that he copied from his father and seemed to go well with the person in front of him.


    ¡°I am Lieutenant Zhao, an off-¡°he started before Tadashi interrupted him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s all well and good, but do you have anything of importance to say Lieutenant? I¡¯m here to watch the Agni Kai not consort with a promoted private.¡±


    Zhao¡¯s face darkened as he tried to maintain his composure. The statement from the young boy had been heard by everyone around him, including his Uncle Iroh who found it amusing enough to distract him from his thoughts. Tadashi took a second to realise that he insulted the man and quickly rectified his mistake.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, once you are a Captain or even Commander I¡¯ll happily consort with you, as it would be expected of me, but for now we are not here to discuss the war but merely watch as spectators.¡±


    Zhao, still clearly angry, decided that the boys follow up was good enough. He mumbled to himself as he made to walk away, just before the Fire Lord stepped into the arena. As it was expected of everyone, they bowed, greeting the Fire Lord in the traditional manner and waited to see the opponent.


    ¡°Why¡¯s father out there?¡± Tadashi asked, ¡°I thought he insulted a general?¡±


    Azula, who was nearby, shimmied towards her older brother and filled him in on all the details, including the words their father had spoken about the duel. Tadashi¡¯s blood went cold, he would never have expected their father to fight Zuko, especially with the way that they all desperately tried to gain his approval, Azula better at it than anyone else.


    ¡°He won¡¯t fight¡­..¡± Tadashi mumbled.


    ¡°Really?¡± Azula asked, ¡°Although that does fit Zuzu.¡±


    The next few moments happened so quickly that is felt like a blur to Tadashi. Zuko had indeed stepped onto the field and refused to fight their father, instead asking for forgiveness. Tadashi in his heart hoped that their father would do so but knew better, he¡¯d received the cold shoulder most of his life and learnt first-hand how heartless their father could be. When the Fire Lord burned his own son Tadashi gasped, unable to look away and entranced by the single act of maliciousness. He didn¡¯t know if he envied the ability to dish out pain so effectively or was terrified by his father¡¯s own lack of diplomacy. Azula was beaming, a wide grin on her face, and the opposite could be said about their Uncle Iroh who couldn¡¯t even stomach the scene and turned away in shame.


    Zuko¡¯s screams were horrible. Pain, sadness, regret and betrayal all in one heart wrenching torrent of emotion. The boy couldn¡¯t even get up after the attack, after the initial scream he fainted, the pain too much for his body to handle. Uncle Iroh had moved quickly, picking up the fallen boy and taking him away as quietly as possible. The crowds slowly dispersed as Zhao took a step towards Tadashi.


    ¡°Weak, who knew the Fire Lord had such a weak son. Are you like that?¡± Zhao asked with a sly grin.


    Tadashi almost turned around in a fit of rage, planning on lashing out at the man but restrained himself as he remembered that he was still in the presence of Azula and his father.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d like to find out?¡± he said, putting as much venom into his words as possible.


    Zhao grimaced, hoping that he would have caught the boy off-guard.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t challenge a master, you¡¯ll only get burned.¡± He retorted.


    ¡°So you say,¡± Tadashi grinned himself, ¡°sounds to me like you¡¯re afraid of getting beat.


    ¡°What!¡± Zhao put aside any doubt and threw a large fireball in Tadashi¡¯s direction.


    Azula who was standing beside Tadashi jumped out of the way as the remaining guests turned around to witness the commotion. The boy blocked the attack, a simple gesture he¡¯d practiced a thousand times over and took several steps back until he was on the field, now being watched by the remaining guests, Azula and his father who was still on the field but had backed up slowly, watching the proceeding event with interest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you swallow those words!¡± Zhao shouted, throwing more fire towards Tadashi.


    The younger boy knew that he could not easily beat his opponent, only able to block the shots or dodge them. He threw a few punches of his own, ferocious in look but doing no real damage to Zhao who batted them aside. Time seemed to slow down for the young bender as he analysed his opponent, looking for a weakness to exploit, but the moment he noticed how wild Zhao¡¯s shots of fire were an idea came to mind.


    ¡°A grown man is struggling to beat a kid!¡± Tadashi taunted, frustrating his opponent greatly.


    The barrage of fire increased, filling the area with entrails of smoke, every second the amount of the substance would increase and before they knew it a decent level of the stuff had taken the field. Zhao charged forwards, tired of all the dodging and defending, wanting to finish it in as few moves as possible, however he could never have known that this was precisely what Tadashi wanted. The Fire Lord who had been watching from the side, an excited Azula standing beside him, was sporting a devious grin, having caught on to the boys plan.


    As Zhao jumped, using his fist to send a wave of fire forwards, Tadashi put more strength into his legs as he dived to the side, quickly taking position far behind Zhao as he ignited the patch of smoke that Zhao had jumped into. The man jumped back, caught off-guard by the sudden intense heart and stumbled into another patch of smoke that Tadashi ignited. Zhao growled, trying to find his bearing but the young firebender wouldn¡¯t let him do so. Another patch of smoke ignited and Zhao cursed, shielding his eyes from the heat. This however meant that he never saw the boy coming as he ran towards Zhao, leapt into the air and kicked out with his feet, throwing an intense orange flame that was barely tinted by blue embers directly into the Lieutenants chest.


    Since this wasn¡¯t an official Agni Kai the palace guard were meant to have apprehended Zhao but the Fire Lord told them to stop, even now after the bout had ended.


    ¡°So, what will you do to the man who challenged your honour?¡± Tadashi turned to listen to his father before facing Zhao again.


    Zhao was clearly defeated but his face was that of hate and malice, ready to strike again if the opportunity arose. Tadashi saw the glint in the downed man¡¯s eyes and a primal desire to instil obedience took over as he walked towards Zhao and grabbed his neck.


    For a moment he didn¡¯t realise what the young boy was doing until he felt an intense burning sensation around his neck. The rage in the boy''s eyes mimicked that of the Fire Lord and Zhao quickly realised he had made a mistake, thinking that the boy was like Zuko. Trying to hold it in, Zhao struggled to not groan in pain as Tadashi burned his neck, the smell of seared skin making his eyes water. In seconds Tadashi pushed away, stepping back and looking down at the man in a dominating way. Guards then ran to Zhao¡¯s side picking him up and escorting him away from the arena.


    The force that took over his mind then seemingly vanished and Tadashi felt weak again, having expelled a lot of chi during that fight. He looked towards his Sister who seemed to be having the best day of her life before noticing several things from his father. His smile seemed to mimic that of a proud parent, the only thing Tadashi had ever wanted from the man but his eyes held something else, whether they were calculating, suspicious or worried Tadashi didn¡¯t know but it scared him. He stood there, watching as everyone left, not because it was expected of him but because he couldn¡¯t move. Too much energy had left his body and he knew that even taking one step would mean he¡¯d fall over and look like a fool. So he waited, until Azula had finished congratulating him, for the ministers to finish nodding in approval and for everyone else to leave, Tadashi making excuses as to why he remained. It wasn¡¯t until Naoko appeared that he relaxed, almost collapsing onto her shoulder as she helped him to his room. Tadashi made a mental note to visit Zuko, he doubted that his brother would even want to see him but he had to try, after all he did promise their mother he¡¯d do so.

 Book 0: Chapter 5

    "What?"


    Tadashi had woken to a statement he never thought he''d have to hear. He could see the sadness in Naoko''s eyes as she repeated herself for the third time that morning.


    "The Fire Lord has been gracious enough to give Zuko two days to recover."


    "But why?" he asked, his hands twitching slightly.


    Naoko sighed, having explained this before already. She was reluctant to move any closer than two feet away from his bed but if things were to get out of hands then another incident would occur. So following her own personal routine she gently sat on the bed and took Tadashi''s hand, gently rubbing it with her thumb until he calmed down.


    "It''s unfortunate that your bother has been banished, but you can at least be there for him, let him know that a friendly face will be there to welcome him back?" Naoko spoke softly.


    "You''re right," Tadashi nodded, giving Naoko a half-smile, "Thanks."


    Naoko blushed slightly, not knowing what to say. Her position as a servant forbid gestures like this, dictating that she should be seen and not heard but from the day she met her master she knew he was quite different. Not unlike Lady Ursa, Tadashi would thank the servants and do thoughtful things to make their lives easier, this was why the servants came to like him. But the unique environment that was the Fire Nation Royal Family brought about something else too, a more attention-seeking and power hungry side that would surface every now and then. It scared her to think what would happen if she ever stepped out of line, suffering a fate not to similar to some of Ozai''s and Azula''s servants.


    "You''re welcome," she said, pulling away from the boy. "Now if you''ll excuse me I have to attend to your fa-¡­..the Fire Lord."


    Tadashi grimaced, that was the last person he wanted to think about. The thought of his father made him want to stay in bed but the sun had already risen and it would be counterproductive for a firebending prince to waste time that could be training, taking lessons or doing some other menial task in his never-ending path to please his father. Still lost in thought he didn''t realise as Naoko had brought out a set of clothing for him to wear and was already at the door.


    "Oh, by the way," Naoko interrupted his thoughts, "The Fire Lord requests your presence at noon."


    Tadashi gulped but nodded, already dreading the confrontation. As Naoko left the room he quickly changed, slipping into more suitable clothing for the day and left to go find something to eat before seeing Zuko. It was unusually quiet, not a single servant or guard could be seen on his way to the kitchens and even once he had entered the kitchens there wasn''t a single member of staff about.


    "Odd¡­." Tadashi mumbled to himself, but he shrugged it off, deciding to get something to eat himself.


    Cooking was a skill that Tadashi had only learnt once Naoko had started working in the palace. Coming from a middle class background the girl had plenty of experience cooking for herself and was coerced into teaching the young boy when he caught her in the kitchens one night. Tadashi kept himself busy, cooking eggs and Komodo sausages in a small pan, he was so preoccupied that he didn''t notice the staff slowly trickling into the room.


    "Um¡­Prince Tadashi?" the head chef called warily.


    Tadashi froze, turning around to meet the chef, a tall and burly man with a light scar on his upper lip. Luckily for the young boy his meal was prepared and the staff had seen him cook before so explaining himself wouldn''t be a bother.


    "We can do that¡­." The head chef muttered, shuffling in an agitated manner.


    "Oh, tha-" Tadashi began but was interrupted by another chef.


    "What he means is that it''s not your place to make food, that''s our job. The Fire Lord has reminded us of this." he said, rubbing his arm whilst trying to avoid eye contact with Tadashi.


    The boy could only nod, unable to understand why this was happening but knowing that the kitchen staff were saying this for his and their benefit. He quickly left the kitchen, mumbling that he also wanted some fruit and left to the dining room. At this time it was empty, no one was around and there were no guards stationed about either. Tadashi sighed, grateful to have some alone time while he recollected his thoughts. Not too long later Naoko entered the room carrying a tray with his food, her face seemed stiffer than usual and he noticed that her clothing was different from what she had been wearing earlier. Knowing that the young boy sensed something wrong Naoko quickly placed the tray on the table, bowed and whispered something that no eavesdropper would hear.


    "After you finish eating, go to your room,"


    Her words were short and abrupt, but she quickly straightened and took a posture against one of the walls, waiting for Tadashi to finish. The young boy was surprised, this was the first time in a while that she''d acted this way when only the two of them were together but sensing that his father might have had a hand in everything that''s going on he focused on quickly finishing his breakfast, realising that he was hungrier than he thought.


    After finishing his meal the two quickly left the room, another servant walking in to clear the remains. Tadashi recognised the older boy but he didn''t even spare a glance at Tadashi, instead focusing on the floor in front of him. All the servants seemed to have returned to their posts, guards included but everyone that passed by, guard or servant, would glance away as Tadashi made his way to his room. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was unsettling. By the time that the two were in Tadashi''s room the boy was thoroughly confused and slightly angry.


    "So, what is all this? Why won''t anyone talk to me? Why was everyone missing this morning and when did you change your clothing?" he blurted out, walking back and forth in his room with restlessness.


    Naoko wanted to move forwards but stayed put, thinking of her answer before speaking much softer than usual, wary of anyone that might be outside.


    "You see the Fire Lord called us all to the throne room this morning, he told us that you were to be treated this way. He wouldn''t elaborate why but he said that anyone found being friendly with you was to be banished without hesitation."


    Tadashi stopped walking, unable to believe what he''d heard.


    "But why?" he murmured, eyes dropping slightly.


    "I''m not entirely sure¡­.but I think your¡­.um father is wary of you," she paused looking around nervously, "you see with Zuko being banished to hunt the Avatar you will become the Crown Prince."


    "What?" Tadashi had never thought of that before.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how life as the Crown Prince would be but everything that had been happening lately was too strange to appreciate this potential reality.


    "How am I a threat?" Tadashi wondered aloud, but taken by surprise when Naoko answered without missing a beat.


    "That''s easy, it was the way you dealt with Zhao. It proved to your father that you have what it takes to be ruthless but at the same time he doesn''t treat you like his own son so that may make him weary."


    Tadashi''s eyes opened, he had never expected Naoko or anyone else for that matter to come to the same conclusion he did many years ago.


    "How do you know? Do you think he''s not my father too?" Tadashi asked, fearing the answer.


    "I didn''t mean that," Naoko grimaced slightly before moving to console the younger boy, realising that he was thoroughly confused. "He is your father after all but I think you''re much better than he is."


    The words she spoke could have easily been seen as treasonous, especially as it was said to a potential Fire Lord now. Tadashi knew that everything he had been told was meant to be a secret, it wasn''t the first time things like this had happened. In the past Tadashi and Azula would often spy on their grandfather, knowing ahead of time about palace functions, changes in guard formations and even the time their grandfather threw fire at a servant for calling him Fired Lord by accident.


    "OK, fine. I get all that," Tadashi spoke, "but what happened to you?"


    Naoko stepped back suddenly, but she was too slow for Tadashi who caught her arm and held it up, careful to only touch her hand as he saw her wince in pain. She didn''t know what to do, pulling away half-heartedly and fighting back a whimper.


    "He burned you," Tadashi''s voice almost growled.


    Seeing the anger building up within him, Naoko pulled Tadashi closer and hugged him, hoping that the sudden embrace would calm him down. Fortunately for her it did, as he quickly let go of her, putting his own half-hearted attempt to separate them before accepting her embrace.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I''m sorry," He said, "This is all my fault."


    Naoko smiled softly, stroking the boy''s dark hair affectionately. Coming from a family of girls she never knew what having a brother was like but knew that it wouldn''t be that much different from this, she only wished the circumstances were different. After a minute she pulled away, a pained look in her eyes as she hoped no one had seen the two of them.


    "Nothing is your fault Tadashi, you''re kind and strong and I''d never wish to serve someone else." She began, fiddling with the sleeve of her arm before pulling it back.


    Tadashi gasped slightly as he saw the burn, the skin seemed to be boiling, and exactly the same way Zhao''s had after their fight. Without thinking he had moved his hand and focused his attention on the heat that was still there, drawing as much away from her arm as possible. Naoko stiffened at first before realising that the pain in her arm was receding, marvelling at how efficient Tadashi''s bending seemed to be, that was until she noticed he was breathing hard.


    "That''s enough," she said, "I''m fine now¡­.thank you."


    Tadashi breathed deeply a few times until he could feel his energy pool returning to normal levels. For him, the process of helping Naoko relieved him of some stress, helping to calm his mind and heart down immensely.


    "What would I do without you?" Tadashi asked out of the blue.


    Naoko laughed, already passed the stage of blushing and proceeding to hug Tadashi again who didn''t complain.


    "You''d be just fine, the real question is what would I do without such a wonderful master to serve?"


    "Don''t put it like that¡­." Tadashi complained before chuckling slightly.


    The two stayed like that for an hour, talking, teasing and coming to a better understanding about the situation with Tadashi and the Fire Lord. A knock on the door caught their attention as Naoko jumped back into her regular servant expression, ready to act as if nothing had transpired. A plain looking man walked into the room, looking absentminded.


    "Sorry for the disturbance Prince Tadashi but Naoko''s presence is required with the palace herbalist," he spoke slowly and carefully.


    "Why?" Tadashi asked curiously.


    The man stiffened, clearly not expecting the question.


    "She''s been asked to help go and purchase a fresh patch of potent herbs." He quickly explained, motioning for Naoko to leave.


    The girl gave a quick bow to Tadashi before hopping out the room, the man doing a similar action, leaving Tadashi to himself. The young firebender sighed, still frustrated by what was happening, he began thinking of what would happen when he met his father later, what he would do, how angry he would be. Listening to his internal clock as all firebender were taught he realised that noon was still a while away, meaning he could use the remaining time to check up on Zuko. Not wanting to disturb or be spotted by anyone, Tadashi made a game of sticking to the shadows, using his smoke to throw off anyone that he thought would see him and it almost worked until he bumped into his Uncle.


    "It''s not every day you see a Prince of the Fire Nation sticking to the shadows," he said, looking at Tadashi quizzically.


    "Hello Uncle," Tadashi said, "I''m here to see Zuko."


    "I see, well Zuko is still asleep, but I''m sure he''d appreciate the company when he awakens." Iroh gave Tadashi a small smile.


    "I can''t stay for long, father wants to see me at noon," Tadashi grumbled.


    Iroh suddenly tensed upon hearing Tadashi''s words, he looked around before facing the boy again.


    "I understand, he most likely wants to speak to you about your bout with Zhao. I have to say that was a very foolish thing to do. Fate is often unkind to those that are unkind themselves."


    "Father already burned Nao- my servant," Tadashi spoke bitterly.


    Iroh noticed the pain in the boy''s eyes and tried to remain unemotional as he pushed back the anger towards his own brother.


    "I see, it seems that fate has been working rather quickly these past few months." Iroh said, looking off into the distance before refocusing on Tadashi again. "Although it''s unfortunate, you need to be more wary in the future, Prince Zuko had paid the price for what he''s done and I don''t think you need to follow his actions so soon."


    Tadashi squirmed, somewhat uncomfortable by the way his uncle was lecturing him but listened on anyway.


    "I can feel the anger in you, for firebenders our anger is often our source of power, some draw their power from other sources but for long we have used our anger to power us. But remember that anger distracts the mind, it leads to paranoia and can ultimately lead to your destruction."


    Tadashi nodded, understanding what his uncle was trying to say. The moment he faced Zhao he pictured the man that attacked his sister many years ago and let his anger towards him take over and fuel his attacks. Thinking about it now was enough to make him shudder in disgust. His Uncle had stopped talking for a while, the two staying there for a few moments before his Uncle spoke out again.


    "Would you care to come inside for some tea? There''s still a while before you need to meet your father."


    "No thanks," Tadashi excused himself, "I think it''s best I just get there early to be honest."


    Iroh nodded, turning back to walk into Zuko''s room. Tadashi sighed in relief, he knew that staying with his Uncle would only make him feel worse about himself. Thinking of what to do, Tadashi decided that it would be best to simply wait till noon in front of the throne room as he said he would.


    It didn''t take long for the sun to slowly rise to it''s highest point, signifying noon. As Tadashi entered the throne room he felt scared, this was the first time that he''d entered on his own. His father, Fire Lord Ozai, was seated around a wall of intimidating fire. Tadashi instantly bowed as he had been taught to. He remained face down until his father called out to him.


    "Prince Tadashi, do you know why I called you here?" every word he said sounded threatening.


    "Zaho," Tadashi managed to speak, using every fibre of his body to stop shaking.


    "Yes, that is part of why I called you today. You see I was impressed with the way you handled that¡­..lieutenant who I had intend on promoting."


    "That man was going to get a promotion?" Tadashi asked, too confused to let his fear take over him.


    "Of course, having easily manipulated pawns take charge allows me to impose my will that much more easily. That was why I was so¡­.impressed with the way you exploited his anger."


    "Thank you, father." Tadashi said, more out of comprehension than gratitude.


    "Yes¡­..the way you used smoke to control the battle was also quite impressive and I''ve heard that you taught your sister this skill too?"


    "Yes," Tadashi confirmed.


    "Good, I can see you understand the benefit of having powerful allies, especially those with such¡­close connections."


    Tadashi remained silent, unable to respond, his father was about to speak again when a messenger ran into the room, immediately dropping into a bow before speaking.


    "Forgive me for interrupting but I have urgent news!" he exclaimed.


    Ozai was absolutely vexed by the interruption but didn''t show it, noticing the grimace Tadashi was now giving the messenger, the small action was enough to confirm that the boy was the right choice for his plans.


    "You may go Tadashi, we''ll speak again some other time."


    "Yes father," Tadashi bowed, quickly exited the room.


    Unable to maintain his breath, Tadashi gasped desperately for air, unable to shake the anxiety that was taking over his senses. A barrage of thoughts threatened to snap his concentration, leading him to a void of senseless chases and impractical fights. As his rate of breathing began to relax he couldn''t help but let out a shout, uncaring if anyone saw the way he was crying. He didn''t know why talking to his father scared him, he couldn''t think of any particular moment that did it or any threatening words he said that meant something more. Before he knew it a pair of the nearby guards had rushed to assist Tadashi but he waved them away, ensuring the men that he was fine.


    "I''m going to see Zuko" he mumbled to himself before stumbling off, hoping that his older brother was now awake.

 Book 0: Chapter 6

    When Tadashi entered Zuko''s room all he could hear was the sound of his elder brother groaning.


    "It hurts¡­.." his voice was trembling, clearly distraught.


    "Just relax Prince Zuko," Iroh said to the boy, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.


    Tadashi kept quiet, watching how his Uncle prepared a wet towel soaked in cold water and laid it over the bandage, helping to soothe the burns. Neither of them had realised that he was in the room and it stayed that way for a while until Iroh turned around to pick up a cup of tea and noticed him. He gave Tadashi a sad smile and motioned for him to come closer.


    "I''m going to step out for a minute, your brother is here to see you." He told Zuko, before getting up and leaving with his tea in hand.


    Tadashi approached the bed, not knowing what to do or say. Zuko had turned away, choosing not to face Tadashi and hiding the bandaging that was covering his left eye. The two stayed there for a few moments before Tadashi couldn''t stand the silence and spoke.


    "Are you ok?" he asked, immediately regretting he asked.


    "Does it look like I''m OK?" Zuko shouted, turning to face Tadashi, "It hurts, it feels like my face is on fire and who knows what''s going to happen to my eye¡­.and what''s worse is that father did it."


    Tadashi gulped, sensing the betrayal that Zuko felt. He thought about releasing the heat on Zuko''s face but couldn''t bring himself to do so. It was an ability he had discovered by accident but even the concept of reaching out with your chi was apparently very dangerous for firebenders to attempt, the first and last person to ever display such a technique was Fire Lord Sozin. He realised that he was putting Naoko over his own brother by not helping him but he trusted her not to say anything, the secrets the two shared were deeper than any normal master-servant bond. But that wasn''t the only reason, Tadashi still felt shook-up from facing his father, he doubted even something as simple as throwing fire would come out right.


    "Sorry," was all Tadashi could say, looking towards the ground apologetically.


    Zuko sighed in frustration, and turned to face the ceiling, unable to hold back the tears that were falling from his free eye.


    "Don''t worry about it, I''m not acting like an elder brother should right now,"


    "What, don''t kid yourself." Tadashi exclaimed, "You did what anyone of us would do in that situation. Even Azula, if she ever got in trouble, would probably do the same thing."


    "That''s a lie and you know it," Zuko retorted.


    "Perhaps," Tadashi sighed, "But I''d like to believe that''s true."


    Zuko scoffed, using one hand to scratch the bridge of his nose then moving to caress his left eye before scowling in anger. Tadashi noticed how Zuko''s body wanted to shake in rage, the air around the boy was warmer than usual, his emotions tampering with his chi.


    "You know I fought a lieutenant named Zhao?" Tadashi said after a while.


    Zuko raised his visible eyebrow, clearly stunned to hear that statement. Although he had seen the man there at the Agni Kai, he had met the lieutenant in the past before, having come from one of the new families that Ozai promoted in his reformation of the peoples government.


    "How''d it go?" he asked, looking his younger brother up and down.


    "I may have burnt his neck¡­." Tadashi chuckled awkwardly, feeling guilty saying the world ''burnt''.


    "Oh," Zuko said, "That''s good¡­.I guess."


    Tadashi suddenly felt worse, he didn''t want to be in the room any more. Part of his mind was screaming at Zuko for not standing up to their father, for not being strong enough and for getting himself into this mess in the first place. That was the moment he realised why he liked Azula more, it wasn''t just that she was younger than him but she was smarter than Zuko too. Her childish arrogance was admirable at such a young age, Tadashi could see it growing into overconfidence later in her life but with her natural talent and perfectionist attitude he doubted it''d be a problem. He also liked her more because they shared some of the same fears, a topic he hadn''t mentioned to anyone, not even Naoko but one he knew brought them together. Azula meant more to him than he realised and it made Tadashi feel sick, thinking such thoughts in Zuko''s presence. Luckily for him their Uncle Iroh stepped into the room.


    "I see you''ve caught up," he said, sensing the atmosphere in the room, "Perhaps you should go now Tadashi and let your brother get his rest."


    Tadashi simply nodded, moving to leave the room without another word. He paused at the door and turned so that he could see Zuko one last time.


    "Good luck," he murmured quietly, grateful for the small smile Zuko returned.


    <hr />


    After only a few days he had left.


    There was no parade, no ceremony and neither Azula nor their father showed up. A small dingy looking ship was docked, soldiers handpicked from those unfortunate enough to annoy their superiors in the week leading up to Prince Zuko''s banishment. Tadashi had stood there, giving words of encouragement to Zuko along with Ty Lee and Mai who said their goodbyes beside him. Mai seemed more distraught than usual, hardly able to look the banished prince in the eye properly. Ty Lee was also in a similar state, a first for Tadashi who was used to always seeing her all bubbly and optimistic. All three stood there at the docks as Zuko put on a brave face, in his defence he looked the part, ready to go into the world and bring back untold treasures or come with victories from glorious battles.


    The three stood there, waving as the ship set sail, some of the soldier''s families had also gathered, waving to their loved ones, the general atmosphere was quite gloomy. As the three walked towards the palace, Tadashi mentally sighed, glad that their Uncle Iroh had decided to go with Zuko. He imagined that without someone who had earned the title ''Dragon of the West'' the journey would be near impossible. For a brief moment Tadashi contemplated what it would have been like to go with this older brother but as quickly as the thought came it left, a distasteful feeling welling up inside the boy. Before reaching the palace Mai and Ty Lee left, the expressions on their faces clearly said that they didn''t want to appease Azula today. Tadashi grimaced, knowing that he''d need to do so instead, it was one of the rare times when he''d rather be alone then be near his sister.


    However Tadashi was surprised to find that Azula was busy.


    One of the palace advisors told Tadashi that his sister would be a lot busier from now on as her schedule had almost doubled with training, lessons and visits from ministers and generals. In fact Tadashi found out that even at times when they were supposed to eat dinner she was suddenly busy, Lo and Li were placed as her full-time instructors, no one was allowed to speak or bother her and anyone that disobeyed the Fire Lord''s rules was to be instantly banished. At first Tadashi was warily proud of his sister that she was given more responsibilities and would be taught more, even for her young age, but as the weeks dragged by he started to grow annoyed at the situation. He was alone, no one could explain why, not even Naoko knew what was happening and his father was always conveniently busy whenever he tried to talk to him. The worst part was that everything seemed to stop for him, at first his tutors would still come in, teaching him firebending, politics and history among other subjects but even they started coming in less frequent as time went on.


    On one particular day when no one came to him, Tadashi almost lashed out, intending to burn the whole place down. If it wasn''t for Naoko and her quick thinking he knew that his father''s wrath would be immeasurable. That vary same say Tadashi received a summons to the throne room.


    "You summoned me, Fire Lord?" Tadashi knelt, supressing all the anger he still wanted to unleash.


    "Yes boy, I want to finish our talk from last time. You see, ever since I banished Prince Zuko I asked myself what I''d do with you, you see it''s no good simply being a royal you need to prove that you were born with the right to rule." He said with a small smirk.


    Tadashi nodded, fearing where his father was going with this conversation.


    "I want you to do something for me, a task that I can only entrust to you a smart and creative firebender," his grin went maliciously wider, "A special unit will be created for you, one that will test your skill, capacity and ferociousness in battle, taking out those meddlesome Earthbenders in the front lines."


    Tadashi gulped, what his father was suggesting was more horrible than he imagined, compared to Zuko who was off chasing a ghost he would have to go fighting with the possibility of dying every day. His mind raced to find an answer, anything that would place him far from that kind of danger, anything to keep him away from death. It was that moment that he remembered something he overheard Azula saying a few days ago. The young girl had been complaining that all the generals were only looking to line their pockets with gold and gain more power, taking bribes from those that wished to run away from the army and effectively making it impossible for squads like the Rough Rhino''s to hunt them down.


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    "If you''ll permit me I have a suggestion," Tadashi spoke, his voice wavering slightly.


    Ozai paused for a moment, surprised that Tadashi hadn''t immediately accepted the offer. Although he wouldn''t show it on his face he was amused by the sudden turn of events and grunted, a signal that let the boy know he should talk.


    "I wish to setup a group between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, we''ll work as intelligence agencies, reporting directly to you. Our job would range from assassinations to capture missions, assisting in the war however possible."


    "And why should I allow the formation of such a group?" Ozai asked, slightly annoyed.


    "As I mentioned we''d effectively be the Fire Nation''s Military Intelligence and catch traitors, corrupt officials and take out important enemy targets. We''d interrogate any and all prisoners, creating the most efficient information network the world has seen. With my leadership and loyalty to both you, father and the Fire Nation there would be no one that could sway our minds and we''d provide results almost instantly."


    "Instantly you say?" Ozai asked, looking into the determined eyes of Tadashi.


    "Yes sir," the boy replied.


    Ozai didn''t speak for several moments and Tadashi wondered whether he did something wrong, holding off the urge to suddenly apologies. Fortunately Ozai let out an almost pleasant laugh before his smirk once again grew malicious.


    "After careful consideration I believe this is indeed the best path for you, not only would you honour this family with untold achievements but you''ll prove that you are indeed my son."


    Tadashi chocked slightly, thoroughly confused by his father''s words. He didn''t know whether to be happy, insulted or depressed.


    "Of course if I don''t see any results within 2 years then you''ll be sent to the front lines¡­..as promised." Ozai continued, nodding to himself.


    "Thank you fa-"


    "You''ll also be leaving in two days," Ozai interrupted, motioning for an advisor to come forward, "Let it be known that from this day I place Prince Tadashi of the Fire Nation, my son, as the commander of the Fire Nations first true special operations branch. This ranking will be the equivalent to Admiral of the Navy and High General of the army. Do you accept this role?"


    "Yes!" Tadashi spoke, bowling deeply.


    With no other words needing to be said the boy left, unaware of the hidden glee behind Ozai''s cruel eyes.


    "This is perfect," Ozai said to himself, quickly dismissing the advisor after sending him to spread word of Tadashi''s new role, "First I got rid of that failure for a son and now this one willingly sends himself away."


    Ozai laughed, the fires around him moving about in an enticing dance. He went over his plans, a play of sorts that would leave no child of his alive save for his favourite, a plan that would ensure the Fire Nation rules the world long after his death and a plan that would cement his name in history forever.


    The day Tadashi left was as unsurprisingly barren as Zuko''s, no parade, no farewells or anything of the sort. Neither his father, Azula, Mai or Ty Lee were present, although he doubted the last two even knew he was leaving. However he could forgive Azula for not being there, the small girl had fought exhaustion to sneak into his room the night before, where they had said their goodbyes in peace. Azula, as usual, had learnt everything about his planned departure and what he intended on doing outside the capital city. But for once she had no words of malice, jealousy or mockery, only a face that clearly said leaps and bounds about how she felt. Tadashi himself was conflicted by that, on one hand he was extremely happy that she was genuinely going to miss him but on the other hand he felt guilty that he was pleased during her moment of loneliness. Surprisingly enough, the girl could only smirk in admiration when he told her why he suddenly felt conflicted, stating that it was only natural for someone in their family to act this way.


    "It''s weird," she had said that night, using a thumb to massage one of her eyes.


    "What is?" Tadashi asked.


    Azula paused for a while, looking around awkwardly before leaning in closer to Tadashi.


    "I think something''s wrong with me," she said, a look of concern on her face.


    "What do you mean?"


    Azula pouted, folding her arms as she thought of what to say.


    "I don''t know, but when mom left¡­I didn''t care, with Zuko I was glad and Uncle is nothing more than a lousy loser of a traitor. Even if father was to leave I don''t think I''d be¡­..too concerned."


    Tadashi raised an eyebrow waiting for Azula to continue, however she remained silent, and her eyes darting about in a pedantic way.


    "What do yo-" Tadashi began to ask before Azula interrupted him.


    "So why do I feel this way?" Azula glared at her older brother, her fists tightening in anger, "Why do I feel like I''m about to lose a battle I never fought? Why do I have to feel worried that I''ll never see you again? Tell me, why?"


    Tadashi couldn''t speak for a moment, but soon found he couldn''t stop laughing, ruffling Azula''s hair as he did so.


    "Why are you laughing?" Azula asked angrily.


    "It''s called Kinship, I''m sure you''ve heard of it before but that''s what it means to truly be family."


    "What?" Azula recalled a lesson she had learnt about family honour and the specific mention of that word, "What has that got to do with me?"


    "Azula, you''re no fool. I''m your brother and you''re my sister, nothing can change that. If you can''t understand that then know that I''ll always be one step ahead of you, not because you''re not gifted or a natural bender but because I want to be there as your older sibling, understand?"


    Azula''s face reddened slightly as she nodded, gazing down at her feet which didn''t seem to want to position themselves correctly.


    "That sounds like Uncle," she said, refusing to look up any more.


    "Nah, Uncle has nothing on me" Tadashi replied playfully, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I''ll miss you too,"


    Azula stiffened. She felt like she was going to be sick and turned around sharply, walking towards the door without another word.


    "Oh, Azula!" Tadashi called before she stepped out.


    "Yea?"


    "Thanks for telling me that, it means more than you think."


    Azula scowled softly before turning around, her cheeks still red but her eyes full of fire.


    "If you tell anyone I said that I''ll hunt you down myself and burn you, understand?"


    "Sure thing Azu," Tadashi chuckled, waving her off.


    Azula had nothing further to say and quickly left, feeling more determined than ever to master her firebending and prove to her elder brother that she was above this ''Kinship'' he speaks of. Even as she reached her room, her cheeks were still faintly red. The next day had come quick for her, a sense of disappointment filled her as she was rushed off to her lessons, unable to see her brother off but the words he spoke last night still echoed in her mind, taunting her in a way.


    Tadashi too felt odd on the small royal transport that would take him from the local docks to an uninhabited islands on the edge of the Fire Nation. From what he''d heard work had already started there and by the time he reached the island there would be accommodation and a general workspace, with completion slated to finish in less than a week''s time. He had to admit that when the Fire Nation needed something done, they''d do it quick. The thought however made him realise that he wouldn''t return for a long time, not until he could prove that this military unit would be worth all the resources that have been spent making it.


    He could already imagine that the nobles were mocking him behind closed doors, treating this unit as the prince''s plaything rather than something useful.


    "Tadashi, your lunch is ready," the boy turned to face Naoko who wore a soft smile.


    She was one of the people he requested come with him, having her around would make like easier and also a servant that was trustworthy was better than nothing. He also noticed that once they had set sail she was more relaxed than usual, happier and more upbeat too. Tadashi followed Naoko, wondering just how things were going to turn out for him, how he could really contribute to the war and most of all if he really was going to bring honour to his family as his father suggested.

 Book 0: Chapter 7

    The journey had not taken long, but upon arriving on the island Tadashi realised why his father had chosen such a location. It was completely remote, a small island that one could walk from end to end within an hour, he doubted it even appeared on any maps of the Fire Nation. No settlement, no evictions, nothing. This however did mean that everything built upon it would be new. Fortunately for Tadashi and those that would be living on the island the small mass of land was close to Shu Jing, home of the renowned Master Piando, a man Tadashi had thought of contacted soon after settling into his new home.


    Stepping off the boat onto the stone docks, Tadashi quickly realised that there were Earthbenders present on the island, wearing the green and red clothes that symbolised colony uniforms. Before he could even ask someone why they were here Naoko had answered his thoughts.


    "Apparently the Fire Lord thought it''d be wise to conscript Earthbenders, these¡­..colonists were raised to believe that the Fire Nation is the only nation worth being loyal to and that their Earthbending was nothing but a tool to further the Fire Lords goals."


    "In other words they won''t just suddenly attack me?" Tadashi asked.


    "I doubt it, they''re as loyal as your average soldier, probably even came here to avoid¡­..um, discriminative captains."


    "I see," Tadashi spoke, grimacing slightly.


    As the pair made their way to a set of very large tents Tadashi tried to greet anyone that looked towards him. He was relieved to see that most would give a curt nod, some even doing a small salute as they recognised the royal clothing that he still wore. Before the two could reach the large tents a young man stepped out in front of them, doing a quick bow before looking at Tadashi with displeasure.


    "Greetings¡­.um, comm-"


    "You can simply call me Tadashi," the boy interrupted, "In the presence of others perhaps Director will work."


    Surprised by the quick response the man nodded before continuing.


    "Yes sir, thank you. My name is Hideki and I''ve been assigned as your assistant and operations manager."


    Tadashi nodded to indicate he approved of the man''s presence. Truth be told he was relieved to have someone else that he could ask for help. He feared that the sudden responsibility that he had been given was too much for someone of his age to handle. But pushing all the negative thoughts aside he put out his hand, surprising the young man in front of him who didn''t expect the Prince to act so indifferently.


    "I''ve also been assigned as the official Fire Nation correspondent, relaying information back to the Fire Nation and especially our Fire Lord as a personal messenger."


    Tadashi inwardly sighed as he heard that, he was grateful that there would be less chances to face his father again but knew it also meant less chances of seeing Azula.


    "That''s great," Tadashi said, "I look forward to working with you."


    "As do I, Pri- Director." The man bowed, grimacing slightly at his mistake.


    Before anyone could move Tadashi glanced towards Naoko and remembered she had been there the whole time shuffling awkwardly in place.


    "Ahh, before I forget," Tadashi said, giving Naoko an apologetic look, "This is Naoko."


    The girl gave a curt nod, receiving the same gesture from Hideki.


    "She''ll be my personal assistant, however her rank will sit around the same level as you." He stated flatly, hoping his intentions were understood by the older male.


    "I will?" Naoko spoke before blushing slightly.


    Hideki also seemed shocked by the statement but quickly understood the meaning behind those words, he nodded to show his approval and smiled slightly, his image of the young prince improving by the second.


    "Of course Director," he simply said, "Allow me to give you a quick tour of what we''ve done in just a few days."


    As they walked inside the large tent reminiscent of the big tops of travelling circuses, Tadashi glanced at everyone running about. The majority of those inside were quite young, moving about with boxes of scrolls, maps, tables and chairs. There were a few armed sentries about the place, but they too seemed younger than those Tadashi was used to seeing in the palace. Hideki, noticing the expression that Tadashi and Naoko had looking around stopped in front of a large table in the centre of the room.


    "I''m sure you''re wondering why everyone here is so young?" he asked, getting the young princes attention.


    "You''re quite the perceptive one," Tadashi nodded.


    "Thank you, well to start off the reason why the Fire Lord chose me was because I was due for a promotion. Believe it or not I''ve been in the military for 10 years, joined when I was merely 14. I was quickly promoted to Captain within the Navy, spent 5 years on the sea until my ship was one day ambushed and destroyed by a Water Tribe convoy. Luckily we were near earth kingdom territory and I led the survivors into land, we spent the next few weeks chased by those Water Tribe soldiers, running into squads of Earth Kingdom troops before reuniting with the army."


    Hideki looked up as he reminisced about the past.


    "For my actions I was declared a hero, but instead of returning to the navy the top brass were more interested in my abilities on land and I was quickly transferred to the army corps. After half a year of training I was placed into a squad on the western territories of the Earth Kingdom and went up the ranks till Captain again. I was due for another promotion when you were assigned by the Fire Lord to this division. As you know the Fire Lord has the final say on all promotions and he suggested that my experience of both Navy and Army affairs would be essential for this new division."


    Tadashi was surprised. It was merely a week since the day had occurred and so much had happened. It was almost terrifying how quickly the Fire Nation could get something done if it meant winning the war sooner.


    "As to why all the people here are quite young, well we''ve been assigned mainly new recruits but also the members of my squad followed me here, which is quite lucky if you ask me."


    Tadashi again nodded, knowing that having experienced men would mean the others would be trained quickly and that he didn''t need to wait too long before he could start issuing out missions, whatever they may be. Hideki went on to explain that the base would be built with several sections in mind, a detention area for prisoners, the quarters for residents of the island and the main building of operations that included mission central and training facilities. Because there were Earthbenders present and one of the noble families generously donated a huge amount of iron the buildings would be completed in a short amount of time. An advantage to having Earthbenders also meant that redecorating wouldn''t be a major issue.


    The trio walked outside to the temporary training ground were a batch of recruits were currently going through a basic set of katas. Hideki had intended on explaining how the troops would be initially split but before he knew it Tadashi was walking over to the group with a mischievous look in his eyes.


    One of the men, a big and bulky guy for his age turned around and grimaced as he saw the boy, looking him up and down as if he''d insulted his family.


    "What''s a pipsqueak like you doing here?"


    "Me? Oh, I was just watching," Tadashi replied.


    "Well stay too close and you''ll get hurt," the guy grunted.


    "That''s not a problem, I''d only get hurt if you were doing it right." Tadashi taunted.


    The man went red as the others nearby laughed, his face steaming as he rose his hand to launch a fireball in Tadashi''s direction. The boy however did not move, simply watching with a small smile as his opponent got into a stance.


    "Hey, isn''t that¡­." One of the female recruits started saying.


    "What''s he doing?" Someone else said.


    Hideki wanted to intervene immediately but Naoko stopped him, understanding Tadashi''s intentions. The young prince did intend on antagonising the man, as he had watched him practice he saw great power come from him but all his moves were off slightly or lacked any sense of control. It didn''t help that the recruit was quick to get angry, even as he launched his fireball at Tadashi the boy merely had to lean to the side to dodge the blast. The two then started circling each other, the recruit throwing punches every now and then. What he failed to notice was the trail of smoke that Tadashi was creating behind his back, changing the temperature of the heat in the air to create a current for the smoke to stay on. The others who were watching stepped away, wary of such a strange tactic.


    Luckily for them, Tadashi was only attacking the angry recruit in front of him.


    With a quick gesture from his left hand, Tadashi ignited the smoke directly behind the man and used the momentum from the blast to dance around the stumbling recruit and send a round-kick into the recruit''s side. He swore, throwing fire at his sides in an attempt to get rid of the smoke but scowled as it snapped his skin when it combusted.


    "You lack control," Tadashi spoke, "Something I''ll have to drill into you."


    "Who are you to say such a thing?" the recruit growled, throwing another punch.


    "That''s one of the Princes of the Fire Nation you idiot," the female recruit from earlier shouted.


    "Actually its Director now," Hideki corrected.


    The man facing Tadashi narrowed his eyes as he suddenly spotted the royal items of clothing that Tadashi still wore. In a second he started quivering. The recruits had been told that a royal would be leading this division but no one had mentioned it would be a young boy, barely into his teen years.


    "I''m sorry," he instantly bowed, "I didn''t know,"


    Instead of reprimanding the recruit for his ignorance Tadashi looked genuinely disappointed at the older male.


    "Stand up, I didn''t ask you to beg for forgiveness. This is a lesson and today I''ll be your teacher. Form up!" he suddenly shouted, surprising the recruits who were looking wearily.


    The recruits were hesitant at first but quickly lined up, waiting for further instructions.


    "Those who were watching, what was noticeable about my fighting style?" he asked looking all who stood in their eyes.


    For a few moments no one spoke, then someone stepped forwards. It was the girl who had spoken out before who was starting to make a good impression on Tadashi.


    "Who are you?" he asked the female recruit.


    "Private Aki, Director." She saluted.


    "Well met Private Aki, now tell me what you noticed." Tadashi tried to be as neutral as possible, but couldn''t help smirking at the person he decided would be promoted to senior officer first.


    "Yes¡­.sir, well you were in control of the fight the whole time using the smoke to lay a trap before springing it."


    "That''s right, now what did our recruit do wrong here?" Tadashi asked before wirily adding, "apart from challenging his superior?"


    "Well private Yaki was hot tempered and lost his nerve as soon as his strategy didn''t work."


    "Very good, that''s precisely what happened," Tadashi smiled, motioning for Aki to fall back into line.


    "Thank you Director," she nodded curtly before falling back into formation with a straight face.


    "There''s no doubt that the lot of you in front of me possess some skill, otherwise you wouldn''t be here. Unlike your instructors and generals I intend on doing things differently, you will be learning skills outside the standard Fire Nation training regime, including how to utilise smoke in your attacks, to see in the dead of the night without fire and more."


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    As Tadashi went on, Hideki nodded in approval, surprised by how quickly the young boy was taking to the role. As a firebender himself he was interested in the techniques he spoke of, especially as he started outlining how they would be used for surveillance, sabotage and assassinations.


    "He''s rather inspiring for such a young kid," Hideki murmured to Naoko who smiled softly.


    "He''s been like this since the day I met him, I think he just enjoys having people listen to him."


    "I see," Hideki said, "Well it doesn''t hurt that the bo-, I mean Director has ingenious ideas to share,"


    Naoko chuckled quietly as she nodded in agreement, for her this island was a sign from the spirits that she wasn''t condemned to the life of a normal servant. She had already been lucky enough to serve one of the nicer members of the royal family but to also be positioned away from the Fire Lord and his advisors was beyond normal luck.


    "Thing''s will only get better," she said, her eyes misting slightly.


    Only three weeks after his initial arrival in the island and two of the three buildings were finished. Tadashi had to commend the Earthbenders for their ability to speed up construction, however he had quickly learnt that they weren''t as skilled as they seemed. Hideki had taught him that the colonists on the island had grown up under the Fire Nation banner and had learnt from ''acquired'' Earth Kingdom scrolls, most having been bought from Pirates or taken during the aftermath of raids on villages. Tadashi wasn''t sure whether he should feel bad about that but it did help alleviate the feeling that they would suddenly betray him.


    But it didn''t change the fact that Tadashi was still impressed with what he saw before him.


    The entire complex was huge. The main building was built into the shape of a cylinder, split into nine disks; with three floors above ground and six below. The ground floor was the biggest of them all, with space for a training area, offices and facilities to accommodate temporary and semi-permanent guests. The top floor featured several guard rooms built at equal intervals, the number of rooms decidedly built meant that there were no blind spots around the compound. The first floor was entirely office space, where meetings would take place and documents in constant use were stored, there was also a special balcony built to accommodate messenger birds. The floors underneath were mainly used for storage, with a bunker built into the very lowest floor. An area was sectioned off for prisoners, with interrogation rooms placed in appropriate places.


    Before the prison could be completed many officials had visited the island, most likely because of the Fire Lords orders, forced to acknowledge Tadashi as a high ranking member of their nation. Of course they had all initially come with that feeling, hating the boy for rising to such heights due to his birth but almost all left the island stunned. Mindful of the Earthbenders, the generals and admirals that visited were impressed with the way that the new recruits and even older veterans were training as a well-knit unit.


    Tadashi had made good with the promise he made to himself and promoted Private Aki to a captain, leading the unit of newer recruits. Hideki had been allowed to retain leadership of his old team, even with all the new responsibilities and work he had been given. The first thing Tadashi had taught everyone was how to use smoke to fill a room and ignite it without anyone noticing, proving to be an efficient assassination technique. Due to easy application of smoke, everyone was able to pick it up easily and moral quickly heightened as they added smoke into their strategies. Using heat to see in the dark was much harder, most recruits and veterans weren''t able to do it successfully, some felt sick afterwards and one had expended so much of their chi that they couldn''t move for a whole day. In fact out of all those who had tried to learn the technique only Captain Aki and Yaki, who had become her deputy, were able to use it without any serious side-effects.


    Of course they couldn''t simply just train by fighting, all members of the intelligence group were trained to read maps, communicate with steganography and manage intelligence reports with ease. Throughout the time Tadashi had been on the island everyone, Naoko included, had caught up with Fire Nation affairs, and were knowledgeable on all the members of the war councils, important ministers and the ones that were profiting the most from the war. This lead the group to their first major discovery.


    Gun Atsui, the Fire Nation''s manufacture of weapons had been reportedly dealing with the Earth Kingdom. Of course that information alone was nothing to be wary of, part of the Fire Lord''s plan was that Gun would sell weapons that would break with ease to the other nations in disguise. However when looking at battle reports for skirmishes with the Western Earth Kingdom forces one would then start to see that Gun''s dealing with the Earth Kingdom were consistently two days before that battle would happen and the Fire Nation would always be on the losing side of those battles, forced to retreat, give up land and vital resources. Tadashi had decided that they would schedule another battle in that region, wait and send a small team to investigate what Gun Atsui would do and act based on that. Tadashi had hoped for good results but never expected the plan to be such a great success. Captain Aki had come back with Gun in custody as well as a Colonel who had been lining his pockets at the expense of the men under his command.


    Both men were questioned extensively and sent back to the Fire Nation, Hideki personally seeing to their imprisonment with a report for the Fire Lord as well. It seemed that the top brass who were stationed in the Fire Nation were pleased by the report, word was already starting to spread about an internal investigation into the Fire Nation armies, with extreme punishment lined for any traitorous actions. The next few months were almost systematic, the reports that seemed too perfect were scrutinised, and members of the intelligence group were placed in specific locations, watching those that lead their men into battle with persistence. Whenever enough evidence was collected to pin the treasonous crimes on the Fire Nations traitors, Aki with her team were sent out to collect them and Hideki would see that all information was collected and the offenders were punished properly.


    Of course the constant refinement of the army had more positive actions then negative. The Fire Nation would claim that those traitors were either Hypnotised or born with no honour, no word was said about the people who found these traitors. All that was known was that no one could hide from this group that the top brass seemed proud of. Even Fire Lord Ozai had been kept contempt for the year these raid had been going on, news of Tadashi''s brilliance reaching the Fire Lord whenever Hideki came with his reports. The news would eventually reach Azula who had been training non-stop ever since her elder brothers left, by now her blue-fire was more brutal than one could imagine, her persistence for perfection meant that no one dared speak words against her.


    Through all the cold hearted viciousness that made up Azula one would think that this was her only trait, the only feeling going through her mind.


    But deep down where her real feelings were, she was getting more anxious than ever. The girl had no one to talk to anymore. Mai had been sent away and Ty Lee''s family had moved outside of the capital. Ozai was too busy to ever greet her daughter properly, only ever briefly praising her for her work and moving on with the work he had set out for himself. No news came from Zuko, not that she cared about him, but it still niggled at her mind. The only peace she had came from the reports Hideki brought about Tadashi. She allowed the news to motivate her, but it really did make her happy to hear that he was bringing honour to his name and helping out in the war more than Zuko was. Sometimes she''d even go as far as saying he''s done more than their Uncle Iroh in the short time he had left.


    But even that wasn''t enough to drive away the constant feeling of loneliness and anxiousness building up in her mind. A year away from anyone her age had done more damage than anyone realised. If it wasn''t for her consistently busy schedule she guessed that she would have snapped already. Neither the servants, her tutors nor even her father seemed to notice, but she knew her older brother would notice, at least the useful one would.


    That''s when a special report came in some time in the evening.


    Before then Tadashi had merely lead his team from home base, anticipating his opponent who wasn''t even aware of any threat and dealing with traitors using someone else. It wasn''t a bad accomplishment but nothing compared to what he had just done. As Azula read the report she grinned with glee as she went through every detail again and again.


    Tadashi had personally lead a team and taken out the leader of a town near Gaipan, allowing the army to convert the town into a support base. What made this so special was that the town had been driven of its civilian population and fully taken over by the Earth Kingdom army. A major general had been there at the time that Tadashi and his team attacked and from what this report said Tadashi had personally taken out the general before setting the whole compound alight. Uncharacteristic for the female firebender she giggled manically as she read how the Earth Kingdom General died.


    "Good for you brother, I''ll be there soon too¡­" she murmured, exhaustion setting in as she slipped into bed, "I''ll conquer something as well, like an entire city!"


    <hr />


    "I can''t believe it''s been two years since you left," Naoko spoke, sipping her tea slowly.


    "Yes, it''s been quite a while," Tadashi agreed.


    The two were sitting in one of the empty rooms back on their island, enjoying the rare free time they had between missions. During that time Tadashi had matured greatly, his body toughened by training, his mind by experience and the scars he bore were lessons he''d never forget. The most important thing though was that through hard work and many successful missions the bond between him and the members of the Intelligence unit had exponentially strengthened, you''d be hard pressed to find more loyal Fire Nation citizens.


    "Where''s the next mission again?" Tadashi asked.


    "You had decided to take out King Bumi of Omashu,"


    "Ahh," Tadashi murmured, "This will certainly be a challenge, that man is likely to be stronger than any other Earth Kingdom soldier we''ve faced, not to mention Omashu is built like a fortress."


    Before Naoko could agree someone ran into the room, it was Yaki.


    "Director, we have an urgent communique from our agent in the southern Earth Kingdom." He passed the scroll to Tadashi and stood back, waiting for orders.


    No one spoke as Tadashi read the scroll. His eyes going through the text once, twice and then a third time.


    "Sir?" Naoko questioned worriedly.


    Expecting a fearful look from the young boy Naoko was surprised when he started laughing. It wasn''t a happy laugh either, one that seemed darker than usual, reminding her of the one time she had heard Fire Lord Ozai laugh and the way Azula would often belittle the servants.


    "I can''t believe it!" Tadashi said, standing up, "He''s alive, the Avatar is alive!"


    Both Naoko and Yaki stiffened, they knew what this meant for the Fire Nation. The presence of the Avatar could push things back into the Earth Kingdom''s favour. If this person was able to rally the remnants of the Southern Water Tribe and convince the Northern Water Tribe to enter the war than the Fire Nation would be at a severe disadvantage.


    "Your orders.....Director?" Naoko asked hesitantly.


    "Forget Omashu, we''re going straight for the top! Have Hideki brought to me, we''re restructuring Intelligence to put all resources into the Avatar, we''re already behind by at least 2 days."


    Naoko quickly got up and left the room, followed by Yaki who had never seen the Director so animated before. Tadashi could only stare outside with glee, he really was excited about this sudden turn of events.


    "This will be interesting!"

 Book 1: Chapter 1

    A beam of light scattered the clouds, brightened the sky and appeared out of nowhere. Whatever the source, it had to be powerful, at least that''s what a certain banished prince concluded.


    "Finally!" Zuko turned around to face his Uncle, who had been sitting at a small table playing a game using tiles by himself, "Uncle, do you realise what this means?"


    "I won''t get to finish my game?" Iroh replied who appeared to not be interested.


    "It means my search is about to come to an end." Zuko scoffed, turning around to face the impressive light source.


    Iroh continued to play his game, trying to hide the troubled expression that slowly grew on his face.


    "You must realise, that light came from an incredibly powerful source!" Zuko pointed at the light, "It has to be him!"


    Iroh sighed, knowing deep down that this was a path he didn''t wish his nephew to go down.


    "Or it''s just the celestial lights. We''ve been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don''t want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don''t you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?" He said, gesturing towards the other seat at the small table.


    "I don''t need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar! Helmsman, head a course for the light!" Zuko roared.


    "I''m willing to bet your brother wouldn''t act so rationally." Iroh spoke softly so that no one else could hear.


    This affected Zuko more than he imagined it would.


    "Well he isn''t here!"


    Iroh grimaced, wondering what he should say.


    "Zuko, all I''m saying is that you should look at this situation with level head. Was it not you who told me how your brother would tell you about strategies?" Iroh tried to reason.


    "That was just a game!" Zuko came close to releasing flames from his hands but caught himself.


    The two remained silent for a while, the cold air attempting to break thought he layers of clothing under Zuko''s armour.


    "You''re right," Zuko said after a while, "I''ll keep a level head, but this time I''m certain that this is the Avatar."


    Iroh nodded in response but still couldn''t help feeling down. He glanced at the cup of tea on the small table, wishing he could just drink his sorrows away. Unfortunately fate wasn''t that generous. Deciding that he didn''t have the heart to finish his game Iroh gulped down the remaining tea in his cup and stood up, deciding that an hour spent meditating would help calm his nerves. He spared one last glance towards his nephew, who still stared towards the light source, and sighed before stepping into the bowels of the ship.


    The next day was so eventful yet passed by almost too quickly.


    Zuko had never expected the Avatar to be a young child. At first it had raised his hopes, the boy could clearly airbend yet didn''t display any other bending capabilities. Without a doubt there were no other Air Nomads left alive, the previous Fire Lords had made sure of that. For the first time in two years Zuko felt at ease but he wouldn''t show it, not until he handed the boy to his father personally. Of course it wasn''t meant to be as the boy escaped with the aid of two water tribe siblings and a giant flying bison.


    Iroh sipped his tea as he tried to determine what way he would console his nephew. He had already stated that the Avatar was just a boy, only for Zuko to state he wouldn''t underestimate him. Iroh wanted to scoff at the irony. Sure the boy was just a child but when his thoughts drifted to Tadashi and to a greater extent Azula he knew that those words he spoke had little weight behind them. Iroh was brought away from his thoughts when one of the men on-board the ship told him that Zuko asked for his presence. He could guess that Zuko didn''t ask but order, not that he''d let such a small detail bother him.


    The outside air was much warmer, although they were still in the southern parts of the Earth Kingdom, it was better than the south pole. Iroh had been following Zuko down the ramp that they had set up, the ship had been barely able to come into port, no doubt many would be secretly cheering at the state of a Fire Nation ship within occupied territory.


    "Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. I don''t want to stay too long and risk losing his trail." Zuko sounded annoyed as he spoke.


    "You mean the Avatar?" Iroh asked, half lost in his thoughts.


    "Don''t mention his name on these docks!" Zuko waved his arms about like a child, "Once word gets out that he''s alive, every firebender will be out looking for him, and I don''t want anyone getting in the way!"


    "Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?"


    The man that asked looked smug as he walked towards the duo with his arms behind his back. His armour seemed freshly polished which contrasted quite oddly against the unruly sideburns he kept.


    "Lieutenant Zhao." Iroh simply stated.


    "Actually it''s commander now. General Iroh, the great hero of our nation." Iroh could almost see the sarcasm drip from his words yet didn''t respond in kind.


    "I''m a Retired general now." Iroh spoke with a soft smile, as if he was reminiscing about the past."


    "I see," Zhao nodded sharply, the smug grin on his face never faltering. "The Fire Lord''s brother and son are welcome guests anytime. What brings you to my harbour?"


    Iroh turned slightly as pointed towards the ship which looked quite unsightly. He didn''t think another word needed to be said yet spoke anyway.


    "We''re here for repairs."


    "That''s quite a bit of damage." Zhao tilted his head slightly, finding pleasure from the panicked look on Zuko''s face.


    "Yes." Zuko spoke quickly, holding his finger up. "You wouldn''t believe what happened Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened."


    Zuko glanced at his uncle, and gestured at Zhao angrily, hoping his uncle would catch on quickly.


    "Yes. I will do that." Iroh spoke nervously, "It was incredible! What? Did we crash or something?"


    Zuko almost slapped his forehead in disbelief. He was about to answer in kind when he thought back to something his brother had once said and instantly calmed as he spoke.


    "Yes! We crashed right into an Earth Kingdom ship during the night! Fortunately none of my men were heavily injured, but some are still suffering from the cold."


    "Cold?" Zhao questioned sceptically.


    "Yes, some fell into the sea when the ships collided. You should know how cold the seas can be here, commander?" Zuko challenged.


    Zhao seemingly didn''t notice as he turned to Iroh and spoke, "I can''t wait to hear every little detail. You''ll stay for a drink, right?"


    "No, we have to go." Zuko tried to act dismissively and turn around but Iroh stopped him.


    "Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect. We would be honoured to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It''s my favourite." Iroh smiled towards Zhao who grinned almost maliciously.


    "Of course," Zhao turned and walked away, followed by his two guests.


    The three walked through the occupied part of harbour, banners of the Fire Nation placed about haphazardly. Iroh noticed how awkward the mood seemed so attempted to alleviate the tension slightly.


    "I must say, commander in two years is quite the achievement. How did that happen?" Iroh asked Zhao who almost seemed pleased to have been asked that question.


    "Yes indeed, it was quite the speedy promotion. In fact that day two years ago was the day I was meant to be promoted to Captain." Iroh winced as Zhao mentioned that particular day.


    For Zhao, he had intended on using any and all opportunities to put down Zuko, laughing inwardly as he noticed the scowl grow on Zuko''s face.


    "You were meant to be promoted, what happened?" Iroh asked, putting more emphasis on the word ''meant''.


    For the first time Zhao''s smug grin faltered but he didn''t let his guests see it.


    "Yes, due to some unseen circumstances I wasn''t promoted that day, but the week after." Zhao said dismissively.


    "Ahh, I do remember hearing that you fought with Prince Tadashi that day but wasn''t there to see anything. With everything that happened I never got to hear the results of that fight, how did it go?"


    Zhao subconsciously rubbed his neck, muttering something incomprehensible to his guests.


    "What was that?" Iroh asked, glancing at Zuko who tried to stifle his laughter.


    "Nothing!" Zhao spoke with harshly. "All that you need to know is that a few weeks ago I was promoted to Commander for my actions with the subjection of ports like this one we''re walking on."


    "I see," Iroh spoke whimsically.


    The tree continued to walk, Zuko more content then before but still unhappy with the situation. His thoughts drifted to Azula and Tadashi, he wondered what they were doing and whether they were thinking of him. The most he had heard were rumours that Tadashi had also left the Fire Nation for different reasons to his own but nothing concrete reached his ears. Iroh seemed to pick up on the boys thoughts yet didn''t speak, deciding that such a topic would only help to push Zuko down the wrong path if approached in the wrong way.


    "The Earth Kingdom navy is non-existent, their forces pushed back completely from the waters whilst the Water Tribe savages are nothing but a mere pest. We''ve taken over almost every major port whilst our army destroys the Earth Kingdom towards Omashu and Ba Sing Se, the Fire Lord has also commissioned a super weapon to be constructed, one that will take down the great wall and serve as irrefutable proof that the Fire Nation can''t be beat, although that much was obvious already. We''ve already reached an impasse with the Norther Water Tribe, but they have nothing we need so by the year''s end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule. The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war." Zhao sounded quite proud as he finished speaking.


    "If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool!" Zuko instantly retorted.


    "Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue. So, how is your search for the Avatar going?" Zhao asked Zuko.


    At that moment Iroh had knocked over the weapons display that he had been admiring. The noise was enough to distract everyone, including the commander who scowled towards Iroh.


    "That was my fault entirely." Iroh spoke awkwardly.


    "We haven''t found him yet." Zuko spoke aggressively, prompting a smirk for Zhao.


    "Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago." Zhao glared at Zuko, "Along with the rest of the airbenders."


    Zuko seemed to sigh, glad to hear that until Zhao''s face suddenly turned malicious.


    "Unless you have found some evidence that the Avatar is alive?" he asked, staring intently at the boy.


    "No. Nothing" Zuko replied.


    Zhao rose from his seat and shook his head in disbelief, taking the tone of a disappointed parent.


    "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you''ll tell me what you found."


    Zuko wanted to panic, this was one of those worst case scenarios that he thought of all the time. He looked back at Zhao and tried to reply calmly but grimaced as his tone sounded even more aggressive.


    "I haven''t found anything. It''s like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago." He got up, gesturing towards his uncle. "Come on, Uncle, we''re going."


    Zuko approached the door but was quickly stooped by the two guards who blocked his path with their spears. Just then another guard entered the room and walked towards Zhao, he quickly saluted before giving his report.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."


    Zhao was absolutely delighted, having caught Zuko in the midst of his lie. "Now remind me, how, exactly, was your ship damaged?" He leaned over his shoulder with an evil smirk.


    <hr />


    Zuko was quickly losing his patience. He was sat in-between two of Zhao''s guards and they wouldn''t let him move.


    "So a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your firebenders. You''re more pathetic than I thought." Zhao sneered at Zuko, having interrogated the boy for every detail regarding the Avatar and his escape.


    "I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again!" Zuko shouted angrily before a realisation came to him, "Shouldn''t I say the same thing to you anyway?"


    Zhao almost lunged towards the smirking Zuko before regaining his composure and narrowing his eyes at the boy. "


    No, it will not. Because you won''t have a second chance." Zhao watched intently, waiting for the shock on Zuko''s face.


    "Commander Zhao, I''ve been hunting the Avatar for two years and I-" Zuko complained, clearly annoyed but was cut off by Zhao who suddenly shouted.


    "And you failed!" he walked up to Zuko to emphasise his point, "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager''s hands. He''s mine now."


    Zuko didn''t hesitate to lunge towards Zhao but was held off by the two guards which flanked him.


    "Keep them here." Zhao stated, walking out the room feeling a lot more satisfied.


    He knew that the Avatar being alive may be a concern for the Fire Nation but was an opportunity to gain power within the Fire Nation without the likes of Military Intelligence from sticking their noses. He inwardly cursed that group which was led by the boy who burned his throat. Ever since his last promotion the Intelligence Unit had organised itself greatly, one smaller group situated around the Fire Nation itself focusing on internal affairs and the other that grabbed intel for the army and navy, even coming themselves to help subjugate an important military base. Zhao knew he would need to act quietly to avoid losing this opportunity, especially if there was a possibility of both brothers meeting each other.


    Zhao walked up to a man and looked at him, uncertain whether he recognised him.


    "Do I know you?" he asked, raising one of his brows.


    "Commander Zhao, I am a recent transfer. Was sent by the brass to gain navy experience from one of the best units." The man replied.


    Zhao smirked, clearly satisfied with the answer.


    "I see, well I''m sure you''ll learn a lot, especially as we''re hunting the biggest prize of all."


    "Sir?" the soldier questioned.


    "The Avatar. I want a search party ready in 10 minutes."


    The soldier quickly saluted and ran off to pass Zhao''s orders along, leaving the commander to walk back with satisfaction. What he didn''t know was that the soldier had made a quick stop on his way to the Captain, writing down an encoded message into a scroll before sending it by his personal messenger bird. Creatures like those were quite expensive and it was uncommon to see the average citizen carrying one, in fact usage of those birds were banned outside of the Fire Nation. The only people allowed to own these birds were commanders and generals. Of course an exception was created for Military Intelligence units, including solo operatives who busied themselves tracking banished princes.


    As Zhao walked back into the room where Iroh and Zuko were being kept he remained stoic, a vast contrast to the smugness he showed not too long ago.


    "My search party is ready. Once I''m out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you''ll be free to go."


    "Why? Are you worried I''m going to try and stop you?" Zuko quickly challenged.


    "You? Stop me? Impossible." Zhao laughed, delighted that he''d have another chance to put down the banished prince.


    "Don''t underestimate me Zhao! I will capture the Avatar before you!" Zuko got up angrily, pointing at Zhao.


    Iroh sensed his nephew''s anger and tried to calm him down to no avail.


    "You can''t compete with me. I have hundreds of war ships under my command and you? You''re just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father doesn''t even want you."


    Zuko immediately knew the last statement was meant to push him into doing something stupid but his rage still took over.


    "You''re wrong! Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honour, and restore my rightful place on the throne!" Zuko retorted.


    "If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation. Of course you probably always were a failure."


    "That''s not true."


    "You have the scar to prove it."


    Within a second Zuko had squared up to Zhao with hate filled eyes.


    "Maybe you''d like one to match! Oh wait, you already have one!" Zuko taunted maliciously.


    "Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked, trying to hide the fact that he was annoyed.


    "An Agni Kai. At sunset." Zuko said with finality.


    "Very well. It''s a shame your father won''t be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do. I don''t make the same mistake twice." Zhao spoke before walking away.


    "Neither do I¡­" Zuko murmured, glaring in Zhao''s direction.


    "Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you duelled a master?" Iroh asked, disappointed that the boy would do something so foolish.


    "I will never forget." Zuko scowled, looking away from the tent opening. "But I can do it, Tadashi did so why can''t I?"


    Iroh sighed, placing one hand on Zuko''s tense shoulder before speaking again.


    "Your brother didn''t win an Agni Kai, he simply fought an enraged Lieutenant and used tricks to get the advantage over him. In a straight up fight your brother would lose."


    "And you think I would too?" Zuko asked almost horrified.


    "No, that was two years ago. Since then I bet your brother has grown much stronger, just like you have. It won''t be easy but it''s possible."


    Zuko calmed slightly, the answer was good enough for him.


    The port that the Agni Kai took place in had belong to the Fire Nation so long that an Agni Kai arena was built. Of course thing honour was only bestowed among the place because for decades the Fire Nation had been using this port as the primary relay point for naval warfare in the southern regions of the Earth Kingdom and against the Southern Water Tribe.


    The arena itself was rather simple and was ready to use immediately but according to mandate set the combatants needed to wait till sunset. Zuko followed the motions that he had repeated two years ago but this time he refused to back down.


    Iroh stood on the side-lines watching carefully, unaware of the guards that were peeking by the entrance.


    "Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." He spoke calmly, grateful that his voice didn''t reflect his concern.


    "I refuse to let him win." Zuko murmured to himself.


    "This will be over quickly." Zhao found himself saying, attempting to boost his confidence further.


    As a large gong sounded the fight began. Unbeknownst to the two fighting, several guards were hiding in the shadows, taking bets as to who would win the duel. Of course this sort of activity was heavily frowned upon but that didn''t stop those who whispered to themselves in delight as Zuko throws the first blast of fire, a ferocious flame that would normally burn anything it touched. But Zhao was displaying his competence as a man who learned under a master as he avoided blast after blast, using tricks to move the fire around him and get closer to Zuko who only seemed to get more and more frustrated. The prince''s next attack was quickly cut off by Zhao as he pressed further, managing to knock the boy over.


    "Basics, Zuko! Break his root!" Iroh shouted words of encouragement to his nephew.


    Zuko seemed to freeze for a moment, his mind going blank as thoughts of Tadashi and the game of Shogi they played went through his mind. Zhao used this opportunity to throw a large blast of fire at Zuko but before it could reach the prince he seemed to react with an inhuman sense of timing and avoid the blast. He used simple steps, building up his defence with small and quick movements before immediately counter attacking. The change in the boy startled Zhao who stumbled backwards in shock and attempted to block the fire before jumping back as a last ditch effort. This initially worked until one blast, more ferocious than the others, knocked him over leaving a nasty sear on Zhao''s shoulders.


    "That makes two scars on the commander." One of the soldiers whispered.


    "Yea, all we need now is for the third child to add the last one." Another soldier jokes.


    One of the soldiers who was watching along smirked and left to quickly make his report before anyone could question what he was doing.


    "Do it!" Zhao glared at Zuko, clearly enraged that he had lost.


    For once Zuko didn''t even spare Zhao a glance, he was much too calm and it unnerved him. It was as if Tadashi or Azula had taken over his body for the second part of the fight, but he knew it was him who had beaten Zhao.


    "Next time you get in my way, I promise, I won''t hold back." Zuko stated, sparing Zhao a brief glance before walking off.


    The rage quickly built up within Zhao and he lunged to attack with his foot, but before his flames could properly leave his body Iroh had quickly reached Zhao and stifled the flames, throwing the commander backwards. Before Zuko could retaliate Iroh stopped him.


    "No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory." He nodded towards Zuko before turning to Zhao. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honourable than you. Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."


    Iroh turned and left without another word, closely followed by his nephew. The soldiers who had been watching quickly sneaked off, knowing that getting caught by their commander in this situation would be dire, more so for the ones that bet against Zhao and won.


    Before Iroh could reach the entrance to the arena Zuko stopped his uncle who looked at his nephew, slightly amused.


    "Did you really mean that, Uncle?" he asked softly.


    "Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favourite." He answered whimsically.


    Zuko chuckled slightly, in greater spirits than when he entered, following Iroh as the duo made their way to their now repaired ship.


    As the two stepped onto the boat Lieutenant Jee saluted in greetings, as business like as ever.


    "Repairs are finished and we''ve picked up one passenger, claims he''s working for intelligence."


    "Oh?" Iroh answered slightly surprised.


    "What''s that?" Zuko asked, surprising Jee with his upbeat attitude.


    "It''s a division set up by your brother." Iroh turned to Zuko as Jee nodded in agreement.


    Zuko thought back to how his brother''s words and past actions helped him.


    "Where''s he going?" Zuko asked.


    "Kyoshi Island." Lieutenant Gee replied.

 Book 1: Chapter 2

    Zuko had been meditating in his room for the last hour and half, trying to calm his mind. A row of four candles were placed in front of the Prince, where he used their warmth to enter a light meditative trance. It was barely over a day since he won the right to hunt the Avatar from Zhao and they had been trying to track the young bender and his flying bison since. Iroh had suggested that Zuko calms his nerves in preparation for any contact with the enemy and Zuko had reluctantly agreed. Before he knew it Iroh had opened the door to his room, peeking through while Zuko opened his eyes.


    "The only reason you should be interrupting me, is if you have news about the Avatar." Zuko spoke calmly, breathing slowly.


    "Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don''t get too upset." Iroh said awkwardly, revealing a scroll he had kept in his sleeve.


    "Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now, whatever you have to say, I''m sure I can take it." Zuko replied.


    "Okay then." Iroh thought hopefully, "We have no idea where he is."


    "What!?" In seconds the flames from the candle reached the ceiling, fuelled by the prince''s rage.


    "You really should open a window in here." Iroh joked awkwardly.


    "Give me the map!" Zuko walked towards his uncle and snatched the scroll from his hands.


    "Well, there have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down." Iroh tried to explain as Zuko scanned over the map.


    "How am I going to find him, Uncle?" Zuko looked at his uncle asking almost desperately, "He is clearly a master of evasive manoeuvring."


    "I suppose so¡­"Iroh said, finding it hard to believe the 12 year old boy was anything but lost.


    Zuko''s crew continued to sail, stopping in at every other port they could find. Unfortunately reports were mixed and quite conflicting, saying the Avatar was anywhere from Ba Sing Se to Ember Island. Of course these destinations would be almost impossible to reach without the Fire Nation having seen them, so Zuko doubted it all. At one particular port where the guards were busy resupplying the food stores word was going round that the Avatar was staying at Kyoshi Island. Of course the men serving aboard Zuko''s ship understood that the young prince was after the Avatar, even if they didn''t know why but the rumour quickly made its way to Zuko who was in the process of eating his lunch.


    "The Avatar''s on Kyoshi Island?" Zuko exclaimed.


    "That sounds reliable," Iroh stated, "The islands very close this port too."


    Zuko got up, about to leave the room when he paused, thinking that he needed a better plan of attack then simply rushing in with the rhino''s.


    "What do you know about Kyoshi Island?" Zuko asked his uncle.


    "Kyoshi Island?" Uncle asked surprised, "Not much. All I know is that it was created by Avatar Kyoshi herself, but the details elude me."


    Zuko sat back down in thought as Iroh perked up with a thought he just remembered.


    "Oh, the island is home to a group of warriors known as the Kyoshi Warriors, they were trained by that Avatar herself."


    "Are the men Earthbenders?" Zuko asked cautiously.


    "No, there are no men in the Kyoshi warriors, only female. But from what I heard they use hand to hand combat and fans when dealing with foes," Iroh replied, eying the fish that was untouched on the table.


    Zuko looked at his uncle incredulously, unable to comprehend how an entire squad of warrior''s men or female would not utilise benders. Iroh understood the confusion on his nephews face and sighed softly.


    "Just because they don''t use their native element doesn''t mean they aren''t worthy adversaries. Take the Yun Yun Archers for instance, they possess no bending capabilities but are feared as the deadliest archers in our Nation."


    Zuko nodded, his impression of the Kyoshi Warriors increasing.


    "In that case Uncle, ready the rhinos. He''s not getting away from me this time." Zuko said as he got up and walked out of the room.


    "Are you going to finish that?" Iroh asked, pointing to the fish on the table.


    Immediately Zuko wanted to snatch the plate away, his stomach telling him that he could do with a good meal but his mind was too busy thinking of a plan to capture the Avatar. Without really thinking he nodded and left the room, leaving a delighted Iroh to savor the fish he was about to devour.


    <hr />


    Tadashi breathed in the air of the seas as the small ship sailed into the southern waters of the Earth Kingdom. To blend in with the Earth Kingdom, Tadashi had ordered the construction of a ship that closely resembled ones that Pirates used. Its sails were green and red, its body lines of wood with metal furnishings''s. It was the ultimate combination of Fire Nation engineering and the perfect disguise. It just had one major flaw.


    It was dreadfully slow.


    Compared to most Earth Nation ships it was fast, even able to keep up with Water Tribe boats pushed by their fellow benders, but compared to the steam power of the Fire Nation it couldn''t compare. Built with a flat bottom, flat bow and high stern this ship was designed to sail on any sort of seas, its three masts were tall and proud, it carried 8 Broadside cannons with 6 specially crafted cannons on each side for Firebenders to use. Its range wasn''t as great as the standard Fire Nation naval trebuchets but it was good enough for their intentions, not to mention they didn''t plan on fighting any Fire Nation ships in these waters.


    "It''s getting cold out here." A female voice said, her tone somewhere between affectionate and business-like.


    Tadashi turned to face the nineteen year old captain, who looked calmly out towards the ocean. Since pirates were usually not aligned to any one nation they wore whatever colours they pleased, which gave Tadashi''s crew some leeway into their uniform. Aki wore some faded red clothing, mixed in between a dark blue breastplate and arm guards with matching leggings. As the ''Captain'' of the ship she also wore a green and blue hat which looked rather obnoxious in the eyes of fishing boats that passed by wearily. Tadashi was grateful that Aki was more than able to wear the colours of other nations without feeling at ease, it made convincing the others a much easier job.


    "Yes it is." Tadashi confirmed.


    The boy was similarly dressed to Aki, wearing a mixture of red and blue garments which blended well with the light armour he wore underneath. A light sword was also strapped to his side, to help keep up appearances whilst others could see him.


    "What do you think about the rumours of the Avatar being on Kyoshi Island?" Aki asked.


    In truth, the ship was originally on a course for Whale Tail Island, where they had planned on updating their info and resupply at the Fire Nation outpost but after passing a prison rig the crew intercepted a message from one of their spies, with new details about the Avatar. During that time Tadashi had been impressed by an alternate report about Zuko''s duel with Zhao. It seemed like the commander had been suffering more embarrassment by the children of the Fire Nation royal family, even though it was likely that the Fire Lord would promote the man again. Tadashi had already sent reports stating that the man was greedy, power-hungry and egotistical but Ozai only cared about battle results and Zhao had displayed an impressive record for someone with his position and mentality.


    It seemed that Tadashi would only be able to get rid of that man by catching him doing something extremely foolish. Of course he intended on doing that, ever since that day he hated him. He knew it was petty to hate someone for calling him weak but he couldn''t help it, that man didn''t know the amount of time he had spent practicing out of sight, where no one would see him mess up. No one had expected anything from him so to be called useless by the likes of Zhao was unacceptable.


    Tadashi grimaced as he cleared his mind, thinking ahead to what a confrontation with the Avatar might bring.


    "From what we''ve learnt the Avatar is just a boy, 12 years of age and is travelling with two water tribe siblings. Of the three one is a non-bender, the other is an amateur waterbender and the Avatar himself has only mastered air bending."


    Aki just cleared her throat softly, acknowledging Tadashi''s report.


    "I don''t know about you but when I was that age-"


    "You set up an intelligence force for the Fire Nation?" Aki cut off Tadashi with a sly grin.


    Tadashi gave Aki an awkward stare before chuckling.


    "Fair enough, but any normal boy at that age would just go off exploring."


    "Even during a war?" Aki asked.


    "Yes, this war isn''t meant for children, even if it does end up affecting them."


    "You''re only 14 yourself¡­" Aki mumbled quietly.


    "And you''re 19, having entered the military when you were 15. You were about to finish a 2 and a half year training program before being transferred to me. Although I have to admit I was lucky when I got you."


    Aki managed to hold her gasp but couldn''t help blushing as she shuffled about slightly, it wasn''t every day a prince of the Fire Nation complimented you, even if he was 5 years younger than you. Tadashi having only just realised how affectionate his words sounded suddenly stumbled back in surprise, waving his hands in the air and coming up with excuses the way a normal teenage would. For Aki it was a welcome change to the strict training regime she had been unfortunate enough to go through before meeting Tadashi.


    "Why did you leave Naoko behind?" Aki asked after a while.


    "For the same reason I mentioned before¡­" Tadashi said in a bored tone.


    Although the young director had explained it before, Naoko was the second in charge of operations at headquarters. Over the two years she had been on that island the former servant had quickly shown her sharp mind and caring attitude would greatly compliment Hideki and his more disciplined outlook on things.


    "Aren''t you afraid those two will do something behind your back?" Aki asked quietly.


    "What? No!" Tadashi retorted. "Although I wouldn''t be against such developments."


    "Ahh, I see." Aki simply said. "So there''s nothing between you two then?"


    Tadashi chocked slightly, gaining a raised eyebrow from Aki but simply waved her off with a frown.


    "She''s more like my best friend, someone you can tell secrets to. Nothing more than that." He simply stated.


    "You know there are people closer than friends that you can share secrets with¡­.."


    "Would you be jealous if she was here?" Tadashi asked playfully.


    "Not a chance, I have a thing for older men."


    "Oh, how about that warden from the rig?"


    This time is was Aki''s turn to suddenly move about in shock. She grimaced, making a face as if she had been told to eat dung. Tadashi laughed at the face she made, attempting to stifle his chuckles as Aki scowled.


    "I''m sorry but that''s just rude! My tastes are way better than that." She argued, "Not only was he rude, but the whole time we were there he gave me this lecherous gaze, even after he found out we were Military Intelligence."


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "That certainly is true¡­." Tadashi agreed, having found the atmosphere both awkward and creepy.


    The two remained quiet for a while, letting the breeze take away all remnants of their banter as their thoughts went back to the Fire Nation. It was already noon and the ship was two hours away from Whale Tail Island and four hours from Kyoshi Island.


    "What do you think of Admiral Chan?" Aki asked out of the blue.


    Admiral Chan was a man who had been in that position longer than Tadashi had been alive. One of the few that Ozai still trusted to stay loyal to the Fire Lord throughout the war. If was recently found out that another Admiral by the name of Liang had been framed, the culprit having sabotages many Fire Nation ships with Liang''s faked seal of approval. Admiral Chan was the one that caught this man, having chastised Liang for not organising himself properly and allowing such a slip-up to occur. Of course in the political world it was clear that there were underlying forces at play but for the majority Admiral Chan had gained more standing with the Fire Lord than any of the other Admirals. It was also for this same reason that commander Zhao had been rising up the ranks so quickly, even more likely that the man had a part in this plot for power but so far Tadashi had found no evidence.


    "I don''t trust him." Tadashi simply stated.


    "I agree," Aki said, "He''s clearly plotting something, perhaps trying to get Admiral Liang out of the picture."


    "Sure, but what could he possibly do?" Tadashi asked aloud.


    "Remember Jeong Jeong?"


    "Oh, you mean the first high-ranking man to desert the Fire Nation?" Tadashi confirmed.


    Aki nodded, for those in Military Intelligence it was obvious that they''d know someone like him, who had run away from the Fire Nation and had been declared a traitor. The man himself was reportedly operating in the North Western Earth Kingdom, in fact he had been seen by one of Tadashi''s associates but kept the news quiet.


    "You think Zhao would claim Liang is a deserter too?"


    "Perhaps," Aki spoke, "But the records of the time he deserted are strangely missing, I couldn''t tell you much even as we are now."


    Tadashi sighed, trying to not let the situation trouble him. Although his division in the Fire Nation was gaining more influence there were still those that held some sort of disdain for Tadashi, not always because they disagreed with him but due to his age and royal blood too. It was no mystery that the nobles and royal family were treated as separate factions, the ones that supported the Fire Lord were given more power and the others pushed as far out of the capital as possible. Right now with the war going on there was little opportunity to fight within the country, yet both sides of the system were looking for reasons to take away power from the other. Tadashi was by birth part of the royal faction, but there were times when he couldn''t help but agree with the nobles, even noting that most incidents were because of the royal faction.


    This included the deserter, Jeong Jeong. Out of the three current Admirals, two were of the royal faction and the other noble. The second man, in charge of the southern fleet, mainly remained neutral during all these secret conflicts but he was still a royalist.


    "I don''t understand how the Fire Nation has time for all these conflicts¡­" Tadashi grimaced, staring up into the air.


    "Sir, if you ask me," Aki said quite formally, "you shouldn''t have to concern yourself with things like that, it will only take a toll on your mind."


    Tadashi froze slightly. Aki only ever used that tone when in the presence of other Fire Nation officials. It was then that he noticed a Fire Nation ship hailing them, most likely having just departed Whale Tail Island. It was just Aki''s way of subtly warning him.


    "You''re probably right" Tadashi agreed after a moment, stretching his arms as he prepared to greet the crew of the approaching boat.


    <hr />


    "I want the Avatar alive." Zuko ordered his men as they walked off his ships loading ramp.


    Zuko, in his defence had thought out his plan for longer than a minute. He intended to use the two other Komodo Rhino''s with him as observation points, their additional height and menacing look enough to scare off any villager who thought they''d be brave enough to fend them off. A squad of 6 men were sent, wearing the standard Naval mask which did its job in looking intimidating as they marched up the island. Zuko didn''t realise but he had already been seen. Not only did Katara, who had been hiding an unconscious Unagi riding Aang, see the scarred prince but a Kyoshi Warrior that went by the name of Ikki warned the others, telling the town chief Oyaji before darting back towards the Kyoshi training ground to get Suki. By the time Zuko and his troops had reached the main street of the village it was mostly deserted, which unnerved the boy slightly.


    "Come out, Avatar!" he shouted, glimpsing the silhouettes of hiding villagers. "You can''t hide from me forever."


    There was no sound, no movement, nothing. In frustration Zuko growled and ordered the troops to spread out and find the boy. Whilst this happened several figures moved from housetop to housetop, a blur of greenness. Before anyone knew it there was a confrontation and Zuko found himself glared at by the water tribe boy Sokka. What he didn''t expect was that another blur of green would attack from the side, succeeding in knocking Zuko off of his rhino. In a fit of rage Zuko retaliated, using his fire to push back the warrior, Sokka and anyone who came near him. With Suki slammed against a wooden pole in pain, Sokka on the ground in a compromised position thank to Zuko and no one else in sight the Fire Nation prince called out in a taunt.


    "Nice try, Avatar! But these girls can''t save you."


    He had wanted to call them ''little'' girls but his uncle''s worlds had crossed his mind at the last second. Fortunately for him his taunt didn''t go unchallenged as Aang approached, shouting to gain Zuko''s attention whilst holding his staff in an offensive position.


    "Finally, you won''t win this time!" Zuko shouted as he threw his first rounds of fire in Aangs direction.


    The young Avatar was more than prepared as he moved out of the way of the projectiles and used his staff to counter the fire with air. Within moments the volley of air and fire continued, growing with every second. Blasts of fire would hit houses, destroy carts, shops and had started burning everything down. Zuko could faintly smell the sensation of burnt flesh but he ignored it as he focused on the Avatar who decided it was time to avoid the Prince completely. In the few moments that Zuko had lost Aang the boy had reunited with his friends and climbed on their flying bison.


    "Back to the ship! Don''t lose sight of them!" Zuko ordered, glad that his men instantly reacted for once.


    That however was the last bit of hope he felt that day as a great sea serpent appeared from the ocean, spurting out water far stronger than any water bending team could accomplish. Zuko and his troops were soaked, every part of their bodies covered with sea water, the light sensation of salt stinging wounds that were just beginning to heal. Zuko, expectantly, was furious but silently made his way back to his ship followed by the men who didn''t have to wait for the order. The Kyoshi Warriors had regrouped and were ready to fight again, but since the Avatar had left it would have been a waste of time to fight a pointless battle.


    By the time Tadashi and his crew reached Kyoshi Island it was well into the afternoon, approaching the evening where sailing wasn''t always the best course of action. The young director was well beyond angered that the man in charge of the communications centre at Whale Tale Island wanted to take the time to ensure that Tadashi was who he said he was, going through many pointless formalities in the process.


    "I can''t believe we missed it!" Tadashi grimaced, noticing the faint plumes of smoke in the air.


    When the ship had reached shore there were met by a squad of Kyoshi Warriors that didn''t look happy. It was obvious that tensions were still high amongst those on the island but Tadashi still approached with a fake smile.


    "A mighty welcome to you all, to be approached by a troop of Kyoshi Warriors is nothing but a sight to behold." Tadashi spouted the nonsensical line, gaining a glare from the warriors and a look of amusement from Aki.


    "Who are you and what do you want?" One of the warriors asked, this was when Aki stepped up.


    "We are a group of travelling mercenaries who do more trading then fighting." Aki simple stated, going along with her role well. "My name is Captain Aki and I can see you''ve been in a spot of trouble yourself."


    "I don''t trust you, we''ve just been attacked by Fire Nation and then Pirates appear, not to mention you have Fire Nation eyes."


    "Aye, that''s true." Tadashi agreed, "We came to talk with those metal heads, usually they carry valuable material that''s sold for many a gold piece in these times."


    The person leading the Kyoshi warriors in place of Suki relaxed slightly. It was true that pirates usually stole from the Fire Nation over any other nation. Today wouldn''t be the first time that the villagers of Kyoshi Island had to deal with the lot, although the last group were rather loud and obnoxious.


    "So what do you want?"


    "We have wares to sell, information to gather and we need a place to dock for the night. Since you''re in a spot of trouble we don''t mind lending a hand, we have two Earthbenders who could help some and the crew are awfully good at repair work, just look at our ship!" Aki said rather boastfully.


    The Kyoshi warriors were somewhat impressed and found their story believable. No earthbender would be found with the Fire Nation under any circumstances, especially with how dire the war was becoming. Kyoshi having been a neutral location for so long didn''t repel Fire Nation visitors even though they were wary with each occasional visit. Unfortunately for them Tadashi was more charming than he let on, quickly getting along with Suki and some of the other kyoshi warriors as he told them stories about their raids on Fire Nation generals, using the information he knew of real events to create these false stories. Because the island didn''t know too much about these sort of things but word had spread around that the Fire Nation was being hit within it made his stories all the more believable and amazing.


    Aki had been by Tadashi''s side the whole time, listening in on any conversation especially on those about the Avatar and his recent stay. Within one night the warriors had decided to actively help those that needed them in the war. They told their plans in brief to Tadashi and Captain Aki who shared the occasional smirk as they mentally planned their next steps, even offering to ferry the Kyoshi Warriors to their next destination as a way to follow the Avatar and Zuko''s trail easily.


    The same day that the Kyoshi warriors left the island a report made its way to the Fire Lord, reporting that a group of female warriors had declared themselves Fire Nation enemies. The report also included another tale of Zhao''s idiocy and the presence of the Avatar, stating that all troops should be aware of his presence but to allow Zuko and Zhao to compete for his capture whilst Tadashi followed. This specific part surprised Ozai, he couldn''t help but admit that using Zuko or Zhao to capitalise on their failure was a sound way to achieve ones goals as the second in line for the throne. He decided to allow it, only because it was of no cost to him and it amused him more than he imagined.

 Book 1: Chapter 3

    The pirate ship was rowdy as Tadashi and his crew sailed the Earth Kingdom waters, training with the Kyoshi Warriors on board. In fact their appearance aboard the ship helped disguise them further, most if not all earth nation ships that passed didn''t even spare them a glance as they noticed the familiar garb of the Kyoshi Warriors. Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, has taken to training with Tadashi often. The battle between sword and fan excited the crew who watched in anticipation, making bets over who would win the latest bout. Such bets were commonplace between the crew and other warriors, despite the scrutinising eyes of Aki as she attempted to keep the men in line.


    "Nice try!" Suki said, dodging a swing from Tadashi''s wooden training sword.


    The female warrior used her fans to block each blow, taking several steps towards the young boy with each swing. Tadashi couldn''t help but smirk, always excited by the prospect of fighting a good opponent.


    "I''m not done yet." Tadashi smirked as he leapt onto a railing, using the height to flip over Suki and score a hit on her shoulder.


    The spectators roared in approval, even the Kyoshi warriors were impressed by the use of terrain. Those that watched made sure to give the combatants plenty of space and those that were working the lines couldn''t help but glance every other second. Even though Tadashi had hit Suki a bump on the shoulder would not count as a win. In fact Suki didn''t give the boy a moment to rest as she twirled, used her foot to knock Tadashi over and hold her fan below his chin.


    The fight was over.


    "Nice try, but next time don''t leave yourself so open after a big move, ok?" Suki said, offering her hand to Tadashi.


    "Yea, I guess I could." Tadashi chuckled, grasping her hand.


    As everyone departed to go about their business Suki sighed, staring out into the ocean.


    "It''s weird, only a few days ago I would have had doubts about training with males but ever since¡­.well Sokka certainly changed my mind." She spoke quietly.


    "Who''s that?" Tadashi asked, tilting his head ever so slightly.


    "Oh!" Suki looked about nervously. "Well I told you about the Avatar. Well he''s the water tribe boy who''s travelling with him."


    "Ahh I see," Tadashi said, "So you like him?"


    "What!?" Suki spluttered, "Where did you get that idea?"


    "So you don''t?"


    "It''s not that I don''t¡­.but I hardly know him."


    "Hmm, well you can''t let that stop you. A chance to find true happiness may slip away if untaken." Tadashi spoke in the wisest voice he could muster, rewarding him with a chuckle from Suki.


    "I didn''t know an ex-fire nation turned pirate could be so wise?" Suki replied.


    "It''s not age that teaches wisdom but what one goes through as they age." Tadashi retorted, "My Uncle used to say something like that all the time."


    "You must have had a wise uncle."


    "I guess¡­." Tadashi frowned, his shoulders suddenly feeling very heavy.


    The two stood there for a moment as Suki picked up on Tadashi''s sullen mood. She didn''t know whether it would be best to physically console him or not but decided another approach might work.


    "I know what it''s like to lose family." She spoke, her face almost emotionless. "I might have grown up on Kyoshi Island but my family would often visit other villages and town to offer aid and help the wounded. My mother used to be a Kyoshi Warrior and my father was a fishermen who always caught more than he needed."


    Suki had a soft smile as she turned her thoughts to the past.


    "One day they left to go and help out a mining village that had recently been taken over by the Fire Nation, I must have been 10 at the time. They insisted that they''d be fine since they were both non-benders but that day was the last I''d ever seen them."


    "I''m sorry¡­." Tadashi said his mind trying to shut out all emotions.


    "Don''t worry about it, but since that day I devoted myself to Warrior Training so that I could protect those that I cared about. I''d almost forgotten that reason but seeing the Avatar and his friends has given me strength and the resolve to do what I should have done years ago."


    "That''s amazing. I didn''t think our stories would be similar," Tadashi replied with a soft smile, "I lost my mother a few years ago and I think my father has hated me for as long as I''ve been born."


    Tadashi realised that he was sharing thoughts that only Naoko knew about but for reasons he couldn''t understand he trusted Suki enough to speak anyway.


    "I see, well us warriors and you pirates are one-of-a-kind in this world. We need to stay strong on the road ahead to defeating the Fire Lord."


    "Yes¡­.." Tadashi said weakly.


    "I''ll also be looking forward to your next attempt at beating me." Suki smirked.


    Tadashi chuckled, unable to hide the smirk that was growing on his face.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll certainly win next time," he retorted.


    During the two days they had been at sea Suki won the majority of the battles, even though Tadashi had been taught by Master Piando himself the Kyoshi Warrior simply had more experience and used her martial art experience to overcome the tight swordplay of the young boy. In terms of fighting ability, without the use of firebending Suki would win most fights but if he were to utilise his own style of bending there was no doubt the tables would turn and Suki would have a hard time winning.


    Whenever the warriors were training by themselves Tadashi would continually study reports coming from the Fire Nation. He had already warned any dispatch beforehand to delay messages by a week in case they were caught by any of the Warriors. However their personal Hawk, an Earth Kingdom variation was allowed to move freely between their base and the ship, using an encoded language that looked like mere Pirate jargon to any who looked into it. In accordance to the reports that Tadashi had been receiving the Avatar was making his way to Omashu for reasons unknown. Zhao was still troubled by the ongoing war, having to support several generals by giving aid to land battles by sea. Zuko''s whereabouts were surprisingly vaguely unknown, however Aki had suggested that after an unsuccessful battle he''d go to the nearest safe port to rethink their strategy. But both quickly came to the realisation that the banished prince wouldn''t go to that particular port, especially because the man in charge there would most definitely report to Zhao the prince''s whereabouts.


    The night before the pirate ship landed Tadashi proposed they sail to General Fong''s base, an Earth Nation port that was close to a key spot in their naval defences. Aki immediately rejected the idea, stating that it''d be too dangerous, especially for a Fire Nation prince. The others on-board also agreed but Tadashi continually suggested that it was the nearest they could get to Omashu without raising too much suspicion. In the end they decided not to go there and instead drop the Kyoshi warriors off at a small port that was 2 days away from the city by foot.


    Just as they docked, cries of panic started to spread amongst the villagers that the Fire Nation were invading. Tadashi internally swore, a mixture of panic and confusion welling up inside him as he knew that no Fire Nation movement should be reported around here for at least a month. Tadashi looked about nervously as he eyed Aki who hid a similar expression. The Kyoshi warriors were already in alert, the exchange they had with Zuko still fresh in their memories.


    Aki walked up to Suki with a grave face, motioning to the area where plumes of smoke could already be seed.


    "We''ll go first, find out what they want. The Fire Nation often deals with Pirates but they''re not too friendly with Earth Kingdom warriors. If possible, stick to the shadow and get ready to attack at a moment''s notice."


    Although it was more a suggestion than order, the idea put the minds of the warriors at ease who had begun fostering doubts that the Fire Nation and Pirates were working together.


    "And if anything doesn''t happen?" Suki asked carefully.


    "Then we should count ourselves lucky." Tadashi cut in, walking ahead of the group, followed by two crew members who hurriedly jogged to his side.


    All the Kyoshi warriors who had boarded the ship were now following Tadashi and Aki''s crew at a distance. There were 13 of them, sticking to the shadows and keeping an eye out for the enemy. As they sneaked around Suki was left in deep thought, staring at the young boy who confidently walked with the other pirates. Her mind just couldn''t justify such a young boy with pirates, already respected by all of them. In fact the way they had treated him was more respectful than a simple captain, as if they owed him their lives. As these doubts fostered she forced them aside, her heart telling her to trust him, seeing a soul that is merely seeking attention. She had almost missed the interaction between the Pirates and Fire Nation when they finally met.


    "So¡­.what do we have here?" one of Fire Nation soldiers turned to face Aki with a sly grin.


    A group of similarly dressed men were close behind, all bearing the heavy armour indicating that they were facing a group of firebenders.


    "Pirates, nothing more, nothing less." Aki simply said, "Are we interrupting a mission or something?"


    The man was stunned that Aki could ask such a question so casually but kept his temper in check.


    "No, nothing of the sort. What''s it to you anyway?" he asked coldly.


    "As I said before we''re pirates, we often trade with all nations so we came to this port to restock some of our equipment but with all the commotion it''s rather hard to find a trader willing to deal with us."


    "Hmm," The man said, looking Aki up and down. "Well I''m sorry to disappoint but we''re taking over this town."


    The other firebenders slowly started spread out, their faceplates intended to be intimidating but having the opposite face to the Pirates who saw such things every other day. Tadashi had almost stepped out to berate the man but Aki was quick to talk again.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "And on whose authority are you working under?" she asked, remaining calm, "From what we hear there is not supposed to be any Fire Nation around here?"


    The leader of the small grouped scoffed in indignation and pointed towards Aki.


    "Look, I don''t care who you are or what you think you know but we''re doing things our way. We''re sick and tired of being treated like worthless pawns, sent to the front lines only to die. We left the main army to seek our own future, to take what we want, when we want it and without anyone telling us what we can or can''t do. So if you think you can just waltz up to us and act all high and mighty you got another thing coming!"


    After shouting the man was left breathing heavily, his small speech was met by the approval of those around him who raised their fists in agreement and roared. Tadashi didn''t realise it but he had sighed in relief, thankful that he wasn''t about to take down his father''s men simply to keep his cover intact. The Kyoshi warriors were still hidden but Tadashi could feel their presence, the heat they gave off wasn''t terribly strong but over the past couple of days he had gotten used to them.


    "So that makes you deserters right? Meaning we can claim the reward money that comes with handing you back to the Fire Nation? I''m almost glad we stopped here now¡­.." Tadashi spoke aloud, everyone turning to look at him.


    "Who invited the brat?" The man asked, only noticing Tadashi now.


    "Brat, am I?" Tadashi growled, gripping the sword by his side in mock anger.


    The others sensed the situation and got their weapons out, the earth bender in position whilst the Kyoshi warriors were already behind their opponents. The first person to make a move was one of the Pirates. With a broadsword he flung dirt into the eyes of the nearest deserter, blinding him as he ran into the man with his elbow extended. The others quickly reacted and started chucking fire towards their opponents, the flames were hot yet nothing special, showing that they had received standard military training and were not a proper threat.


    Suki, leading her warriors, took out two of the firebenders before they even realised that the Pirates weren''t alone. The others were also faring well having recently fought Zuko''s soldiers, who were actually better trained than most would think, able to anticipate blast of fire and using their fans to strike their enemies. Tadashi noted that the Kyoshi warriors fought a lot harsher than expected, he grimaced as one easily threw a soldier into a nearby wall without a second thought.


    Aki, as one of the best fighters amongst the intelligence group, easily fought off the leader of the pack leaving Tadashi to deal with the grunts nearest him. The boy sighed in defeat, hoping he would have a challenge rivalling the duels he fought with Suki than amateurish bending not worth dealing with. Using only basic forms the fire nation troops were quickly pushed into a corner and forced to give up, those that wanted to go out fighting were quickly incapacitated by the Kyoshi warriors and the rest surrendered without a second thought.


    Tadashi had the Earthbenders form handcuffs around the captives whilst the Kyoshi warriors quickly set out to aid the villagers, assuring them that they were here to help. Before the end of the day the captives were placed in the ships hold where chains could be used to bind them and they wouldn''t be able to escape. Suki had already told Tadashi her plan of travelling from town to town giving aid to all those that needed their help, without too many words he wished them luck, both Aki and Suki giving each other a respectful handshake before turning to deal with their own comrades. Tadashi couldn''t help but smile softly as he watched the Kyoshi warriors leave, their presence a welcome change to the monotony of fire nation officials, generals and other boring people.


    "So¡­..you liked her didn''t you?" Aki popped out from nowhere and asked.


    "I guess¡­wait, not like that!" Tadashi protested quickly amidst Aki''s laughter.


    "I so if you had to choose between her and Naoko, who would it be?" Aki asked teasingly.


    "Neither," Tadashi responded quite seriously. "Naoko is like my best friend, you know I never knew what a friend was until she became my servant so it''s hard to see her as anything else. Suki is great¡­..but I like her as a rival, nothing more."


    "Oh¡­.so what about your ever-so-loyal captain then?" Aki asked, although teasingly her voice became quiet.


    Tadashi suddenly felt an intense amount of pressure, but tried to respond as honestly as he could.


    "Um¡­.well you''re Aki. I think we''re too alike for something like that, not to mention I think it''s a bad idea for a boss to enter romantic dealings with his underlings."


    "Eh? I''m an underling now?"


    "What!? I didn''t mean it like that¡­." Tadashi protested as he turned to Aki who held a sly grin on her face.


    Tadashi sighed in relief, still getting used to Aki''s more playful side.


    "I swear one of these days you''re going to say something and I won''t take it seriously even if you are being serious."


    "That would be quite the day¡­." Aki chuckled darkly.


    "Plus¡­.I thought you''d like someone like Hideki? He''s young but older than you, smart and has a well-paying job?"


    "That stiff?" Aki snorted as she replied, "I''d rather date a broom, rather than that guy. I mean sure he''s a well-respected member of our division but as a man¡­..no."


    The two continued to laugh and joke about with each other as one of the Earthbenders approached Tadashi and coughed awkwardly.


    "We''ve already finished preparations to depart, we just need a bearing."


    "Hmm, I''m kind of hungry. Can we find someplace to buy food before going?" Tadashi asked Aki thoughtlessly.


    "As if you need to ask me." Aki chided, nodding to the Earthbender in approval. "Fine, we''ll take an hour''s break to get the crew refreshed before departing again. As much I hate to suggest it I think Whale Tail Island will be our best bet of avoiding Zuko and depositing our captives at a good place to collect the bounty."


    "But if we go to the prison rig we could use your¡­.feminine charms to get some more gold?"


    "Over my dead body!" Aki immediately protested with a slight blush behind her angered face.


    Tadashi laughed as the Earthbender tried to stifle his chuckles despite the glare Aki was giving both of them. Before they knew it everyone had eaten and was ready to depart with Whale Tail Island as their destination, meaning they could not chase the Avatar on his way to Omashu and would have to start listening to rumours again.


    By the time Zuko had reached the Prison Rig the Avatar had left. He did not intend on stopping there for the boy himself but to refuel on coal as their supply was starting to run low but fate decided to intervene as his men were practically forced to help the warden and his men fix damages to their rig, of course all at his Uncles suggestion.


    "But Uncle, the more time we waste here means someone else can catch the Avatar!"


    "Prince Zuko, you need to be more considerate. Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves. Not to mention I doubt many will be able to catch that young boy." Iroh mused aloud.


    Zuko sighed, knowing that once his Uncle was like this there was little that could be done to change his mind. However luck shone down on him in the form of a bracelet that he picked on the rig, instantly recognising it as a Water Tribe trinket.


    "I guess Uncle was right¡­" Zuko murmured, half annoyed yet glad his time wasn''t completely wasted.


    With the majority of the work needed to be done quickly completed Zuko insisted on interrogating the warden, wanting to know everything about the Avatar''s visit. However the prince was shocked to discover that the warden didn''t even realise the Avatar was on board until it was too late.


    "So what do you know?" Zuko asked, throwing his arms around in a frustrated way.


    "Well um¡­.before the revolt another person came asking about the Avatar''s whereabouts." The warden stammered as he tried to look for an avenue to escape.


    "Who was this person?"


    "He didn''t give us a name, only that he was working for Fire Nation Intelligence, the captain said something about a royal leading them."


    Zuko stood back in shock. He was smart enough to understand that the royal who was leading this group must have been the same royal that left the Fire Nation for reasons unknown. Coming back to his senses the prince looked back at the warden with a cold look.


    "How do you know it was a royal? What did they want with the Avatar?"


    "I don''t know why they want the Avatar!" the warden admitted, "The captain only told me that to defy her master was to defy the Fire Nation. Only royalists and the nobles make that sort of threat. I also heard rumours that the Fire Lords second son had left the capital¡­.."


    The warden quickly became silent as he saw the look Zuko gave him. The prince wasn''t sure how to feel at first, first an overwhelming sense of anger nearly overcame him as he thought that Tadashi was trying to prevent him from reclaiming his honour. But the longer he thought the more he remembered all the times in the past that Tadashi would help him and the idea have him small amounts of hope. If he really was chasing after the Avatar they would meet eventually. Zuko decided that it was best to worry about things when the time came, otherwise he''d drive himself crazy thinking of all the possibilities, in fact the only comforting thought was that it wasn''t Azula who would be relentless and incredibly difficult to deal with. Iroh, who had been listening to the whole exchange, sighed hoping that there wouldn''t be another generation of hate between brothers, knowing that Ozai could care less for him or his children.

 Book 1: Chapter 4

    Zuko felt dejected. His plan to lead Zhao away with smoke had merely worked for a few moments, buying him less than an hour before the commander found his way onto the small island and apprehended everyone outside of the great door separating them from the Avatar.


    "You''re too late, Zhao! The Avatar''s inside and the doors are sealed." Zuko shouted in defiance at Zhao who just stood there smugly.


    "No matter. Sooner or later, he has to come out. "Zhao retorted with satisfaction and Zuko snarled.


    Everything remained quiet as Zhao paced about, thinking things over.


    "I should return the favour for that Agni Kai." He suddenly stated, "I don''t know how but word got out that I lost, even though no one should have been there at the time."


    The two water tribe siblings shared a glance at each other as Zuko sneered again.


    "If you''re looking for a rematch I''ll beat you again." Zuko suggested as he glared at Zhao.


    "I wasn''t talking about an Agni Kai but a show of respect!" Zhao retorted as he marched up to Zuko with every intention of torturing him.


    "Sir, the Director stated that attacking Prince Zuko would be see-"one of the guards started saying before a flame of fire interrupted them.


    "I don''t want to hear about that brat!" Zhao roared before straightening himself, "but unfortunately you''re right."


    Zhao groaned before turning back to face Zuko.


    "I don''t know why that brother of yours does what he does but mark my words one day I''ll get my revenge."


    The two water tribe siblings gave each other an incredulous look as Zuko stared back at Zhao, challenging him with his eyes.


    "Leave him out of this, I don''t need anyone to help beat you!" he challenged.


    "So you say," Zhao retorted, "but look where you are now."


    As the two firebenders continues to argue the firebender who had spoken out earlier walked off to the side and approached the chained water tribe siblings.


    "What brings the Avatar to the fire nation anyway?" he asked the male in a low voice.


    "That''s none of your business!" Sokka answered, giving his chains a tug for good measure.


    "Well if you don''t want to escape then fine¡­." He trailed off, pretending to walk away.


    "Wait¡­what?" Katara asked in a slightly shocked voice. "Why would the Fire Nation help us?"


    "I don''t represent the Fire Nation, my master would prefer that you aren''t in Zuko or Zhao''s hands so if I have a chance to do anything then I will." The soldier stated, glancing at the others to see if they had heard.


    "That still doesn''t sound plausible," Sokka stated, "how exactly do you plan on helping us?"


    Without batting an eyelid the masked soldier threw a flame that almost melted the chains holding Sokka and Katara. He had made sure that the area affected was out of sight of any of the other guards and without needing to test the strength of the chain the two siblings could tell a simple tug would break the weak point.


    "You see?"


    "Fine¡­.." Katara answered in reluctance.


    "Katara!" Sokka whispered loudly with an alarmed look on his face.


    "Quiet!"


    Everyone froze as Zhao shouted.


    "I didn''t say you could talk" he roared, clearly annoyed by Zuko''s insistent retorts.


    "And you, back in line!" Zhao shouted, pointing to the masked soldier standing near the two siblings. "When those doors open, unleash all your firepower!"


    The firebenders, along with Zhao, lined up in front of the large doors and got into a basic stance. The masked soldier glanced towards the siblings who seemed both worried for the Avatar''s sake and troubled about their own predicament. All of a sudden a large noise could be heard and a white flash came from the cracks around the large door that the Avatar had been hiding behind. As the door slowly unlocked smoke began to release from the room, a sign for all the firebenders to prepare themselves.


    "Ready... Fire!" Zhao shouted as the doors opened.


    Unfortunately for the commander the person standing to intercept the flames wasn''t the 12 year old boy from all the reports but the figure of a fully realised Avatar, Roku. The man that stood before them emanated a fearsome power, eyes glowing with the power of almost 10,000 years'' worth of fighting experience. With simple control the Avatar controlled the heat in the room with ease, blasting ferocious plumes of fire in so many directions that the other firebenders had no choice but to scramble for cover. Amidst all the chaos the water tribe siblings had freed themselves, Zuko seemingly vanished and Zhao decided that now would be a great time to temporarily retreat.


    The moment Aang regained his body he felt weaker than expected, the toll on his body enough to put him out of commission. Fortunately the two water tribe siblings were there to support the boy as the trio escaped on Appa, who had conveniently known it was time to save his spiritual partner. As the group left the island Aang was left in a state of unease, the information he had been told was still something he could barely come to terms with.


    "Do you really think that firebender was helping us?" Sokka questioned out of the blue.


    "Well he did loosen our chains." Katara answered as she attempted to comfort Aang.


    "What firebender?" The boy asked, having not been there to witness any of it.


    "I don''t know." Katara admitted, "A masked firebender said he was working for someone else and that he was helping you to stay out of Zuko''s and Zhao''s hands."


    "I think there''s more to it," Sokka added, "But we were able to easily escape thanks to the guy so he can''t be all bad right?"


    "Weird," Aang said, "Roku told me that help from all the nations would be key to beating the Fire Lord, could he have meant that firebender or his master?"


    "Perhaps, but that''s something we can worry about another time" Katara said, bringing their conversation to a close.


    <hr />


    Fate was always a fickle deal, easier than dealing with the spirits, but still troublesome. For the 19 year old Sikumi who had been lost at sea for three weeks there was nothing she wouldn''t have objected to, even capture by the Earth Kingdom would have been welcome. Days upon days of staring at nothing but Deep Ocean, no land and the same sky were starting to play on her mind, the idea of being saved slowly fading away.


    Sikumi was born in Kassuq, a small sea village close to the Northern Water Tribe capital. Around 5 years after the Fire Nation had wiped out the Air Nomads the capital city had ordered all citizens to cut-off ties with the rest of the world, however their village decided to ignore those orders and continue trading with the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. As a neutral town they expected no harm to come to them but the capital didn''t see things that way, for refusing to listen to the cities chieftain and according to tradition the town was officially exiled, no aid or trade would be condoned between their sister villages and Kassuq. This was a common practice for the Water Tribe, it had happened hundreds of years ago with a tribe that disappeared, rumour has it that they settled somewhere within the Earth Kingdom.


    But Kassuq was quite unique in that regard. The village was never officially in a single position, because the ice that it had been built upon shattered thousands of years ago and the village would continually move with the Northern sea currents. That had made the village quite popular with tourists as one of the only large amounts of land to continually move. 40 years after Kassuq had cut ties with the Northern Water Tribe a tragedy struck them. A skirmish was fought between a fleet of Fire Nation ships and Earth Kingdom dignitaries. The Earth Kingdom traders were big merchant owners who were given permission to contact the Northern Tribe in order to gain better naval equipment. During this time a fleet of ships, one in particular that would later become the southern raiders, had corned the Earth Kingdom dignitaries into Kassuq who found refuge with the people of the village. Unfortunately for those in the village it wasn''t the Fire Nation that had caused the destruction of their village but the Earth Nation who invested quite a large amount of forces to rescue their delegates.


    Within mere hours the villagers were forced to leave their homes. Kassuq, floating on a chunk of ice 1 mile long, was destroyed. However all wasn''t lost for those that had lived there. The chief in a fit of desperation had used their best Earthbenders to secure enough boats for everyone, leaving the Earth Kingdom dignitary behind as a peace offering to the Fire Nation in an attempt to escape with their lives. Fortunately the commander in charge that day was indeed generous and the people of Kassuq escaped, mostly unharmed.


    Ever since that day the people of Kassuq drifted. They built their new lives on the sea, trading as they sailed from port to port, their hatred of the Earth Kingdom stifled but settled deep within their hearts. Soldiers, Pirates and even the common man were all customers for the drifters who shared stories throughout the years, selling wares they found on their travels. As a general rule Earth Nation were never allowed to stay with them, anytime someone of Earth Kingdom original traded with them the drifters would unconsciously raise their prices in anger, their minds still thinking of the time they lost their home. The water tribe, lost souls from any home would be welcomed with open arms, sheltered by the families and eventually given a boat to become part of their extended family. It became customary for small groups to leave on their own, trading with the land and coming back at the same time every year to meetup with the rest of their tribe. For a week they would stay together, remember the times they were once united by land, share stories and pray to the spirits in a grand festival of many colours. Afterwards they would disperse, back to their trading routes where they would tour the world again.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    During the early period of the people becoming drifters the villagers came into the wreckage of a Fire Nation ship, seeing survivors struggling to float on the ocean. Without a word they saved those men, taking them in and guiding them back to land, perhaps in a gesture of good faith but in their hearts to repay the good deed that one general had done for them many years ago. Ever since then the Fire Nation had been on good terms with the drifters, trading with them and gaining valuable Intel from them whenever possible. That''s how it stayed for many years, the steady pace of life quickly accepted by the people who once lived in Kassuq, the pacifist like attitude past down onto their children and the praise they saw for the Fire Nation over the Earth Kingdom remained. Over time the almost prejudiced attitude to the Earth Kingdom subsided, the parents that lived during the tragedy too old to care or long passed from this world.


    Sikumi and her parents were sailing towards Gao Ling. It was almost time for the annual meetup, happening during the Winter Solstice. The other 8 boats that travelled with them belonged to other families, mostly water tribe members from Kassuq but one Earth Kingdom family had been welcomed into their arms too. Trade had been good that year and Sikumi had felt the benefits of good food and a warm shelter for the season. Her parents were in good health and her siblings happily playing with the other children from the other boats.


    Everything was as it should have been for a drifter but within mere seconds she lost it all.


    A Unagi, massive in size, had swam into the warmer waters of the central ocean and had swam into the small fleet. Before anyone could react it had sank three boats and dragged two more to the ocean depths with its large teeth. There was no time for cries of despair, shouts of desperation or roars of anger as the Unagi attacked the entire fleet, ensuring that no one had survived except for one lone female.


    For Sikumi who had lived her life with a love for the ocean it came as an ironic shock to her that it would claim her life. The light in her eyes daring to fade as she struggled to keep her strength, her waterbending not strong enough to overpower the currents and hardly enough to capture a small fish. Those she caught were eaten raw in fear that a simple wave would take her meal away from her. It was a pitiful existence that threatened to overwhelm her mind till her saviour finally appeared. The image of large vessel clad in green, blue and red took a hold of her weak vision. The sound of voices that were aware of her presence beaconed like praise from spirits themselves.


    "Quick, hoist her up before the sea claims her!" a female voice shouted.


    For the first time in three weeks Sikumi felt relived, her tears had long been spent but the need to cry rose up again as the men aboard the ship hoisted her by the arms and brought Sikumi aboard. It was quickly found out that Sikumi had an intense fever, her waterbending nature was the only thing that saved her life. Tadashi had personally taking it upon himself to ensure the female was constantly heated. Her legs showed signs of bacterial infection, the skin breaking down due to too long exposure of water. It was a heavy decision for Tadashi but he had ordered the boat to be sailed to the nearest port to gain medicine, the stores they currently kept weren''t enough to deal with the girl. The ships doctor had did their best to cure the watebenders legs and due to the girls strong spirit she had healed well, falling into a cycle of mere exhaustion and fever.


    One particular day Tadashi was out admiring the sun after a morning spent training. Their water tribe guest had considerably healed and was up and about, more upbeat about her situation then what appeared natural. Having insisted that she stay with them as a repayment for their kindness, Aki asked the girl if she thought staying with Pirates was the best idea. In turn they eventually found out what had happened to her and her family. Tadashi, whilst understanding, had elected to send her to the nearest water tribe settlement whether they were drifters or tribes'' people. Sikumi however rejected the idea, stating that a waterbender like herself could be useful.


    "But you don''t know any real waterbending!" Tadashi retorted.


    Sikumi had been given standard gear to wear over the clothing ruined by the sea. Her arms were decorated with multi-coloured bands of fabric, each one depicting various locations around the world. She had indeed travelled a lot.


    "I''m still learning," she stated, "I will be useful eventually¡­."


    "It wouldn''t hurt to have more females aboard, we''re severely lacking in that department." Aki commented, trying to imagine how combative the water girl could be.


    Tadashi sighed, knowing that having benders of multiple disciplines would ultimately be more useful than anything else but it also went against everything he had been taught. These people were the enemy, if they attacked then the Fire Nation took them out. But even Tadashi had heard about the good relationship drifters shared with navy. He wondered if this meant that inducting waterbenders wouldn''t be frowned upon.


    "Ok, say we do keep you then how would you hold up in a fight?" Tadashi asked, Aki nodding in agreement.


    Sikumi shifted about uncomfortably. Her face dropping as memories of her parents came to mind.


    "I was taught to never fight, that we should get along with everyone¡­.even the Earth Kingdom," she said unsurprised to see Tadashi''s confused face. "You see, my parents'' home was destroyed by the Earth Kingdom so there has always been this aura of resentment towards them but more recently we''ve been accepting of Earthbenders, that''s the drifter way after all."


    "Even so, wouldn''t that make you useless?" Tadashi asked, "I don''t mean to disrespect but a waterbender that doesn''t use her bending to help in battle won''t be of much use in a pirate ship."


    Sikumi frowned, looking Tadashi in the eye as she prepared to defend herself.


    "I can heal!" she exclaimed, "My mother taught me how to."


    "What do you mean heal?" Aki asked, this time it was Tadashi who nodded in agreement.


    Noticing that Tadashi had a light cut on his forearm Sikumi brought about a small amount of water and approached Tadashi who looked at the girl wearily.


    "It''s ok," she said soothingly, "I know what I''m doing."


    With a weave of her hand the water gently kissed the wound on his arm, moving about with an ethereal glow as it slowly healed the wound, leaving no trace behind that he had been cut.


    "That''s amazing!" Tadashi almost shouted, beaming at the girl who tried to hide her blushes as Aki inspected the wound.


    "No trace at all, very impressive." She said before turning to Tadashi. "Should we?"


    This time the look the two shared was serious. Tadashi nodded before turning back to Sikumi who was slightly confused.


    "The first thing you should know is that we''re Fire Nation." Tadashi stated.


    "That''s obvious right? Anyone can tell from looking at your eyes." Sikumi replied.


    "That''s not what I meant, we''re not pirates but undercover Fire Nation soldiers in the army. I am Prince Tadashi of the Fire Nation." He said slowly, watching Sikumi for any change in her eyes.


    Aki was also cautious. Although she didn''t move much, she was ready to strike the moment the girl did anything that may harm Tadashi but was instead shocked by the almost reverence that could be seen in Sikumi''s eyes.


    "Really!? That''s amazing! I''ve always wanted to see the Fire Nation. What''s it like? Does that mean you''re the Fire Lords son? Is it always hot in the Fire Nation? I heard the Fire Lord is responsible for the sun coming up every day is that true?"


    As Sikumi continued to ask stranger questions Tadashi couldn''t help but laugh. Aki mentally felt exhausted watching the girl as she decided that she couldn''t be much of a threat with that mentality.


    "Welcome to the team¡­..I guess." Aki said before deciding to deal with other matters.


    Fortunately for the captain a message just came in from their informant network. The Avatar was heading to a popular trading village in the Earth Kingdom.

 Book 1: Chapter 5

    Tadashi had been too hopeful. He had invested a lot of time in training Sikumi personally, using his firebending whenever they were away from the mainland. The young boy had managed to convince the Waterbender that learning some self-defence moves was essential to survive with them and the girl reluctantly agreed, her memories of the Unagi still appearing in her nightmares. Aki had taught her basic sword manoeuvres, even though Sikumi insisted she could never use one in actual battle.


    "I''m telling you I really don''t know!" she complained for the third time that day.


    Tadashi sighed, also for the third time, trying to come up with a way to improve Sikumi''s offensive bending. He had been avoiding the subject of her parents as he assumed they must have taught her some moves but his patience was quickly slipping away.


    "I know, you''ve already said that," Tadashi groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.


    Tadashi, as a member of the royal family, was taught about the other styles of bending in his tutelage but he had never been given the opportunity to study their kata''s or bending variations. Apart from her healing abilities Sikumi would be useless unless they found a good teacher.


    "What if we went to the Northern Tribe?" Sikumi suggested.


    Tadashi shook his head as he looked away. Although it may have been their best chance to find a teacher for Sikumi it was also the most dangerous. There was a reason the Fire Nation had not attacked the Northern Tribe yet, it would be far too taxing on their navy. Not only were they surrounded in their element but the Northern Capital City was situated in such a way that a long campaign would only hinder the Fire Nation. Aki had discussed this with Tadashi the other day as they figured that the Avatar must be making their way to the Northern Water Tribe to find a master.


    "What if we found another drifter?" Tadashi asked.


    Sikumi pouted, shaking her head in response.


    "That''s not entirely possible." She explained, "Even though we''re like a big connected family tracking one down is almost impossible. Not to mention I don''t think anyone would know that type of waterbending."


    Tadashi gave Sikumi a sceptical look, but the girl simply shrugged and tried again to form a ball of water and push it forwards. The ball of liquid looked highly unstable and nowhere near as deadly as the boulders that Earthbenders would normally throw. The water barely moved before hitting the ship''s floor with a lazy splash. Sikumi gave the wet remains a frustrated look and tried again, using her hands to summon more water from the ocean.


    "Let''s try something different," Tadashi stated after a while, "I want you to summon another ball but this time focus on squashing it together."


    "What?" Sikumi questioned, doing as he ordered.


    "Try to imagine each drop of water getting smaller, pushing against each other and¡­" Tadashi couldn''t help but gasp as he felt the water heat up.


    "Yes¡­.like that!" Tadashi encouraged as Sikumi concentrated on the ball of water in front of her.


    As she applied more and more pressure to the ball of water it started changing, the clear liquid turning into a ball of powdery snow. Sikumi let out a large gasp as she realised she had been holding her breath for several seconds.


    "I did it¡­.but what did I do? It feels¡­..warm?" Sikumi questioned, a smile creeping up on her face.


    "You turned water into snow. I was hoping for ice but this is a good start. What I''m surprised by though is that it feels warmer than the water before. Usually ice is much colder, is this how all waterbenders create ice?" Tadashi asked in return.


    "No," Sikumi answered, shaking her head, "There was this one guy I used to know who created Ice all the time. I must have been 8 or 9 at the time but it always felt really cold."


    Sikumi then focused again on the ball of snow, putting more pressure on the ball as the clumps of snow slowly came together and formed one large clump of snow, only the core was frozen but neither Tadashi or Sikumi could tell. Tadashi noticed that it was even hotter than before, so much so that he got a dubious feeling from it.


    "It feels kind of unstable." Sikumi murmured as she attempted to move it around in the air.


    Tadashi wanted to back away but couldn''t help moving forwards in awe. Aki had also noticed the two and was watching from a safe distance as well as the other crew members who glanced at the commotion in the hopes that something exciting would happen. All of a sudden Sikumi felt incredibly tired, as if the energy was draining from her body just by holding the ball aloft. In a swift movement Sikumi pushed the ball over the side of the ship.


    "Well that was-" Tadashi was about to say when a large explosion shook the boat.


    Everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed to the boats side, surprised to see ripples of water where the explosion had occurred and a lining of snow on the boat.


    "Was that¡­.me?" Sikumi questioned in a state of shock.


    "I think so¡­.but how?" Tadashi wondered, "Can all waterbenders do that?"


    "I don''t think so," Aki said, walking up to the two, "Normally ice would encase the user or simply freeze them but this was¡­sudden."


    As the other crew members went back to their stations one shook his head in disbelief as he approached Tadashi.


    "With all due respect Director you come up with dangerous bending forms. This is the smoke manipulation all over again but with water!"


    Aki gave the man a look who simply shrugged and went back to his work leaving Tadashi to ponder over what exactly had just happened.


    "We need to do it again, are you up for it?" he asked Sikumi.


    "You want me to do that¡­.again!?" she exclaimed, backing away from the boy slightly.


    "Sure, it may prove to be useful in the future but in the interests of knowledge isn''t it worth knowing just why and how it happens, not to mention it''ll help your bending too." Tadashi explained.


    "I guess¡­." Sikumi said reluctantly.


    And so the two continued into the late afternoon, throwing balls of pressurised ice into the waters of the Earth Kingdom they realised many things.


    Firstly Sikumi had a rather low amount of chi, quickly getting tired after she formed the balls of ice, however towards the end of the day she felt stronger than before, forming the balls more easily and throwing them without having to exert herself too much.


    The next thing they discovered was that only balls that weren''t completely solid would explode, for some reason the ball needed trapped air and cracks for it to work, but it did mean they now knew the conditions needed to successfully make an ice bomb. Fire would heat the ice up and make it harder, lengthening the time before it explodes, whilst taking heat away from the surrounding would almost make it explode instantly.


    The balls could be made in many sizes, but if made too small its effects wouldn''t be noticed. Sikumi struggled to create anything bigger than the size of a head but from the range of sizes they did try creating anything bigger would have a devastating effect to ships.


    The most important lesson however was that there were quite a few applications for the bomb. If Sikumi made it mostly out of ice, enough so that you could see through it, then the explosion would be louder and shards of ice would dissipate in every direction. They learnt this the hard way as the force of the ice shards almost skewered one of the crew members who was taking a break below deck. If a ball was made mostly of snow then instead of it acting as a weapon it would create a temporary smoke screen, but with snow instead. The sound of the explosion was also heavily muted too which made it useful for stealth purposes. Another interesting thing they discovered was that when Tadashi threw fire into the smoke like snow instead of turning to steam it ignited into a wall of fire, similar to a firebending technique that Tadashi still considered too advanced to perform himself.


    By the end of the day the two were exhausted but felt fulfilled. Sikumi mentioned that she would definitely practice more but at the same time had concerns that it still wasn''t a substitute for actual waterbending.


    "Sure," Tadashi agreed, "We''ll see if we can find a teacher or better yet something that can help teach you at the next port we visit."


    <hr />


    The Pirate ship was wooden, a very traditional design but looked sturdy. Tadashi and Aki had left the ship some time ago and in their search for a bending teacher were spotted by another pirate.


    "Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you''re welcome here!" a man spoke out.


    The duo turned to look at the man wearing earth nation clothes, his moustache, large earrings and general disposition was suspicious.


    "Ahh, brethren!" he said, "The captain will want to speak with you."


    Tadashi shrugged as the pirate motioned them onto the ship, Aki following doubtfully. Inside there were many bold and unique items scattered about, including a monkey statue that featured many red gems. Tadashi merely shrugged at the statue before noticing a wall of scrolls. The captain, who had been watching the whole time, approached Aki and nodded.


    "So you must be Captain Aki of The Crimson Raiders." He said with a smile on his face, "We heard that you were in the area when a group of drifters passed by."


    "I see," Aki said, "Well we came in search for water-"


    "Hey look what I found!" Tadashi said, interrupting the two.


    He showed them a waterbending scroll showing basic forms for moves that would certainly help Sikumi learn how to bend properly.


    "How much for this?" he asked, studying the scroll carefully.


    "Your mate''s got a fine eye, we got it up North, at a most reasonable price." He stated.


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    "So where''s the others?" Aki asked, inciting a look of shock from the pirate captain.


    "That''s a rare piece, but I''ve already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless of course, you have two hundred gold pieces on you right now."


    "Sure we do," Tadashi answered, "But I''d only buy it for 50."


    The captain laughed, intrigued by the upfront bargaining method of the young boy.


    "Seeing as you''re fellow raiders of the sea I''ll cut you a special deal of 150 gold, eh?"


    Aki shook her head, glancing at the scroll before looking back at the Captain.


    "I''ve got a better deal, we pay 15 silver and a crate of Fire Nation military grade equipment?"


    Tadashi gave Aki a shocked look but understood her intentions.


    "And where did you get Fire Nation armour?" he asked.


    "We got it up North, at a most reasonable price too." She said, "It''s navy as well."


    The captain couldn''t help but gulp. Fire Nation weaponry and armour was some of the most sought after equipment for mercenaries and the military but for Pirates it would be too costly to acquire through trade. It was foolhardy to attack a Fire Nation ship, despite rumours of The Crimson Raiders doing just that, so he knew a crate of such equipment would sell for more gold than he could count on the black market.


    "What''s the catch? Why haven''t you sold this equipment?" he asked, trying to cover all his bases.


    "We''re not too interested in profits, not to mention there''s certain parties that we trade with but other than that all our goods are 100% fresh of the bodies that wore them." She guaranteed with a smile.


    The captain wasn''t a fool, he could sense the threat behind those words. The people in front of him were those that would simply take what they needed if it suited them. With this in mind the captain''s thoughts went back to the 3 other replicas he kept hidden in the back, in fact the scroll the boy was currently holding was yet another replica and the original was hidden in the vaults in his quarter but no one had to know that.


    "Deal," he finally said, offering Aki his hand, "We''ll take the silver now and I''ll send my boys to get the crate ok?"


    "There''s no need," Aki smiled, "My men are already on the way with the goods."


    At such a statement the captain could only stare in disbelief. One of the pirates left the ship to verify and quickly came back in to confirm that a small group of men were carrying a closed box and heading towards their position from where the Crimson Raider''s ship was docked.


    "But¡­.but how?" he asked, fear starting fill his mind.


    This time it was Tadashi who grinned and explained.


    "You shouldn''t underestimate us," he said, "We always come prepared."


    In truth neither the pirates nor the captain had noticed the agent, posed as a trader, which had been listening in, nor did they realise that someone had already snuck aboard and was going through their stores. The equipment that would be given, whilst appearing new, would be dated and be impossible to use as a deceptive tool against the Fire Nation.


    When everything was over the captain wiped his brow in relief and ordered one of his men to replace the scroll.


    "I hope I never have to deal with their kind again," he said, cursing his luck that he''d run into other pirates that day.


    <hr />


    By the time the Avatar had boarded the Pirate Ship the captain had cooled off and was ready to trade again for extortionate prices. As the odd group walked into his boutique he quickly noticed the strange clothing the monk wore, his tattoo and the animal on his shoulders.


    "I''ve never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you''d be interested in bartering." He looked at the lemur greedily, imagining how much he could charge the Earth Kingdom nobles.


    "Momo''s not for sale." Aang stated, unaware that the Captain mentally cursed.


    As the trio browsed the shop Katara spotted a shelf where scrolls were being kept. As if fate had brought her here she laid her hands on a particular scroll with waterbending patterns on it, noticing that it was full of detailed illustrations and bending forms.


    "Look at this, Aang. It''s a waterbending scroll!" she exclaimed as Aang walked over. "Check out these crazy moves."


    Aang, easily impressed, turned to face the captain.


    "Where did you get a waterbending scroll?" he asked.


    The captain, unnerved by the similar situation, put his hand on the scroll and took it before speaking.


    "Let''s just say I got it up North, at a most reasonable price, free." He stated, hoping that it would prevent any more prying questions.


    Sokka, who had remained quiet, suddenly realised who these people were as he shouted.


    "Wait a minute. Sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise, and pet reptile birds? You guys are pirates!"


    "We prefer to think of ourselves as high risk traders." One of the pirates said,


    "Plus the Crimson Raiders are real pirates." Someone else added under their breath.


    "Who''s the Crimson Raiders?" Aang asked.


    "More pirates it seems." Sokka stated.


    "Sounds like trouble," Katara added.


    "They are-" the first pirate started saying before he saw the look his captain gave him, "but I guess that''s how it is out there¡­"


    "So, how much for the, uh, traded scroll?" Katara asked, holding a measly two copper pieces in her hand.


    "I''ve already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless of course, you kids have three hundred gold pieces on you right now." He stated, unconsciously inflating the price he asked for.


    Aang spun around and faced Katara, hunching in a way that would only let hear what he had to say.


    "I know how to deal with these guys, Katara. Pirates love to haggle." He said, taking the pieces from Katara, "Watch and learn."


    Aang walked over to the counter and leant against it.


    "Let''s say to the price of, one copper piece!" he said confidently, in a makeshift pirate voice, holding the single piece between his fingers.


    The captain laughed, his crew also chuckling at the antics of the young boy before their Captain replied in his standard business like attitude.


    "The price is three hundred gold pieces. I don''t haggle on items this rare." He stated.


    "Okay, two copper pieces!" Aang said, holding two pieces between his fingers.


    "It''s not as amusing the second time, boy!" the captain replied, clearly annoyed.


    Katara walked up to Aang and tapped him on the shoulder.


    "Aang, can we get out of here? I feel like we''re getting weird looks." She said, looking around as she spoke.


    "Aye, we be casting off now!" Aang stated as they all left the boutique.


    "Well that was weird." One of the pirates stated.


    "Aye," another said, "They be all wanting scrolls today."


    All of a sudden the captain swore, his face redder than usual. The pirate looked at him in confusion as the man struggled to contain his anger.


    "Those brats stole the scroll!" he shouted, "Go after them!"


    Without another word needing to be said several pirates dashed outside, chasing after the trio. Of course when some of them returned empty-handed, full of bruises and their pride in tatters the captain didn''t know what to do with himself. If it weren''t for the fact that he had made a questionably profitable trade that morning and that there were two customers within his shop now he would have closed up shop there and then.


    One of the pirates, named Oh, approached his captain out of breath.


    "We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with." He said between breaths.


    This caught the attention of one of the customers inside the shop, prince Zuko.


    "This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?" Zuko asked, a flint on anger reflected on his eyes.


    "Aye," the captain confirmed somewhat confused, "What''s he to you?"


    Before Zuko replied he turned to his Uncle who was busy admiring a monkey statue and thought up a simple plan. If it meant capturing the Avatar he would lower himself to work with pirates.


    "I have a deal for you." Zuko stated.


    "What is it with the Fire Nation and their deals¡­.." one of the pirates murmured offhandedly.


    "Go on¡­." The captain encouraged.


    "We help you get your scroll while you help me capture the bald monk?" He suggested, watching the captain carefully.


    "You mean the A-" Iroh was about to say before Zuko interrupted him.


    "Yes, the adversary we''re after!" Zuko said between clenched teeth, glaring at his Uncle.


    Iroh, who seemed to realise just what his nephew was implying gave everyone a sheepish smile, before picking up the monkey statue and praising its design, asking the captain for its price before they sent their men to hunt the ''adversary'' of theirs.

 Book 1: Chapter 6

    Sikumi had been at it for a while now. After finding out that Tadashi had given away so much just to get a simple scroll she felt guilty and proceeded to start practicing straight away. Fortunately for her some of the initial moves were kata''s she had seen others perform so imitating their movements almost seemed natural. In fact by the time Aki and Tadashi had come to check up on her she had forgotten all about her guilt and was moving about the water with relative ease. Of course she was no master, there was still sloppy movement here and there but compared to the first time she had tried there was a great improvement.


    "Nice." Tadashi said after Sikumi performed a rather complicated move that transferred water around her body in a defensive fashion.


    Sikumi almost hopped about in excitement when she turned to the two, receiving an approving nod from Aki.


    "I never knew how free bending could be." Sikumi exclaimed, surrounding her hands with more water and throwing it into the air.


    "Welcome to the club," Aki smirked, "But can you use it in battle."


    When Sikumi heard this she dropped the water, soaking herself in shock. The brightness in her eyes also dimmed as she imagined herself attacking another person.


    "I don''t think I could," she shook her head.


    "I thought so," Tadashi interjected, "but if you can focus on that ice technique and defensive bending then things will be fine, I mean not everyone needs to be so offensive right?"


    "Uh¡­.yea sure," Aki frowned, "I just thought it''d be nice to have someone else out there who can watch my back other than our esteemed director."


    "Ouch, that hurt." Tadashi pouted, turning away from the two females.


    "Are you two always like this?" Sikumi chuckled whist Aki smirked again. "I would have thought a prince would¡­.I don''t know demand more respect."


    There was a brief moment of silence as Aki gave Sikumi a pitiful look, knowing where the water tribe girl was coming from.


    "Yes I am a prince," Tadashi sighed as he explained, "but there''s no fun in being so formal with everyone. I''d rather lie down in the dirt with my comrades than have people do it for me."


    Tadashi turned to face Sikumi, giving her a pained but soft smile.


    "I''m not my father, nor am I my brother and definitely not my uncle. Sometimes I feel like I''m just too different from everyone else."


    "So?"


    Tadashi looked up, genuinely shocked to hear Sikumi say that so casually.


    "Sure you may be different from the others in your family, but that doesn''t mean you don''t need to act differently¡­..right?" she exclaimed, looking to Aki for encouragement.


    "She''s right, but there''s also something you don''t understand yourself." Aki told Sikumi, "We''ve been working together for about two years now. In order to work more efficiently there are certain privileges that need to be dropped and sacrifices to be made."


    "Exactly," Tadashi said, "plus I like hanging out with these people, despite how stiff some may be regarding relationship advice."


    The young boy nudged Aki playfully as he finished speaking, inciting a chuckle from Sikumi who started to understand just how Tadashi worked.


    "I look forward to working beside you in the future," Sikumi suddenly said aloud, putting her hand up in a salute.


    "As if we haven''t been doing so already," Tadashi laughed.


    Sikumi genuinely felt glad that Tadashi and Aki had accepted her so readily, even if they were Fire Nation. However she couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease coming from the boy, as if everything he would do and say was for someone else''s sake. In her mind she wanted to question just why they hadn''t just dumped her off at the nearest port on their journey but her heart said otherwise. In the short time she had been with these people she had more and more questions about them. Aki was certainly a capable person but she''d always seem so busy. The same could be said for Tadashi who spent all his time training or working. In fact the only time he seemed to be relaxed was when he had been testing out Sikumi''s ice powers and even then that was taxing on their minds and bodies.


    What puzzled her even more so was that the small crew, who claimed to be pirates, were mostly fire nation, with only two of its members being Earth Kingdom citizens. After finding out that Tadashi was a royal she didn''t know what to think. One problem was to be taken in by pirates, her initial thoughts led her to image she''d be forced to raid with a crew of swashbuckling men but it became even more confusing when these pirates were Fire Nation in disguise, led by a royal to boot. Who exactly were they? Why were they in disguise? Sikumi, although having lived a relaxed lifestyle, was still aware of the ongoing problems with the world. She knew that her people were risking their lives whenever trading with the Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom militaries but they did so anyway. So how did she managed to get tangled up with these strange people? In her heart she just hoped they wouldn''t hurt the innocent. As long as that remained true she could summon the courage to defend the people in front of her and heal them, even if it meant aiding the Fire Nation.


    "That reminds me," Tadashi prodded Aki, "We need to get Sikumi fitted out with some gear, probably with some pouches to store water in."


    "Agreed," Aki turned to face a door leading inside the ship, "Let''s go Sikumi."


    "Uh¡­.ok," she agreed nervously, following Aki into the bowels of the ship.


    As Tadashi was left alone he allowed his body to soak up as much energy from the sun as possible. The moments where he could enjoy the sun''s rays and listen to world around him were pure bliss, but he''d always think of Azula during these moments, then he''d feel guilty about it. Tadashi didn''t know if he feared or hated his father, in fact he wanted nothing more than to hear words of praise from him, but none of that mattered if Azula hated him. These past two years, having not returned home once or been summoned. He really wanted to talk to her again, see what she''d been up to and how her fire bending had progressed.


    "Um¡­sir?" one of the crew members, his eyes indicating his Earth Kingdom origin, interrupted Tadashi.


    "Wha? Oh, what is it?" Tadashi asked, turning away out of embarrassment.


    The crew member almost rolled his eyes at the young boy, before remember just why he had interrupted him in the first place.


    "I just saw Prince Zuko and your Uncle, as well as the pirates you dealt with earlier."


    "Oh?" Tadashi quickly turned around, "And what are they doing?"


    "From what I heard they are after the Avatar."


    Tadashi slightly paled. He knew that now was the best time to consider capturing the Avatar but with his brother here he couldn''t just openly act. Not to mention he wanted to avoid a conflict if possible, but with pirates in the mix things would certainly not easy. The boy sighed, knowing that whatever happens will change his plans anyway.


    "OK, I want you to get Ak¡­.never mind just tell the other''s to get ready and meet me here in 10 minutes." Tadashi ordered, remembering that the captain would be giving Suki a fresh set of clothing about now.


    As the Earthbender left to follow Tadashi''s orders the boy couldn''t help but shiver. He hadn''t seen his brother in two years and they''d finally meet again. Just the thought made him more nauseous than setting foot on a boat had ever affected him. By the time Aki had returned with Sikumi the young boy found it hard to stand straight, holding on to the ships sides for support.


    "Tadahsi, what''s wrong?" Aki asked, running up to help Tadashi up.


    Instinctively Sikumi brought out a ball of water and checked over Tadashi, relieved but surprised to find out that he was not injured. Giving the young director an inquisitive look, Tadashi gave her a strained smile before collapsing completely.


    By the time he had woken up the team was ready to depart. Luckily only half an hour had passed and Aki, having heard the news, ordered someone to follow their trail. Sikumi had stayed next to the young boy, sensing a wave of unease emanating from his body. Although she couldn''t heal him she hoped that her waterbending could at least wash away the physical impact he was feeling.


    "Oh, you''re awake!" she said, catching the attention of Aki and the nearby officers.


    Looking carefully he could see that they were all armed and wore worried faces. The thought gave him enough strength to stand up on his own as he rejected Aki''s hand for help. The captain, not one to linger to long on any particular thought, ignored the boys'' bravado and gave him a sceptical look.


    "Sikumi said you didn''t come down with any illness, our doctor confirmed it too." She said, nodding to the medical officer on board who gave Tadashi a small nod.


    "Is this about¡­..him?" she asked.


    "Him?" Sikumi repeated.


    "She means Zuko," Tadashi confirmed, watching the girl to see her react to that name.


    Fortunately she didn''t seem to recognise the name and asked another question instead.


    "Who''s he?"


    "My brother."


    "Zuko is the crown Prince of the Fire Nation," Aki explained, "He''s currently hunting the Avatar in order to gain acceptance from his father and return to the Fire Nation."


    "Oh, I see." Sikumi''s glum expression was to be expected.


    Tadashi didn''t want to see his subordinates give him looks of sympathy so he got up, despite Sikumi''s fretting, and stretched his body as if he was raring to go.


    "Look, there is nothing to worry about, just some nerves that got to me."


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    Aki gave Tadashi a sceptical look whilst Sikumi seemed unsure what to say. The boy sighed, knowing that idling about would lead to nothing.


    "There''s really no point in worrying about me, I''m fine now." He reassured the two, motioning to the doctor that he didn''t need to stay anymore. "More importantly where''s my armour?"


    Because of the nature of their mission the group couldn''t pose as pirates and instead wore standard Fire Nation army, including the iconic white masks that villagers feared. Of course for this to work the ship was moved to a more remote location where they could disembark without any nosey citizens watching them. Although Tadashi had reservations about his height, most soldiers being a head taller than him, but it still wasn''t uncommon to see shorter enlisted soldiers, the standard age for Fire Nation troops beginning at 16.


    The lead team would consist of Tadashi, Aki, another Firebender and one Earthbender, whilst the second team would be Sikumi and a Firebender. Knowing it was a big gamble to bring Sikumi along so early Tadashi gave the firebender strict instructions to not leave her alone under any circumstances. They formed up under the guise that the Firebender in the lead group was the captain of the troop as it was likely that the pirates would recognise both Tadashi''s and Aki''s voices. It was also important that he didn''t stand out too much, both to avoid unnecessary questioning and for reasons he didn''t want to admit yet.


    With that in mind they set off immediately, the trip took them back through the town and into the woods, following a stream as well as marks left by an agent sent ahead. By the time they caught up to the other firebender, already in his armour, it was already late into the night and the two groups were interrogating the water tribe girl.


    Tadashi noticed the two ships that were there, cursing that they must have arrived hours ago and that he should have thought of sailing too. He tapped the Earthbenders shoulder and leaned towards him.


    "Sorry, but can you run back to the ship and have them bring it closer? You don''t need to rush." He asked quietly, knowing that everyone was tired from the long walk.


    The Earthbender gave an over exaggerated sigh but smiled and nodded to the boy, turning tail and going back at a brisk jog. Sikumi and her escort were a few paces behind but in the night they were hardly visible and with the new red armour she had been given only someone who studied her close up would realise that she was a waterbender.


    Tadashi had had an eventful day but for Oh the pirate it had been terrible. First he''d been shouted at for bringing in pirates more troublesome than they were on to the boat, then he had been made to chase after the water tribe children and the monk only to return empty handed and bruised. Now he had been made to go on this expedition for a prize that he had personally made, an item that honestly wasn''t worth a silver piece. Things went worse when he noticed a group of solders approaching them from the darkness.


    "Why me?" he said to himself, quickly moving towards his captain.


    "Boss, we got company." He said, gaining the attention of everyone who was standing around Katara.


    "What now?" Zuko sneered, "It''d better be-"


    The banished prince froze. He didn''t expect another company of Fire Nation soldiers to approach. His mind instantly racing to find out who had sent them. Zhao? His father? Someone else? Suddenly the thought of losing his chance of capturing the Avatar echoed about in his mind, the fear settling and corroding any rational thoughts he might have had. Fortunately when the pirate captain spoke his spiralling thoughts stopped and he came back to his senses.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Are they yours?"


    The captain turned to face Zuko whose gaze indicated that he wanted to ask the same question.


    "No, they''re not." Zuko simply stated.


    Zuko noted as one of the masked Firebenders approached, did a respectful bow towards him and without facing the captain begun to talk.


    "I am Captain Koha from the backup and support division, we saw a Fire Nation squad that we thought needed assistance and came to offer our help."


    "On who''s order was that?" Iroh suddenly stepped in, giving the masked soldiers in front of them an inquisitive look.


    "General Shinu did, sir." He quickly replied.


    Tadashi couldn''t help but shuffle about nervously, feeling cold under the white mask of the suit he wore. Iroh turned to face him for a moment, raising his eyebrow ever so slightly but in the end giving the group a wry smile.


    "Well we appreciate the help," he said, much to Tadashi''s relief.


    The young boy had barely kept his wits about him, desperately trying to control his nerves with quick but deep breaths. Luckily due to the nature of his armour no one noticed.


    Katara, who had been stuck there the whole time, tugged the ropes holder her to a tree but to no avail. She sighed, hoping that Aang or her brother wouldn''t get caught for her foolishness.


    "Anyway, enough distractions!" Zuko shouted, turning to face Katara. "Tell me where he is and I won''t hurt you or your brother!"


    "Go jump in the river!" Katara replied as everyone mentally sighed in frustration.


    "Try to understand. I need to capture him to restore something I''ve lost, my honour." Zuko leant in closer, enough to make her uncomfortable. "Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you''ve lost."


    He held a blue Water Tribe necklace in the air, clearly shocking the girl.


    "My mother''s necklace! How did you get that?" Katara gasped, pulling at her ropes again.


    "I didn''t steal it, if that''s what you''re wondering. Tell me where he is!" Zuko demanded.


    "No!"


    "Enough of this necklace garbage! You promised a scroll!" the captain interrupted the two, stepping forwards in anger.


    "I wonder how much this is worth..." Zuko sneered, holding the scroll over a flame he produced.


    "Not much¡­." Aki murmured to no one in particular, but found it amusing as the Pirates gasped at Zuko''s actions.


    "A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you''ll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here!"


    "Fine." The captain said, his eyes wavering with anger.


    He made a quick motion to his men who started walking off, further up along the river. Zuko sighed, stifling a yawn and moved to go and talk to his uncle. The others stood about awkwardly, as no one had officially ordered them to do anything yet. Iroh, having picked up their dilemma, nodded.


    "Perhaps it''d be best if you monitor the perimeter."


    The way he said it seemed to suggest that both Tadashi''s group and Zuko''s men should follow his instructions. As everyone walked off in a seemingly random direction Tadashi doubled back to where Sikumi was waiting.


    "See if the water tribe girl is ok, loosen her bonds but not completely."


    "Are you sure?" Sikumi asked, wondering why he was helping her and not his brother.


    "Yes, I''ll explain properly when we''re back on the ship."


    Sikumi simply nodded and walked towards Kataras'' position, every now and then stopping to not look too suspicious, although Tadashi felt it looked too forced for his liking. By the time she reached Katara the bounded girl wore a tired yet fierce expression.


    "My uncle gave me the mark of the Kind when we went ice dodging." She said under her breath, catching Katara completely off-guard.


    "What¡­?" was all she could muster.


    Sikumi slid her faceplate off slightly, revealing her blue eyes, which were visible from the moon light.


    "But¡­..you''re¡­.with¡­why?" Katara almost looked heartbroken as she tried to form a sentence, the confusion still wrapping her mind in endless thoughts.


    "I''m here to help you, I''m in disguise." Sikumi muttered, her speech quickly slipping into a tongue that only the Water Tribe could recognise.


    It was an old and ancient language that the adults used for ceremonies but Katara recognised it instantly and responded as if it was second nature.


    "Whose side are you on?" Katara immediately asked.


    "I don''t know," Sikumi responded, feeling guilty that she was lying. "Look, I''ll loosen your bonds but you can''t escape just yet or they''ll suspect us too quickly."


    "So, you''re with the Fire Nation?" Katara glared.


    "What? No! We''re all undercover, there are Earthbenders here too." Sikumi responded, this time telling a half-truth, the only Earthbender having retreated a while ago.


    "Fine, I''ll believe you," Katara responded in the common language, "But thanks."


    Without saying another word Sikumi quickly took some water, barely enough to see in the moonlight and slashed the ropes in such a way that no one could tell it had been tampered with. Just as Sikumi was about to leave Katara called out.


    "Wait, are you with that Firebender that helped us during the winter solstice?" Katara asked.


    This time Sikumi really didn''t know how to answer, but she figured that anyone that would help these people must be good and if it helped her payback everything Tadashi had done for her she''d go along with it.


    "Yes."

 Book 1: Chapter 7

    As the sun slowly came up over the horizon Tadashi could only think that the day begin on a tense note. He watched as the pirates slowly came back, with two males in tow. The Avatar was wearing his usual orange and blue robes whilst the Water Tribe boy wore his usual blue outfit. Trying not to stay in anyone''s direct sight, Tadashi took as much in as he could, taking note of their builds, eyes, emotions, anything that would give him an edge over Zhao and Zuko. Aki, who had been standing near Tadashi, scowled quietly as she watched the way the pirates brought the two in.


    "Nice work." Zuko said, sneering slightly at the young boy who stared back with innocent eyes.


    Sokka attempted to pull the ropes that bound his wrists but to no avail. He cautiously looked towards Katara, grateful that she didn''t seem to be hurt in any way. Aki turned her head slightly and coughed twice into her right fist, the others slowly started moving towards Aki, followed by Sikumi who stuck close to Tadashi. Most would ignore a simple soldier coughing, but for the well versed intelligence officers it was a clever signal from their left-handed captain.


    "Aang, this is all my fault." Katara said with a pained expression.


    "No Katara, it isn''t." Aang replied.


    "Yeah, it kind of is." Iroh interrupted, earning a glare from Katara.


    "Give me the boy." Zuko demanded, standing in front of his crew.


    "Ha! You think I''m a fool, you give us the scroll first." The captain retorted.


    The two glared at each other for a moment, the scene becoming rather tense yet awkward for those that stood behind their respective leaders.


    "Wait a second! You''re really going to hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka interrupted everyone, earning a dumbfounded look from all the pirates.


    "Don''t listen to him, he''s trying to turn us against each other!" Zuko said, trying to reason with the captain.


    "Your friend is the Avatar?" the captain asked Sokka.


    "Sure is, and I''ll bet he''ll fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll."


    "Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!" Zuko shouted, quickly starting to panic.


    "Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth." Aang agreed.


    Tadashi smiled behind the mask he wore, knowing that greed would eventually overcome the pirates judgement. He shifted slightly, gaining the attention of one of the firebenders who understood what he needed to do.


    "I hear the Crimson Raiders are paying a treasure ships worth of cargo for the Avatar," the firebenders said just loud enough for everyone to hear.


    Zuko''s face almost exploded as he heard that but he forced himself to remain calm. Sokka who has only heard rumours of the Crimson Raiders gulped, before pooling his resolve.


    "I''m just sayin'' its bad business sense. Think how much anyone, especially the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life."


    The Pirate Captain grinned immediately, his mind already imagining the island he''d build a home on, the type of food he''s eat every day and not having to trade for another second ever again.


    "Thanks for the info kid," he said to Sokka before facing Zuko, "You keep the scroll, we can buy a hundred with the reward we''ll get for the kid."


    As the pirates turned to leave Zuko started shaking slightly, his anger already at his boiling point.


    "You''ll regret breaking a deal with me." He roared, throwing a sloppy wave of fire at the pirates.


    Unfortunately for the prince, the pirates were somewhat competent with their fighting skills and dodged the initial attack. Oh had thrown smoke bombs at the ground whilst the other pirates held their weapons in seasoned stances to combat Zuko''s firebenders.


    Things quickly got chaotic.


    The area was one huge plume of smoke as Tadashi''s group acted, moving in such a way that any outsider would think it was a rehearsed performance. Amidst the flames, clashes of weaponry and smoke Tadashi, Aki and the other firebenders dashed in, using their combat practice to aim at the Pirates when they least expected it. Unlike Zuko''s crew who were mostly instructed to incapacitate the Avatar and his friends, Aki''s team were not above killing.


    The first pirate went down pretty quickly, reacting to a burn on his left calf left him exposed to a quick slash at his neck. The next pirate almost went down the same way, but lost a finger in the process. Unlike the others Tadashi was only focused on getting to the Avatar, so when he was mere feet away from Aang, as he pushed all the smoke out, he could only stop awkwardly in place and give a half-hearted smile underneath his mask.


    "Never mind! I''ll find you!" was the last thing he heard Aang say before a pirate stole his attention.


    Sikumi had ran over to Katara and helped her out of her bonds, the southern Water Tribe girl still unsure what to think about person helping her.


    "Thanks, but why don''t you come with us."


    "I''m sorry I can''t." Sikumi replied, "I have a life debt to pay and even if I didn''t I don''t think I would leave them."


    Katara half understood what she meant, for the Water tribe a life debt was a sacred tradition that still held strong till this day. When one made such promises to break them was equivalent to renouncing yourself as a Water Tribe member. But to do such a thing with the Fire Nation? Katara reached out to Sikumi but ultimately held back, instead opting to draw a circle over her heart with the palm of her hand. Sikumi understood the Chimo and repeated the gesture, smiling softly that she could still communicate in the old ways to another Water Tribe member.


    Aki had taken down two pirates herself, assisting one of Zuko''s men as their arm got injured from a rusted glaive. When she noticed just how far away Tadashi was from her she almost cursed aloud. Over the two years she had gotten to know him, she begun to see him less as a Prince and more as a boy dealing with the hand he had been given. That is to say, it wasn''t the fear of punishment that drove her to Tadashi''s side but the need to protect one of your own that made her blade and fire all the more dangerous when he was in trouble.


    "You know I can look after myself," Tadashi grunted whilst fending off a scimitar with his sword.


    "That''s not fair, you know I can''t help it!" she retorted, giving the scimitar wielder a wicked slash, taking out his left eye before her flames silenced him permanently.


    Tadashi merely gave the pirate a glance before turning back to his true objective.


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    By the time the dust had settled there were only four pirates still alive, including the captain. Zuko stared around him in shock, forgetting about the Avatar as he took in the amount of blood that had been spilled. Truth be told it wasn''t merely the Intelligence Officers that took away lives, but once Zuko''s men had witnessed the proficiency of these people they too were taken over by their inner anger and finished the pirates off with no mercy whatsoever. As his wits came back to him Zuko''s eyes dashed around, looking for the Avatar, when he finally noticed the burning Pirate Ship.


    Indeed, amongst all the chaos, Sikumi had signalled one of Tadashi''s men and persuaded him to go along with her plan. They signalled the remaining crew to come in with their pirate gear and pretend to kidnap Aang and his team. Of course with Kataras persuasion and with him finding out that Sikumi was a water tribe girl, Sokka reluctantly agreed to be tied up again. Of course this arrangement would only work temporary as Aang who had no idea what was going on, knocked over several members of the crew and untied his friends, taking the bison whistle he bought recently and blowing it as hard as he could.


    "It''s the Crimson Raiders!" the pirate captain said, his voice was full of malice as Oh stood next to him with fear in his eyes.


    They both looked at the many guns that were out, facing their position. At this distance there was no need to worry about accuracy, sheer numbers of cannon balls would crush anything they could muster in defence. Zuko took the time to glance at his own men, slightly proud that they bore little injuries. He had completely forgotten about the additional detachment of Fire Nation soldiers who had also fought, instead focusing on the male that stood aboard the ship giving his best impression of the fearless Aki.


    "The Avatar is free!" someone shouted as all eyes turned to see Aang, Katara and Sokka get onto Appa and fly off.


    Sikumi could only stare blankly, the plan not going exactly as she had hoped. Still wearing her Fire Nation armour she had to lay low on the ship otherwise risk getting spotted by Zuko''s crew. The firebender who she had communicated with had already changed out of his armour, with lighting speed, turned to the girl and gave her a quick nod.


    "The Captain escaped with Tadashi and the others so if nothing else it''s a job well done." He said, hoping to ease any disappointment Sikumi was feeling.


    Whilst it may have been against any of their superior''s orders, the members of the Crimson Raiders were told to exercise creative ideas whenever the opportunity arose. They were drilled to act un-expectantly to avoid a repetitive weakness occurring. This was the primary reason why the firebender had gone along with Sikumi''s idea, however he had no idea that Sikumi didn''t intend on capturing the Avatar and only suggested it to help abstain her guilt.


    Zuko growled in frustration as he eyed the Pirate Captain giving the downed pirates a sorrowful look. The banished prince was not cruel enough to attack a downed opponent, whether it was physically or mentally.


    "Let''s go," he ordered, waiting for the injured to pick themselves up before heading to their smaller steam ship.


    The men didn''t need to be told twice, the reality of the situation coming back to them much sooner than they expected.


    "Well they''re just pirates," one person said.


    "That''s what happens."


    "Live and die by the sword, right?"


    "It''s their fault for breaking the deal anyway."


    Neither Zuko nor his men eyed the pirate ship as they dejectedly left, the ship in question already making preparations to leave as the Avatar had already escaped. By the time Tadashi team reunited with everyone it was mid-afternoon.


    "I should be angry," Aki scolded Sikumi who looked down at the floor, "if it weren''t for the fact that the ship gave us enough cover to escape I''d have you off this ship!"


    The crew could only listen as they were all summoned, captains orders.


    "And you two!" Aki pointed to Tadashi and the firebender who helped Sikumi. "What do you think you''re doing just acting on your own?"


    This time a few crew members sniggered, it wasn''t every day the Director would get scolded by his own subordinate.


    "Uh¡­..it sounded like a good plan and¡­..." The firebender answered.


    "I thought it''d work ¡­" Tadashi muttered.


    "It was on the spot?" they both shrugged simultaneously.


    Aki groaned, thanking the spirits that no one had really gotten hurt in that exchange. Tadashi might play off an injury but if Naoko found out¡­well it was enough to make Aki shudder.


    <hr />


    After escaping on Appa the gang were exhausted.


    "That was crazy!" Sokka said, "First there were pirates, then Zuko then killer Fire Nation although Zuko is Fire Nation, but anyway then there was Fire Nation in disguise and more pirates!"


    "We know!" Katara grumbled, giving Sokka a look. "Anyway Aang, I still owe you an apology. You were just so good at waterbending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger, I''m sorry."


    "That''s okay Katara. I just wish that people wouldn''t get so violent over me¡­..or that scroll." Aang seemed glum as he responded.


    "That''s just how the world has been for so long, war has taken over everyone''s lives and the sooner it''s over the sooner things like that won''t happen again," Katara tried to console Aang, "Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway?"


    "Is that really how you feel?" Sokka suddenly asked, holding the waterbending scroll in their faces.


    "The scroll!" Katara beamed, reaching out for it but surprised as Sokka held it back.


    "First, what did you learn?" he asked.


    "Stealing is wrong." She said, snatching the scroll from Sokka, "Unless it''s from pirates."


    "Good one, Katara." Aang said as the group laughed.


    Katara shared those moments, happy that the others had quickly forgotten about the scene with the pirates, but she couldn''t help think about the last thing she had said to Sikumi. Would it really be possible to travel safely in such a world where every last man would quickly kill to earn their next meal? Is that why Sikumi was working for the Fire Nation or was there another reason, either way she had to know and was determined to find out.

 Book 1: Chapter 8

    The sun was up, the clouds were sparse and the breeze light as the Crimson Raiders sailed the Earth Kingdom waters. After the battle with the pirates things had quietened down, especially for the officers in charge. Tadashi and Aki were busy writing reports about the battle, a consequence of running an organisation backed by both the royal and noble factions of the Fire Nation. Of course for some more than others the day was more than boring. Sikumi sighed in frustration for the seventeenth time that day. She had cleaned the deck enough times that her arms felt like lead, yet one particular stain refused to go away. As a form of punishment for acting well beyond her station and ''officially'' letting the Avatar escape she was made to swab the deck alone. Fortunately for her, waterbending sped up the process, enabling her to finish up most of the work in a mere two hours. However there was still one plate of metal that refused to get clean no matter how much water she threw at it, eventually making her give up.


    That day she had been bested by a mere dirty spot.


    "I hate writing reports¡­" Tadashi moaned, shielding his eyes from the sun as he stepped onto the deck.


    Although too bright to look at, the suns energy embraced him and reinvigorated his body, allowing him to exhale in satisfaction. Moments later Aki did the same too, stretching as if she had been abstained from sunlight for too long.


    "I''m glad you guys are enjoying the sun..." grumbled Sikumi, who wiped her brow in frustration.


    "Punishment is punishment." Aki said before grinning, "Not to mention it''ll help with your bending and stamina."


    Tadashi chuckled at Sikumi''s exasperated look, earning a glare from the waterbender and a raised brow from Aki.


    "Don''t think you''re getting off so easy too, you''ll finish off all my reports by the end of the day."


    "What!?" Tadashi stumbled backwards in surprise, "You can''t be serious?"


    "Of course I''m serious, I have other matters to attend to anyway." She spoke before walking off.


    Tadashi could only moan before going back into the ship, despite the vengeful grin Sikumi gave him. It wasn''t until late in the afternoon that Tadashi finished the last report, the unsteady rocking of the ship prolonging everything and one sticky incident making him have to start over again. By then Sikumi had resorted to help the crew with their day to day tasks, in fact to the crew who all preferred land she had a masterful taste for sailing, quickly becoming a favourite among the crew members.


    "Incoming report!" one of the men shouted, spotting the Fire Nation bird as it flew towards the ship.


    Tadashi groaned, shaking his head and walking back inside.


    "I''ll take it¡­.." Sikumi started saying before noticing Aki standing nearby, "Or not."


    Aki, ignoring Sikumi, received the bird and took the message from its pouch giving the bird to another crew member so that they could feed it and prepare another message to send back. Sikumi watched as Aki quickly read the message, her eyes scanning the lines of writing quickly and deciphering the jumbled characters on the page. The captain could see the sense of curiosity in waterbenders eyes as well as those that were around curious as to what she would do with the message.


    Sikumi was naturally curious about new things and information constantly coming in certainly curbed her curiosity, however the crew members were interested for another reason. The report came with the official seal of the Fire Lord, this usually meant that the team were given orders to complete. Aki sighed for a moment before chuckling slightly.


    "Alright boys!" she called out, "Orders in from the brass, we''re heading inland to subdue an Earth Kingdom rebellion!"


    The crew grew even more curious as they started murmuring to themselves about the new job, having rarely been to land since becoming the Crimson Raiders.


    "Is that all?" Everyone went silent as Tadashi approached Aki, looking somewhat fatigued.


    "No, afterwards we need to report to the Pohuai Stronghold and rendezvous with Colonel Shinu." Aki explained.


    "Isn''t that where the Yuyan archers are based?" Someone asked aloud.


    "Who are they?" Sikumi asked.


    "Only the best archers in the world!" Tadashi exclaimed, "They are also the only special operations group apart of us that are used for stealth missions."


    "Oh? I didn''t know you were such a fan of them?" Aki smirked.


    "What? I don''t know if I can be considered a fan but I certainly appreciate what they do, in fact I have a report that their former leader joined the rough rhino''s some time ago."


    "They are really good archers then?" Sikumi asked, "So why are we needed then?"


    "The Yuyan archers are only good in certain scenarios. Hunting singular targets, assassinations and sabotage. What sets us apart from them is that we don''t specialise in a particular area but cover a wide set of operation types, not only that but the methods we use are unorthodox but more effective against unknowing opponents." Aki explained with a prideful smile.


    "To add onto that, we developed a more efficient system of information gathering and decision making that far surpasses what anyone could accomplish in the royal courts and meeting rooms." Tadashi said.


    "Wow¡­..and it''s all you right? That''s what I remember hearing before that you started it all?" Sikumi asked, wondering how such a young boy could come up with so many ideas.


    Tadashi chuckled, hiding a small blush but quickly brought himself under control and sighed.


    "I wish that were true but I only thought of a few ideas. The information stuff was all the idea of another person back at base, our success rate is due to Aki and her well-disciplined team and well¡­.the only thing I brought was the backing of the royal and noble factions and a some of the techniques we use." Tadashi looked out to the sea with a nostalgic look.


    "Hmm, it''s times like this that I remember you''re a Prince." Aki said, some of the crew nodding in agreement.


    "What?" Tadashi''s eyes widened in embarrassment.


    "I mean that although you''re still young you possess a point of view that seems quite mature. Without you we''d all be on the front lines somewhere, getting slaughtered in a pointless battle."


    Tadashi gave everyone a troubled look, his mind imagining the bodies of Aki and the rest of the crew crushed by earth, sliced by metal blades and torn by wild fangs. With that in mind he resolved himself once more and spoke out.


    "I won''t let something like that happen, I can promise you all that. But first we have a rebellion to subdue!"


    The crew roared in approval and went back to their tasks, their spirits lifted and the mode generally content. It was only Sikumi who felt a bundle of emotions that responded half-heartedly.


    "I don''t understand why we need to help the Earth Kingdom?" Sikumi asked quietly.


    "Politics," Aki, who heard, answered. "When the Fire Nation wins the war we don''t want the people to hate us not to mention you can''t govern a land with no one to govern."


    "That may be true but I''ve heard stories about how ruthless the Fire Nation can be." Sikumi retorted.


    "Are we ruthless?" Tadashi asked.


    "Of course, the way you took out those pirates was horrifying but at the same time you saved me, I guess you aren''t that bad." She smiled nonchalantly.


    "It''s not that simple." Aki said, "You see the brass wants us to stomp the Rebellion as it may prevent extractions for metal ores from a nearby mine that we control. Collateral damage is unimportant to them and they are only concerned about what they need to win the war. However the Security Council, comprised of myself, Director Tadashi, Assistant Director Naoko and Operations Coordinator Hideki decided that we needed to plan for the future in a different way to the Royal and Noble Factions."


    Sikumi nodded, although it was a lot to take in she had heard all those names before and could piece together just how politically troubled a group like the Fire Nation might be.


    "Also it''s worth mentioning that not all Fire Nation squads are bad. Some captains were just born angry and when they have power-hungry generals commanding them things can get ugly." Tadashi explained with a pained look on his face.


    "I''m guessing you want to change that?" Sikumi asked to which Tadashi nodded profusely.


    "It really isn''t as easy as I hoped it''d be. To put it in simple terms everyone takes their orders from the top, the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord has complete control over a majority of the army, navy and any special divisions such as ours. The Noble faction represent the war council, it''s their families that are controlling the armies on a day-to-day agenda so it''s commonplace for soldiers to be ordered for¡­..other duties in order to benefit their commanding officers."


    Sikumi nodded attentively as she listened.


    "Of course they can''t openly oppose the Fire Lord who the people follow blindly so instead support him to gain favour and more power. There are some nobles that genuinely support the royal faction and others that are on more neutral terms, however it''s not easy to ascertain who they are. That''s where we come in. Because I was freshly appointed, having proposed the idea myself, and because the Security Council has one other Noble member within it we receive amble support from both sides with the promise that we remain unbiased."


    "But in reality that''s not true." Aki added.


    "Of course not," Tadashi agreed, "I want the Fire Nation to prosper but to do that I can''t openly oppose father and the corrupt nobles at the same time which is why we need powerful allies, like the Avatar."


    "The only problem is that the Avatar is currently just a master airbender with little to no experience with the other elements so it''s way too early to approach him." Aki explained.


    "You say Master like that''s no big deal¡­." Sikumi looked at the two nervously.


    "Nowadays the title of Master can be given to anyone. I''ve met chumps that couldn''t take out an angry mother Turtle Duck if their life depended on it. The way I see it is that only people experienced like General Iroh can accurately call someone a Master in their craft."


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    "Yeah¡­." Tadashi agreed unenthusiastically.


    "I understand," Sikumi said, "But if we''re fighting Earthbenders¡­."


    Sikumi clutched her arm and nervously looked to Aki.


    "Don''t worry she said, you don''t need to come and the other Earthbenders will stay here too." She replied to Sikumi''s unspoken question.


    "I think that''s a good idea, we don''t need anyone causing potential arguments especially with Earthbenders fighting other Earthbenders. We''ll be fine anyway!" Tadashi exclaimed.


    "What makes you think you''re coming?" Aki raised an eyebrow at the younger boy.


    "Well¡­I''m the Director?" Tadashi looked around inconspicuously.


    "That may be true but this could be dangerous." She argued.


    "More so than the pirates?"


    "That was an oversight on my part and it won''t happen again, we can''t risk you getting injured."


    "But there''s no point in me training to fight if I never actually use my skills, Zuko gets to fight, it''s not fair!"


    "Prince Zuko is older and supported by the General. Unfortunately you''re much younger and stuck with me." Aki smirked as she saw the deflated look Tadashi tried to pull off but failed.


    "Fine," he said, "But if that''s the case then I''m meeting up with the Yuyan Archers first!"


    Aki paused for a moment. It would mean leaving him in a Neutral Faction base with only a quarter of the team but it was still safer than waiting on the ship or following them into battle.


    "Fine, but for the love of Agni please don''t start trouble. I still have problems getting the last commander to stop sending me courtship letters." The captain sighed.


    "Of course, I''ve got a new friend to tease," Tadashi said, wrapping one arm around Sikumi, "Jealous?"


    "No," Aki scoffed, "and don''t cause trouble for her too, we don''t want Sikumi running away now?"


    Tadashi chuckled as Aki walked off, calling over crew members to start organising materials needed for their mission. Because the stronghold they were going to was near a river large enough for their boat they could sail all the way there and still drop of Aki''s team as they made their way towards Yu Dao, where the rebellion was supposedly happening. It took the team a day to reach the base, getting word that the Avatar and his friends had saved the people of a Fire Nation settlement from what the report noted as Teenage Terrorists. The leader of this group known as Jet would be placed on a wanted lists for Special Operations branches and they were ordered to kill on sight if they saw the boy.


    "Welcome, Director Tadashi, Prince of the Fire Nation!" High General Shinu called out with an unwavering roar of a welcome.


    It was common knowledge that General Shinu disliked high-ranking officers who obtained their positions through blood-lines and money but even the battle-hardened general had to admit that Tadashi was a bigger asset for the military than he initially thought. The news when it first happened had sounded absurd, a young boy immediately commanding a new division with the same power as an Admiral or High General. The sense of anger remained for almost a year until Shinu first heard rumours that someone was shaking down the noble faction, routing out traitors and those that only conspired to help themselves. In fact when he learned that it was Tadashi that had ordered this to happen and not the Fire Lord his image of the boy improved significantly. This only heightened as words of his exploits were shared during council meetings, the smug look on Ozai''s face as he claimed all of Tadashi''s achievements as his own, confirmed that the boy had indeed done big things during the first two years he left home. That was why he welcomed him with respect.


    Tadashi was flanked on either side by the remnants of his crew. They all wore uniforms representing their roles as Special Operations officers, their armour light yet tough and the singular look shared amongst them gave off an unnerving presence, comparable to the masked Firebender helmets that inspired fear.


    "Well met General Shinu, I''m sorry my full team isn''t here but my Captain is dealing with the rebellion." Tadashi explained, showing the man the lack of people behind him.


    Behind him were two Firebenders, two Earthbenders and Sikumi, there was one more Earthbender and a non-bender tending to the ship. However even with their small numbers they were a force to not to be underestimated.


    "I understand, the council wanted this rebellion stamped out immediately and the Fire Lord gave the official decree. But forgive my rudeness, let''s retire to a place more comfortable where we can talk more freely."


    Tadashi nodded to the others so that they knew to stand down. It couldn''t be helped that Special Ops required constant confirmation that the area was safe otherwise most of their past missions would have fallen to chaos early on. It was decided that Skikumi would stay with the others and join up with Tadashi later, after Aki had returned from battle.


    Shinu took Tadashi to a room high up in the base where the two could get a clear view of the entire compound.


    "Wow," the young boy said, admiring the landscape, "Quite the view."


    "Yes, it is." Shinu agreed wholeheartedly.


    "So what''s been happening lately?" Tadashi asked.


    "We''re still pushing towards Ba Sing Se, a new weapon is almost finished to take down the walls. From what I''ve heard it''s a drill of some sort."


    Tadashi nodded, having heard about the drill before.


    "And what about the Avatar?"


    "What about him, from what I''ve heard he hasn''t mastered the four elements yet so he can hardly be considered a threat." Shinu muttered.


    "That''s somewhat true," Tadashi agreed, "But haven''t you even considered that the Fire Nation may need a few more powerful allies?"


    Shinu froze, his mind wrapping around what Tadashi was suggesting. He then looked around nervously and gave a sharp nod to the Yuyan Archer that was stationed by the room''s door, telling him to leave.


    "Please be careful with what you say. You may be the Prince and Director of our Intelligence Division but even that can''t protect you from everything." Shinu glared at the younger boy, "And why tell me?"


    "You''re neutral, not belonging to either the Noble or Royal Factions so I''d value your opinion more so than the other High Generals, not to mention you are the only commoner to attain High-General in a long time from what the record books say." Tadashi explained.


    "Thanks, but I don''t need your praise." Shinu muttered, feeling somewhat guilty.


    "I wasn''t trying to persuade you, I only need your opinion." Tadashi retorted. "The Avatar will one day be powerful and if we can win the war minimising casualties than I''m willing to take if for the good of our Nation. If father wins the war¡­..the people will hate us, they already do¡­..I''ve seen it."


    Shinu glanced sideways and quietly kissed his teeth in annoyance, knowing what the boy was saying is true.


    "Yes, the Fire Nation has done some¡­..questionable things in the past but it''s our duty to protect the Fire Nation''s interests." He stated.


    "I wholeheartedly agree," Tadashi said, "That''s why I plan on forming an Alliance with the Avatar where we can work to building a more stable society for everyone. To make it work we need to start a movement, both within and outside of the Fire Nation. Already there are rumours spreading about the Crimson Raiders, a team of ex-Fire Nation soldiers who rebel against the Fire Lord¡­now what if that were actually true?"


    Shinu stood up in shock.


    "Are you telling me to betray the Fire Lord¡­..no, the Fire Nation?" he asked, his glare slowly becoming malicious.


    "What? No!" Tadashi also jumped up, waving his arms for added effect. "Someone will need to handle the treaties, peace talks, decommissioning of Military assets and that person will eventually become the new Fire Lord¡­me!"


    "How long is eventually?" Shinu asked darkly.


    "As long as my father acts in the Nation''s Interests I can wait patiently, but it''s not like I plan to do anything anyway¡­..he''s still my father and I wouldn''t dishonour our family that way." Tadashi looked at Shinu with incredibly conviction.


    Shinu nodded in approval before speaking.


    "I understand and I see where you are coming from, however I can''t promise my support on this matter."


    "You don''t need to, simply act with the Fire Nation''s interests at heart and all will be well."


    Just then a messenger knocked on the door and ran onto the terrace where the two were talking. He saluted quickly before talking.


    "Sir, we''ve just received word that commander Zhao will be here within the next hour."


    "Make preparations for his arrival," Shinu quickly ordered. "It seems that I''ve become quite popular lately."


    Tadashi chuckled dryly before subconsciously gulping, a true anti-royal noble was coming and he hadn''t seen it coming. Whether the man brought good news or bad, his presence was unwanted and unnerved Tadashi who thought back to the first dual between the two.


    "I hope he still isn''t hung-up over that burn I gave him on his neck?" Tadashi murmured loud enough for Shinu to hear.


    "Ahh yes, I heard about that," the general confirmed, smirking slightly, "It delayed his initial promotion and must have been an unfortunate blow to the Noble Faction."


    "That may be true, but from what I hear he''s desperately after the Avatar too." Tadashi explained, referencing both Zuko and himself.


    "I see." Shinu pondered, "That may be troublesome indeed. I can''t do much for you though, this base is too important to get caught in another royal-noble argument."


    "Don''t worry, I understand." Tadashi smirked slyly, "I have my own way of dealing with the likes of Zhao anyway."

 Book 1: Chapter 9

    Tadashi and General Shinu were standing as Zhao walked into the room, his smug grin faltering as he eyed the young boy staring back with a challenging look.


    "General Shinu, Prince Tadashi. It''s a pleasure to see you both." He said, earning a scoff from the two others in the room.


    "It''s Director Tadashi to you," Tadashi replied, "However it''s always interesting to meet a familiar face."


    "Likewise" General Shinu nodded. "What brings you here today?"


    "Ahh...straight to the point, I admire that in you General Shinu," Zhao said, stepping towards the balcony with the most intimidating walk he could muster. "But fair enough. I need the Yuyan Archers to help capture the Avatar."


    "Absolutely not! The Yuyan Archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao." Shinu replied with a firm shake of his head.


    Zhao grimaced before reapplying his smile, though his voice took a slightly annoyed tone.


    "Colonel Shinu, please reconsider, their precision is legendary. The Yuyan can pin a fly to a tree from one hundred yards away, without killing it. You''re wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."


    "I can do whatever I want with their talents, they''re my archers, and what I say goes." Shinu stomped his foot, earning a quiet chuckle from Tadashi.


    "And what about you, Director?" Zhao sneered, "What do you think of this?"


    Tadashi was caught off guard for a second but tilted his head in thought as he looked between Zhao and Shinu.


    "Well of course Yuyan archers are that good, but under our current military conventions the movement of specialist forces can only be done with the approval of the Fire Lord or the highest ranking members of each respective division."


    "Well put," Shinu nodded.


    "But my search for the Avatar is-" Zhao angrily turned from Tadashi to Shinu but was caught off when the General spoke again.


    "Is nothing but a vanity project! We''re fighting a real war here, and I need every man I''ve got, commander."


    "But!"


    "That''s final! I don''t want to hear another word about it!"


    Just as the general finished speaking the sound of a messenger hawk caught everyone''s attention as said bird flew through the air and landed near Tadashi, allowing the boy to take the message and read it, his face remaining remarkably neutral as he reread the message.


    "It''s for you, General Shinu." He said handing the message to the older man.


    "News from Fire Lord Ozai?" Zhao inquired curiously, attempting to hide the grin spreading on his face.


    "As if you don''t know." Tadashi spoke, surprising Zhao. "You sent a request a few days ago for more forces in an attempt to capture the Avatar, my father is merely giving you the power to do so."


    "You don''t mean-" Zhao cut himself off and snatched the message from Shinu, reading the scroll with increasing delight.


    "It appears I''ve been promoted to Admiral. My request...is now an order."


    General Shinu grumbled slightly but bowed in respect and left the room, knowing he has no choice but to honour the order. It wouldn''t take long to round the archers up but the general needed to blow some steam off before the new Admiral started questioning his capabilities.


    "I suppose it''s worth asking if the members of your...military intelligence unit is capable of handling such a task." Zhao spoke with a smug smile.


    Tadashi chuckled, all thoughts about Nobles, Royals and factions leaving his mind as he watched the man who lead his life based on pride talk.


    "You have it wrong. Whilst my team is capable of anything they answer to me and I answer to the Fire Lord. It may be true that Military Intelligence is a division alongside the army and Navy but even as an Admiral you can''t ask my people to do anything." Tadashi spoke, his voice gloating slightly, "But then again that''s how it should be after all you may come from a Noble line but I''m Royal."


    "Of course," Zhao spoke between gritted teeth. "But wouldn''t it be beneficial to the Fire Nation to...assist in the capture of the Avatar?"


    "There are some things more important than the Avatar." Tadashi spoke, "How can you even think of doing something bold when it''s uncertain whether the people around you are trustworthy?"


    "That''s something a fool would say." Zhao retorted.


    "Oh really? The colonel behind Gun Atsui said the same thing, trying to prolong the war to fill his own pocket."


    "Don''t compare me to that traitor!" Zhao shouted, "It may be true that your little team did some work but it''ll pale in comparison to the capture of the Avatar. You mark my words I''ll bring him to the Fire Lord."


    Without another word being said the overly snide man marched out of the room, his nerves starting to boil with anger.


    <hr />


    Ever since the storm the crew had seen Zuko in a new light. It wasn''t a well-known fact how his scar came to be, rumours of a training accident gone wrong was the likely answer but ever since they found out about the Agni Kai they couldn''t help but sense the determination in the banished prince. The ship had been travelling in an educated direction for some time now but the crew certainly felt dejected.


    "We haven''t been able to pick up the Avatar''s trail since the storm." Lieutenant Jee spoke to Zuko, "But if we continue heading northeast-"


    The Lieutenant was cut off when a large vessel crept up to Zuko''s ship, its bulk swallowing up any light the crew members were soaking up mere moments ago.


    "What do they want?" Zuko asked aloud.


    "Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!" Iroh answered optimistically, the general sat at a table not too far away from the prince.


    As the larger ship hailed the smaller one, a messenger came aboard, his uniform much cleaner than Zuko''s crew. With little care for formalities the man produced a scroll and handed it to Zuko, his mouth slightly slipping into a grin as the prince unrolled the scroll.


    "The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."


    "Zhao has been promoted? Well, good for him!" Iroh stated, winning the game of Pai Sho he''d been playing without looking.


    "I''ve got nothing to report to Admiral Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass." Zuko stated with a frim voice.


    "Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area." The messenger retorted in a matter-of-fact tone.


    "Off my ship!" Zuko shouted, making the messenger jump slightly.


    <hr />


    When Aki returned the next day three of the soldiers came back wounded, having bruised themselves in the fight against the Earthbenders. Tadashi was merely glad that they all came back alive, the three injured were sent to Sikumi for healing immediately. Aki also reported that the villagers were actually grateful that the rebellion was put down, noting that they feared any repercussions that could have occurred if they accommodated the rebels.


    "I noticed something strange about a girl in one of the families I visited." Aki murmured.


    "What family?" Tadashi asked.


    "The Beifong family. They had a daughter that was blind but at the same time it felt as if she could see me."


    "You''re not making any sense" Tadashi said, giving Aki a strange look.


    "I know what I''m talking about, she moved slowly but in a calculated way. Her face always seemed to point down, perhaps because of the blindness, but I never got the feeling that she was helpless." Aki explained.


    "Ok, so what are you suggesting we do?"


    "Nothing, I just thought it was interesting."


    Moments later a messenger ran into the room the two were seated in, his armour signifying he was a member of Military Intelligence.


    "Sir, all casualties have been healed and there has been a sighting of the Avatar nearby, Admiral Zhao has sent the Yuyan Archers after him."


    "Thanks," Tadashi spoke, "It seems that it''ll only be a matter of time until he''s captured then."


    The messenger remained in the room as he saw the look on Tadshi''s face, contemplating what he was about to be ordered to do.


    "Can you deliver the news about the Avatar to General Shinu, then find out where exactly the Avatar will be kept once captured. Send Kuro."


    The messenger nodded, somewhat thankful that he didn''t need to do it all since he had a pressing game of Pai Sho to play with another colleague. Luckily Kuro would be in the general direction towards General Shinu, the young Earthbender was one of the more adept members of the Military Intelligence unit that possessed great stealth abilities, using his earthbending to sneak into places without alerting those nearby.


    "Are you planning to release some air?" Aki asked with a small smirk.


    "What no!" Tadashi flushed slightly, "I just want to be prepared for anything."


    "Like-" Aki was about to say before a sharp knock on the door interrupted her.


    Moments later Zhao walked into the room with a smug look on his face.


    "I thought I should let you know that I''ve sent the Yuyan Archers to capture the Avatar and they will without failure." He gloated, "It''s a shame that brother of yours isn''t here to see the moment I imprison the last airbender, that would certainly have been glorious."


    Tadashi frowned, unnerved by the Admirals attitude but he shook it off and a very Azula-like smirk formed.


    "Speaking of Zuko, I heard that the two of you fought a while ago and that he won. It must have been terribly shameful?" the young boy taunted.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Zhao paused, unsure whether he was fuming or honestly shocked by what Tadashi had said.


    "How do you know that?" he asked.


    "I''m the Director of Military Intelligence, it''s our job to know everything." Tadashi simply replied.


    This time it was Tadashi who was surprised as Zhao simply laughed, as if some hidden spirit had told a joke only he could hear. The young prince simply watched as the man howled with laughter and when he saw the sadistic smile that crept on his face Tadashi couldn''t help but shiver. Without realising it Aki had gripped the hilt of the sword strapped to her side several times, her nerves starting to get the better of her.


    "Very well, I don''t care what you know," he spoke quietly, "There are some things that are inevitable in this world, no matter how much information you collect."


    "Oh really?"


    "Heh, just you wait and see. I''ll be there the day you break."


    "Is that a threat, Admiral?" Aki asked.


    The two stared at each other as Aki stood up took a pre-emptive stance, hoping that this wouldn''t come down to a fight where any outcome would soil Tadashi''s reputation. Fortunately for the captain a messenger ran into the room, causing all the tension to dissipate as if it had never been there.


    "Apologies for disturbing but news just came in from the Yuyan Archers, they have caught the Avatar and are bringing him in."


    "Excellent," Zhao smiled with glee, "Prepare the holding cell, it seems I have a speech that needs writing,"


    Both the messenger and Zhao immediately left the room without a further world being said, leaving a worried prince and mentally exhausted captain behind. The guards outside the room, both being Intelligence Officers, came in with worried expressions on their faces. They too had sensed what had occurred in the room and their nerves were on end too.


    "So¡­..what now?" Aki asked.


    "I think we should wait until sundown before leaving." Tadashi said bluntly, "At this point I¡­wait, are we clear?"


    One of the guards quickly stepped out of the room and returned, giving a thumbs up.


    "Good...........I hate that guy, he just annoys me to no end. Have we got anything on him?"


    Everyone sighed and looked away, knowing no more than Tadashi when it came to Zhao''s deeds.


    "Ever since the formation of Military Intelligence Zhao has been by the books, or as by the books as someone like him can be," Aki talked quietly. "There is one anomaly though, whilst Admiral was still a lieutenant that we are looking into."


    "What''s that?" Tadashi asked optimistically.


    "Well the Admiral was in Si Wong Desert for reasons we don''t know when he should have been further up north. Honestly that alone is not enough to convict him anymore but there are also rumours of a spirit library there that holds information collected over thousands of years."


    "And he just found it?" one of the guards asked sceptically.


    "Perhaps," Aki confirmed, "But we do know he took a 14 man team and came back with only 5 men."


    Everyone inwardly gasped, trying to wrap their minds around what could be so important to lose men like that.


    "If it''s a spirit library why don''t we try asking the spirits?" another guard suggested.


    "Brilliant idea¡­.if we knew someone who could speak to spirits." Tadashi said in a deadpan voice.


    "Oh¡­.right,"


    "Any other ideas?" Aki asked, "If not I suggest we visit this library ourselves."


    "Isn''t that way out of the way and aren''t we heading towards the North Pole right now?" Tadashi asked, considering the idea mentally.


    "If we leave tonight we can get there and back, assuming we don''t run into any delays."


    The others in the room nodded in approval, the idea of visiting a library sounding promising to the odd bunch of officers.


    "Sure, we should do it then." Tadashi said, "But not a word to anyone until we''ve on our ship."


    "We are the sons and daughters of fire, the superior element! Until today only one thing stood our path to victory, the Avatar. I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" Zhao boasted as the crowd cheered in approval. "This is the year Sozin''s Comet returns to grant us its power!"


    "This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!" The crowd continued to cheer, almost drowning out Zhao, whose smirk was filled with malicious intent.


    Whilst the Admiral was regaling in the cheers of the soldiers and ministers below him he was unaware of the activity in the background. As expected General Shinu and Director Tadashi were on the platform with Zhao, listening to his speech with distaste in their eyes. Elsewhere Aki was finishing up preparations to sail, only needing to wait for Tadashi and the guards near him before they could leave.


    "Captain, there''s a single intruder." Kuro came up to her and spoke quietly.


    "Follow them, don''t alert anyone. They could be allied with the Avatar." She ordered, leaving Kuro to go on another stealth task.


    He followed quietly as Aki made her way to Tadashi. Kuro, despite his allegiance to the Fire Nation, kept quiet as the intruder took out several guards and entered the Avatars holding cell. He was thankful that he was still wearing his stealth clothing and not Fire Nation armour otherwise dealing with the intruder might have been unnecessarily harder.


    Standing just outside of the duo''s sight, Kuro noticed that the guards were unconscious, wondering just who the masked assailant could be. He used bits of cloth and rope to tie the guards as the masked person struck the Avatar''s chains, freeing him. Kuro had just enough time to line up the guards when the duo ran out of the room.


    "If you''re going to incapacitate guards then tie them up at least." He said, shrugging towards the masked man as he brought out his swords in a stance. "Don''t worry, I''m friendly enough. If you''re rescuing the Avatar then I recommend taking the path down the hall to the right then left, there are less guards and you''ll be closer to the exit that way."


    Before Aang or the masked person could react Kuro seemingly vanished, using his earthbending to fall through the wall as if it were an illusion. He resurfaced in an armoury, proceeding to locate a set of armour that was standard in design and with a face plate, put it on and wait until he could hear the cries of the unconscious guards as they woke up. Of course to the knocked-out guards he seemed like just another soldier so when they saw him relief was clearly evident on their faces. This did mean that enough time had passed since Aang''s recuse before someone alerted the base to what was going on.


    After receiving enough praise and congratulatory words from the Fire Nation troops Zhao turned towards his peers and smirked.


    "From what I''ve heard you''re leaving so soon, all your soldiers are on that ship of your already. Could it be that you can''t stand to witness real talent?" Zhao taunted.


    "That''s not it," Tadashi said dismissively, "Military Intelligence recently found information on a critical Earth Kingdom supply chain, so we''re heading there now to claim and blockade the route. Father asked me to personally deal with it so it''s such a shame I can''t stay."


    "I see¡­.." Zhao said in a slightly annoyed tone.


    "That sounds dangerous," General Shinu added, "If you need assistance I''m always here."


    "Thank you General, I''ll keep that in mind for the future." Tadashi said respectfully as Aki walked into the room and did a quick salute.


    "Director, preparations to leave are complete." She said in her professional voice.


    "Ahh, time to g-"Tadashi was interrupted by a call of alarm.


    "The Avatar has escaped! Someone is aiding the Avatar! They are near the West wall!" voices could be heard saying.


    "It seems we can''t leave yet." Tadashi grimaced, "Captain, have all officers watching the exits we need to catch the intruder and see who exactly they''re working for."


    "And what of the Avatar?" Shinu asked.


    "We have the Yuyan archers for that. If they can catch him once, they can do it again.....right?" Tadashi shrugged.


    As the masked man and Avatar started fighting General Shinu called one of the archers in the room, right when Tadashi and Aki quickly left, Zhao was too caught up in the fighting below to even notice.


    "Get Zhao''s helper to follow the Avatar and find out who aided him, afterwards he should keep watching Zhao, I sense something odd about him." Tadashi told Aki, referring to the guard they had posted under Zhao.


    With a quick nod the two separated, Aki towards the fighting and Tadashi towards his ship were the rest of his crew were waiting. By the time the captain had reached the scene, the masked man held his dual blades up to Aang''s neck, threatening to kill him if the gate wasn''t opened. Zhao had ordered the gate open and just afterwards ordered the Yuyan archer next to him to fire. Knowing there was nothing more she could do she found Zhao''s helper and passed on the message, heading towards their ship.


    Only the next day as they were trailing past the former pirates trading spot that they realised Zuko had been under the mask, as a report from Zhao''s helper outlined. The report also stated that in a fit of anger Zhao had given the Yuyan archers back to General Shinu in disgust after they failed to track down Zuko or Aang immediately after their escape. The report closed off with information that Zhao was already on the move too, however he would be heading further north in an effort to catch the Avatar before he crosses the Northern Seas, the complete opposite direction the Crimson Raiders were going.

 Book 1: Chapter 10

    As the sun reflected from the shiny surfaces of the pirate armour that Tadashi''s crew wore it was difficult not to see them in the Misty Palms Oasis. However the group were fortunate that they even made it this far. It was quickly found out that the Bei Fong family were not from the area that Aki''s team had liberated from the rebels but they were from Gao Ling. So when the pirate ship came into port, instead of meeting resistance from the local Earthbenders they were welcomed as mercenaries. This meant that Tadashi''s crew only needed to walk a few days on foot to reach the oasis where they met Sandbenders for the first time.


    Whenever Tadashi met someone with a new ability or skill he would always watch them to no end, so much so that most people found him quite odd. He''d study their forms, compared what he learnt in his own studies and bending before passing on that knowledge to his crew. It was this enthusiasm that allowed the Earthbenders travelling with Tadashi to learn how to bend the sand. During the day they would watch the Sandbenders come and go with the crafts they used, but once the sun set down Tadashi would get the Earthbenders to practice.


    As enthusiastic as Tadashi was for learning new things, Kuro was just as good at picking up new techniques. With a penchant for efficiency the young bender lacked the power needed to win in a straight up fight but his ability was real. Sikumi had spent her time talking with a scholar that was studying the very library they intended on visiting. In order to learn more, she feigned interest in the man''s findings and was surprised to find out he was quite knowledgeable in Spirits, appealing to her own liking for the supernatural beings. During this time Aki monitored the bars, talking with the locals and gathering information. Not one to turn down a fruity punch, Aki quickly befriended some of the more approachable sandbenders, haggling with the traders for various bits of equipment. In the end Aki traded 15 silver pieces for quite a bit; two sand gliders, a week''s worth of supplementary rations, water pouches and bags.


    This didn''t mean that progress was fast. The Earthbenders weren''t good enough to propel one glider by themselves, needing two additional Firebenders to shoot fire backwards, giving the craft enough force to sail the sand. It didn''t help that all the extra equipment they bought weighed them down, but after 2 days into the desert a lone structure in the distance raised their spirits.


    "Is this it?" Sikumi asked, bending the sweat off her brow.


    "I think so," Aki stated, "let''s set up in the shade."


    Fortunately for the group the large tower also created an area where the Firebenders could relax without worry. As with most of their operations they split into two groups; the first consisted of Tadashi, Aki, Sikumi, Kuro and one more Firebender. The others would stay behind and guard their equipment, suspicious of the quick eyes the Sandbenders had given them back at the Oasis.


    As the group entered the library, using multiple ropes, they were stunned by the sheer size of it all. The structure was huge, spanning multiple stories, featuring bridges of great length and shelves stacked with books a mile high. However as soon as the group touched the floor of the great library a huge shadow approached them from the depth of building.


    "What are you doing here?"


    The group gasped but it was Sikumi who was first to react.


    "Are you a spirit?" she asked.


    "Yes, I am Wan Shi Tong, ''He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things.'' And humans are not welcome here."


    "Why?" Tadashi asked.


    "You humans only care about dominating one another. Like one of your kind who entered a few years ago looking to destroy his enemies." The owl spoke, looking directly at Tadashi, "Are you like that man?"


    "No!" Tadashi instantly denied, "We are here because of that man, we fear he wants to do something terrible."


    "Is that why you have come?"


    This time it was Aki who stepped forwards.


    "Admiral Zhao is indeed a vain man who thinks only of himself, we fear he plans on hurting the innocent. Our job is to protect the innocent, which includes humans, animals and spirits."


    "I sense truth, but not complete truth, I sense a spiritual connection amongst you that is different from that man so perhaps I can give you the benefit of the doubt." The owl spoke as the group visible relaxed, "But to prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge."


    Sikumi smiled, having prepared for this. She walked up to Wan Shi Tong and produced a bag filled with multiple scrolls, a book and a copy of Tadashi''s findings into the various bending arts.


    "We prepared a selection of works that include new applications of bending both for practical and spiritual usage." She spoke with a small bow.


    Wan Shi Tong took a moment to inspect the collection, nimbly moving each item despite the large size of his wings.


    "I''m impressed," he said, "I''ll leave you to enjoy the library then, please take care with the older books."


    Tadashi''s body shook, it was the first time he had spoken with a spirit and he couldn''t help but feel excited. Sikumi seemed to share the same sentiment as well as the others, including Aki who stoically looked around with determination. After nodding to herself she took out several hourglasses from her bag and handed them to everyone.


    "When two hours have passed we should meet back here, ok?" she asked.


    The group nodded and dispersed.


    Over an hour later Tadashi was devastated. Entire sections of the Fire Nation area was misaligned and with closer inspection several of the books were burned beyond recognition. The only high point was a book detailing the history of Fire Lords with a confusing passage about a secret war between the current family and one whose name wasn''t recorded in the book. The same book presented a section regarding firebending techniques that were rare or lost, including a more illustrative display of lightning bending. One particular entry in this section described an art that was quickly restricted due to its ability to kill with misuse.


    To perform the ability the bender needed to know two techniques; the first was to be able to sense the heat radiating from another object and the second was to be able to change the heat in the surrounding area. These two techniques were difficult but commonly known in today''s society but the book also implied that these two techniques allowed a person to steal another Fire Benders energy and add it to their own. The benefit would be that their ability to bend would increase proportionately to the bender whose energy was stolen, however if the technique was used incorrectly the target could very well die from lack of energy and the person absorbing the new energy could combust. When Tadashi read that he almost dropped the book in shock. Part of him wanted to practice the technique right away but the other half was scared witless. Tadashi spied a small fox like creature known as a Knowledge Seeker, it looked at Tadashi with curiosity as the young boy approached it.


    "Could I get a copy of this passage to take with me?" Tadashi asked, hoping the creature would understand.


    The knowledge seeker yipped before taking the book off Tadashi and running off, fast enough to escape Tadashi''s sight in seconds. The young prince simply raised his brow and shrugged, deciding to find someone else than worry if the spirit creature would return. Without realising it Tadashi had found himself running into Sikumi who looked paler than the marble floor.


    "What''s wrong?" Tadashi asked, running up to the waterbender.


    "You know how you told me that the Fire Nation was planning an attack on the Northern Water Tribe?" Sikumi asked, gaining a guilty nod from Tadashi, "Well I think I just found out what Zhao is planning."


    Tadashi gasped and looked at Sikumi expectantly as she nodded to herself, confusing the boy slightly.


    "I found a book earlier related to the Northern Water Tribe and the section related to spirits was burned, so I figured it was Zhao, based on everything you told me of him. So I started looking up spirits in relation to the Northern Water Tribe and I learned that the Ocean and Moon Spirit reside somewhere in the Northern Tribe."


    "Really? Isn''t that fascinating?" Tadashi asked curiously.


    "Wait, that''s not all." Sikumi said, "The Moon Spirit is what allows waterbenders to bend water. So if one was to get rid of the Moon Spirit then-"


    "Taking over would be easy." Tadashi concluded. "But¡­.that''s evil."


    "It only gets worse," Sikumi said, "Getting rid of the Moon Spirit would ruin the balance between it and the Ocean Spirit, making travel by sea almost impossible. Floods would ensue and the sun would radiate for longer, eventually taking up the whole day.


    Tadashi tried to imagine a world with only sun. The Fire Nation enjoyed long summers and short winters. Its people were able to tolerate extensive exposure to the sun but it goes without saying that they were still human. With no break and extensive heat all plants would die, maybe not this generation but next.


    "We need to talk with Wan Shi Tong." Tadashi stated.


    The two rushed to the meeting place just as time ran out on their Hourglasses. Fortunately the owl-like spirit was already at the meeting point, holding a copy of the book Tadashi had asked for.


    "May I ask why you want this book?" the spirit asked, as the others slowly came in.


    "What? Oh, I like learning new things." Tadashi had to quickly wrap his head around the question with his mind wholly focused on the Moon Spirit. "But more importantly we need your help."


    "What''s wrong?" Aki asked.


    "The Moon Spirit is in danger, we learned that Zhao plans on killing the spirit during the Water tribe Invasion."


    Wan Shi Tong visibly stiffened, his eyes looking at Tadashi with a sharp gaze.


    "Is this true?" he asked.


    "Yes," Sikumi answered, "But we''re not sure how to stop him."


    "I see¡­" the spirit said, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention but there is nothing that I can do. The Ocean and Moon spirit left the spirit world a long time ago and became mortal, there is no technique that I am willing to teach you that can help."


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "What do you mean willing?" Tadashi asked.


    "There is one, but that is restricted to waterbenders and allows the bender to gain a sense of control over spirits. I''d never teach that to humans."


    "Wait, Tadashi, we can still prevent this from happening." Aki spoke, "Great spirit, can we leave the library with the knowledge we collected, if only to protect those that did no wrong?"


    "Despite your over conciliatory words I agree that stopping the death of the Moon Spirit is important. I''m surprised though, you humans might not all be the same."


    "Of course, just like the Avatar we''re here to do what needs to be done in the interests of the people living in the land, not the ones ruling it." Tadashi beamed proudly.


    "Well said for a young prince." The spirit replied, shocking Tadashi.


    "How did you know?" he asked.


    "I am Wan Shi Tong, of course I know." He simply said.


    Without any other words being spoken the spirit flew off, diving deeper into the depths of the library. The group used this opportunity to leave, Tadashi taking the book that the owl spirit left behind.


    "Perhaps I''ll return this one day." He said.


    <hr />


    Instead of heading back towards Gao Ling as most would assume, Tadashi and his crew moved towards Water Fall Pond. Here they would rendezvous with the ship and investigate the area around Full Moon Bay which was rumoured to be an Earth Kingdom relief area. Using the name and reputation of the Crimson Raiders even the Earth Kingdom would be wary about facing such a foe which meant that the crew were mostly unchallenged as they approached the bay.


    However they were rather disappointed when they found nothing of interest in the first day. Kuro would use his earthbending so sense shifts in the ground around him to see if there was any activity, a skill he had read whilst in the Library, but due to his inexperience with the talent it never amounted to much. The second day was a repeat of the first, the third followed suit and quickly the crew grew bored of searching around and on the fourth day Aki could barely keep her weariness to herself. It was already late in the afternoon when Tadashi was considering packing up and heading north again when they suddenly heard the sound of battle coming from a nearby area. It was faint but everybody picked it up, their training instantly attuning their mind for battle.


    The location ended up being in a remote area of no significance but Aki was the first to spot a large group of Fire Benders attacking the group she recognised as the Kyoshi Warriors and they were having a hard time defending themselves. The area was flat, with little cover and the Fire Nation had them surrounded and outnumbered 4 to 1.


    "Orders?" Aki asked Tadashi, her hand already drawing her sword.


    "Like I need to tell you," Tadashi replied with a grimace, "We need the Kyoshi Warriors."


    There were several fighters with Tadashi at that moment; Aki, Kuro, two more Firebenders and another Earthbender. Sikumi has been left on the ship as she had wanted to practice her bending more. With a mad dash the group, dressed in pirate gear, pounced on their fellow Fire Nation men.


    The plan was to be far more lenient than how they were with the Pirates, ensuring that neither side lost anyone or was critically injured. That was how the battle was supposed to go but when a scout spotted the Crimson Raiders their reputation did something incredible and scared them off.


    Tadashi was almost disappointed as he jogged towards Suki, his eyes darting around to check for any ambushes.


    "Tadashi, Aki? What are you doing here?" Suki asked.


    "I could ask you the same thing," Tadashi replied, "But we heard sounds of fighting and came to investigate, when we saw you we just rushed in."


    "And they ran away." Aki added, nodding towards Suki and the rest of her warriors, "Are any of you injured?"


    "We have two that are bleeding quite badly but the rest are fine." Someone spoke.


    "Oh, we can help with that. Sikumi is a great healer!" Tadashi said.


    "Sikumi? I feel like I''ve heard that name before¡­."Suki murmured as she agreed to go with Tadashi.


    When the group returned to the ship the Water Tribe girl was already on deck practicing, so she noticed the group quickly, astonished to see the number of guests who returned. Her wariness of the situation dissipated when she recognised Suki behind the face paint she always wore, the Waterbender almost jumping off the ship to go and greet her.


    "Suki!" she ran and hugged the Kyoshi Warrior.


    "I knew I recognised that name," Suki returned the hug, "I haven''t seen you in years! What''s this about you being a healer?"


    "Huh?" Sikumi said, slightly confused before seeing the two Kyoshi Warriors that had been crudely bandaged up.


    Without a moment''s notice she rushed to the nearest one, brought out her water and concentrated on the wound. The Kyoshi Warriors making faces of discomfort that quickly turned to relief as the pain slowly faded away.


    "Sometime after visiting Kyoshi Island I learned how to heal. I mainly used it for small scabs and injuries during fishing but I couldn''t wait to show you, I just never had the chance." She glanced at the ground slightly before focusing on the second warrior.


    Suki couldn''t help but feel confused, trying to piece together why she was here with Tadashi and not with the other members of her family but when Aki discreetly came up to her and whispered in her ear her heart lurched in place and her eyes threatened to release tears she had trained to keep at bay as a warrior.


    But it was right in front of her, this girl that had quickly become one of her best friends that feigned happiness to better the lives of those around her, they wouldn''t notice because they didn''t know her as well as Suki did.


    "Um¡­.can I speak to her alone?" She asked Aki who raised an eyebrow but nodded.


    Before Sikumi noticed Aki had come up with an excuse to move everyone, including the other Kyoshi Warriors and Tadashi away from the two who now had plenty of space. Without warning Suki gave Sikumi another hug, but this time the tension that was built up within Sikumi had released, letting go of the grief that she had stubbornly hoarded up until now.


    "It''s ok, I''m sorry." Suki whispered, "Remember I''m here for you."


    Sikumi, who could hardly form a cohesive sentence, simply nodded as she felt this otherworldly force slowly leave her body, the pain and suffering she kept buried in her heart dissipated, the bad memories in her mind fading away.


    The sun''s warmth had felt cold before. A wave of lies, hatred and harshness that reverberated the state of the world, yet she has still found solace in her companions who continually looked after her even when knowing her past. That sun which taunted her became beautiful again, a small warmth that made everything look brighter, more hopeful and a weight lifted off her soul.


    "I can''t let something like this keep me down, that''s not what they brought me up to be like," Sikumi murmured, "I can''t hold them back."


    "What do you mean?"


    Sikumi explained how she had met Tadashi, leaving out certain facts about his position within the Fire Nation which she thought were not right to bring up. She was surprised to find out that he could bend fire but rationalised that she never really asked too.


    "He''s quite the kid right?" Suki asked.


    "I know, I''ve never met someone so outgoing and protective from the Fire Nation¡­..and I''ve met a lot of people." Sikumi replied.


    "So I take it you''ll stay with them?"


    "Yeah,"


    "I see."


    The two paused for a moment, thinking to themselves what to say next.


    "Why don''t you come with us?" Sikumi asked.


    "Sorry I can''t, we have something we need to do," Suki replied, gesturing towards the Kyoshi Warriors.


    "What''s that?"


    Suki shook her head, looking somewhat guilty that she couldn''t tell Sikumi.


    "It''s a secret."


    "Ahh, don''t worry about it." Sikumi replied with a smile, feeling less guilty she hid Tadashi''s real title.


    "So¡­.where to now?" Suki asked, trying to break any tension.


    "The North Pole, I need to find a master." Sikumi told a half-truth, her mind still thinking about Zhao''s plan.


    Suki shivered, easily put off by very cold temperatures.


    "You''re lucky you''re a Waterbender," she said, "I don''t think I could stand it there."


    The two laughed quietly as they noticed the Kyoshi Warriors getting ready to leave. Sikumi saw that Aki was also giving out orders, seemingly preparing to head north.


    "Well I guess this is bye," Suki said, grasping Sikumi''s hand.


    "No, more like ''till next time'' right?" Sikumi chuckled.


    "Yea, sure." Suki nodded, her demeanour quickly changing from best friend to warrior leader.


    As the group slowly made their way back into the depths of the Earth Kingdom Sikumi couldn''t help but smile.


    "I guess that''s the end of that." Tadashi said offhandedly to her.


    "Yeah, we have a job to do now." Sikumi''s smile faltered. "I won''t let anyone hurt the Water Tribe."

 Book 1: Chapter 11

    In the depths of the ship used by the Crimson Raiders Tadashi was looking at a set of reports on a table, surrounded by Aki, Kuro and Sikumi. In the short time they had been with Sikumi they had quickly learnt not to question her morals, her resolve or her mind. As it turned out, the light hearted nature she displayed was only one half of her personality, the more approachable half that Tadashi admired. But when the time came Sikumi''s mind calmed down, becoming a lot more serene than most after long sessions of meditation. Aki believed that she had been touched by the spirits to gain such an aura and she respected the way she would conduct herself in conflict.


    "So what do we do?" Aki asked Tadasi.


    The four were looking at a report that compiled everything they knew about Zhao. It included some of the shadier things he''d done as well as his plan to destroy the Northern Water Tribe.


    "We need to warn the Fire Lord about the Moon Spirit," Aki insisted.


    "Agreed," both Sikumi and Kuro said,


    "No," was all Tadashi said.


    "Huh? But why?" Sikumi asked.


    "You guys don''t know my father like I do." He said, his voice drifting slightly, "He doesn''t care about the other Nations and will do anything to better his own goals, much like Zhao."


    "But¡­.what about the potential side-effects." Kuro asked.


    "I doubt that will sway him either."


    "So he''s a terrible person."


    Aki and Kuro looked at Sikumi in shock, before turning back to Tadashi who did his best to control his breathing.


    "You can''t say that, you don''t know how he''s like. Sure he might be strict and a little biased but he''s¡­"


    The room became quiet as Tadashi stopped.


    "I¡­..he''s still my father, I need to¡­." The young boy muttered.


    "Why don''t we just consider that it''s not an option, who would be out next best bet, General Iroh and Prince Zuko?" Aki interrupted.


    "That sounds logical, General Iroh could certainly help and Prince Zuko doesn''t like Zhao already." Kuro said, considering the idea.


    "I don''t know, that guy doesn''t seem to be the most helpful of people." Sikumi muttered.


    "You mean Prince Zuko?" Aki questioned, "From what I''ve seen he''s a bit¡­..hot-headed."


    The captain glanced at Tadashi before continuing.


    "But with his Uncles guidance surely he can be persuaded to help."


    "Not happening." Tadashi spoke up.


    Everyone looked up him expectantly, surprised to see a bitter expression on his face.


    "What now?" Aki asked.


    "What now you ask? He''ll just fail at helping like he did everything else! He doesn''t care anyway, he''s a hopeless old man with nothing to contribute to this nation." Tadashi''s eyes narrowed as memories of the past surfaced.


    "Surely you''re just letting your emotions get the better of you. It''s the be-" Kuro started saying before Tadashi interrupted him by smashing his fist into the table, releasing a stream of fire that burned the documents they had been looking at.


    "Don''t talk to me about emotions, I''m perfectly fine! In fact why are you here, you''re nothing but a servant supposed to follow orders, did you think because I''m so young you can casually talk to me? No!" he smashed his fist again and unwillingly let a flick of blue fire that burned both Aki and Sikumi who were nearest to him.


    "Damn it." Aki murmured, touching the burning skin on her hand.


    Coming to his senses, Tadashi stepped backwards, wanting to reach towards those he hurt but ultimately hesitating. His mind went blank, not knowing what he should or could do, deciding that simply getting away from it all was best. The words that he wanted to speak wouldn''t come out anymore and he stumbled away, quickly finding his quarters.


    A chill had suddenly swept in, holding his body in a veil of guilt that stubbornly wouldn''t let go. He brought his hand forward and tried to light a fire again, the resulting flame a weak and quivering orange ember. As his mind recollected the blue embers he shivered, the flame in his hand growing smaller and smaller until it wouldn''t light anymore.


    A knock came from his door but he couldn''t hear it. The only thing his mind was focused on was why he had been able to produce that kind of fire. His guilt over who he''d burnt suddenly pushed away and the desire to know more growing. His hand warmed up to the idea, the energy growing louder and angrier until the flame came out again, only this time it was unnaturally stable despite its size. A sliver of a smile crept onto his face as he thought of how to make it stronger but a wave suddenly crashed his thought process.


    Guilt, doubt and fear. He didn''t believe it was him, thinking of the time he had first created a spark of blue fire in front of his Grandfather. The joy, determination at the time and the pure will to impress his father had resulted in that success. But was that him? His mind raced to find an answer but didn''t stop at one, thinking and re-thinking whether he had really did that or whether it was someone else. The idea of producing blue fire when angry was intriguing, almost delicious for the young mind of Tadashi but that fear, possibility of hurting someone he loved attacked his heart in way he didn''t realise. He imagined Zuko struck down by fire, Aki blown away in a feat of strength, Naoko silenced by a furious flame and his power increasing every time. He saw Azula, trying to achieve similar levels of power before being swallowed in a sea of blue, dying by his own hand, the ability to even stop himself lost in essence as he had given up for power, for untameable power.


    Aki had been watching the whole time, at first she hesitated before entering the room but Tadashi was paler than usual. His whole body shaking slight and his hands over his head. Wanting to say something she heard a small muttering sound coming from the young prince and upon getting close enough heard his almost crazed like apology.


    ''Stop, I can''t. Stop, I''m sorry. I don''t want you to die. This isn''t me, I can''t stop. No¡­I-''


    Aki embraced the young boy, hugging him tightly and speaking to him in the way a mother would. Her words resembled what she had heard in her childhood, words of comfort, meaningless words that could only heal the mind and not the body.


    In truth she was certainly afraid of what to say, not wanting to damage the boy further. She had heard from Naoko that he could be fragile but never believed it. Every day he''d have a positive attitude, an inquisitive mind but this was something she hadn''t seen before and the others couldn''t find out about. She stroked Tadashi''s hair, the top-knot having been removed a long time ago. Her hand still hurt, but Sikumi quickly removed the worst of the damage with her healing. In fact she suspected that there''d be little to no trace of any burning because of her.


    "Don''t worry, we forgive you." Aki said, "You are not hurt, you are whole, you are strong, you are our prince."


    Tadashi continued to mutter, his voice gradually dropping, and the flame he saw in his mind extinguishing, unknowingly having exhausted his inner chi searching out for a heat signature. He searched for Zuko, his mother, his father and Azula. He searched until the strength left his mind and he fell into a complete sleep, not knowing he was being held by Aki and that he was staining her arms with his tears.


    <hr />


    In the depths of the forest Aang felt the heat in the area around him. The chi of so many firebenders was certainly unnerving. He approached the cottage that looked yet stable and took a deep breath as he walked into the dark room.


    In here the amount of chi resonated.


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    Candles were littered about, the flames all flickering in a controlled manner where the man seated meditated.


    "Get out."


    "Master, I need to learn firebending." Aang complained.


    "Only a fool seeks his own destruction." The man retorted.


    "I''m the Avatar, it''s my destiny to-" Aang started saying before getting interrupted.


    "Destiny? What would a boy know of destiny? If a fish lives its whole life in this river, does he know the river''s destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on out of his control! He may follow where it flows, but he cannot see the end. He cannot imagine the ocean."


    "Okay, that''s certainly true, but it''s the Avatar''s duty to master all of the bending disciplines."


    "Ha! To master the bending disciplines, you must first master discipline itself. But you have no interest in this, so I have no interest in you! Now, get out."


    "Please, I have to learn. This could be my only chance. I know there are good Fire Benders out there too, some have helped us."


    "Are you deaf? How can I teach you if you refuse to listen? Before learning firebending you must learn water and earth. Water is cool and soothing, earth is steady and stable, but fire, fire is alive! It breathes, it grows. Without the bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it! The one you claim helped you cannot control it and never will! That is its destiny! Destruction! You are not ready! You are too weak!"


    As Jeong Jeong stopped talking the flames in the room erupted into an inferno of rage, twisting and turning until suddenly a boy wasn''t standing in front of him but a fully realised Avatar, Roku.


    "You think I am weak? You insult my family?" Roku asked, his eyes vacant but his voice full of anger.


    "Avatar Roku! No, No! I did not mean that." Jeong Jeong stuttered, his respect overwhelmed him until a thought brought him back to his senses, "And boy is not ready¡­.but how did I disrespect your family?"


    "I am related to the Fire Nation Royal Family more than you realise," he said. "But this is information you must never share with Aang. You must also remember that I have mastered the elements a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes. Now, I must do it once again. You will teach the Avatar firebending."


    As the intense fire suddenly dissipated Aang was left starting at the Master as if nothing had happened, his face looking expectedly towards the old man.


    "Yes, yes, I will teach you." He muttered, rather annoyed.


    <hr />


    The disguised ship cruised along the ocean, heading to a port where reports stated Iroh and Zuko were anchored. The mood solemn on the ship that hadn''t seen its leader in half a day. No one spoke about what had happened in the room. Aki remained passive, contemplating sending a message to Naoko for advice. Sikumi remained enthusiastic and acted as if nothing happened. However Kuro, although promising to keep quiet, worked about with a grumble. The words spoken by the boy having affected him more than he realised.


    A knock sounded on his door.


    "Go away!"


    Aki entered anyway.


    "The crew is getting anxious. Usually you''re one of the first out and they''re wondering when you''ll come out."


    For a while no response came and Aki considered taking another step into the room when Tadashi spoke.


    "How can I after what I did?"


    Aki sighed, honestly frustrated that she was the only person that could deal with it but finding a hint of delight in the fact that she indeed could help him.


    "I''m fine, so is Sikumi and Kuro''s just grumpy but he''s always been like that."


    "That''s not what I''m worried about, what if I can''t control it?" Tadashi turned around and faced Aki, the concern on their faces almost identical. "What if it''s worse next time?"


    "I don''t know," Aki admitted, "But I think I know someone who does."


    Tadashi looked at the captain slightly confused as she looked about awkwardly before speaking again.


    "We decided to sail towards General Iroh so that we could convey the information directly. We¡­um also believe it''d be best if you speak to your uncle."


    Aki tensed, waiting for Tadashi to lash out, the night before wasn''t the first time she had heard about his disdain for his uncle.


    "It was the best decision." Tadashi sighed, surprising Aki. "I¡­..well, how¡­um-"


    "Apology accepted, go and see General Iroh and the others will be ok too." Aki answered.


    "Sure," Tadashi smiled, "but probably not Kuro."


    "No," Aki chuckled, "probably not him."


    <hr />


    Iroh walked hesitantly with his guest in tow and upon reaching Zuko''s door pushed it open where his nephew was busy sulking.


    "For the last time, I''m not playing the tsungi horn!" he shouted.


    "No, it''s about out plans. There''s a bit of a problem." Iroh replied as Zhao walked into the room.


    "I''m taking your crew" he said with a sadistic smirk.


    "What?!" Zuko turned around to face Zhao.


    "I''ve recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole."


    "Uncle, is that true?"


    "I''m afraid so. He''s taking everyone¡­..even the cook." Iroh replied.


    "Sorry you won''t be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can''t have you getting in my way again."


    "No!" Zuko lunged towards the admiral but was held back by Iroh.


    Taking the moment to look around Zhao noticed a pair of swords hanging on the wall. His temper suddenly rose as he recognised the shape of the blade. Reaching for one of the swords, he took it off the wall and inspected it close up, resulting in Zuko looking dumbfounded at the Admiral, recognizing the danger he was in.


    "I didn''t know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." Zhao pondered, giving the sword a swing for good measure.


    "I''m not. They''re antiques. Just decorative." Zuko answered quickly.


    "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao asked, ignoring the prince''s answer.


    "Just rumours. I don''t think he is real." Iroh muttered.


    "Interesting, your other nephew knows better than that. He''s certainly real. He''s a criminal, and an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon, the other boy even agrees." Zhao spoke, giving the sword to Iroh, "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands¡­..if you change your mind."


    "You were with Tadashi?" Zuko asked, stopping Zhao who was about to walk away.


    "Oh of course, he''s not nearly as pathetic as you, after all the Fire Lord still communicates with him." Zhao laughed, walking off as Zuko scowled.


    "You shouldn''t let that man get to you, it could be your downfall." Iroh warned.


    "I know Uncle." Zuko sighed, "Just¡­..leave me."


    "As you wish."

 Book 1: Chapter 12

    By the time the ship had reached port it was getting dark. Tadashi had decided to come outside a few hours earlier, making sure to apologise profoundly to both Sikumi and Kuro who at least accepted the gesture face on. Sikumi merely sighed, as if she were scolding a younger sibling, her smile never wavering for a second. It was well known amongst those on the ship that Sikumi had unusual eyes. They bore no strange mark, shining as blue as the Water Tribe could get but a mystical air never left her gaze at certain moments in time. Her words would always be kind yet her eyes seemed to reflect a person being completely, both pure and unfiltered. Tadashi saw more than his pride staring back at himself but the measure of his worth in flames, both red and hot yet licked by cold and calculative blue embers. Although this sight lasted but a second he saw himself in the form of a crimson shadow, thrown against a sea of infinite cosmos, each star shining brighter than the last in an attempt to outdo each other. The majority were fierce plumes of orange, red and sometimes yellow. These the boy could comprehend as a child of fire, but the blue and purple flames which were already rare gave way to a silver wave of energy, each stroke of fire a thought or whisper that reached out to the young boy.


    Images of the book he had taken came to mind. In the text he read it was common for soldiers who wielded blue fire to become the private guard of the Fire Lords of old, those that wielded purple flames were often revered as masters of the craft so ancient their bodies were said to have still contained Dragon blood. This same book went on to detail that one Fire Lord long ago had wed a female guard who wielded purple flames. This marriage brought about greater reverence to the Fire Lord at the time, establishing a law that the royalty were descendants of Dragons. Tadashi had thought this a crude way to gain more power but the book did mention that their union was that out of love to one another and everything else a mere coincidence. Not knowing how accurate that account was Tadashi simply decided to accept it as fact.


    Despite his misgivings about past events the flames that burned before him was something else. The blue flames taunted him, its coldness licked him in a frenzy of passion, anger and fear, tempting him into a blind fury for power. The purple didn''t act the same way though, it flew straight and true like an arrow, almost noble in nature which seemed to be reserved for the talented, perhaps a person like Azula who could eventually reach that level. But those were still nothing compared to the silver. He knew by looking at himself that he would never obtain such a glorious flame, no matter how hard he trained, meditated or swore to carry out Agni''s will. This fire, brighter than the sun, purified his very soul and cleaned all doubts he carried about himself. This silver fire that must have been the very essence of Agni itself was reflected in all Firebenders but through Sikumi he could see it as clear as day, see but never reach. The silver burned in his very soul but to throw one''s life was impossible, this applied to all benders, to throw about ones essence was an abomination of the soul.


    That gaze, which lasted both a second and a lifetime, told Tadashi that everything would be alright. All he needed was hope that his will to move forwards would take him to a better place. Of course he still needed to apologies to Kuro first.


    The stealth prone Earthbender was a lot stiffer, his fondness for Tadashi had all but disappeared with that confrontation in the meeting room. But that was a problem he could deal with himself, having been brought up around Fire Nation people he was always quite the prideful person, despite his differences in nationality and status. It was for that reason that he could still respect the boy who manned up enough to apologies out in the open, despite his status as a Prince and Director. The respect still remained, but that fondness would take some time to rebuild as a sapling eventually grows into a mighty tree.


    The group that left the ship consisted of Tadashi, Aki, Kuro and another Firebender named Daiki, a rather large man who always seemed to blend in with his surroundings. Tadashi wore some of his nicer clothing, his nervousness slowly building up within his mind as they spotted the ship still in the harbour.


    "It''s awfully quiet, don''t you think?" Aki murmured low enough that only the four could hear.


    The others merely nodded in agreement but Kuro suddenly stiffened, his demeanour immediately alerting the others.


    "What''s wro-"Aki was about to ask before a huge explosion went off.


    Tadashi didn''t move, breath or even try to think as Zuko''s ship exploded in a raging roar of red hot flames. The sight of metal, bent out of shape and the roar of a voice he instantly recognised as his uncles brought him back to reality. He wanted to rush over but as he saw a bird flying in the darkness the form of a pirate slipped past his eyes. The shadow moved about unseen to the world around it and re-joined another which headed away from the destroyed ship. In that moment a plume of rage exploded from the boy as he ran off after them, despite the calls from Aki.


    Tadashi dashed towards the pirates, throwing boxes, people and anything that was in his way aside. He ran until the shadows led him outside the small village, where the pirates were waiting in a clearing.


    "You!" he shouted, his eyes ablaze with tenacious fury. "You''ll pay for what you did!"


    "Heh, it''s the small whelp." The captain said, surrounded by his pirates and some unfamiliar new faces. "We figured out it was you who sent my men to the spirits, so we returned the gesture. Of course only after filling up our ranks with some fresh swords."


    As he finished speaking the others caught up with Tadashi, falling into stances so that they could protect the boy if need be. However the young director didn''t even notice their appearance, his eyes fixated on the Pirate Captain, his words replaying in his mind constantly.


    "I''ll have his head¡­"


    The words were a whisper but Aki heard them before Tadashi launched towards the pirates, uncaring who came upon him. Of course as the first pirate was within striking distance, a newly hired sell-sword, Aki turned her flames on the man burning him instantly.


    "Blasted ash makers! Kill them all," the captain roared, drawing his own sword.


    Kuro dashed to the side, using his earthbending to take out the enemy. His blasts of earth were the size of cannonballs and aimed for the heads of pirates that dared go near his comrades. Quickly the number of pirates started decreasing and those that even thought of fleeing were struck by Daiki whose aim was consistently on the mark. Tadashi swung mercilessly, hacking whoever went near him. Those that had the audacity to block or parry his attacks were met by the red hot flames of his firebending, leaving their faces charred and blackened or inflicting so much pain they couldn''t fight. These unfortunate souls didn''t draw many breaths after that as Kuro finished them off with sharp spires he created from the ground. Aki focused on those that approached Tadashi; her need to use her Long-Dadao, a modified version of the scimitar like weapon, increased. She killed without mercy, only stopping when a wild swing from the enemy failed to penetrate her light armour. In response she threw the sword at the pirate, hitting him in the abdomen and threw a fierce volley of flames that burned his arms, leaving him in so much pain that Kuro''s earthbending was almost a kind gesture.


    "Damn you Fire Nation, I''ll send you straight to the spirits myself if need be!" the captain roared, his blade slicing into Daiki''s arm, rendering it useless although not removing it entirely.


    As the firebender cried out in pain he threw another wave of fire that missed the captain but burned the pirate behind him. Aki fell back, her exhaustion almost overtaking her need to protect Tadashi. In a moment of wonder, she looked on as he fought, his rage seemingly fuelling his actions. Daiki also retreated, sending a huge flame into the air in the hope that those on the ship would see it. Aki also wondered this, she anticipated that they would have investigated the explosion, it''s sound and ferocity enough to wake up the entire village. It was during those moments that Aki saw the killing intent emanating from the pirate captain as he drew his sword, aiming directly for Tadashi''s back as he lunged forwards. Too slow to act, call or even move Aki''s entire being freezed as she watched Kuro jump in to the rescue, not with earthbending or weaponry but with his body, taking the blow directly into his lung.


    "See, they are not unbeatable!" the captain shouted, hoping to rally his men.


    Tadashi turned too late, the splash of blood on his cheek felt different to the rest and when he saw Kuro''s crumpled body he knew what had transpired. The captain though didn''t give his foe a moments chance to understand the gravity of his mistake and swung again for the boy. Tadashi, not one to make a mistake twice, met the sword with his own but as the captain stared down the boy, instead of seeing the amber eyes of the Fire Nation he was met by a maelstrom of fury, the ocean of blue fire that corrupted Tadashi''s soul engulfed the sword he held and travelled to the captain, burning with a sickening coldness that sapped away at his very life.


    The first time he had screamed no one really noticed apart from Aki who watched in horror, but the second time everyone saw the way Tadashi swung and shot shards of blue fire in short arcs. The smallest wisp of blue embers caught onto anything and burned with such a passion that the very fire itself seemed to be mourning. One by one the remaining pirates were slayed, the blue fire that Tadashi used wasn''t natural but still deadly, burning everything in its path. As the last man fell the boy too mirrored this action, dropping to the ground as the mask that was the depth of blue fire suddenly left his mind.


    "Did¡­.I?" Tadashi could barely form the words before looking at Kuro''s body that still moved, someone escaping the onslaught of fire.


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    "So, this is how it ends."


    Tadashi freely wept as he heard the words come from Kuro. Aki and Daiki also came upon their fallen comrade, still shaken by Tadashi''s actions.


    "Don''t, we can take you to Sikumi!" Tadashi stammered, "Stay with us."


    "Heh¡­." Kuro tried to chuckle but ended up coughing blood, "I''m nothing to worry about."


    "But I never got a chance to¡­." Tadashi muttered, unable to look him directly in the eyes.


    "Don''t cry for me, there are better things to do with your heart." He spoke carefully, earning a look of confusion from the young prince. "I saw myself this morning and knew I wasn''t meant to stay in this world much longer."


    "How can you say such a thing?" Aki asked, very alarmed.


    "You would say the same thing if you saw what I saw," he muttered, "the Director brings all sorts of wonderful people to him but I''m not one of those people. I¡­saw another, an Earthbender who is nothing like me, my better in every way."


    "What are you trying to say?" Aki questioned.


    "Find him. He who would rather fight with sword than rock. He who is old enough to be a father but has fought many battles throughout time. He who condemns the wicked much like you do¡­Director."


    "Does such a man truly exist?" Tadashi asked quietly.


    "Aye, he does. I feel it¡­..the call of the earth, my body should return¡­.to sleep. I saw¡­.but yes."


    Kuro started rambling, his eyes slowly glazing as his voice gradually grew quieter. As his soul became one with the spirits all he would talk about is this mysterious person, how great he was, how fierce he could fight and how he envied such a man whose heart was as large as the ocean but as strong as a mountain. As Agni resided in all beings the flame that ignited his soul went out, disturbing Tadashi more than he could say. His body wouldn''t move as his soul cursed himself for allowing such a thing to happen, he wanted to will the flame of Kuro back but knew he didn''t possess such a gift, only Agni could perform such a miracle.


    "We should take him back." Aki said, her eyes taking in every detail about Kuro''s face as he eternally rested.


    Daiki, forgetting about his injury and with Aki''s help, put Kuro onto his shoulder and slowly started walking back. The trio were exhausted, both physically and mentally but they managed to reach the ship where the others were waiting at full alert. Tadashi quickly learned that they had indeed learned of the explosion and investigating, reporting that Zuko did not die and that they witnessed General Iroh taking him. This news brought little relief to Tadashi who found it hard to speak his mind, instead focusing on his decisions that led to Kuro''s death. The crew on the ship had also caught one of the pirates who Tadashi must have missed and learned that Zhao had orchestrated the entire thing, the description of an ''overly proud ash maker'' enough to tip them off. Without needing to go into detail they noted that the pirate was dealt with.


    Aki who carried a few bruises and Daiki were healed by Sikumi without complaint but Tadashi was more stubborn, saying that it was his fault this whole thing happened. It wasn''t until Sikumi that looked upon him with her sad eyes that Tadashi could accept that some things were out of his control. But it wasn''t him or Sikumi that confirmed this but a small voice that seemed to travel on the sea breeze, settling into the mind of the young boy who commanded a ship of trained fighters.


    "I think it''s all the more important we speak to General-"


    "No," Tadashi interrupted Aki, his mind clearer than most though it would be. "Right now that would be unwise. If Zhao is behind this than he is watching my Uncle, probably even drafting him for the invasion in the North."


    Sikumi grimaced and mentally resolved herself for what would undoubtedly be a dangerous and bloody battle.


    "So what do we do?" she asked.


    Tadashi didn''t know, he sighed as he tried to warm his body with his inner fire but the coldness that spread through his body was unbearable so he extinguished it and focused on the task at hand.


    "We need to head towards the North, I want to be there before anyone else." He said, his tone gave away that this wasn''t up for debate, "As much as I want to give Kuro the burial he deserves we just don''t have the time."


    "We can drop him off at a Fire Nation village on our way, I''ll make sure they bury him¡­..as decreed." Aki stated rather bluntly.


    The decree she spoke of was a rule that they had agreed upon over 2 years ago that those that died in service would not gain any recognition in death lest their accolades are used to give away the identity of those within Military Intelligence. Tadashi nodded in agreement, he then turned to go inside and as Aki reached out to ask another question he interrupted her.


    "Sorry, but I need to write a letter and send it as quickly as possible." He said before leaving the company that was mentally getting used to the fact that Kuro wouldn''t be with them any more.


    <hr />


    To Naoko


    I write this with the news that Kuro has fallen.


    I know there has been quite some time between the time since we last talked and such news is hardly appropriate but I need to speak to you, personally. There is much to say, both about my journey but also about matters of the mind and spirit.


    Enclosed is another letter that I write to my father, please see to it that it is delivered directly to him with no eyes reading its content apart from your own. I also ask that you come with our second team to the North Pole, once you have set out we can talk of a meeting point but it is imperative you bring the battle class ship and Hideki along.


    There is so much more I wish I could write but time is of the essence right now and a moment longer spent in the depth of this ship will do damage to my soul that I doubt could ever be healed.


    Regards,


    Tadashi


    <hr />


    My Lord


    It is with this letter that I bring news of a threat to our Nation in the form of our newly promoted Admiral Zhao.


    As the grace of our people would allow it the attack on the Northern Water Tribe will end in absolute Fire Nation victory, but the lengths this man will go to is a danger to us all. Such lengths that includes consorting with pirates to assassinate my brother. Of course this vein attempt at his life through deceitfulness failed and by the time he learns of this it will be too late because I plan on ending his life myself.


    Zhao is a man who will lie and cheat his way to the top, I fear he has done this with you my Lord and has used your will to win power for himself. Such disrespect cannot be tolerated which is why I must do something about it as Prince to the Fire Nation.


    This is a man who plans to kill the moon spirit, taking away the bending powers of the Water Tribes but also giving us eternal summers and days upon end that will cause naught but madness. This plan will only bring destruction to the Fire Nation and its people and that is something I cannot allow. Even as you read this my people are getting ready, we will strike down his deluded efforts and bring to light all the crimes he has committed over the years, atrocities that will forever shame the family he comes from and never allow another of his kind into power again.


    When I left the Fire Nation I didn''t realise how misguided and foolish the world really is. The people need a leader and they don''t realise true power when they see it. It may please you to know that I struck down the very souls who dared rig Zuko''s ship with explosives. I produced a fire so cold and blue that it burned the very spirit of his being, an image that I will never forget as long as I live. If this fire of mine will be used to cleanse those from this world that don''t belong then so be it, but Zhao has become next on that list.


    It is my hope that Azula learns of it too, I have high hopes for her as I suspect you do. One day she will do great things that will bring untold honour for the Fire Nation and if I can''t do that then I hope to create the foundation to allow those miracles to happen.


    With all this being said I''m afraid to let you know that the assault on the Northern Water Tribe will result in failure. I have looked at all the details, papers and into Zhao as much as my time allows and his greed will be the end of him, this I guarantee. But with the Avatar at the Northern front I fear he will lay waste to the resources you so cleverly diverted to this noble cause. With this in mind I will do my best to gain more for the Fire Nation than what that man would return with.


    Your son,


    Tadashi, Prince of the Fire Nation

 Book 1: Chapter 13

    The wind pulled, stroked the seas and tossed about as an untamed animal would. The clouds above were dark, thick and threatened to rain on the heads of countless Fire Nation soldiers. The air itself seemed to anticipate the future, its saltiness only less striking than the chill that sent thousands of men to rekindle the fire within their cores. Already ships had arrived at the pre-destined meeting point. Scouts, cutters and a wide variety of battleships were pulling in over the days where Admiral Zhao and General Iroh oversaw the entire operation.


    Not too far, but certainly closer to the North Pole lay two ships. The first a pirate ship, familiar to those around the Earth Kingdom as the vessel belonging to the Crimson Raiders, a ship that preferred cold steel to the art of bending. The second ship was its polar opposite, taking after the innovative design of Fire Nation ships and stuffing it with as many features as their budget would allow.


    The Dragon Inferno.


    Designed as a Royal Barge, this ship used the latest combination of metal alloys that could be afforded, shaped into the sleek and fast nature of such boats. The metal was given a dark red coat of paint, but because it''s metal plates were laid in such strange pattern it gave off the appearance that the boat was made of dragon skin. Unlike most ships though the boat didn''t feature a tall tower where commands would be given but rather the station for the captain was within the belly of the beast, using a complicated system of mirrors to obtain multiple views of the surrounding area. Where this tower would usually be was a raised platform that featured an entrance to the deck below, this also meant the ship was wider than most with every room being below deck. Despite this large change the most striking difference was the creature that stood at the front of the ship. In the shape of a dragon this monstrosity was made from red metal and gold plating, giving the impression that a living dragon dwelled on the boat. What made this more than a simple decoration was that the structure was hollow, allowing for soldiers to wait within and use the various holes covered by gold plates to attack with a mixture of Firebending and Earthbending. At the mouth, where the Dragon seemed to be indefinitely roaring, a Ballista was mounted, protected by the Jaws of the dragon yet still able to turn a good half circle in any direction.


    This ship that had only been completed less than a month before departing on its first voyage had run Military Intelligence budgets to its limit. Not wanting to owe either the Royal or Noble Faction with the financial backing of this project Tadashi had allowed the entire savings for two years as well as his personal funds to go into the construction of the vessel.


    "It''s¡­.scary."


    Sikumi shivered, looking at the monster that was anchored close to the boat used by the Crimson Raiders. Her first impression of the ship as it drew up to the pirate ship and even now as they sailed across in a small cutter she couldn''t help but feel as if the entire Fire Nation''s rage was stored within the golden eyes of the dragon.


    "So, this is how it is." Hideki murmured as he nodded to Aki and Tadashi who spotted him above deck, ready to receive them.


    The rest of the welcome party included Yaki, who retained his big and bulky stature nodded, but were also waiting as well. They bore the standard Fire Nation Intelligence uniform that Naoko had designed herself. Because of the cold weather the troops wore a black undergarment beneath their armour, hiding all visible skin except for the hands and face. For both the males and females the armour worn was the same, red and grey plates that protected the body, formed to fit around the each wearer and conserve as much space as possible. Because of these needs the armour had to be made specifically for each person, including a helmet that covered the face much like the Navy faceplates but instead with the shape of a dragon. The dragon, although hunted by the Fire Nation, were respected as intelligent creature matching that of humans which made them worthy adversaries and gave honour if killed in battle. To design this armour after the Dragons the nation claimed to represent was supposed to be a symbol of power and intelligence, but it also had the effect of elevating the strike team''s myth-like feats amongst those that barely got a glimpse of the armour.


    However this wasn''t what they wore. Although the armour was suited for cold weather and could handle any sort of skirmish the members of Intelligence wore a similar outfit to their standard kit but featured white coloured plating with blue trimmings, a white faceplate and extra padding. It allowed wearers to hide in the snow without being seen easily. All those aboard the Dragon Inferno currently wore this armour, although they were permitted to not wear the helmet and outer frame due to the warm temperature within the ship.


    As Tadashi stepped aboard the vessel Hitachi was first to salute, giving a small bow before stepping back as Naoko approached the boy. The girl who was barely older than Tadashi gave a soft smile and hugged her Master and friend, the action not surprising anyone that stood there that moment


    "I take it this is Sikumi?" Hitachi asked as the waterbender stepped onto the ship.


    "Yes, she''s quite something." Tadashi confirmed as Sikumi gave a small bow herself to the man.


    "Quite something eh?" Naoko grinned, "I sense a story you haven''t told me."


    Tadashi was quick to shake his head as Aki laughed and Sikumi blushed slightly before standing to the side.


    "Don''t misunderstand," Tadashi said, giving Naoko a light shove, "Just look at her and you''ll see."


    The words made Sikumi slightly uncomfortable but she knew what he meant. This wasn''t the first time she had been told that people saw more of themselves in her eyes. Whether it was an ability that some waterbenders possessed or something entirely different she didn''t know but her father had once said she looked all the more beautiful for it.


    "I¡­..see." Naoko said, "wow¡­.I mean¡­this is-"


    Aki laughed.


    "That''s exactly what I said the first time too." She said, motioning for the others to come aboard.


    "I''ll show everyone else to their rooms," Yaki nodded, as the crew of the Crimson Raiders finally joined up with the rest of Military Intelligence.


    "So, what happened?" Hideki asked.


    His question, although vague, was directed at the crew of the Crimson Raiders and their recent voyage. With a deep sigh Tadashi explained everything, including how they had obtained knowledge of Zhao''s invasion plan, the pirates and Zuko as well as Kuro''s death.


    "That''s shame, poor soul was due for a promotion soon as well." Hideki said after a moment of silence. "Still, it''s rather surprising that you actually saw a living spirit and it didn''t try to kill you."


    "I think the answer is to be civil," Aki mentioned, nodding towards Sikumi who was the main reason it all went well anyway.


    "That may certainly be true but the information you obtained there, especially this book about Firebending is very interesting indeed." Hideki said aloud.


    At the mention of the book Tadashi took it out of the satchel he was carrying and showed off its pages which demonstrated almost every known Firebending technique and a few more they didn''t know.


    "It really is an interesting book," Tadashi agreed. "But I never knew firebending could be colours outside of red and blue."


    The others nodded, because the orange-red hue that fire was naturally seemed the only logical thing to expect from Firebending, as well as the blue fire that came about from intense concentration and practice.


    "It''s said here that purple fire is an ignition of the soul, using passion as a fuel to enhance the source of your fire."


    "What source?" Naoko asked.


    "I don''t know, the book doesn''t say." Tadsahi admitted, "But it says some of the first Firebenders were the ancient sun-warriors which lived in a now-ruined city within the Fire Nation if I''m not wrong."


    Hideki nodded, having heard of similar rumours himself.


    "Perhaps they know." Tadashi spoke, "I''d also look for the true answer to this silver fire that the text describes as the very essence of our bodies. Not that I''m interested though, I''d rather learn some of the techniques listed here."


    "I thought we agreed they were dangerous?" Aki asked.


    "What? Dangerous!" Naoko gave Tadashi a hard look, giving him cause to chuckle awkwardly.


    "We don''t know for sure, but it''s something that we''ll investigate. Um¡­." Tadashi trailed off as he couldn''t reply further.


    Naoko understanding the hint turned to the others and smiled in such a way that the others knew her orders were absolute.


    "Could you show everyone to their rooms whilst I speak to our Director?" she asked Hideki who merely nodded and walked off towards the ships interior followed by the others.


    Once they were out of sight and no one could be seen Tadashi sighed heavily and almost collapsed, supported by Naoko who quickly took his things and bore his fatigued body.


    "What''s wrong?" Naoko asked.


    "Everything."


    "What exactly constitutes as everything?"


    "I don''t know¡­."


    "But if you don''t know then how can anything be wrong?"


    "That''s not logical at all."


    "Perhaps that''s true but neither are you."


    The two continued their pointless bickering for a quart-hour before Tadashi found the strength to stand by himself.


    "I miss home, but not the home I will return to. I couldn''t go and relax whilst people are out there giving their lives for something they may or may not even believe in! Zuko¡­..he almost died, how am I supposed to feel about that? I miss Azula, her antics, our competitions, everything! There''s something inside me that burns, I don''t know what it is but I''ve hurt people in ways that haunts me, I die a little every second I think about it."


    "Tadashi¡­" Naoko sighed, taking a hand to his head and stroking it ever so slightly.


    "Home is wherever you make it, right? I can''t quite say I know what you see in your younger sister but I''m sure she misses you too." Naoko answered, mentally debating on what she should say next, "I think that you believe yourself too strong, but it''s only natural since you''re a Prince of the Fire Nation."


    "Am I? Some days I think I''m too¡­."


    "Emotional?" Naoko suggested.


    "Exactly. I''m just so¡­..ouch!" Tadashi was somewhat stunned when Naoko flicked his head.


    "Forgive me for talking out of line but have you seen the rest of your family? Zuko is readily prepared to shout down anyone that gets in his way, quick to get angered and easily annoyed my small mistakes. Azula is no better, always trying to make life worse for the servants and will bend at people just for the pleasure of it. And your father¡­well I don''t even think he has a happy side." Naoko half-ranted, looking out towards the ice caps before realising she had just bad-mouthed Tadashi''s family a bit too easily.


    Despite the grave dishonour she had committed Tadashi laughed. It wasn''t sadistic, sarcastic or even self-harmful but a laugh of pure joy that lasted a few blissful seconds.


    "Is that how they really come across like?" Tadashi asked, wiping away a tear.


    "Um¡­.yeah." Naoko said, watching to see if Tadashi''s mood would change again.


    "I suppose they are all a mad-lot, myself included. Maybe I was too quick to judge," he said before his mood did indeed dip again, "But I don''t think it excuses the way those men died."


    "Something you haven''t learnt to control perhaps?"


    "But that''s what the initial firebending lessons are for!" Tadashi retorted.


    "Of course, but maybe this is something else? You said yourself that you saw the spirit of Agni through Sikumi, perhaps this is something you need a spiritual teacher to guide you on?"


    "That may be the case," Tadashi sighed, "But where do we find someone like that?"


    "The Avatar?"


    "What!? Are you suggesting I just go up to him and ask for advice?"


    "Well you did save him twice, and if you ask really nicely-"


    "No." Tadashi interrupted her, "I can''t appear weak before him if I wish to make this partnership work."


    "Fine," Naoko sighed, "But I do wish you''d take care¡­.I mean look, you''re not eating properly and you''ve thinned."


    "I''ve also become a lot stronger," Tadashi added with a small smirk.


    "That''s not important, strength isn''t important."


    "You mean physical strength isn''t important and inner strength is the key to a long life, you sound just like my¡­.oh I''m an idiot." Tadashi shook his head, chuckling slightly.


    "You said it, not me." Naoko laughed quietly.


    "I guess I really should speak with my Uncle," Tadashi admitted.


    The two continued to study the horizon as over time the shape of fire nation ships became visible. The large vessel that could only belong to Admiral Zhao was visible in the distance too.


    "So, what''s the plan?"


    This time it was Tadashi that smiled, a hint of bravado in his eyes as he turned to face Naoko.


    "Let''s meet up with everyone first."


    <hr />


    Tadashi, Director of Military Intelligence


    You have done well for our Nation, striking both the enemy and traitors who have lost their way, though it surprises me to hear that Admiral Zhao is intending to commit such a foolish act. Your advisors have told me that the upmost research was done to verify this information and I''ll hold them to their word.


    With this letter I give you permission to stop Zhao, but only as long as the Invasion is successful. On the small chance that Zhao fails his, life is forfeit by his own right and you would only be hastening my desire to get rid of incompetence.


    For the glory of the Fire Nation,


    Fire Lord Ozai


    <hr />


    The central command room was equally impressive as the outside of the ship, but for more technical reasons. The room that everyone was seated in was huge, broken up into 3 main areas. The first section, where the Director and the higher command situated allowed for easy access to maps and other resources, elevated above the other areas to allow quick commands to be issued. The second area was below the command area but featured a large table with refreshments, more documents and stations to accommodate all the captains and where mission critical units could obtain orders easily. The final area surrounded the first two. Around this great room were multiple stations where officers sat. Here the tables were erected with mirrors that connected to periscopes, enlarging images that allowed those within to see the outside of ship with ease. The wide mirror and those within the periscope allowed the officers stationed to see a clear image of what was happening as well as allowing those around to quickly see without too much trouble. During the night the ship used oil and fire to light the scope which increased the usability of the device.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    But that''s not where it ended, the ship also featured a complicated set of relay lens within its walls, leading to a set of mirrors on the command tables and the wall behind them. Using a complicated design of levers, switches and panels it was possible to push an image from one periscope to the much larger lens, although the image would often appear distorted and didn''t work at night.


    In this great room Tadashi was sat at the large table with Naoko, Hideki, Sikumi, Aki and half of the Intelligence crew. The others were manning the periscopes, performing checks on the other equipment on the boat or topside where cargo from the pirate ship was being transported to the Dragon Inferno.


    "The plan is rather simple, we will use Sikumi''s knowledge of the Northern Water Tribe to attack Zhao before or during the time he attacks the Moon Spirit." Tadashi spoke out to those on the room.


    "As the Director said, we will use information gathered from the Spirit Library to mount an offence that takes us through the ice tundra into the city without alerting the cities soldiers." Hideki continued, pointing at a map that had been laid out on the table before them.


    Hideki continued to outline how a two-man team consisting of Aki and Sikumi would infiltrate the Northern Water Tribe from the west, finding the spot where the Ocean and Moon Spirit were situated and keep watch over it until the time was right. In the meantime a team consisting of Hideki, Tadashi, Naoko and Yaki would escort Zhao and General Iroh so that they can deal with the threat if the first team failed. Aki would wear the winter variant uniform to help increase success chances whilst Sikumi would wear traditional Water Tribe clothing that had been acquired beforehand. The second team would wear the standard uniform which had been nicknamed ''Dragon Scales'' as a homage to its appearance. Everyone else was to also wear standard uniform unless told otherwise.


    "What about the rest of us?" another firebender spoke.


    "Unfortunately this vessel isn''t quite equipped for full-scale warfare so we''ll have to wait until the land assault until we can act." Hideki answered, before pointing at a location close to the Northern Water Tribe''s ice wall, "But before that moment you''ll enter the Northern Water tribe and once in, your mission is to take out several key locations using the underground ice caverns."


    Sikumi wanted to voice her concern that innocent people could get hurt but Hideki insisted that the targets were mainly the armouries, training grounds and entrances to the various districts in the city. The plan meant that during the battle Water Tribe and Fire Nation units could not move about much, preventing too much damage and limiting casualties. The other two locations would be targeted for the equipment stored there to be destroyed. Once the battle was over if would be beneficial to the fire nation to leave the Northern Tribe defenceless and unable to use practical weapons. Buildings and other structures could simply be remade again and would be a waste of time to destroy. It was then that Hideki specified that those chosen for the mission would wear Winter Dragon Scales and they were to act as independent agents in this accord. If they got caught or fell behind enemy lines they should consider themselves dead. Tadashi protested this idea in its entirety but Hideki insisted it was best so that the other Nations wouldn''t know of their existence, the only other organisation with a similar agenda being the Dai Li, but they were publicly known for over a hundred years.


    The next day Operation Blue Sun went underway. Sikumi and Aki left first, taking a wooden two man vessel and leaving for the Northern Water tribe, the captain attempting to stay out of sight whilst Sikumi played the part of lost Water Tribe member.


    The second team, consisting of 12 agents in pairs of 2 started scouting the underground areas as best as they could, taking rations in the forms of dried meat to sustain themselves for the night before the invasion. The last team, consisting of Zhao''s escort met up with the Admirals warship that was anchored half a day away from the Northern Water Tribe. Because the normal Fire Nation troop had never seen the Dragon Scales of the Military Intelligence uniform the arrival of Tadashi and his team quickly became the talk of the crew. Rumours that dragon warriors had come to assist in the battle quickly spread and moral increased with the thought that the very spirits themselves were giving the Fire Nation a good omen. Since stepping aboard not one member, whether it was Tadashi or those still on the Dragon Inferno took off their helms and armour when visible to others.


    "W¡­w¡­.welcome, I heard that an escort would be coming but not dragons themselves." A messenger greeted Tadashi''s team with some hesitation, failing to notice that the armour was only designed after those noble creatures.


    "Please, just lead us to Admiral Zhao." Hideki spoke with a humoured tone, entrancing the messenger with a simple tilt of his head.


    "Of¡­of course!"


    The man, dressed in standard armour led the group of four through the ship, every man whether they were in armour or not glanced as these dragon-like uniformed people walked passed, an air of dominance emanated from the large man, compassion from another, observation from the third and the last which was also the shortest unnerved the crew as to why such a young person was with these strange people.


    As the group walked down a particular hallway a lone soldier, wearing his helm and all didn''t look as he almost walked into Tadashi, his larger frame and heavy armour more than capable of knocking over the younger boy.


    "Watch where you''re going?" Yaki said with a low growl.


    "Peace, he didn''t mean no harm," Hideki quickly cut in.


    Tadashi nodded to the masked soldier to let him know that he was ok, since he hadn''t fallen anyway, and carried on as if nothing happened. The messenger eyed the group with weary eyes hoping that nothing bad befell them whilst they were in his care. As he approached the door to Zhao''s private command room the messenger breathed a sigh of relief and knocked on the door.


    "Admiral, the Dra¡­..I mean the elite group are here." He said, opening the door slightly.


    "Send them in," Zhao called.


    The messenger widened the door and stepped aside as the four walked in. In the light that lit the room the golden sheen from the armoured mask gave the small group a spirit like aura. It didn''t help that they had decided to wear a formal black and red cape that was intended to be used only for visits with royalty.


    "This is a surprise," General Iroh stated, eyeing the four masked people before taking a closer look at the shortest, "I didn''t think we''d be in the company of dragon men."


    "Thanks for the kind words General Iroh, but we are just servicemen for our country with the intention of protecting certain¡­.assets for the Fire Nation." Hideki spoke as Yaki started stalking around the room, giving it a light inspection.


    "Oh, I didn''t know I was some property to be watched?" Zhao asked in an annoyed tone.


    "That''s for the Fire Lord to determine." Hideki retorted.


    "So it seems."


    The two eyed each other for a few moments before Zhao turned away and faced the open door of the balcony where the Northern Wall was slowly coming up on the horizon.


    "This will truly be one for the history books. Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You''re lucky you''re all here to see it."


    "Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects." Iroh replied in a grim tone.


    "I suppose you speak from experience, but rest assured. This will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se." Zhao chided.


    Tadashi tensed slightly when he heard Zhao talk, merely standing in the room made him feel sick but hearing how easily the man was willing to put down his Uncle sparked something in him that just wanted to watch Zhao burn.


    "I hope not, for your sake." Iroh replied, glancing in Tadashi''s direction for a split second.


    "Tell the captains to prepare for first strike." Zhao ordered as Iroh walked away, back through the door that the four had come in with.


    As Zhao looked onwards and Yaki gave the nod of approval, Naoko and Tadashi slipped out of the room without a sound, their disappearance only noticed when Zhao turned to drink a ration of liquor from his stash.


    "I thought there were four of you?" he asked.


    "The other are scouting the area, it wouldn''t make do to defend a ship we haven''t seen properly with our own eyes after all." Hideki answered.


    "Hmm, I suppose." Zhao thought to himself, "Do you ever take of those masks?"


    "Under here we are faceless, servants of the Fire Lord as our armour suggests." Yaki spoke, giving the most patriotic tone he could muster.


    "Ha, if that''s the case why haven''t I heard about you or that¡­.interesting ship you call the Dragon Inferno?" Zhao asked, giving Hideki a doubtful look.


    "The Fire Lord doesn''t wish for all his secrets to be known, for it is his will that we''re here after all." Hideki lied, wondering if Zhao would buy it.


    "Again I have to take your word for it, the document you sent me was written by the Fire Lord after all." Zhao shrugged before gulping down the drink he had poured for himself.


    Hideki mentally sighed, thankful that the forged document he made with the Fire Lord''s stamp had fooled Zhao long enough to execute their mission properly. Looking at Yaki he contemplated taking out the Admiral now, solely based on the information Tadashi had told him but he also knew that the Director would be furious that he wasn''t he one to finish the job. Not to mention starting a major invasion without the Admiral would certainly be a failure, something the Fire Lord would notice and question Tadashi about.


    As Iroh walked slowly and carefully, taking in all the sounds around him. He was almost certain that no one was following him but his gut also told him that he wasn''t alone either. Just moments ago he had spoken with Zuko again and warned him to be careful, something the teenager rarely considered when setting off. He could feel it that something bad was going to happen but he didn''t know what.


    As he walked back to the area where Zhao was no doubt gloating over his supposed victory that was yet to happen he could feel the trebuchets at work, slinging huge chunks of flaming rock at the Ice wall. The steady thump of the ship as the large machine worked told him that the Fire Nation were quick to start with the attack. The ageing man paused for a second, giving a quick prayer for all those that would fall today before moving off back to the position he was expected to be in.


    Upon arriving back at Zhao''s room the four guards with their strange armour were studying the battle, the smaller one having noticed as Iroh entered the room. He gave a small chuckle before looking up at the sky as the moon started rising higher into the sky.


    "It''s almost twilight, Admiral. As your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack. Waterbenders draw their power from the moon, and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak." Iroh stated.


    "I agree with that assessment," Hideki nodded.


    "Oh, I''m well aware of the moon problem and I am working on a solution." Zhao said, turning to face Iroh, "But for now, daybreak it is."


    Hideki nodded at the command and raised a flag that was by his side, signalling to the other ships that the attack would stop for the day. This allowed the men to rest for a while as they prepared themselves for what could end up being a long campaign. As the moon rose higher still Iroh excused himself and Tadashi followed yet again, this time without Naoko. The golden mask did indeed reflect candlelight so the young boy was especially careful when tailing Iroh but he followed the old general until he met up with the masked soldier again that Tadashi recognised from before.


    "If you''re fishing for an octopus my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape." Iroh said cryptically, watching Zuko at work with a boat he prepared for himself.


    "I don''t need your wisdom right now, Uncle." Zuko retorted.


    Tadashi kept to the shadows as he listened to the conversation between the two.


    "I''m sorry. I just nag you, because ... well, ever since I lost my son ..."


    "Uncle, you don''t have to say it." Zuko tried to cut him off.


    "... I think of you as my own."


    Zuko turned to face his uncle, giving him a sympathetic look. Tadashi on the other hand felt uneasy about the comment. His thoughts went back to watching his father punish Zuko and the way he regarded his brother and to a lesser extend him to. Even though the comment should have sounded treasonous he fully understood it.


    "I know, Uncle. We''ll meet again. After I have the Avatar." Zuko hugged his uncle and got on the boat.


    "Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there." Iroh warned.


    "I will." Zuko nodded, as the boat lowered into the water.


    "And put your hood up. Keep your ears warm!" Iroh called out.


    "I''ll be fine!"


    Tadashi scoffed in amusement at Zuko''s annoyed voice. For a while things were quiet as Tadashi expected that Iroh was watching Zuko sail off then all of sudden a hand grasped his shoulder.


    "You''re not the only one that can walk in silence nephew." Iroh gave Tadashi a wry smile.


    Tadashi in turn jumped, giving his uncle a bemused look before taking off his helm.


    "How did you know it was me?" Tadashi asked, honestly surprised.


    Iroh chuckled softly before looking back out towards the direction Zuko was heading, closing his eyes for only a moment before facing Tadashi again.


    "I think you know how, since it''s a talent that only Firebenders who train hard enough can master." Iroh spoke carefully.


    "You sensed me?" Tadashi asked, the only other mention of this ability having been the book he carried.


    "But I think we have more to talk about, the look on your face says it all." Iroh said with a serious look on his face.


    Tadashi nodded, putting his facemask back on.


    "It''s about Zhao."

 Book 1: Chapter 14

    "And that''s why we need to stop Zhao."


    Tadashi had explained everything he knew so far, from their journey to the spirit library to the pirate''s death by his hands. He showed more remorse than he expected, though his Uncle usually had that effect on him. The whole time Iroh had been listening his face didn''t change, nor did he speak out until Tadashi had completely finished talking.


    "I understand, dealing with the spirits is a very dangerous matter. From what you''ve told me you already have a plan to stop Zhao so I''ll remain by his side. I must say I had my suspicions but this is far beyond what I thought he was capable of."


    Iroh seemed to contemplate things for several moments as Tadashi awkwardly waited for him to continue talking.


    "As you know Zuko is on his own mission to capture the Avatar, what do you intend to do about that?"


    Having been expecting the question for some time Tadashi didn''t react to the question, but he couldn''t help but feel bad that he was trying to take away the one thing that would allow his older brother to return to the Fire Nation.


    "Nothing, for now."


    "I see, very well."


    Iroh walked off, his hands held together as he normally kept them, making his way to Zhao''s private watch room before retiring to his quarters for the night.


    <hr />


    The night went on, cold waves battling the heated shell of the Fire Nation warships. As the primary fighting force stayed quiet, waiting for the next day in the skirmish against the Northern defenders, another battle waged on between Zuko and Katara over the Avatar which was currently in the spirit world. Of course under the illuminating light of the moon the prince was outmatched, quickly overpowered and frozen to the wall.


    "You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun." Zuko spoke with resolve as he broke out of his ice prison and charged Katara.


    The Water Tribe girl was ready but under the warmth of the sun Zuko had the advantage. Her blasts of water were quickly countered by his fire and if it wasn''t for a sudden explosion of snow he would have knocked her out.


    "What?" Zuko cried out, unable to see anything around him.


    Katara shared the same sentiment but acted nonetheless, using the snow in the air to create a wall of the substance and push it against Zuko who hit the wall and was quickly knocked out. As the snow in the air settled Katara gasped as she saw Sikumi with her hands ready to attack Zuko should he wake up.


    "What are you doing here?" Katara asked, giving the meditating Aang a nervous glance.


    "I''m here to stop Zhao!" Sikumi stated, not moving her eyes away from Zuko.


    "You know Zhao? Wait¡­.never mind, stop him from doing what?"


    "He plans on killing the Moon Spirit!"


    Sikumi then turned around and looked carefully at the room, taking time to observe Aang before noticing the two Koi fish that circled each other endlessly.


    "How could he do that¡­.and why?" Katara asked, her worry increasing with every word the other girl said.


    "If he kills the moon spirit all Waterbenders will lose their ability to bend." Sikumi gave Katara a hard look, "Not only that but the rest of the world will also feel the effects of such an evil."


    Katara didn''t know whether she could believe such a claim but it sounded too horrible to be false. However all doubt vanished when she looked into Sikumi''s eyes and saw the worry that gripped her soul.


    "Ok, I believe you. But how can we stop him?"


    "This may sound crazy but I think the moon and ocean spirits are the two Koi fish here," Sikumi stated, pointing at the small pond.


    "Is that possible?" Katara asked.


    "I don''t know," Sikumi admitted, "It was in something I read and my friends agree but it''s the only thing that makes sense."


    "We need to warn Aang!" Katara moved to shake the young air bender but knew it would have no effect.


    "I guess we need to wait," Sikumi said, looking back towards Zuko who still laid unconscious.


    Before another word could be said a huge sky bison descended from the open skies and Sokka, followed by the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, Yue, hopped down.


    "What happened? Is that Zuko? And Sikumi, what are you doing here?" Sokka blurted out his questions with haste.


    "He tried to take Aang." Katara stated, glancing at Sikumi who seemed full of energy despite her elaborate entrance, "She also came to warn us about Zhao''s plan to kill the Moon spirit."


    "That''s horrible!" Princess Yue exclaimed as she looked towards the fallen firebender with interest.


    "You know Zhao too?" Sokka asked, before slapping his forehead, "Of course you do, you''re with the bad guys!"


    As he said this Sokka looked at Sikumi with a nervous glare and positioned himself between the lone Waterbender and Princess Yue. Katara, one to pick up on her brother''s small gestures, quickly stepped towards Sikumi in her defence.


    "She came to help us!" Katara protested.


    "Even so, what if she''s really working for the Fire Nation¡­" he said, receiving a confused glare from Katara, "You know, more than we think!"


    "Well I trust her and she hasn''t done anything to hurt Aang, in fact without her help Zuko would have beaten me and taken him." She admitted, matching her brother''s glare.


    Sokka continued to look back between Sikumi and Katara before reluctantly sighing in defeat.


    "OK, so what do we need to do?" he asked.


    Sikumi, knowing that the question was directed at her walked towards the pond where the Koi fish were swimming with Katara quickly following. Although she said she trusted Sikumi, the waterbender couldn''t help but feel protective over the young boy who was currently in the Spirit World.


    "We need to protect these fish, I know it sounds crazy but it''s important we do so."


    "That does sound crazy," Sokka admitted, "and why these fish?"


    Yue walked towards the pond and dipped one of her hands in the water, finding small pleasure from the cool sensation that the water brought.


    "These Koi Fish have been here since I was born, most likely even longer," she said, "I was taught that they were linked to the Ocean and Moon Spirits."


    "That''s right," Sikumi nodded, "But they really are the Ocean and Moon spirits."


    "How could you know that?" Sokka questioned.


    Sikumi took a deep breath before explaining how she had found information that Zhao wanted to attack the spirits to gain an advantage against the Northern Tribe. She was careful to avoid mentioning the library of Tadashi''s identify but didn''t hold back that she still intended to remain with that particular group of Fire Nation people.


    "OK," Sokka started, walking with his hands behind his back and head held high, "even if that is all true, why would the Fire Nation allow you here to warn us?"


    "That is true," Katara said with a questioning look in her eyes.


    "Not everyone from the Fire Nation is bad," Sikumi retorted, glancing at Zuko who was still unconscious.


    "We know. There are those that left the Fire Nation." Sokka admitted, "But what about your so called Fire Nation friends?"


    "It''s not that easy for them," Sikumi looked away, trying to think of the best thing to say to them.


    Sokka remained sceptic but wanted to believe Sikumi, he found it hard to imagine that all this would be some ruse to capture the Avatar, especially with Zuko bound with waxed rope.


    "That''s not important anyway, what we need to do is-" Sikumi was interrupted when Aang suddenly came out of his meditative trance.


    "The spirits are in trouble!"


    Aang looked around, barely registering Sikumi''s presence as he knelt in front of the pond and stared at the Koi fish.


    "These Koi fish are the Ocean and Moon spirits!" he said, his face a mixture of wonderment and sadness. "I think they are in danger."


    "Zhao," Sikumi stated, eyeing the young Airbender carefully, "He plans on silencing the moon."


    Aang didn''t know whether he should question Sikumi''s sudden appearance or not but shrugged it off as he listen to Sikumi explain for the second time how Zhao intended on winning the battle with the Northern Water Tribe.


    "So all we have to do is prevent Zhao from reaching this room right?" Aang asked, trying to figure out a plan in his head.


    "Too late for that."


    All eyes turned as Zhao walked into the room flanked by firebenders on either side. To the group were also surprised to see four other firebenders, dressed in black and red dragon armour. Though they were positioned to the side they looked far more intimidating than Zhao ever could. Iroh also followed, trying to be as conspicuous as possible.


    "It seems we have a full house¡­..." Zhao''s voice drifted off as he spotted Zuko.


    Only now did the elder prince wake up, surprised to see so many people in the room, though to his credit he managed to keep his cool. Tadashi had wanted to rush to his side, if only to check his condition but he was thankful that Iroh was able to unrestricted.


    "Zuko, spirits¡­..what are you doing here?"


    No one stopped Iroh as he ran to Zuko, untying him despite Sokka''s complaints.


    "Uncle¡­..what''s happening, where am I?"


    Iroh''s eyes concentrated for several seconds contemplating what exactly Zuko was trying to do before turning to face Zhao.


    "It seems the Pirates had failed to take Prince Zuko''s life. It''s a great blessing that he is still alive." He said, challenging the sceptical look on Zhao''s face.


    "It''s only inevitable the Pirates would have failed," Hideki spoke, surprising everyone, "Though they aren''t alive to correct their mistake."


    "What do you mean by that?" Zhao asked, having only heard this for the first time.


    "We just so happened to be in the area," Hideki explained, telling a half-lie, "When witnessing the attempted assassination of Prince Zuko we sought out appropriate justice."


    "You mean you killed them all?" Katara spoke out.


    Though she still found the pirates despicable, especially for trying to capture and sell Aang, she found it hard to justify anyone killing them. Her thoughts momentarily going back to the scene she had witnessed by the river.


    "Yes, indeed they are gone." Hideki replied.


    Tadashi, covered by his helmet and mask, tried his hardest to remain emotionless during the exchange but the rising guilt kept eating away at him until Naoko noticed he was starting to shake. A quick nudge however brought him out of the dangerous and destructive train of thought he was going to, a nod showing his appreciation was all they shared before their attention went back to the present situation.


    "That''s not important, Zhao wants to kill the moon spirit!" Sikumi stomped the ground, surprising everyone especially the would-be moon slayer himself.


    "How could you possibly know that?" he asked in a half-growl.


    "A spirit told me," she retorted, putting herself into a stance followed by Aang and Katara.


    "Is this true?" Iroh then asked, eyeing the two groups with caution.


    "Yes, I hadn''t said anything because of our¡­.guests," Zhao stated, eyeing Hideki, "but many years ago I stumble upon a great and powerful secret, the identity of the Moon Spirit''s mortal form. I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library. Underground, in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration, and the words "moon" and "ocean". I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. And that it was my destiny to do so."


    "Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!" Iroh growled, readying himself to fall into a firebending stance.


    "Yes, yes ... I know you fear the spirits, Iroh. I''ve heard rumours about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world. And now they will face the consequences."


    Zhao stepped forwards in an attempt to reach the oasis but was forced back as Sikumi threw a soft punch of water in his direction which Hideki instinctively blocked. Before the Admiral could do anything Tadashi stepped out, followed by Naoko, Yaki and Hideki. With a tiny nod to their speaker Hideki addressed the group.


    "Unfortunately Admiral Zhao we are well aware of your¡­.exploits in the Earth Kingdom as well as the information about the Ocean and Moon spirit. We''ve already consulted the Fire Lord with this information and he''s informed us that it is in the Fire Nation''s best interest to detain you if you decide to carry on with this plan."


    "What!" Zhao stepped back again in shock.


    "Destroying the moon won''t hurt just the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." Aang added, hoping it would appease Zhao.


    "He is right Zhao." Iroh nodded.


    "General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" Zhao sneered, motioning for his firebenders to get ready, "I should have known there would be treachery from the moment the Fire Lord''s puppets stepped aboard my ship!"


    "I''m no traitor, Zhao, and neither are they. The Fire Nation needs the moon too, we all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I''ll unleash on you ten-fold. So leave now!"


    Zhao grimaced, calculating his odds before showing an expression of defeat and taking several more steps back.


    "I always plan ahead and brought plenty of reinforcements." Zhao sneered.


    Everyone tensed, waiting for the group to rush in and attack but nothing happened. The guard that was standing furthest away peered back before speaking to Zhao.


    "Sir, I don''t think anyone is coming."


    "That''s not possible!"


    In reaction to Zhao''s statement Hideki laughed, his voice even creeping out Tadashi.


    "You say you stay one step ahead but did you really think we''d also come unprepared?"


    As he said this several figures dropped down from the ceiling, all wearing the same white armour meant to camouflage the user in the snow. Tadashi could sense that Aki was with them which brought a sense of relief to the boy''s mind, his worry for his team mates having constantly been increasing since Kuro''s demise.


    "It''s over Zhao." Hideki nodded, indicating that the others should slowly approach.


    Taking the initiative Yaki, with his large body, stepped up first and spoke in the most authoritative voice he could muster.


    "Under decree of Fire Lord Ozai any firebender found aiding Admiral Zhao with the intention to kill the Moon Spirit will instantly be declared an enemy of the nation and will be dealt with as a traitor on the spot."


    The four firebenders that had made up Zhao''s advance party didn''t know what to do. They had been promised riches and advanced promotions if they went through with this but they also knew not to question a decree by their Fire Lord. All it took was for one to crumble under the pressure and run for the rest to follow, leaving Zhao alone against three separate forces. Unfortunately with the way everyone had been moving the Koi Fish were left exposed and Zhao, not one to let a good opportunity go to waste, poured all his energy into a last-ditch devastating attack.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    During that moment several things had happened.


    Zuko had quietly slipped away, knowing that in this situation there was nothing he could do. Iroh, noticing his nephew''s absence also followed because he didn''t quite know how the other Navy officers would do regarding Zhao''s capture, even with a verbal message from the Fire Lord himself. Aang, Katara, Sokka and Princess Yue all watched helplessly, as well as Tadashi and his team as the fire approached the small bond. Even if the water would dissipate the majority of the attack the energy that Zhao had poured could potentially be enough to cripple the fish. In fact the only person that had reacted appropriately was Sikumi, who threw her body over the incoming blast and took the impact, plunging into the pond where the fish''s activity was disturbed but not ended.


    "Sikumi!" Tadashi quickly forgot about Zhao and started running towards Sikumi''s body only to be held back by Yaki. "Let me go!"


    As he struggled Hideki quickly came up to him.


    "We''re in enemy territory, you need to calm down."


    But Tadashi didn''t listen, or rather he couldn''t as he could feel the fire within Sikumi slowly dying. Whether it was the fire that allowed one to bend that element or simply the fire of life, Tadashi had learned that he''d become more sensitive to it than the average master. Of course that didn''t matter to him now when Sikumi was dying and his own team were holding him back.


    "Let me go!" Tadashi shouted again, throwing small bursts of smoke and fire which made Yaki drop the young prince.


    As soon as he was free Tadashi was by Sikumi''s side, having barely noticed that Katara had brought her out of the pond and was already attending the worst of the wounds. Before he could get too close Sokka stepped in the way and was about to say something but Tadashi pushed him aside and knelt down, watching Katara in anticipation. The waterbender, having sensed the desperation in Tadashi despite his mask and uniform, gave him a grave smile and nodded towards Sikumi.


    "She''ll be OK, but we need to get the other healers here."


    "I''ll go get them," Yue then said, her eyes a mixture of pain and relief.


    Sokka, realising that his assigned charge was leaving quickly chased after her, spouting that it was still too dangerous to move unattended. Aang didn''t know what he should do and started pacing back and forth before realising that Zhao was still here.


    "You see what you did!" Aang shouted, pointing his staff at Zhao who seemed flabbergasted. "All you do is cause pain and suffering."


    In that moment several more things changed in the room. It was said that firebenders had the innate ability to sense the anger of those around them, more so in the past hundred years due to the source of their power coming from anger. Because Tadashi came to terms that Sikumi may survive and he realised Zhao had almost killed two people he cared about he then drew forth from whatever pool of anger he had and turned to face Zhao. His mask hid his face but the way the golden disguise started steaming ever so slightly was more intimidating than anyone could imagine. Enough so that even Hideki and Yaki knew not to approach the angry prince.


    Zhao, for once in his life, was smart enough to know when he wasn''t wanted and immediately ran off, quickly followed by Tadashi who had produced fire daggers. The others were too stunned to do anything until Naoko snapped out of her surprised trance and started giving out orders.


    "Everyone after Zhao," she then pointed at Aki who nodded, "Stay behind and make sure she''s okay, we''ll start setting up channels now."


    As part of an initiative that Tadashi had come up with, it was thought that by making friends with the Avatar in Northern Water Tribe territory would give the group some credence when they claimed to be on the side that wanted the war to end. Aki watched the others go before turning to Sikumi who was unconscious. Her face as well as her clothes were badly burnt, thought the water from the spirit pond and Katara''s quick reactions meant that a lot of the scarring would fade. Unfortunately Aki had seen something that she knew Katara wouldn''t be able to heal. Zhao''s fire had cut through part of eyes, effectively blinding her. These sort of wounds were permanent, far worse than the scar Zuko bore on his face.


    "Sorry," she murmured, looking away from Katara and her healing abilities.


    With half a mind to leave, knowing that Sikumi would be of little use to them in this situation the captain took several steps backwards but was stopped when Aang suddenly spoke to her.


    "Hey, you''re her friend right?"


    The question was simple and Aki would have easily answered yes but the situation was still so tense that she could barely make out a nod.


    "So there still are good people within the fire nation then?" Aang asked, his eyes lighting up with hope.


    For the longest time Aki thought of the best answer she could give. An answer that wouldn''t jeopardise Tadashi, paint her as a traitor or ruin any chances of an alliance with the Avatar.


    "I¡­... well that''s not something I can answer." She admitted.


    Taking another glance at Sikumi she noticed that the girls breathing had normalised, Katara having been working on her non-stop since Zhao''s failed attack on the spirits.


    "The boy who was shouting earlier, who was that?"


    This time Aki panicked as she knew that giving away Tadashi''s identity was bad, especially since she knew that Tadashi''s existence was barely even commonplace amongst the Fire Nation people. But something within her pushed the information out like a dam bursting.


    "That''s Tadashi, he''s¡­Prince Zuko''s brother."


    <hr />


    Zhao was exhausted, having run away from the Fire Nation intelligence soldiers and avoiding Water Tribe soldiers on his way back to his ship. Not one firebending soldier was left alive, the paths that the invasion forces had taken were destroyed from below, trapping some and preventing others from progressing whilst the waterbenders were able to move about more freely.


    Cursing his luck, Zhao couldn''t help but wonder how things would have gone if the water tribe girl didn''t get in the way of his fire. He could imagine the waterbenders powerless as his men conquered the Northern Water Tribe.


    However the admiral didn''t have time to consider such thoughts in detail when he ran into Zuko who was preparing to make his escape whilst it was still possible. The two stared at each other for several moments before Zuko shouted.


    "You tried to have me killed!"


    Without giving Zhao time to reply he threw a wave of fire at the Admiral who cleanly dodged and responded with his own blast.


    "Yes I did and for good reason. You''re the Blue Spirit, an enemy of the Fire Nation! You freed the Avatar."


    Zhao used the now uneven terrain to try and outpace Zuko but the younger firebender was already moving faster than Zhao could handle.


    "I had no choice." Zuko replied.


    "You should have chosen to accept your failure, you''re a disgrace. Then at least, you could have lived!" Zhao sneered, using his surroundings and blasting a chunk of ice near Zuko who dodged out of the way but was caught by the blast.


    "It''s over."


    Zhao walked up to the fallen prince ready to strike. If he was going to lose this battle than at least he''d have the satisfaction of taking down Zuko. The banished prince himself held a stricken face as he waited for the impact but none came. In fact he was more surprised when the sensation of a cold fire swept past his body and engulfed Zhao, the screams of the Admiral halting the advance of both the Northern defenders and the Fire Nation Intelligence officers.


    When Zuko turned to see who did it he was met by a masked soldier, his armour practically steaming with rage and his fingertips letting out small whiffs of blue flames. His mind tried to picture who could be behind the mask, or rather he tried to image anyone but his brother but having heard his screams earlier there was no denying the truth.


    "Tadashi!"


    Zuko wasn''t sure if he should be happy or not but he also knew that wasting time would endanger the two of them.


    "Director we can''t stay long!"


    The voice that Zuko had heard earlier spoke from a distance whilst another slowly approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him down. Zhao had quickly been silenced, his throat no longer able to let out noise and the pain of the blue flames more terrifying than anything he imagined. Any thoughts he had were questioning why he had to suffer such a fate for he firmly believed that he deserved to rule over the others.


    Zuko stared at Tadashi, his face a firm grimace but his eyes seemingly hurt. The banished prince had seen a lot in the two years he''d been away from home and experienced many things boys his age shouldn''t but he expected Tadashi also experienced the same and even worse. Even now as Tadashi was still trying to calm down Zuko could only image what pain he was going through and that was something he wouldn''t never have wished on his brother.


    With no time to think about Tadashi, the Avatar or his failure in capturing him again Zuko ran, somehow finding Iroh by the boat he set out for himself and escaping with his uncle. The older man held a grave face yet was still relieved that the spirit had not been hurt in the exchange of elements.


    "Tadashi was really there the whole time?" Zuko asked, looking to his uncle.


    "I suppose he was, but isn''t that what family should do?" Iroh questioned in response.


    "I don''t know¡­..is he on m¡­.our side?"


    Iroh paused for a second but a warm smile took Zuko by surprised.


    "I believe he asked his officers to let us go, I spotted one of those soldiers in dragon armour by your boat moments before I arrived."


    Zuko took a moment to take that in before nodding.


    "I''m tired."


    "Then rest," Iroh stated, taking the oars from Zuko''s hands," Every Man needs his rest."


    <hr />


    The invasion was a failure. Since Hideki was made to write a report under Tadashi''s instruction he specifically stated that Zhao acted against orders multiple times, including his want to endanger his own men and use them in a less efficient manner. There was talk about the Northern Water Tribe and their methods to deal with the invasion, including the destruction of key paths and targets that the Fire Nation Intelligence officers had covertly sabotaged. He also made mention that Zuko was seen at the battle, although stated the Prince helped saved lives and was unseen after the retreat signal was given out, nothing that he likely escaped with General Iroh.


    When Aki returned to the Dragon Inferno she reported that Sikumi would have to stay with the Northern Tribe until she got better, confiding in Naoko alone about her eyes because Tadashi would only react negatively to the news. Although the Avatar and his friends were apprehensive about working with Tadashi they did acknowledge that they weren''t bad people and that their actions helped mitigate some of the negative light the Northern Water Tribe council held over the Fire Nation.


    Strangely enough their actions had actually resulted in several requests for the Avatar to team up with these people but there was also the opinion that such a union would be hazardous for their chances to end the war. For the group their plans had not changed, deciding to leave the Northern Water Tribe once Sikumi was better. However Sokka and Princess Yue got a lot closer than anyone imagined. As it turned out her betrothed had been killed in the attack on Zhao''s ship which Sokka had indeed warned him about, though it left Yue in a tough situation.


    The chief, noticing that the two were indeed close and that Sokka was technically the heir to the Southern Water Tribe confided in him his plans for an arranged marriage between the two. At first the he was hesitant, especially if Yue didn''t have a say, but when the princess herself exclaimed that such an arrangement wouldn''t go against her will he accepted, stating that he''d marry her once the war was over.


    Tadashi listened to all these reports from the spy they''d left behind, someone to keep an eye on Sikumi and Water Tribe activity. The invasion giving them the perfect opportunity to replace one of the many fallen warriors.


    "I''ve made up my mind."


    His sudden sentence surprised those that were leisurely seated in the meeting room. The boy had been quiet, whilst Naoko was still actively reading reports and giving orders. The group was to head back to HQ where they would reorganise but it seems things were changing.


    "I''m leaving."


    "What!?" several people said at once.


    "Let me explain." Tadashi said, putting his hand up, "I plan on finishing my mission regarding the Avatar, but I can''t do that within the Intelligence organisation. With only two or three more people I plan on travelling using mounts, we''ll track their movements and rendezvous with Sikumi at the same time. Knowing her, she''ll convince them that we''re good people so this will make things easier. The sooner I do this the sooner we can end this war and help Zuko at the same time."


    Hideki listened but he wasn''t happy, this was a completely different plan to what Tadashi had outlined before the Invasion.


    "And what about this organisation you''ve built up?" As Hideki stood up Tadashi could feel the anger coming from him, a sense a betrayal filling his eyes.


    Tadashi laughed, further surprising those in the room, but his voice was nothing but happy.


    "Don''t worry, I plan on leaving you in charge Hideki. From the moment I leave you''ll be the new Director. If you keep up what we''ve been doing so far than I''ll be grateful."


    "Of course," Hideki muttered, considering the surprise promotion.


    "Make sure to tell my father I''m going after the Fire Lord, I''d write to him myself¡­but I don''t think I can."


    Naoko gave Tadashi a sad smile as he spoke, trying to understand his pain. She continued to be confused when he suddenly approached her, the young boy facing both her and Aki who was seated next to her.


    "I hope you two will come with me, I realise it''s asking for much but¡­.."


    "Of course!" Aki chuckled, shaking her head. "I wouldn''t expect anything else, although I don''t know if Naoko can handle the open country?"


    Naoko grimaced as Aki nudged her, folding her arms in defiance.


    "Of course I can! I''m a lot tougher than you think."


    Their bickering lightened Tadashi''s mood slightly, but enough to bring a genuine smile to his face. Though his mind continued to fight several battles, whether he''d even escape this rage that''s building up within him, whether he could really deprive Zuko of the Avatar or whether anything he was doing was right or not. He already knew that Azula would consider one option and stick with it, no matter what happened, so he mentally promised himself to learn from that aspect of his sister in the future.


    <hr />


    Whilst the officers were cooling down from the battle, things were still heated in the Fire Lord''s hall as he spoke to Azula, more grownup than the last time Tadashi had seen her. Ozai was reading the report that Hideki had given him, his scowling deepening with every line he read.


    "It seems that Iroh is nothing but a traitor, and your brother Zuko is a failure as well. The only person who seems to be gaining results is Tadashi, but even that is not sufficient enough to win this war therefore I have a task for you."


    "Yes, father." Azula smirked.

 Book 2: Chapter 1

    After careful consideration and pleading on Katara''s part Sokka agreed that having Sikumi journey with them would be beneficial. The group left two weeks later than they intended because of the injured benders recovery and in that time Aang had further mastered waterbending under Master Pakku and Katara''s tutelage. But soon even they had to watch the old master leave with those who wanted to help rebuild the Southern Water Tribe.


    The city had been devastated after the attack but at the same time they were left in a very advantageous position. It would be a long time until the Fire Nation could fund another campaign of that size, especially with the in-fighting between several factions of the people themselves. The Anti-War citizens would use this as an example of why they should stop fighting. The Royal faction would use Admiral Zhao''s demise as a reason why the nobles were out of control and the Noble faction themselves would simply push to try harder, using the age old tactic of attrition to defeat their enemies. The Northern Water Tribe, being used to fending for themselves in their isolated climate, could survival another 100 years of isolation if need be but the weakened Fire Nation navy would allow passage in the Earthen Waters for some time. It would be months before it became too dangerous again.


    Everyone, the chief included, was grateful for what Sikumi did. News of her sacrifice to save the Northern Spirits had spread like wildfire, earning her the name the Niton, a word in the old language that meant Spirit Protector. Those that found free time when not rebuilding would see the Niton in order to give their respect but would always leave the healing huts dimmer than when they''d arrive.


    Sikumi simply refused to smile. Whenever someone came to see her she would not to greet them, her head barely nodding to signify she was aware of their presence. Often Sokka had tried to come in to cheer her up to no avail, a few bold males offered betrothal necklaces to the Niton but were always chased out by her screams. The only time she has spoken was after Katara explained what had happened, where the Fire Nation went and their plans. Even then, only after the Master Waterbender asked why she wouldn''t say anything did Sikumi respond.


    "If I can''t see the world around me what''s the point?"


    Katara obviously had no answer to such a question. She could only give the girl a sad smile before telling her she''d come back later. That routine continued until the day they left, in fact the only reason she came was because one night she had pulled Katara aside and pleaded to be taken, stating that staying in one place would kill her.


    Aang of course could understand the sentiment.


    "Don''t worry Sikumi, there''s still so much you can experience," Aang said in his usual cheerful tone.


    The group were on Appa, travelling further inland into the Earth Kingdom when they spotted General Fong and his welcome party.


    "Welcome, Avatar Aang! I am General Fong, and welcome, to all of you great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara¡­.and even the great Niton. We''ve heard about your great sacrifices and are humbled to accept you."


    Katara, who was about to give praise to her mightiness, glanced at Sikumi who seemed bored. Her face gazing off far into the distance, although not with her eyes but her soul. The group remained silent, giving soft smiles to the names they were given but the general undeterred carried on speaking as he lead everyone inside the military base.


    "Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you helped deter the Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole. Not only did you singlehandedly take out ships but you convinced even the Fire Nation to turn on themselves!"


    "Is that really what people think?" Sokka asked.


    "Of course, the whole continent is abuzz with talk about the battle, the moral of troops improving by the day."


    "I try not to think about it too much." Aang muttered.


    "It wasn''t a great time," Katara added.


    "Yeah." Sokka said, trying not to eye Sikumi who now sat between him and Katara.


    "I understand war is unforgiving." The general said, nodding his head slight before facing Aang, "Avatar, you''re ready to face the Fire Lord now."


    "What? No I''m not!" Aang retorted.


    "Aang still needs to master all four elements." Katara exclaimed in shock.


    "Why? With the kind of power he possesses, power enough to destroy entire armies in a matter of minutes, he could defeat the Fire Lord now!"


    "But sir, the thing is, Aang can only do those things when he''s in the Avatar State." Sokka spoke up, wondering where this conversation would head.


    "See, it''s this special state where-" Aang tried to explain before the general cut him off.


    "I''m well aware! Your eyes and tattoos glow and you''re able to summon unbelievable power. Without you, we''d be slaughtered before we even reach their shores. But with you leading the way, as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation."


    The general pointed at a map of the world, noting where the Fire Nation capital was situated.


    "Right, but, I don''t know how to get in or out of the Avatar State, much less what to do once I''m there." Aang muttered doubtfully.


    "So, it''s decided then. I''ll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State and then you''ll face your destiny." The general stated as if he hadn''t heard the earnest pleas of reason from the youngsters in front of him.


    "No, nothing''s decided. We already have a plan. Aang''s pursuing his destiny his way!" Katara shouted angrily as the group stood up, Sokka helping Sikumi to her feet.


    "It''s a bad idea." The waterbender spoke for the first time, drawing everyone''s attention, "You''re messing with powers beyond normal."


    "Sometimes there is no choice," the general muttered sadly, "While you take your time learning the elements, the War goes on. May I show you something?"


    The general lead the group to a small room and drew back the curtain that separated the outside and inside.


    "That''s the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Every day, the Fire Nation takes lives. People are dying, Aang! You could end it, now. Think about it."


    Aang felt guilty, he saw soldiers limping about. One missing an arm, the other bandaged across his chest and a person so quiet you''d think they were already dead. It wasn''t until he saw an Earthbender whose eyes had been severely injured till he pictured many people just like Sikumi getting hurt by fire.


    "Maybe you''re right." Aang quietly muttered, unaware of the triumphant grin the general was giving him.


    <hr />


    "My brother and my uncle have disgraced the Fire Lord, and have brought shame on all of us. You might have mixed feelings about attacking members of the Royal Family. I understand. But I assure you, if you hesitate, I will not hesitate to bring you down. Dismissed."


    Azula was always like this. Direct, to the point but still quite malicious. The only female child of the Fire Lord liked things done a certain way. If they didn''t happen she would manipulate it to occur, every time. In this particular instance she had been giving out orders to her personal troop of Imperial Firebenders, part of those that protected the royal family.


    One of the Lieutenants approached Azula, mentally steeling himself for the confrontation.


    "Princess, what should be done if we run into Pri¡­..Director Tadashi?" he questioned, keeping his head bowed.


    Of course Tadashi had indeed broken off from the Military Intelligence but this news was only know to those within the group itself. It was believed both by the Fire Lord and the Nation that Tadashi had decided to hunt the Avatar due to the threat he posed to the Fire Nation.


    Azula thought to herself for a moment, considering whether such a meeting would be beneficial to her goals or not. She had often observed in the past Tadashi treating Zuko like a distant cousin though the two had been closer in the days leading to his banishment. Iroh on the other hand had always been treated with disdain which could serve her purposes easily.


    "Leave that to me."


    The Lieutenant bowed and left, replaced by the Captain who held a hesitant expression behind his mask.


    "Princess, I''m afraid the tides will not allow us to bring the ship into port before nightfall."


    "I''m sorry, captain, but I do not know much about the tides. Could you explain something to me?" Azula quickly replied, her voice giving away nothing.


    "Of course, your Highness." The captain answered, inadvertently gulping.


    "Do the tides command this ship?"


    "I''m afraid I don''t understand." The captain answered, stuttering slightly.


    "You said the tides would not allow us to bring the ship in." Azula''s tone took a sharp turn "Do the tides command this ship?"


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "No, princess." The captain quivered.


    "And if I were to have you thrown overboard, would the tides think twice about smashing you against the rocky shore?"


    "No, princess."


    "Well then, maybe you should worry less about the tides who have already made up their mind about killing you, and worry more about me, who''s still mulling it over."


    The captain didn''t need to be told twice as he himself thought about the implications of her words.


    "I''ll pull us in at once."


    As the guards left Lo and Li exited, the two mentors that had been overseeing Azula''s firebending training since Fire Lord Ozai deemed her a necessary asset to the war. Understanding their intentions the royal carriage holders left with the carriage in tow after Azula exited it.


    "Time to practice."


    "The powerful skill."


    Azula took a stance and cleared her mind of all thoughts regarding her family. The only thought she retained was her will to produce better results than Tadashi. The rivalry that he had started would end with her victory, no other outcome was permissible.


    In a quick succession of movements Azula stood straight before moving her arms in a circular motion and generating a bolt of lightning that shot out her hands and stuck the skies.


    "Almost perfect."


    "One hair out of place."


    "Almost isn''t good enough!" Azula growled as she pushed her hair out of the way.


    Azula repeated the actions she did before, generating lighting before shooting in multiple directions. Each succeeding bolt stronger and more ferocious than the last. After the seventh arc of white energy left her hands she stopped, breathing heavily.


    "You have mastered."


    "Such an ancient art."


    Lo and Li could easily see she was struggling with her breath and subtly wanted her to stop.


    "No, I need to be better if I want to beat him."


    Azula fired off another bolt before dropping to the floor. Her mouth tuning into a crooked smile as she laughed, her obsession with beating Tadashi taking a moments hold over her mind before she came to her senses.


    "Fine, I''ll retire for now. I''ll need my energy when I find my brother and uncle."


    <hr />


    General Fong had given the small group a place to rest. Although it was nothing fancy, the walls kept the group warm and their sleeping sacks were enough against the slabs of rock they slept atop of.


    "I told the general I''d help him, by going into the Avatar State." Aang sighed, sitting on his bedding.


    "Aang, no! This is not the right way!" Katara exclaimed, shaking her head fervently.


    Sokka, who had been lightly sleeping before got up and rested his arms behind his head, before addressing the group.


    "But this is the Avatar State we''re talking about. Remember when we were in the Fire Temple and he transformed into that old guy-" Sokka started saying.


    "Roku" Aang Added.


    "Yeah, him. He made a whole volcano erupt. That''s insane!" he finished saying.


    "There''s a right way to do this. Practice, study, and discipline!" Katara insisted.


    "Or just glow it up and stop that Fire Lord!" Sokka rolled his eyes, trying to imagine what Aang could have done if he went into that state during the Invasion.


    "You can''t honestly believe that, Sikumi what do you think?" Katara asked the girl who kept to herself.


    Sikumi had been sitting in the corner of her bed, her arms wrapped around her legs as she was deep in thought. In fact when Katara called her name she had been surprised though didn''t show it when she looked in the general direction Katara was.


    "As I said, not a good idea."


    Her answer was quick and simple so nobody could say anything, especially since she didn''t seem to be in the mood for an argument.


    Of course what came to pass was several days of ridiculous and bizarre methods in incite the Avatar State. The first day Aang was given a team to help bolster his chi, though all it did was make him hyperactive. Sokka, as always, was amused and even managed to make a joke of it. Katara was quick to frown in disappointment and Sikumi remained indifferent.


    Sokka tried scaring Aang into the Avatar State but that of course didn''t work either, only enticing a scream from the 12 year old when Sokka used Momo as a replacement head. Another attempt required Aang wearing clothing symbolising all parts of the world and the elements being thrown before him. Of course it didn''t work either.


    Sikumi had been absent for the last two attempts although Katara informed her regardless that they failed. That night when everyone fell onto their beds Aang was surprised to see Sikumi walk up to him, her feet moving slowly as she felt the area before her carefully.


    "Sikumi, do you need help with something?"


    "Yeah, we need to talk."


    Sokka was too tired to care but Katara gave the two a concerned look as Aang helped Sikumi out of the room. The duo made their way outside, the air chill and the sun having started setting.


    "L¡­look at me." Sikumi muttered, just loud enough for Aang to hear.


    Although the 12 year old boy heard he didn''t respond, coughing slightly as he couldn''t help but stare at the bandages that covered Sikumi''s eyes.


    "What do you see?" she asked.


    "Huh? What do you mean?" Aang asked hesitantly.


    Sikumi sighed, before glancing towards the sun as she felt a few rays hit her face.


    "What is sight really?" she started saying before scoffing slightly.


    Aang gulped nervously, everything he''d learnt about the girl before suggested she was as outgoing as he was and as passionate about the spirits as Katara could be at times. He waited for her to continue, figuring the question was more rhetorical than literal.


    "When I first learned I wouldn''t see again I cried¡­..yet no tears came out. My whole life has been spent worshipping the light yet now I live in darkness¡­..or so I thought."


    "Huh?" Aang muttered, slightly confused.


    "Every so often I see lights, from the healers, Chief Arnook, Yue, Katara, Sokka and you, oh it''s so beautiful at times. At first I didn''t know what they were and couldn''t speak of it but when I saw the general I realised that I could see people''s spirits."


    "Really?" Aang seemed sceptical but the thought amazed him.


    "Yea, Katara, Sokka and all the other water tribe people are a soft blue, like water under the moon. Aki, before she left was a strong red, which I think suits her character well." Sikumi actually chuckled, something that made Aang smile too, "Even the Earthbenders are a range of browns and green, though I can''t say those colours are too pleasing."


    "And how about me?"


    "Beautiful."


    Aang blushed, although it felt weird for him to be called beautiful by someone who couldn''t see.


    "I see-" Aang started saying before Sikumi cut him off.


    "There are just so many colours, but yellow and blue are most prominent. You fade and grow bright with white light at times, engulfing me with this light that''s terrifying yet amazing¡­oh, sorry was I rattling on?"


    Aang chuckled, pleased that Sikumi wasn''t utterly depressed.


    "Don''t worry, I''m glad you told me."


    Sikumi, who had just been smiling earlier, nodded before regarding Aang with the expression she usually wore. Her face flushed slightly when she realised the young boy must have been staring at her intently.


    "Don''t get me wrong, I don''t believe that time can be spent wasted on the past. What happened¡­..well it happened. It''s just that with all these colours and things I¡­..see, it''s hard to concentrate on what isn''t there. Does that make sense?"


    "I think I understand, it''s like you''re able to see the spirit world but be with us at the same time¡­that''s amazing!"


    "Sure." Sikumi said with a soft smile.


    The two went inside, Katara stopping Aang before he went in as she stated she also wanted to speak with him. Sikumi ''rolled'' her eyes before making her way back, getting more confident in her ability to feel her way forwards.

 Book 2: Chapter 2

    For the second time that day Tadashi had been running, not only had negotiations broke down between him and a small group of mercenaries but when one of the tougher looking brutes spoke about Naoko in a debauched manner the young boy couldn''t help but threaten him. This of course didn''t go down too well with the others and before they knew it they were on the run.


    "You did it again!" Aki chastised whilst Naoko was lugging a rather large sack of coins with her.


    The three ducked as swords, daggers and the occasional rock were thrown in their direction, the angry cries of mercenaries in the distance as they managed to slip away.


    "That was a close one." Naoko managed to say between gasps.


    "Well if it wasn''t for Prince Tadashi here we wouldn''t have needed to run away!" Aki growled as she punched a nearby tree.


    The ex-captain would always call those by their titles when she was annoyed and now was no different. Her anger towards Tadashi was the accumulation of the small ways he''d reacted in the past week to those who approached Naoko. She knew it was his way of being protective.


    "Aki''s right." Naoko said, "You don''t need to protect me all the time, I can handle myself.


    Tadashi grumbled to himself as he dressed a cut that he had received as a shop stall cut his arm. The wound itself was superficial but it stung worse than he thought it would.


    "I still don''t understand why it''s not working?" Tadashi questioned aloud.


    "Because you keep on messing up our dealings before we can get to any agreement." Naoko chastised.


    The three had been moving from village to village to find out the stance that the various mercenaries held. Many of them were impartial to the Fire Nation and would easily fight if the pay was enough, though anyone that looked at their eyes could quickly tell they weren''t locals.


    "That''s exactly it," Aki added, "Every single time you find something you don''t like, the first person because he ''sniffed'' Naoko."


    "How was I supposed to know he had a cold?"


    "Or the person that supposedly touched her?"


    "I couldn''t see the fly from where I was standing¡­." Tadashi mumbled.


    "Or even now when¡­.well never mind I''ll give you this one because he was being a bit of a Pig Deer."


    "I''ll take that as a compliment." Tadashi managed to chuckle as he dusted himself off.


    The three had quickly sorted themselves out and moved on, taking the rest of the day to arrive at their next location which was based near the sea. By then the sun had already set and the trio were forced to make camp as they had no intention of alarming any of the locals with their presence just yet.


    The next day Tadashi had awakened early, changing into more battle worthy attire as he wore what used to be his formal dragon armour but now included an under layer of green cloth with no trace of red at all. He left the two girls as he normally did for his morning walks, taking in the warm air with a faint sea breeze as petals from cherry blossom trees filled the area with tranquillity.


    All of a sudden his vision failed as he walked into someone else, the other person falling to the ground as well.


    "Ouch! Watch where you''re going!"


    Two voices spoke to each other at the same time, their words a mirror of the others and their expressions matching, even as they realised who the other person was.


    "Tadashi?"


    "Azula!"


    Tadashi picked himself up as he helped Azula to her feet, quickly embracing her with a hug that was more expressive than usual. The Princess was hesitant to return the gesture but she would allow it this time, after all he was a special case and there was nobody nearby to witness it.


    "Why¡­..I mean what are you doing here?" Tadashi asked, breaking off the embrace as he realised just how foolish he must have looked.


    Azula, one to always keep a straight face, quivered slightly as she forcefully looked away before Tadashi could notice her blush.


    "I¡­." she coughed, regaining her previous composure as she continued speaking, "To catch some traitors of course. I''m sure you''ve heard about Zuzu''s and Uncle''s betrayal in the North, though I heard you were overseeing things from afar so it''s no wonder you couldn''t do much, though I suppose the arrest of Zhao was certainly interesting when news returned home."


    Tadashi remained silent, after all he was the one that had taught Azula to give away nothing with his facial expression and whenever he was around her he''d be able to do it on a whim.


    "I see." He responded.


    "I''ve heard that you''ve been on the search for the Avatar, how''s that been?"


    "He''s currently in an Earth Kingdom Military Base, it''d be foolish to attack it head on, though you know that already."


    "Of course, we''re not like Zuzu after all." Azula nodded, raising an eyebrow, "but what brings you here then, the closest base is at least a day''s travel away?"


    Tadashi paused, long enough that even Azula picked up that he was hiding something, but not one to back down from a challenge the young boy simply smirked as he put a hand on his sister''s shoulder.


    "It seems like you caught me, I was in the process of searching for Zuko myself." Tadashi lied, not daring to look away from his intense sister''s eyes, "after all he has more information on the Avatar than anyone else."


    Azula looked at Tadashi skeptically. She knew that there was more to his words than he let on but couldn''t figure out why he''d hide it from her, after all Tadashi doted on her almost as much as their father would. She took a step back and looked at her surroundings once more, confirming that no one else was nearby, which meant that Tadashi couldn''t have been covering for anyone else.


    "I see." She mimicked Tadashi''s earlier reply which made him smile.


    The two faced each other for several moments in silence, a war of thoughts fighting behind their eyes in a bid to send a message across that their pride would never allow. The duo were so focused on each other that when a wild Shirshu approached the two they only noticed a second too late as it''s tongue hit Azula and paralysed her.


    "What was that?" Azula strained to ask, her face a mask of shock.


    "It''s a Shirshu." Tadashi stated, falling into a loose firebending stance, his mind racing with worry.


    The animal though blind had fearsome senses and whilst he had seen it once before during a brief run in with a bounty hunter he''d never seen a wild version before, it''s mouth-watering with a lust for blood.


    Without thinking Tadashi started letting out his smoke in a wide ring around Azula, manipulating the temperature of the air to push back the beast. When it tried to approach the fallen Azula the smoke filled its senses and forced it back, nauseating it for several moments. The princess herself tried to move as she was forced to watch her brother defending her by himself.


    With his preparations done Tadashi let loose his first flame that day. With his mind fully set on protecting his sister and his thoughts going through hundreds of scenarios where the beast defeated him and started consuming her, he started throwing his abnormal flames. The dark blue wisps of fire quickly caught onto the flammable parts of the smoke and ignited the ring, catching the beast as it made a bold attempt to jump over the gaseous wall and burning its underside.


    Tadashi groaned in pain. It wasn''t the first time that he felt this sensation but it was only now as he stood in front of his sister protecting her that he realised why his body started hurting him. It happened with those pirates and with Zhao. Whenever he used those blue flames to hurt someone his body cried out in pain, though the young boy with all his will held in any obligation to scream lest he made himself look weak. Even Azula, with her mastery of flames felt cold as the wisps of blue made a wall around her, her mind ablaze with questions of wonder.


    The Shirshu ran off.


    For moments Tadashi didn''t move, his breath heavy and his mind exhausted but only mere minutes had passed and it''d be a while longer before Azula could flex her muscles again. Mustering what strength he had left Tadashi knelt next to his sister and propped her head against his legs, allowing her to stay in a more relaxed position despite her insistent disapproval and flushed face.


    Again Azula was forced to undergo another of her brother''s whimsical actions. Her mind going back to a time when she was only 6 and was sick. Tadashi had spent a day tending to her despite their mother''s insistence that he''d also get sick. Just like back then he had placed her head on his lap as he stoked her hair, fixing any irregularities that were un-Azula.


    "I''m not a child anymore," Azula muttered, closing her eyes because she couldn''t look away, not because she enjoyed the pampering as she told herself.


    "That''s true but you''re still my little sister." Tadashi chuckled, having finally caught his breath with the pain in his body subsided.


    Azula scoffed, reluctant to agree even if he was right. She wanted to ask about his fire but for the first time in years thought that it wasn''t the right time to say anything, her mind which had been tailored to getting what it wanted suddenly thwarted by the offhanded actions of her older brother. With a quick roll of her closed eyes Azula chuckled herself, unsure if she was more grateful for Tadashi''s nature of thankful that Zuko wasn''t like this.


    The two stayed in that position as the feeling started coming back to her limbs. He taught her what he knew about the creature that had just attacked, including why he initially used smoke to keep it out of Azula''s way.


    "That was very decisive of you." Azula admitted, finally getting up.


    She dusted herself off, unable to shake off the warmth of Tadashi''s body from her own despite the cold she had felt not too long ago. It took several minutes of silence before she regained her composure, becoming the cold hearted Princess of the Fire Nation that she needed to be.


    "I suppose I need to thank you." Azula started saying, "Though knowing you I bet you''ll say something sappy about us being siblings and invalidate any professionalism that we should be conducting¡­.director."


    The last bit made Tadashi freeze up, a reaction which made Azula smirk with satisfaction as she turned to leave.


    "Whilst I''d love to stay and chat about our past I really must get going," she said offhandedly, "Ta ta."


    The former director could barely respond as Azula disappeared into the distance, her words striking something in him that he couldn''t understand. But as always the interactions between the two put a smile on his face, an act that didn''t go unnoticed as he returned to camp that day.


    "Something good happen?" Naoko asked, boiling a trio of eggs they had bought the previous day.


    "Actually I ran into Azula," Tadashi corrected, surprised to see the sudden change in expression of his companions.


    "I see," Aki chuckled awkwardly, "It''s not that we''re disinterested but you must understand that she''s always seemed a little..."


    "Overbearing," Naoko finished, her thoughts going to a time when Azula would tease her daily.


    "I understand," Tadashi replied, a little flustered, "She is a little much, but I haven''t seen her in years so what else would I be apart from happy?"


    Aki and Naoko gave each other a brief look before chuckling.


    "Don''t worry we understand," Naoko said, turning to look back her breakfast preparations.


    "She says that but I bet she''s jealous." Aki suddenly remarked.


    "What!?"


    Tadashi also was caught by surprise and wondered what exactly she mean, familiar with her line of thinking.


    "Well it''s written all over your face. You''re jealous that you''ve never made our Prince that happy before."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    For several seconds Naoko spluttered a pitiful refutation as Aki simply laughed at her. Tadashi too found the scene hilarious as the former captain quickly found out that her actions had forfeited her rights to an egg that morning, a delicacy that the fire bender loved above all.


    "So, what do you have to say for yourself?" Naoko asked a kneeling Aki, who had her head pressed to the ground.


    "Sorry, it was wrong of me to insinuate anything, I won''t do it again." Aki murmured.


    Naoko looked down at Aki with a smirk that would give Azula a run for her money, yet she started giggling like a child, a sound so infectious that the one prostrated on the ground also couldn''t help laughing.


    The three enjoyed a breakfast of spiced eggs, bread and tea that Naoko had prepared for them, everything seemingly settled until Tadashi felt a burning question too good not to ask.


    "So, if everything Aki said wasn''t true why get so agitated about it?"


    Surprisingly it was Aki who spluttered, having started drinking her tea whilst Tadashi asked his question. The furious expression that Naoko had once worn was replaced by a surprised and red-faced expression that the girl desperately tried to hide away as Aki continued chuckling.


    "It seems you still have a lot to learn my young apprentice." Aki managed to say, a semi-serious face hiding the laughter in her eyes.


    <hr />


    Aang slumped onto his bed, feeling slightly distraught. Only moments after having a heart-to-heart with Sikumi had Katara came out and admitted that she wouldn''t be there the next day as he further tried to control the Avatar State.


    His dreams were both vivid and frightening.


    One moment he was near Zuko''s ship which had been sailing the southern seas as he rose out of the water in the Avatar State, wielding impressive amounts of water. But it wasn''t him, or rather it was another him that overpowered the Aang on deck with intense blasts of water.


    Zuko was next, then his Uncle and Sokka. All three were quickly dispatched as the person in the Avatar state turned to Sikumi, who tried her best to push passed the water but was overcome by the intense power. Her face a mixture of determination and fear as she was cut down. The last person, perhaps the most frightening of all was Katara who looked shocked and hurt that Aang or rather the Avatar State would attack her. She made no move to defend herself and just when the water, having turned to Ice reached her neck it all vanished.


    Aang quickly sat up on his bed and approached Sokka.


    "Sokka! Sokka, wake up." He said quickly.


    "Huh?" Sokka answered groggily, his dreams mainly consisting of different flavoured seal jerky.


    "I don''t think we should be trying to bring on the Avatar state." Aang said worriedly.


    "You sure?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay." Sokka replied nonchalantly, wanting to go back to bed.


    "Do you think the general will be mad?"


    "What can he say? You''re the Avatar. Who knows better than you?" Sokka said dismissively, sinking back into a deep sleep.


    Aang returned back to his bed, feeling annoyed yet determined that he was doing the right thing. He too found solace in his sleep, although the two males had been unaware that Sikumi had been awake the whole time, her hearing having heightened more than enough in the past weeks to pick up their quietened talk.


    The next morning Aang, Sokka and Sikumi were seated in front of General Fong as he started outlining his plans for the day, including a new method to incite the Avatar State that involved firecrackers.


    "The thing is, I don''t think we''ll ever be able to trigger it on purpose." Aang interrupted the general, "So I guess that''s it."


    "You sure I can''t change your mind." The general asked, calmer than Aang thought he''d be.


    "I''m sure. I can only reach the Avatar State when I''m in genuine danger." Aang confirmed, trying to look as solemn as possible.


    "I see. I was afraid you''d say that." The general admitted.


    For several moments it was quiet and the three seated in front of the general didn''t know what to think. Aang was hoping that the man would understand and let them go, Sokka was wondering if there was any food he could scavenge before they leave and Sikumi was trying to determine just how the General was feeling. She looked intently at his spirit, the greens that made up his emotional state cascading and fluttering as they dipped into murkier colours before stilling at an unsettling shade of dark green.


    "Guys¡­..I thin-"


    Sikumi didn''t have enough time to warn the others as General Fong used his earthbending to send the stone desk at Aang, sending him flying across the room.


    "Aang!" Sokka shouted, immediately getting up to assist Aang but was quickly grabbed by two soldiers who were waiting to grab him.


    Another pair also came to grab Sikumi, although they must not have considered her a threat as they merely stood by her, preventing the girl from getting up.


    Fortunately Aang was able to break his fall using airbending despite being sent through the rooms walls from the force of the initial attack.


    "Men! Attack the Avatar!"


    Immediately several soldiers surrounded Aang and threw mid-sized rocks at the young boy, each shot aimed at where they anticipated him to be, meaning the boy had to move much faster than usual. General Fong also threw his own volleys, much to the young boys'' annoyance.


    "What are you doing?" Aang wanted to reason with the general, despite knowing it''d be impossible.


    "I believe we''re about to get results." The general replied with a sly grin.


    Sikumi had seen it before but the general had set his mind on this and although he found no pleasure it seemed as if he''d go to no end to ensure his goal was reached.


    "I''m not your enemy! I won''t fight you!" she heard Aang shouting, as he avoided several rings of rock.


    As Sikumi heard this she sprang into action, using the water she had stored in a pouch and the technique Tadashi had taught her to create a snow-screen, blinding the two soldiers as she dashed towards Sokka. The two guards that were holding the water tribe boy were so surprised to see a blind girl running towards them that they lessened their grip on Sokka and he slipped out, quickly stomping on their feet and knocking them out as painlessly as possible.


    "Nice trick." Sokka commented as Sikumi walked up to him.


    The girl simply nodded as she looked towards the location where Aang and the others were fighting, though the small boy made no move to attack them, simply dodging their attacks. Eventually he was hit and caught within a rink of stone, shaped like the Earth Kingdom symbol. The two moved out, partly due to the other guards that had likely escaped the snow blinding attack and were assisting their comrades.


    "You can''t run forever!" General Fong taunted.


    "You can''t fight forever!" Aang rebuked.


    As the fighting grew more intense Katara eventually joined them, the sound off stone continually hitting the ground more than enough to alert everyone in the base.


    "What''s going on?" she asked as she saw Sokka.


    "The general''s gone crazy! He''s trying to force Aang into the Avatar State!" he replied, pulling out his boomerang to throw as Katara ran off.


    Although Aang was struggling to keep the General away, Katara was struggling to help Aang and Sokka was simply trying to be relevant, Sikumi was surprisingly at ease. The time she had spent before her parents died were days spent watching others. She had picked up earthbending forms, firebending katas and seen her relatives bend water every day. It was these memories that came to mind as she watched several soldiers attack her. It seemed amidst the chaos these men were still willing to harm her to ensure their general''s plan succeeded.


    As the nearest soldier threw a rock she held in her gasp as the rock was suddenly injected with life, the energy of the bender itself propelling it forwards. This allowed her to cleanly dodge it. In fact, because the area was full of benders all using their energy, apart from Sokka, she could see more than she expected. To the soldiers who faced her it must have been frightening for them to see a blinded female attack them with precision whilst dodging their attacks.


    Unfortunately Katara wasn''t faring well. The younger female got caught within a ring of earth and was trapped as she started sinking into the ground.


    "I can''t move!" she shouted, struggling to get out.


    "Don''t hurt her!" Aang shouted, his voice full of worry.


    The young boy desperately tried to attack the general but all his attempts were thwarted as Katara was sinking further into the ground. Sokka, now atop an Ostrich Horse, was prevented from helping as the general trapped the animal''s feet into the ground. Sikumi, the last person, was too far away and between her and Katara were too many Earthbenders.


    "Stop this! You have to let her go!" Aang shouted.


    "You could save her if you were in the Avatar State!" the General replied coldly.


    "I''m trying ... I''m trying!" Aang pleaded, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.


    Sikumi grimaced as the soldiers neared her stopped bending, merely staying where they were in a bid to buy the general more time. She looked as Katara cried out again, only her head visible now. It was then that she noticed the first change in Aang. Although there were numerous colours surrounding the boy, he had mainly been using Airbending with its yellow wisps and orange aura. But now there were numerous colours drawing towards the boy. Greens from the ground, blue from the sweat in the air, red from the sun itself and yellow from the sky. His spirit seemed to pool this energy together into a white brilliance that buzzed with energy. It frantically grew and shrank, threatening to burst as Aang continually tried to induce the Avatar State.


    The moment that Katara was completely buried the area exploded with energy.


    Sikumi figured that for those normally the Avatar State must have been fearsome, but it was only with her lack of true vision that she comprehended just how powerful he was. No more could she see Aang, bending the elements but a thousand voices filled her senses, a million lights rained from the heavens and infinite power radiated from the fearsome form that was the Avatar.


    In those moments the waterbender knew what it meant to be fearful. All sound from the encounter beforehand vanished. She didn''t hear the triumphant cheers of the general or the please as he realised that the Avatar was about to attack him.


    But she couldn''t stay this way forever.


    One step at a time, she approached Aang, focusing on the form of the Avatar. One moment it was Roku, Kyoshi and then even other forms she couldn''t recognise. All of them shared this magnificent power, adding to it with their own experiences and determination. But the most wondrous thing she saw was the form behind all the people, lights and power. The being that bended it all together in a fearsome display of truth and justice.


    "What are you?" her words barely a whisper but caught by this efferent force.


    It looked away from the cause of Aang''s distress, interested in Sikumi for merely a moment before fading away. The next thing Sikumi saw was two forms together, a yellow and blue light that she quickly recognised as Aang and Katara, the white light that must have been the Avatar State calmed down.


    Too dazed and out of it to make sense of what was happening, Sikumi didn''t hear as Sokka knocked out General Fong, nor did she even notice as Katara guided her away and they left the base. Her mind was fully focused on what had just happened, whether it really did.

 Book 2: Chapter 3

    After their altercation with General Fong, Aang had taken Katara, Sokka and Sikumi towards Omashu, though they met with trouble flying there and were forced to take an underground route with a group of travellers. Though the Airbender wasn''t as aggravated by the travellers as Sokka the group eventually found their way out and were surprised to see Omashu under Fire Nation control.


    Through some careful manoeuvring and usage of rather nasty sewage systems the group made their way into the city and managed to scare off a pair of Fire Nation sentries though clever usage of a fake disease they called Pentapox.


    Meanwhile Azula, under the advisement of Li and Lo had decided to create a small, elite team of fighters if she wanted to ensure the capture of Zuko and her uncle Iroh. Though, to ensure that everything went perfectly she''d need to visit a certain headquarters run by her brother.


    In Omashu there were numerous guards patrolling the area, making it hard for the four to move a bout unseen. Ironically it was Sikumi, with her spirit vision that allowed her to sense people nearby, quietly alerting the group whenever an unseen foe came nearby.


    "Let''s find Bumi and get out of here." Katara murmured.


    "Where would they be keeping him?" Sokka questioned.


    "Somewhere he can''t earthbend. Somewhere made of metal." Aang confirmed, looking around with a grim expression.


    "If you ask me, we should just leave him there." Sikumi grumbled, the first time she''d spoken her opinion since leaving General Fong''s base.


    Katara and Sokka gasped whilst Aang looked at her with a hurt expression.


    "How can you say such a thing?" Katara asked, "Bumi is our friend."


    "Sure, he may be nice with you," Sikumi grumbled, "but in my¡­.to me they''re all just like Fong, stubborn, aggressive and full of it."


    "Not all Earthbenders are like General Fong." Sokka tried to reasonably say, "We just got unlucky."#


    "Unlucky!?" Sikumi almost growled, "Was it unlucky when the Earth Kingdom ruined my home, forced my parents to abandon their village when they were kids? Was it unlucky that the only kindness I''ve received from other Nations was only the Fire Nation? Was it unlucky that every time I try to defend our home I get hurt?"


    Sokka looked away, he noticed that Sikumi wanted to cry but no tears would flow from the damaged orifices that used to be her eyes, even if they were bandaged up. Katara too was deeply disturbed, never in her life had she heard another Water Tribe member feel so much hatred to someone other than the Fire Nation. Aang, perhaps in all the things he''d experienced, actually understood her pain, but he too was forced to look away as he struggled to think of something to say.


    For several moments no one spoke, an awkward silence gripped the four as Sikumi calmed down. But eventually she spoke in a low and menacing voice that shocked them further.


    "As much as I appreciate all you''ve done for me¡­..if you insist on helping the Earth Kingdom like this than I''m leaving."


    Without another word she left, using her hand to gradually feel her way forwards away from the group. The trio looked at each other for a moment, contemplating going after her but they knew nothing they said would change her mind.


    Sikumi, struggling to avoid the shop stalls and obstacles on the road, was forced to a slower pace as the lights that made up Katara, Sokka and Aang slowly faded into the distance of her vision. The young Waterbender produced a handkerchief, wove with the stamp of the Fire Lord and Tadashi''s personal insignia too. This red silk was soft to touch and felt cool against her skin. Apart from looking nice, it was a sign that was recognisable by any native Fire Nation citizen, denoting the holder as a subordinate of a member of the Royal Family. The practice had been conducted for hundreds of years, though it was mostly popular amongst the nobles and royal factions when showing off the close relations between two parties.


    Thinking back to the day that Tadashi had given her the handkerchief, he had taught her a lot about Fire Nation royalty, the etiquette expected of a subordinate and even how to use it. There were subtle differences that captains and generals were trained to spot, signals that either signalled their trouble as the handkerchief wielder or ratted them out as a false bearers. To her it was almost ironic how Tadashi was so well versed in the inner workings of the upper class society, for one the boy was almost the opposite of what he described. He''d be rash and courageous most of the time, but lacked the subtlety of a noble as he described it. From what she''d learnt he was quick to get rid of his top-knot the moment he''d been at sea, reluctantly putting it back for official meetings.


    Finding amusement in her memories Sikumi almost ran into a pair of guards as she stifled her laughter.


    "Hey you! What are you doing out at this time?" One of the guards asked as the other clutched his spear in preparation for any resistance.


    Sikumi quickly reorganised her memories and clutched the handkerchief in her right hand, one corner gripped between her thumb and index finger and the opposite corner between her pinkie and ring finger. The dark red emblem of the Fire Lord served as a background for the golden embroidered insignia of Tadashi''s name.


    "Oh, pardon the cumbersome chance meeting but I do require assistance." Sikumi said in the nicest and gentlest voice she could muster.


    The guards looked at each other for a moment, recognising the handkerchief but looking confused as to the girl''s appearance, the water tribe clothing an odd sight for those working under Fire Nation royalty. It took a moment to realise that she was blind, the way that Sikumi would gradually tap the area with her left hand and the slow way she''d move her head as someone spoke a clear indicator of


    "Uh¡­.sure, I think you need to speak with our captain." One of the guards said as they approached Sikumi to give her a hand.


    The young girl stepped back, giving the guards a curt nod but also shaking her head.


    "It''s okay, as long as you walk in front of me I can follow."


    The two guards shrugged, fine with the easy development and started walking along, barely registering Sikumi''s presence. After a while one of the guards in his boredom of silence spoke out, spouting one of the rumours he''d heard.


    "Hey, did you hear that during the Invasion of the North¡­." The guard stopped for a moment and glanced at Sikumi who didn''t look disturbed at all, "well¡­.um, did you hear about the officer that was left behind?"


    "Do you mean Admiral Zhao?" the other guard asked.


    "No, I''m talking about the officer that risked their life to ensure the Fire Nation prospers. Hear this, from what the rumours are saying, Zhao was planning a method of attack that would have ruined the seas forever. That was why Fire Nation Intelligence stepped in and took him out, during the confrontation one of the officers was injured and was held capture by the Norther Water Tribe as the others escaped."


    "Wow," the other man spoke out in awe, "that''s amazing!"


    "Yeah, they''re a real national hero. Prince Tadashi said so himself when he suggested they go back for the officer."


    Sikumi gasped, just loud enough for the two guards to hear and turn around.


    "What is it?" one of them asked.


    "Well¡­..it''s just that I never expected news of that event to spread so quickly." Sikumi admitted, charmed that Tadashi still cared for her wellbeing. "If the Director still considers me an ally like that I can''t help but want to fight under him again."


    "Director¡­.the Prince? Wait¡­.you mean you''re the officer!?" both guards exclaimed.


    "I suppose I am." Sikumi nodded, "Special Undercover Native Officer Si¡­." The girl stumbled, remembering that she wasn''t to give her name to just anyone.


    She remembered her full title from the day Aki had bestowed it upon her, the word Sun suddenly having a new meaning for her.


    "I¡­.I¡­.didn''t know I was in the presence of a hero." The first guard saluted, feeling guilty for his cumbersome display earlier.


    "Forgive us," the other said too, bowing.


    Sikumi chuckled. It was a fake laugh that hid her disdain for those that were fake. She could see in their very spirits that the two were chancers who would use any opportunity to climb up the social ladder. The very same sort of person that bred a person like Zhao.


    "That''s quite alright." Sikumi said, "Though if you could take me towards the person in charge I''d highly appreciate it."


    "Ahh, you mean the governor? We can take you to him immediately."


    Sikumi nodded as the two hastened, careful not to lead Sikumi astray. Those that crossed their paths were told that someone important had come, but nothing more, a clear indication to the selfish intensions of the two.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    By the time that Sikumi reached the governors house a lot had happened.


    "So, the resistance has kidnapped my son. Everything so clever, so tricky. Just like their King Bumi." The governor spoke as a guard from behind him stepped forwards.


    "What do you want us to do, sir?" he asked, sympathetic to the governor''s wife you was crying her eyes out.


    The man himself shook his head and sighed, wondering what he should do. At that same moment a guard burst into the room, trying to hold back a smile.


    "Sir, a Fire Nation Intelligence Officer is outside. She''s the one who was captured by the North."


    The governor but aside his grief for a moment and looked at the guard in disbelief before telling him to bring the officer in. All heads in the room turned as Sikumi walked in, her confidence despite her blindness was certainly intriguing. The governor noticed the handkerchief that Sikumi still held, its symbols, the way she held it and the posture she kept whilst displaying it properly.


    "And what honour do we give to the Hero Officer of the North, a subordinate of Prince Tadashi no less?" the governor asked, his voice somewhat grim.


    Mai, who had been in the room the whole time, raised her eyebrow at the mention of Prince Tadashi. Although the two were hardly close they had been on good standing with each other in their childhood.


    "You''re a subordinate of Tadashi?" Mai asked.


    "Yes ma''am, I''ve worked with Director Tadashi from Kyoshi Island to the Northern Water Tribe, I got stranded during our last encounter¡­..due to complications."


    "Interesting," the director spoke, "I suppose I should introduce myself, I am Governor Ukano, the ruler of Omashu."


    "I suppose it''s better than those Earthbenders." Sikumi muttered, even though everyone in the room heard.


    "Yes indeed," Ukano nodded, "Though I''m afraid that now isn''t the time for pleasantries. My son has been kidnapped by those scheming rebellious Earthbenders."


    Sikumi nodded, noting the grim and depressed nature of the woman who had been quietly crying this whole time. She looked at everyone as she sensed the mood, a barrage of sad emotions that bathed her senses and chilled her bones.


    "As bad as situations get this isn''t the worst," she said shocking everyone but getting a smirk from Mai, "Your son won''t be hurt, though we can ensure this by sending a message to the opposition with a trade¡­.perhaps for an important prisoner if you have any."


    "Yes, we can trade King Bumi." Ukano pondered, nodding at the idea as her wife''s eyes lit up for a second.


    As the adults in the room set out to go and get working, Mai and Sikumi were left in the room alone, the almost emotionless girl waited patiently for Sikumi to do something, her presence unusual and interesting.


    "If I may," Sikumi started saying, "could you point me towards the Director?"


    "You want me to help you find Tadashi?" Mai asked.


    "Yes, though any information alone would be more than helpful." Sikumi glanced away, looking in the direction she could feel a faint breeze.


    "For a blind person you certainly can move normally."


    Sikumi flinched slightly though laughed at the girl''s straight forward statement.


    "I suppose I do, though that only happens when I''m around people or lots of water." Sikumi admitted, "I can feel the area around me with water."


    "Water? As in a Waterbender?"


    "Yes."


    "That''s certainly interesting." Mai said with a small smirk, "It seems we have quite a bit to talk about."


    <hr />


    The next day a royal palanquin had been carried into Governor Umako''s house. Azula was seated within as Ty Lee walked alongside, meeting a duo of Sikumi and Mai. The two waiting bowed, interesting Azula who didn''t expect Sikumi''s presence.


    "Please tell me you''re here to kill me." Mai said to the approaching Azula.


    The two stared at each other as Mai gave a small smirk before both laughed at each other.


    "It''s great to see you, Mai." Azula said with a rare smile.


    Ty Lee also rushed forwards, giving Mai a hug. Though to Mai''s credit she partly reciprocated the feeling by patting the hyper girls back with her left hand.


    "I thought you ran off and joined the circus. You said it was your calling." Mai asked as Ty Lee released her.


    "Well, Azula called a little louder." Ty Lee shrugged, giving the Princess an appreciative glance.


    "I have a mission and I need you both." She placed her arm around the two, a wicked smile growing on her face.


    The three nodded in unison before Mai glanced to the side and motioned towards Sikumi''s direction.


    "I suppose you''ll want to hear this but one of your brothers'' officers is with us." Mai noted.


    Azula let go of her friends and approached Sikumi, standing before her with a hand on her hip. She looked the girl up and down, noticing the cloth wrapped around her eyes and the way she stood despite not being able to see.


    "And you are?" Azula asked, her tone a mixture of scepticism and arrogance.


    Sikumi took a small towards Azula before bowing.


    "This is one of Tadashi''s underlings. Coincidentally the hero of the North." Mai explained in her usual drab tone.


    "Oh?" Azula exclaimed in wonder.


    In the past the princess had not been able to witness the Fire Nation Military Intelligence at work, which meant that apart from her brother this person was the first she''d met in that organisation. This also meant that helping the blinded girl in front of her would gain a huge advantage over Tadashi in the future, meaning he''s owe her big time.


    "So, it seems that the rumours were true. A lone soldier sacrificed their eyes for the good of the world. Honestly, if the Fire Nation didn''t have anything to gain from that I would have called it a foolish decision but the past is just that¡­.the past. Though that brings me to ask, what is it with your darker skin and dreadful taste in clothing? Mai, why didn''t you give her something more¡­pleasing to wear?"


    Azula, being the kind of person she was, didn''t hesitate to question the happenings around her. Of course she could tell that Sikumi couldn''t possibly be of Fire Nation descent but that didn''t mean she still couldn''t be of use.


    "Well since the Avatar has my brother I thought that''d be of the most importance."


    "The Avatar?" Azula asked, slightly shocked.


    "Yes," Mai nodded, "Sikumi used them to come into the city, though from what she says they are only here for King Bumi."


    Mai went on to explain exactly what had transpired, including the letter sent and the rebels and Earth Kingdom citizens that had escaped the city the night before. The next hour was spent planning and preparing for an inevitable battle, Sikumi had been given standard Fire Nation clothing, much to her displeasure and was to go with the three since she could identify the three with ease. The moments leading up to the confrontation were tense, both Mai and Ty Lee ready for battle but Azula herself had many things that occupied her mind.


    "Why are you so quick to help me?" She asked, "Although I am the Fire Nation Princess and I''m your best bet to getting back to my brother, it still seems rather suspicious."


    Sikumi chuckled, shocking the three especially Azula who didn''t know whether to be insulted or confused.


    "It''s because of your brother that I''m so quick to help. He always talked about how talented you were, the way you''d do great things in the future and I guess it''s those words that drove me to help you so readily. Even now, I bet he''d be happiest when in your company, something we among the Intelligence Crew envy."


    Azula didn''t know what to say. Of course she knew how Tadashi felt and it pleased her to have someone that she wouldn''t even need to manipulate, but even her companions could sense the faint embarrassment that surfaced. Those feelings that fluttered about momentarily were quickly silenced as Azula centred her thoughts.


    "Envy? Well of course that''s natural, but I suppose your reasoning is normal." Azula quipped, putting the point across that this line of talk was over.


    Sikumi herself was puzzled. This was of course the first time she met Azula but she couldn''t help but shake the feeling that she''s known her for a long time, almost as long as Tadashi. When looking at the trio she couldn''t help but see the differences in them all. Mai gave off a sullen aura, murky reds with the occasional spark of passion. Ty Lee was the complete opposite, a warm and bright red that would rarely fade. Azula on the other hand she couldn''t put down, at least not until she put her eyes on the Avatar himself, then it became apparent to her.


    She was almost identical to Tadashi in nature, or at least what she thought he''d be like.

 Book 2: Chapter 4

    Before meeting up with the Avatar and his friends Sikumi was given the chance to meet, or at least sense King Bumi''s presence. For the first time in ages she felt no hostility from an Earthbender, in fact the rich greens that she could see reminded her of Kyoshi Island and the Kyoshi Warriors, how they were all strong yet beautiful. But thoughts like those lasted for mere moments as she reminded herself that the Earth Kingdom was the natural enemy of her people, not only did they destroy her parents'' home they were increasingly stubborn, going to any lengths to reach their goals.


    By the time the four were ready to meet the Avatar the waterbender had mentally prepared herself for the encounter. Aang, Katara and Sokka were already at the meeting point, the statue of a Fire Lord Ozai nearby still under construction. Sikumi could feel the tense atmosphere as Azula leaned back slightly and asked Sikumi a question.


    "That''s the Avatar?" she asked incredulously, wondering whether asking a blind person such a question wasn''t foolish.


    "He''s the one with the yellow sp- I mean clothing, I presume." Sikumi confirmed in a low voice as the group continued approaching.


    A crane, transporting the captured King, brought the metal box that the man was in and held him above the Fire Nation girls.


    "Hi, everybody!" the old man chuckled, pleasing Aang who was glad to see his friend.


    As the cage touched the ground Mai stepped forwards, eyeing the small person in Sokka''s arms.


    "I see you''ve brought my brother."


    "He''s here, We''re ready to trade." Aang stated.


    "I''m sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?" Azula asked politely, although her intentions were anything but nice.


    "Of course not, Princess Azula."


    "We''re trading a two-year-old for a king. A powerful, earthbending king?" Azula asked aloud, "It just doesn''t seem like a fair trade, does it?"


    Mai thought to herself for a second, wondering whether Azula would really make her choose against her brother but the look on her face was more than enough to make her mentally shudder.


    "I suppose you''re right." Mai admitted, noticing the grimace that Ty Lee made. "The deal''s off."


    Mai held up her hand, signalling to some guards to start pulling Bumi back up, as the chains holding his cage started receding Bumi called out to Aang.


    "Whoa! See you all later!"


    Sikumi, dumbfounded by the seemingly foolish nature of the King, looked on as Aang called out to his friend and jumped after him, revealing his identity as the Avatar. Of course for Azula who was already aware of the fact she quickly responded with her blue flames, though her expectations of his abilities as an Airbender were lower than she projected as he opened his glider and took off, his hat falling off his head and exposing his blue arrow tattoo.


    "So he is the Avatar!" Azula said in anger.


    Without any words of warning she quickly sprinted off, using her flames and a nearby pulley system to launch herself into the air after the Avatar. Mai and Ty Lee, used to the Princesses rancorous actions, started after Sokka and Katara. Ty Lee seemingly disappeared, the blind waterbender barely able to sense her presence until she realised that Sokka was attacked whilst holding onto the baby. She quickly ran towards them, dodging Katara''s water whips with relative ease and staying away from any stray stiletto''s that Mai had thrown.


    Within seconds she had reached Sokka and scooped the baby from his arms, despite a protest from the water tribe boy. At the same time Ty Lee jumped out of a hole in the floor, running directly for Sokka, unfortunately for the acrobatic girl she was impeded by a water whip from Katara who was simultaneously blocking Mai''s knives. This gave time for Sokka to glare at the armoured Sikumi and attempt to steal the baby back, despite his mind questioning why he needed to do such a thing.


    "Who are you!" Sokka exclaimed, though his assailant said nothing in return.


    Sikumi knew that revealing her identity would be a bad thing, the Fire Nation armour she wore hid all features, though she wore the male variant to hide her darker skin. With the small child in her arms she ran back towards Mai who was still fighting with Katara, the brief glimpse of her younger brother distracted her long enough for the young waterbender to freeze her feet in place, ending their bout momentarily.


    Ty Lee, noticing the altercation, was forced to retreat back to the group as Sokka came out of nowhere riding their flying bison. The elder boy had shouted towards her sister to climb on but the younger bender was feeling confident, having just won against Mai with her knives. That confidence didn''t last longer however when Ty Lee suddenly jabbed Katara in her shoulders several times, causing her to slump awkwardly.


    "How are you gonna fight without your bending?" Mai taunted, preparing to throw on of her sai''s at Katara with her free hands.


    Fortunately for the waterbender, on both sides, Sokka used his boomerang to deflect the attack.


    "Don''t forget about me! I manage fine without bending!" he retorted.


    Appa landed between Katara and the trio, his tail creating a huge gale of wind that sent Mai and Ty Lee flying. Luckily Sikumi had learnt about Appa''s tendency to attack like that and hid out of the way, ensuring the baby didn''t get hurt. She stayed hidden as the two siblings escaped, not bothering to seek her out or find the missing child.


    It took a while for the duo to return, Mai taking her younger brother from Sikumi''s hands and Ty Lee commenting about the cuteness of the small child. Azula also returned having failed to capture the Avatar after he used the mail system to help escape. The four, after meeting with the governor and his wife, left the city in haste. Azula, carried in her royal palanquin, was flanked by Mai, Ty Lee and Sikumi.


    "So, we''re tracking down your eldest brother and Uncle?" Mai asked, having just heard about Azula''s journey here.


    "It''ll be interesting seeing Zuko again," Ty Lee nudged Mai, "won''t it Mai?"


    Mai mumbled slightly as a small smile formed on her face, a feeling that Sikumi just about sensed in her vision.


    "If you want to find those two, speaking to Ta- I mean the Director will be your best bet." Sikumi added quietly.


    "Of course, but it''s not just Zuko and Iroh anymore. We have a third target now." Azula stated, planning for the future. "But first we need to visit my dear brother again and talk about a more¡­. permanent partnership."


    <hr />


    Tadashi lugged everyone''s equipment in annoyance as Aki and Naoko walked ahead in contempt. The punishment, inflicted by himself, was due to the lack of care the younger boy had taken with their mounts, meaning that it would take considerably longer to get anywhere without transport. The group had been following Azula, her transport some of the later steam-work from the Fire Nation but it had been a day since they last saw the outline of the vehicle from the cover of the dense forests of the Earth Kingdom.


    However, things had certainly gone bad for them. The last few days had rained heavily, the tracks that were made by Azula''s transport had vanished and Tadashi was certain that the trio were lost. The last time the two had looked at a map they were heading towards the Misty Palms Oasis again. That night, when the three were setting up dinner, Tadashi proposed a plan.


    "I say we use our Pirate gear and hire some crew."


    "No way," Aki protested, "We may be powerful between the tw- three of us, but hiring others may hurt our chances of getting anything done."


    Naoko grimaced, giving Aki the evil eye slightly due to her slip of tongue, but considered the words said by Tadashi.


    "Why not visit Gao Ling?" she suggested, "The Bei Fong Family are there and from what I remember they still owe our¡­.Captain here a favour."


    "That''s a great idea!"


    Aki sighed, it was two against one and Naoko was certainly right on this point, though deep down the fear of Tadashi getting attacked still lingered.


    "OK, we''ll start going there tomorrow morning."


    The three settled for the night, but peaceful dreams did not come to the male firebender. Wisps of blue fire would continually circle his thoughts, burning any desire of peace and strengthening the drive to dominate. His father''s face would look at him expectedly, both disappointed and bored by his presence which lead to Tadashi questioning why he even dare try to please that man. Moments of agony would continue to increase, the pain in his body gradually warping his mind further into an oblivion of hate.


    But then it would all be washed away in a silvery light, an incomprehensible force that purged away these feelings. A kind yet harsh truth that gave resolve and took away fire, the true light. This intense force that could only come from Agni, the spirit of fire. Such a light was pleasurable in its radiance, the heat gave birth to new life and was the pool of energy that all those entered when their bodies and souls died.


    Just as the pain vanished it came back with a swift wave of intense pressure, the caricature of madness that made up his inner thoughts continuing to consume him. Of course those thoughts revolved around multiple people, his father the one who always instigated the pain, but it wasn''t his face he saw that ached his heart but rather that of his sister. Every moment not spent doing the right thing, every moment of weakness was a failure to such a girl, a failure to himself in her eyes. This reasoning that even Agni''s flames couldn''t squander would continually cause discomfort and agony until the sun had risen, where Agni and the Sun would shine its radiance, the land of the light, the land of the living.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.<hr />


    By the time the trio had made it into Gao Ling it was just reaching noon. Aki and Tadashi had donned their pirate gear whilst the former captain devised a similar outfit for Naoko.


    "Not that I''m complaining but isn''t this a little too tight?" she complained, pulling on the edge of the corset that was wrapped over her clothing.


    Aki looked over Naoko once more eyeing each article of clothing carefully. The young female was wearing a cream vest supported by a red corset, making her chest protrude more than they normally would. Her arms were similarly decorated, only the shoulders covered whilst she wore thin bands of metal and red fabric on her wrists. Her skirt was blackened, streaks of green on the sides and its length going well beyond her knees where a pair of leather boots covered what skin would have been visible. With her hair tied back and a pair of light swords strapped to her waist she looked like the real deal.


    "I think it''s perfect," Aki said, "I''m guess you''ve just haven''t had enough exercise as of late if that big thing is too tight for you."


    Naoko gasped, attempting to strike Aki despite knowing she was only teasing her, the two stopped what they were doing as Tadashi came back, having just been scouting out the area ahead.


    "Oh¡­.Naoko, you look¡­surprisingly great."


    "What? Oh¡­thank you, wait! What do you mean surprisingly?!"


    Aki chuckled as she scanned the area ahead, the three were just on the outskirts of the town and as far as they could tell Firebender presence here was a minimum which meant they''d need to see the Bei Fong family as quick as possible before causing a disturbance, a plan she got the two to follow surprisingly well.


    The former captain had already known beforehand that the family were quite wealthy but she never expected them to own such a large estate, the tall walls and countless guards would be bothersome if things went wrong but they also provided some measure of security from spies.


    "Halt, who goes there!" one of the two guards spoke up as Aki, Tadashi and Naoko approached.


    "I''m Aki, of the crimson Raiders," she merely stated showing the guards a slip of parchment with the family symbol on it.


    The guards looked at each other before one ran in to consult Lao the head of the family himself, it wasn''t every day that someone with an article of approval from the Bei Fong family came up to their gates, let alone a trio of pirates. The guard who was left looked at the trio, quickly dismissing the young boy and captain who held a serious look on her face, but captivated by the last who tried to remain inconspicuous.


    "It''s not ev-" the guard started saying before a loud and rather rude cough interrupted him. "What''s the¡­.."


    It was moments like this that Tadashi had practised his glare. Born from his constant glances at his father and cultivated by numerous glaring contests with his Azula, such a glare was one that could intimidate even the toughest of foes. It took several moments for Aki to notice just what had made the guard so uncomfortable but before she could stop the young prince the second guard had returned, approving the trio''s entry into the compound. As it turned out the family were in the midst of preparing for lunch, already with a guest who they quickly learnt was an earthbending teacher.


    The group were all seated at a rather nice table, a large tray of Crab Puffs in the middle of the table. Everyone was given a bowl of rice, alongside a smaller dish with mixed vegetables. Poppy, Lao''s wife, was also helping Toph with the food on the small girl''s plate despite the small grimace on her face.


    "We''re honoured that you allowed us to dine with you." Aki said politely.


    "Nonsense," Lao exclaimed, "It''s not every day you get to treat your saviours in your own home. Those dreadful Earthbenders had to respect whatsoever."


    "I thought they were ok¡­"


    "And it was a mistake bringing our sweet little girl with us," Lao continued, "A mistake we''ll be sure not to repeat again!"


    Although Toph''s parents and their guest had seemingly ignored her statement the three had certainly heard, a fact that Tadashi didn''t want to ignore.


    "Forgive my rather crass statement but is something wrong with your daughter to make you say that?"


    The two parents stopped momentarily before Lao spoke out.


    "Toph was born blind; she''s been helpless because of that."


    "I don''t understand why that''s a problem." Tadashi replied.


    Everyone at the table glanced at the boy incredulously, even Toph was caught off guard by that sudden remark.


    "What do you mean by that?" Poppy asked carefully.


    "Well as far as I know blindness doesn''t equal helplessness. There are many warriors who are trained to move about in the darkness, using their other senses when sight is lost to them. That is what makes us as humans strong, our ability to adapt."


    Naoko gave Aki a glance, thoughts of Sikumi coming to mind as she wondered if Tadashi was ready to learn about the water tribe girl.


    "That may be true for your warriors but they still have their sight at all other times?" Lao asked.


    "I guess so, but it''s just that I met¡­.no I know a waterbender that can sense things in the water around her. Even the smallest disturbance told her what was happening so I thought that Earthbending would be similar. I know Earthbenders, they''re tough and are ridiculously stubborn. Toph does know earthbending right? I understand this comes off as terribly judgemental but I''ve met many types of people in my line of work and your daughter doesn''t look helpless to me. Our senses, bending included is nothing but a tool and you can have all the tools in the world but if you don''t sincerely believe in yourself, it''ll be useless."


    At that point everyone in the room beheld Tadashi in a different light. Naoko, as usual was proud to continually see her master''s growth, slowly becoming the figure that he always wanted to be. Aki, for the first time had witnessed Tadashi speak like the Prince he was, having usually just acted instead. Lao was shocked beyond belief, the idea of a pirate speaking like that too fanciful for his likings. Poppy, perhaps for the first time, felt a sense of hope for her daughter, a thought that was quickly buried within the sense of logic that was typical of a person from the Earth Kingdom. The instructor, Master Yu, had almost ignored the whole thing, focusing instead on the luscious meal he was gracious enough to attend to. Despite all the mixed feelings, the person who was both happiest and shocked by was Toph herself. Capable of sensing the truth behind those words it took all she had to not break composure and grin senselessly. She made a mental note to thank him, not for his words but rather his rationale. Someone who could see past the superficial barriers between them was a person who could quickly earn her respect.


    Several more moments were spent in silence; the only sound came from Mater Yu who quietly crunched down on his Crab Puffs in delight. The first to break the silence was Lao.


    "As optimistically and eloquently as you''ve said, and I''m sure you have indeed seen much in your troubles, it pains me to say that my girl isn''t how you''ve described her, she''s weak, helpless and without a guardian susceptible to anything." He said, glancing ever so slightly at Toph, "I appreciate the kind words, but as I said nothing can change that. Now was there a reason why you''ve come to my home, despite your words just now."


    Aki caught sight of the almost hurt expression hidden within Tadashi''s eyes and cleared her throat lightly, gaining everyone''s attention.


    "Forgive us for going off topic, although my first officer means well we came here to talk about hiring some extra hands for a mission of sorts."


    "Oh that sounds interesting!" Poppy added.


    "What kind of mission?" Toph asked.


    "We''re going to-" Aki started saying before being hit by Tadashi in the side.


    "We''re searching for benders, specifically powerful ones." Naoko filled in for Aki who gave Tadashi a grimace.


    "Like the Avatar?" Lao asked.


    "Sure." Tadashi added, "People like the Avatar."


    "Why?"


    Everyone glanced at Toph who''s glazed expression seemed helpless but was hiding excitement behind them.


    "To make the world a better place." Tadashi said simply.


    "That''s a noble goal." Lao laughed aloud, "Though helping to fight the Fire Lord would be a better way of achieving it."


    Tadashi visibly stiffened, a motion that everyone in the room picked up.


    "Are you ok?" Poppy asked.


    Tadashi meekly nodded, looking down at his food whilst Naoko replied for him.


    "He''s had a bad run-in with the Fi-"


    "Fire Nation" Aki quickly interrupted, giving Naoko a wicked look.


    Naoko glanced back apologetically as she too realised just how foolish her words almost were.


    "Oh, I though you about to say Fire Lord for a moment." Master Yu suddenly spoke.


    This time both Naoko and Aki stiffened.


    "F-Fire Lord? That''s ridiculous right?" Aki stuttered.


    "Why would we ever be in the Fire Lord''s presence?" Naoko suggested.


    "I suppose you''re right?" Yu acknowledge before going back to his food. "It would have made for an interesting story though."


    Both Aki and Naoko laughed awkwardly, neither of the two noticing the furrowed eyebrows of the young master earth bender in the room.

 Book 2: Chapter 5

    Tadashi, Aki and Sikumi struggled to move as they stared in surprise at the small girl who held them in place with her earthbending. Although they had thought this a possibility, the idea that they would have met her here of all places was surprising indeed. Earth Rumble VI was the sixth earthbending tournament to be held in Gaoling, an underground fighting event which featured numerous competitors throwing large rocks at each other. Held by the former fighter Xin Fu the event that Tadashi and his friends had decided to visit was a prelude to the aforementioned one, a smaller qualifier that would determine who would be allowed to enter the 6th annual fighter. To their surprise the winner wasn''t some huge muscled man but rather the small ''Blind Bandit'' who swept her opponents with ease. Their surprise only heightened when this same girl started questioning the trio by trapping them within the surrounding Earth of the stadium after many of the participants had left.


    To say that their situation was unforeseen would be quite the understatement.


    "How did things end up like this?" Tadashi asked quietly.


    "It''s your fault though¡­." Aki murmured.


    "Not helping!" Naoko chided.


    Indeed, the two girls had been convinced to enter after talking with various locals about the event. The shortlist of muscle for hire that the Beifong family had provided were merely adequate but would not suffice for such a high profile target like the Avatar. By the time the trio were ready to give up they only had three more names on the list before getting word that there was an event that evening where powerful Earthbenders were going to duke it out.


    The event was to take place on the outskirts of the town, inside a large hill like area that had been hollowed out specifically for the event. On the way there were various stalls where one could purchase food. Though they were mostly empty a few faces could still be seen there, including some older fellows and one suspicious looking man who wore a black cloak with an intimidating sword by his seat.


    "Hello and welcome to the last qualifying tournament before the anticipated Earth Rumble VI!"


    Everyone cheered as Xin FU, the announcer, hyped up the crowd.


    "Today we''ll find out who is joining Headhunter, The Gecko, The Gopher, Fire Nation Man, The Big Bad Hippo and The Boulder in the roughest of the toughest matches you''ll see all year!"


    The crowd once again cheered as Tadashi sat with his two companions, the three of them wearing cloaks and sitting as far back as possible.


    "That are looks empty, why don''t we go there?" Naoko pointed to a section of the stands that was barren.


    "Um¡­. there''s probably a reason for that," Aki whispered, shrugging slightly.


    Before they knew it the tournament had begun and the three quickly saw just how violent and rough this contest could become. One fighter, wearing a shell on his back started spinning as he created a bowl shaped pit to trip up his opponent and launch them away, gaining some cheers from the crowd, however his reign was short-lived as a lean looking man came in and flipped the shelled man several times over with well-placed slabs of rock.


    Every now and then the fighters would change, some wining several bouts and others failing to beat their opponents once. Of course it all changed when a small figure stepped onto the stage.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, our next combatant is one of our most anticipated contestants yet. The Last Champion of the Earth Bending circuit, a real powerhouse¡­The Blind Bandit!"


    The crowd went wild, screaming and shouting their support for this new entrant though a few booed, perhaps in the spirit of things they supported the man still standing in the ring. Tadashi looked around briefly, despite their cloaks and hidden appearance there were others that were similarly dressed. The young boy made the assumption that others, perhaps nobles too, were here for the event and they couldn''t publically show their faces. At the same time there were some more unsavoury faces that were seemingly hidden, one that happened to glance at Tadashi as he looked at the man. The short exchange of looks told Tadashi enough about him that made the boy turn back instantly.


    "Hey, isn''t that¡­." Naoko started saying as Tadashi turned to watch the match.


    Tadashi made a small gasp as he recognised who the small girl was, none other than the only child of the Beifong family.


    Tadashi, Aki and Naoko watched in shock as the small girl walked to the stage with a big confident smile on her face, her steps deliberate and bold yet still carefully taken. The man already on stage, a huge hulking figure known as ''The Fortress'', looked on in contempt as his opponent stood opposite him.


    "You are no match for my unbreakable defence," the hulking figure spoke with his stocky almost foreign voice.


    "Unbreakable? I''ve seen Moo-sow with better defence than you!"


    The Fortress tightened the expression on his face, the huge figure of a man who must have been late into his years moved in an almost ancient manner. The onlookers watched in anticipation as he slowly raised his foot, sending a wave of earth towards the Blind Bandit in an attack that would impress even the most advanced of Earth Benders.


    Tadashi watched as the wave moved closer to Toph, the peak of the wave almost the same height as the small girl herself, but she still looked onwards with a confident smile.


    "It''s going to hi-" Aki started saying before she was silenced by the Blind Bandit''s actions.


    The young girl stomped down with the rigidness of an old bull and launched herself into the air, where she somersaulted her way behind her opponent and landed onto the ground with her own shockwave. Though the feat was certainly impressive it did not do much to disturb The Fortress, however the well placed small boulders that hit the back of his knees surely did the trick, toppling the gargantuan man long enough for the Blind Bandit to shift her right foot forwards, bringing her arms in and pushing her chi outwards, creating a pillar that threw The Fortress out of the ring, winning the match.


    The crowd went wild, pleased to see such a well-executed victory. The young girl herself seemed to revel in their joy, a bright smile that clearly found this arena homelier than the Beifong manner. In fact, as Tadashi watched Toph taking in the cheers of the crowd he felt a sense of unease as her unseeing eyes seemed to point in his direction, whether it was intentional or not.


    The next challenger didn''t have much of an impact. In fact, he was tossed out of the ring so quick the audience barely had time to cheer for the new crowd favourite. This carried on for quite a while until Xin Fu declared the event over and that the Blind Bandit would move on into the next event that would start in mere days. The crowd cheered before starting to disperse, the need to remain having left almost immediately. Tadashi scanned the crowd and noticed that the hooded man he''d crossed eyes with had disappeared far too quickly for his liking.


    As the trio were making their way out, a sudden shift in their surrounding and a lack of light startled the three. As the walls that made up the hallway they took were closed off and the ground beneath them trapped their feet the three knew who they were about to face.


    "So¡­.it seems you know my secret." Toph said, her face very serious as a section of wall lifted to reveal her.


    Tadashi laughed awkwardly as Aki struggled to get out, considering if she should use her fire or not.


    "How did things end up like this?" Tadashi asked quietly.


    "It''s your fault though¡­." Aki murmured.


    "Not helping!" Naoko chided.


    "So, what do you want?" Tadashi asked.


    "I want to know why you lied?" Toph almost immediately stated.


    "Lied?"


    Naoko and Aki glanced at each other before becoming very still.


    "I''m not sure what you mean?"


    "Last night, when you were dining with my Parents, you said you''ve never seen the Fire Lord¡­. but that''s not true, right?"


    The three quickly bore serious expressions on their faces, though this was mostly to hide the shock that they bore towards the girl who seemed on the verge of learning the truth about them. Not knowing what to do, Aki hesitantly chuckled.


    "Well I''ve certainly never been in his presence." She said, watching as Toph''s eyes furrowed.


    "You''re telling the truth, but how about you two?"


    Naoko glanced at Tadashi before breathing deeply and casting Toph with a rather pained expression.


    "I don''t like¡­.in fact I hate the Fire Lord. He''s manipulative, brutish and will hurt anyone to get what he wants."


    "Is that what you really think?"


    Naoko looked at Tadashi who had his head down in contemplation. He didn''t seem to be harbouring any strong emotions whatsoever but she could tell.


    Something was definitively wrong.


    "Well you''re telling the truth too, geez I thought I was on to something¡­." Toph mumbled, seemingly unaware of the way Tadashi flinched for a second.


    "Um¡­..Tadashi, are you ok?" Aki asked.


    "Yeah, you haven''t anything yet though from your little speech last time I might just let you off the¡­."


    Toph jumped out of the way as a large wave of fire surged towards her, the blue embers that were darker than usual seared the rock around them and brightened the room tenfold.


    "Tadashi!" Naoko called out, pulling harder at the stone trapping her feet.


    "Shut up!" the young boy responded, when his face turned to face the ex-servant she saw that his eyes were full of rage yet harboured an undeniable sadness to them. Tears clouding his vision as his voice could hardly stay in form. "What do you know about him?"


    Although Toph had avoided the attack she didn''t retaliate yet, waiting to see just what would happen. Aki too had been caught off-guard by the sudden turn of events and was now desperately thinking of the quickest way she could calm him down.


    "You need to-" she was about to say before Naoko interrupted her.


    "What do I know?" She asked, "You''re asking me, the person he burned and you clearly know that! He''s a cruel person¡­. just like your sister. I bet he''s the reason Lady Ursa disappeared!"


    Aki grimaced. She couldn''t take what Naoko had said lightly. Not only was punishment instilled by the Fire Lord supposed to be the right of the divine dragon but slandering the Royal Family was akin to treason, punishable by death especially in the face of a Prince.


    "Naoko!" Aki shouted, gaining the other females attention, "Think about what you''re saying and who you''re saying it to!"


    For several moments Naoko remained silent, her anger fusing to cede until she realised just what Aki was trying to say to her. At first her thoughts went to Toph who was still present, though the look on her face clearly said that she''d stepped into something way beyond her understanding. Then as she glanced back towards Tadashi she noticed the clarity in his eyes.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "It''s¡­. not true."


    No one spoke, in fact no one knew what they could say to him.


    "It can''t be true, he''d never do that¡­."


    Naoko glanced away in regret as she chided herself for speaking her mind so openly when she knew just how much her words could affect him.


    "She''s not a bad person¡­.."


    Aki had crouched down, using the blade on her belt to chip away at the rocks by her feet enough to break free.


    "No!" Tadashi screamed, throwing fire at the ground which incidentally freed himself.


    The next few moments were a blur for most. The blue raging fire that slept within Tadashi had almost taken over, it''s fires aimed at Naoko and ready to take her life but some quick thinking on Toph''s part saved the non-bender as Aki attempted to tackle the Prince to the ground. Tadashi however was not seeing eye to eye with everyone else and leapt passed Aki, bounding through the passage that Toph was hiding behind, the Earthbender too preoccupied with the heat that still seared the walls to notice Tadashi leaving.


    <hr />


    With the Avatar as the primary goal and Azula ready to lead the four girls had re-joined the Princess''s escort and started travelling to the nearest Fire Nation outpost, where a new model of tank was to await her. This vehicle was to aid the Princess in her travels across the Earth Kingdom, able to travel at frightening high speeds and covering multiple types of terrain without using tracks.


    Inside the vehicle, driven by the twins Lo and Li, a small squad was deployed as suggested by the head of operations Hideki. To those who merely served their nation Sikumi must have seemed like a veteran warrior, her exploits having been told well over the past weeks since the Northern Water Tribe Invasion. A sleeper agent in this group has been aware of Sikumi''s presence a day before she arrived at the Tank train and had requested for a set of standard gear be shipped to her almost immediately. Of course with a few well-placed parts inside the vehicles components the departure of the group was stalled just long enough for this shipment to arrive without any suspicious.


    Sikumi, having come to terms with the systematic nature of Tadashi''s division simply accepted the garb that made her look like a dragon and wore it with a sense of pride, for once feeling that she had certainly earned the opportunity to wear such clothing. But as she felt the scaled iron that made up her armour her thoughts went back to the days she was lounging about on that ship, bending and laughing with Tadashi, enjoying the sun and hardly worrying about the Avatar. As her thoughts went to the preceding events her face darkened slightly, though one wouldn''t be able to tell as the golden mask blocked her expressions completely.


    "Word has come in that the Avatar was spotted by a small town and that he''s heading towards Gaoling." A soldier walked up to Sikumi, saluted and spoke with a hint of reverence.


    As Sikumi nodded the man held his breath in the same way a kid would when seeing their hero in person. However, despite all the attention the waterbender felt more and more unease with the position she''d been forced into. Her thoughts quickly wondered just how Tadashi would act, whether it''d be bold and heroic or perhaps more stoic and calculative.


    "Sikumi, we''re going!"


    Ty Lee had called out to the masked girl, the bubbly female quickly interrogating Sikumi for information about her personal life in the only way she knew. Again Sikumi sighed, it seemed like she would have to endure this for much longer before she could see the director again.


    <hr />


    Aki swore.


    It wasn''t a good time to lose the Prince of the Fire Nation, especially when he was emotional and capable of inflicting great pain on others. She prayed that he would stick to the shadows and not attract attention but her thoughts were very pessimistic. It was times like this that the former captain would chastise her decision to let Tadashi go off alone without an escort. She was certainly proud of her own skills, her memories recounting the times she''d slain foes that endangered Tadashi''s life, but there was only so much that one person could do.


    Naoko was also in a mood of sorts, having felt terribly guilty about what she said, even though her words were not initially harsh.


    "I can''t believe I said something like that!" Naoko said for the third time as the two searched for Tadashi.


    "It can''t be helped, you''ve said it now so stop moping about and help look for Tadashi."


    Aki grimaced as her thoughts went back to the moment Tadashi had fled. For several moments the ex-captain had no idea what she should do though her first priority was to get Naoko free of the dirt before she hurt herself. Fortunately, Toph was more than willing to comply since she had her own questions about what had just happened. The preceding events were rushed and embarrassingly handled, both females too distracted and panicked to give appropriate answers.


    Unknown to them Tadashi had his own problems to deal with.


    The young boy had run into the deep wooded area surrounding the small town, his rage finally subsiding after scaring some locals and riling up nearby animals. With a final sigh of grief the prince collapsed, hardly able to stand the pain that flowed through his blood.


    "Why is this happening?"


    Tadashi hadn''t meant to say this aloud but this was one of those moments where everything was out of his control. His breath ragged, his stance poor and his mind on the verge of breaking.


    "You''re a fool."


    Tadashi forgot about his pain as soon as he heard that voice, slipping into the stance he knew best. The darkness was certainly foreboding but even amongst the darkness Tadashi was sure that there was nobody nearby.


    "Ha, if you think that stance will scare me than you have another thing coming."


    Tadashi turned again as the voice seemingly came from behind, stumbling on a stone that he could have sworn was not there.


    "Who are you? Where are you?" Tadashi half shouted, throwing a warning shot several feet in front in him.


    For several moments there was silence, however before the young prince could even react he was swept off his feet and pinned to the ground.


    You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.


    "There are none so blind as the fools that cannot see what is in front of them."


    "Let go of me!"


    "Shut it whelp!"


    "I''ll have you know that I''m a not some ordinary child¡­" Tadashi growled as he prepared to attack in a way he''d read from that book of his.


    Drawing in his breath, Tadashi prepared to unleash his flames on the man that was pinning him to the ground but in a feat that dumbfounded him a cloud of dense dirt entered his mouth and stifled any flame that threatened to escape. For several moments the young prince struggled to breath as his face was smothered but eventually the man let go, allowing the boy to splutter in defeat.


    "Ho-" Tadashi was about to ask before his was interrupted.


    "I know who you are, Fire Nation prince."


    Tadashi quickly silenced, realising that he was in more danger than he initially realised. This person, who we could barely see or sense was undoubtedly strong, enough to terrify the boy who rarely backed down from anything.


    "Don''t ask me how I know, I just do." The man said, surprising Tadashi.


    The prince continued to watch in anticipation, gauging the stranger''s presence merely by the sound of his breathing. All he knew was that he was an Earthbender, but even that was not enough to come up with a reliable strategy.


    "What do you want with me?" Tadashi finally asked after a while.


    As quickly as that question had come out the man drew and pointed a long sword at Tadashi''s throat, it''s blade almost silver in the moonlight and reflecting the gaze of the troubled prince. Through the blade the boy saw what could have been the end of his life, a blade that would slice through anything with ease.


    "What do you want?" the man asked.


    "Huh?"


    The blade, still pointed at Tadashi''s throat remained in place for several more moments before it was sheathed. It''s luminance suddenly disappearing and hiding the brief glimpse of the man that Tadashi recognised from the Earthbending tournament.


    "I said what do you want? Why do you fight? Who are you fighting for?"


    Although Tadashi was surprised to hear such questions this wasn''t the first time he had thought of this before. That day, in front of his father in the Fire Nation, the boy that would become a director had already decided what he wanted to do.


    "I¡­I want to become stronger. I want to create a prosperous Fire Nation¡­I want to protect my sister."


    "Are you sure you can achieve such a goal¡­child?"


    Without realising it Tadashi growled. It wasn''t the first time someone had looked down on him but at the same time he knew this was different. The man was testing him, testing his conviction to see if he really believed he could achieve his goals. Without hesitating he answered.


    "Yes."


    Leaving only a few seconds to pass the man laughed. Not a happy or forced one but rather the laugh of someone that has seen many come and go with the ages, a person that had lived centuries and seen atrocities far worse than he could imagine. The idea that such a man could exist gave Tadashi shivers.


    "I like those eyes."


    Normally such a comment would unnerve Tadashi but the voice that spoke was far beyond his comprehension, for him just figuring out the identity of this man was a challenge.


    "It''s settled, I''ll teach you."


    "What!?" Tadashi exclaimed.


    "Hmm, though you''ll need to do something about those followers of yours."


    "What do you mean teach me? Wait¡­is Aki and Naoko here?"


    "Shut it! You ask too much for a runt. If you ever want to understand what it means to wield true power, to spill the blood of man or beast without their souls weighing you down than you''ll follow me."


    At that moment something clicked in Tadashi. He knew that everything he''d experienced until than was leading up to this moment. The man in front of him, the one that he could hardly see, this person that could have killed him twice already. This warrior that knew what it meant to kill or be killed. There was much to learn from him, he would certainly help incredibly power, it was too uncanny to be false.


    Once more than sense of conviction built up within Tadashi and his stood straight, turning to face away from the very spirit like person that could kill in one swoop.


    "You have one hour."


    Tadashi nodded, jogging back towards the town where he knew his companions would be looking for him.