As Kuei entered his throne room, he did his best to calm his beating heart. Ever since Bosco's birthday party, something had come to his attention that he knew he had to deal with. However, a bit of logic applied had shown him that doing so would involve a direct confrontation with Long Feng, who had practically raised him. He hadn't been sure he would be able to do it. However, a few days of practice with and reassurance from Cadence the creature spirit left him with a plan that should work. The key would be gentle persuasion and 'innocent' inquiry.
As Long Feng entered to present the day's business, Kuei spoke up. "Long Feng...the Avatar was at Bosco's birthday party, wasn't he?"
Long Feng blinked, surprised. "Your Majesty?"
"The boy who bent Air and Water, the one with the Airbending tattoos," Kuei explained. "I heard everyone call him the Avatar. Why wasn't I made aware he'd come to visit our glorious city?"
Long Feng smiled. "You've been very busy, Your Majesty," Long Feng explained. "I'm sure the Avatar understands the weight of responsibility."
"Likely," Kuei agreed, deliberately giving ground in the argument. "Though I'm surprised he hasn't made an appointment to see me, if only for the courtesy."
Long Feng was caught off guard, but he rallied gamely. "Well, he is a child," he allowed. "His understanding of politics and proper social behavior is obviously not that of an adult."
"Then perhaps we can spare an hour today to indulge this child?" Kuei suggested, doing his best not to visibly sweat. "I think I can forgo my time in the garden today to learn what brings the Avatar to our fair city. Surely, it must be of great importance." Seeing Long Feng preparing a counter argument, he knew this was the moment Cadence had mentioned, when he'd have to exert the authority that was actually his. Steeling himself, he spoke before Long Feng could. "Do see to it the Avatar and his friends arrive timely today, Long Feng," he stated firmly. "If nothing else, I would like to ask about his Sky Bison. I saw it just this morning flying over the city. Quite a lovely creature, wouldn't you say?"
Long Feng looked completely off guard, but he eventually bowed respectfully. "By your command, my liege." With that, he turned and left the throne room.
Kuei sighed in relief as Long Feng left, slumping back in his throne. As Bosco nuzzled him, he managed a smile. "She was right," he murmured, petting the bear's head. "As...terrifying as that was...it felt good."
Aang was beginning to get very suspicious of events. While he knew he should be overjoyed about Appa returning under his own power, and the reveal that their appointment with the Earth King had been moved up...he couldn't help but feel something was off. Especially since Long Feng was conspicuously absent.
"You're worrying too much, Twinkletoes," Toph stated bluntly, punching him lightly on the arm.
"Up until recently, you were against everything here in Ba Sing Se," Sokka pointed out defensively. "Why the sudden change?"
"Let's just say I recognize a certain someone's touch on events, alright?" Toph offered. "As long as we don't mess anything up, we've got this in the bag."
"So Sokka shouldn't talk then?" Katara joked.
"Hey!" Sokka complained as the whole group - even Momo and Appa - snickered.
Kuei sat up straight on his throne as the Avatar and his group explained their mission. It was, to say the least, hard to swallow. While this was the second mention of the war he'd heard, the idea that it had been going on for 100 years and all mention of it had been kept from him was difficult to believe. "You are the Avatar," Kuei stated softly. "My training as a King says I should heed your words. My chief adviser, however, gives me reason to doubt your words. Not only that, you claim he is the head of some sort of conspiracy deliberately preventing me from learning of the war. ...were it my father on the throne, he would likely have you all thrown in jail just for suggesting such a thing."
Seeing the group getting nervous, Kuei sat back. "However, Bosco likes you, which gives me reason to pause. So here is what we'll do. I will give you one chance to prove to me both that the war is real, and that it is an immediate and real threat to this city. You may take me anywhere within the city limits to do so, accompanied at all times by Long Feng, Bosco, and three Dai Lee agents. I will look at whatever you direct, or talk to whoever you introduce me to. You have one hour to do this. If, at the end of the hour, I am convinced of your words, I will hear all you have to say. If not, you will all take up residence in the dungeons." He looked down at the group. "Or you can leave without attempting, and I will forget that any issue was raised. It's your choice."
The Avatar huddled with his friends in discussion, and then turned back to Kuei, swallowing convulsively. "We'll take our chances, Your Earthiness."
Kuei smiled at the misspoken title. "Alright. Where to first?"
"The outer wall!" the member of the group who wasn't a Bender proclaimed.
"How do you expect to get the Earth King there in under an hour?" Long Feng demanded.
"We can ride Appa!" the Avatar offered, much to Kuei's delighted pleasure.
Cadence and Iroh watched over Zuko carefully as the illness wracked his body. Jin had already been over several times to find out if his condition had improved at all. While Iroh gave glowing endorsements of Zuko's steady improvement, Cadence knew better. All she had to do to see the nature of Zuko's ailment was astral project.
Within his body, his spirit was at war with itself. Whatever he had done that had led Appa to deliver him safely to them, it had broken something deep within him, and as a result his very soul was a storm of destruction. His psyche made war upon itself as his soul continued to spiral out of control. And the worst part as far as Cadence could tell...she had power that could do something.
She could act, try to help him through this, and it might save him. But she had no idea how to use that power, and could just as easily destroy him. And if she didn't act, he might destroy himself.
As she curled up beside him, she could only pray he would recover.
As the morning sun rose, Cadence found Zuko laying across his writing desk. He looked to be doing better, but a quick projection showed her that the conflict inside him had only subsided, not ended. The conflict could only be resolved by his choices from this day forth...and one had been made.
Climbing up onto the desk, she saw several crumpled pieces of parchment, an empty inkwell...and the Heartfire pouch sitting open. She sighed sadly, nuzzling him.
He'd sent a letter.
heed
6810629 I was thinking that posibility since they use rock shoes
6810690
...no they don't. They use stone gloves, not boots.
This chapter feels... Shorter... Than normal. Dunno if it's just me, cause it's still 1200 words.
*ANTICIAPTION INTESIFIES*
6810674 Beat me to it in under 30 minutes... Damn, I'm getting slow.
So, I've read partway through the first paragraph... let's see if he does this smartly enough not to get turned into a talking llama.
OK, that was handled OK, but I wonder... how well will you handle Zuko's internal war with himself? Of course, nothing you can do will make it better than it was presented in the show, so I'll be judging this based on what your efforts are and how well they're executed...
Ah, so you make that part relatively the same, though his actual struggles are left unspoken, as to hide what it is his conscience is dealing with, as well as to keep with the time-honored tradition of "PWNY'S R DA B3ESTTTTTT!", or something to that degree. And what are the details of this note; is it to forever reconcile with Mai, or simply to "determine" his allegiance? The part of me who's read Melody of a Future can tell where this is going, but imagine if it doesn't go that route and he succumbs to his inhibitions as he had in the show? What if, despite everything that's built up over the past 38 chapters or so, thing go to entirely dire straits? What would happen if Zuko aligns himself with the Fire Nation, while Iroh is jailed, and how would Cadence take it? Would she be in similar confinements or on the run? Would she dislike Zuko for his choice, or would she understand considering she's got emotional powers... but none of that matters since this is what might happen instead.
{Azula: Come on, dear brother, it's time to make a decisio-
*FWOOSH!*
Azula: Wha-... but it's your destiny to do what you must for the betterment of the Fi-
Zuko: Screw destiny!}
... Don't worry, I give you permission to use the Alt!Script, although I can understand if it requires heavy modification...
Huh, all of this just for about the intrigue that 200 words or so belie. Oh well, good luck to you.
6810832
Don't worry. That particular confrontation is not going to lose any of its weight from its original presentation...though it will play out differently than it originally did.
At least the king is giving them the bear necessities to prove their point.
At least Zuko is going to letter know how he's faring now.
6810853 Wait a second... you mean you're going to alter a scene, but give it the due amount of respect it deserves? Sweet.
this seems rather reasonable of a change 2 cannon
6810868 Well, to be fair, he did JUST THAT with Spike saving Gandrayda, Rhundas, and Ghor.
If you weren't in hyper mode for Gandrayda's death, the look in Samus's eyes as Gandrayda transforms into her just before being absorbed by Dark Samus is downright haunting.
6810986 Sorry to say, but I've never really gotten into Metroid, so I didn't read it.
6810696 Actually they use both.
6811024
Still, the "see with the feet" is unique to Toph, since she learned from Giant Badger-moles.
6811047 I wasn't talking about the seismic seance
6811077
The other guy was.
6811024 The Dai Lee don't do any special Earthbending with their feet. Their signature style of Earthbending is launching stone hands at targets to apprehend them. Other than that, they're just highly agile Earthbenders.
The anticipation is mounting!
6810858 These were much better than your last try. Looks like you've gotten on Toph of the punning once more.
I love this story! I've never watched the aviator series before, but this is pure amazing!
6811352
Avatar, not Aviator
Also, you should seriously consider watching it.
6810858
6811210 Once you start the puns, they just bend out of control.
I do believe you meant to put Kuei here.
6811480 Once again:
6811047 didn't toph teach it to aang?
another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
6811926
Yes. And in this story, to Cadence.
But she never taught it to the Dai Lee.
Indeed, play your cards well.
Oh really?
He has a point, Aang would want to see who the King od Ba Sing Se is.
True, and he's displaced by several decades, but, he isn't an idiot. He's more tactful than Goku, though, to be fair, that's not that difficult.
Oh it is.
To finally do something?
This is nice. Aang may not be the brightest bulb, but even he can tell something's off.
Somewhat harsh but, fair.
Well, it's a start.
To Mai no doubt.
6810858
Eh, 6/10, you've done better.
6810696 6811024
Actually, most Earthbenders prefer to keep their feet bare to maintain maximum contact with the ground. The most you'll see them ware is armored spats to protect the tops of their feet.
They do sometimes bend earth up around their feet if their stance needs some extra anchoring, but since they can do that most anywhere anyway, stone booties seems a bit redundant.
6811128
I'd consider they way they sometimes bend out little pillars to boost their jump and anchor their feet to climb walls and ceilings to be part of their "signature style." Every part of it seems tailor-made to improve their maneuverability nearly to Airbender-levels (another instance of inter-bending study, perhaps?).
Which only makes sense when you think about it, because their primary targets would not be foreign insurgents (*coughAzulacough*), but internal dissidents and the Kingdom's own upper echelon, all potentially powerful Earthbenders themselves; the kind of people who want you to try and take them head-on.
Toph's Earth-sight is probably the only reason even she can go toe-to-toe with them, because it tips her off to their ambushes and lets her keep up with all of their fancy jumping. Anyone else wold quickly find themselves being attacked from all angles by ranged attackers that won't stay still, and unless you're trained for that sort of fighting yourself (and you can count the number of groups like that in the Avatar-'Verse on one hand*), you'll just as quickly find yourself dizzy and cuffed in their cozy secret dungeons wondering what the just happened.
* The Dai Lee, the Airbenders, Chi-Blockers like Ty Lee, the Yuyan Archers, and maybe the Kyoshi Warriors. In case you were wondering.
6811674 Fine. I'm usually on t'Appa things. I'll take my leave now.
6811689
Oh, right. Well then, who is it? Paku?
6813537
A surviving Airbender protected by the Order of the White Lotus.
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
6813024 Please. I think you all can do bender with these puns.
I am so sorry, that was awful, I spent an hour today with a friend who introduced me to Sans and his puns in great detail.
So the King is taking a reign check?
6814701 Careful with what you say, or I'll Sokka you in the mouth!
I can't believe I thought hard over that one.
I've no punny puns to make...
I apologize.
NIce chapter! :D
6816788 Yeah.
6821565 The puns, most of them suck.
7355182
Oh, stop acting like you have a heart of STONE, we all know you have to BEND your morals a bit to accept puns.
Another jerk gets, metaphorically, kicked in the nuts.
6814701
No need to bend over backwards for a pun. One'll come, so Long as you don't Feng ignorance. Just stay down to earth, go with the flow, and you'll cook one up before long, and I bet it'll be a real gas!
7530539
Toph luck trying to get on t'Appa the punny band wagon. All of these jokes are making me want to Sokka Long Feng.