"General Fong's base will serve as the launching point for the attack. In exactly two months, the army and navy will invade the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun," General How, the big muscly guy, said.

Momo jumped on the map, knocking over pieces.

"Or we could send in Momo to do some damage!" She chuckled. "'Cause, the . . . " she trailed off. "Sorry."

General How slammed his foot down, using earthbending to stand the pieces back up, scaring Momo who scrambled up Katara's arm. "All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan," he said, sending the scroll across the table to Katara.

"I'll get these scrolls to him right away. Thank you, General How." She bowed, and left the room.

♋♋♋

"Look Bosco! The Kyoshi Warriors are here to protect us! Aren't you excited?" King Kuei told his bear. Bosco yawned. Kuei turned to the warriors. "It's been a difficult week for me. My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, and his Dai Li agents tried to take control of Ba Sing Se from me." He sighed.

"It's terrible when you can't trust the people who are closest to you," the leader of the warriors said with a small knowing look.

The King stroked Bosco. "But there is good news. As we speak, the Council of Five is meeting to plan an invasion of the Fire Nation this summer, on the day of a solar eclipse."

For a second, Azula's eyes widened with shock and worry upon hearing this, but she quickly recovered, masking it with her signature smirk. "Really? Now that sounds like a fascinating and brilliant plan."

Behind her, Mai and Ty Lee glanced at each other.

Then Azula took her bow, walking away, with her two minions behind her.

"We have been presented with an extraordinary opportunity, girls." Azula smirked when the three of them were in the room, private.

They removed their makeup.

"Mai finally gets to wear make-up that's not totally depressing?" Ty Lee giggled.

Mai looked at her, black makeup dripping down her eyes. "Ha, ha," she said, sarcasm dripping from her lips.

"I'm talking about conquering the whole Earth Kingdom. For one hundred years, the Fire Nation has hammered away at Ba Sing Se from the outside. But now we're on the inside, and we can take it by ourselves."

"Gosh, you're so confident. I really admire that about you." Ty Lee grinned.

"From the inside, we're in perfect position to organize a coup and overthrow the Earth King. The key is the Dai Li. Whoever controls the Dai Li . . ." A smirk spread across her face, "controls Ba Sing Se."

♋♋♋

"Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own tea shop? Follow your passion, Zuko, and life will reward you."

"Congratulations, Uncle."

"I am very thankful."

"You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city."

"No. I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know." Iroh smiled, pulling Zuko into a hug.

"Now let's make these people some tea!" Zuko announced, walking to the back.

"Yes, let's make some tea!" Iroh chuckled in a agreement, following his nephew.

Something had changed in his nephew, Iroh could tell. His heart had softened by some mysterious yet powerful force. He'd gotten a death-like fever, after coming back from his day with Jin, and as soon as he'd woken up, he was . . . different.

Zuko had just woken up.

"What's that smell?" he'd asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"It's jook. I'm sure you wouldn't like it."

"Actually, it smells delicious. I'd love a bowl, Uncle." Zuko held the bowl up to his face, drinking.

Iroh watched him carefully, surprised. "Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow." He raised an eyebrow, confused.

Too optimistically, Zuko said, "It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new tea shop." He stood up and sat next to the table. "Things are looking up, Uncle." Iroh raised his eyebrows, and then he smiled.

He'd done something somewhere. A good deed, perhaps? He'd caught the fever by fighting with his self, trying to figure out his identity. Iroh was so pleased.

Zuko was finding his own destiny.

♋♋♋

"What do you say, Momo?" Katara grinned. "A cup of tea before we get back to the king?" She entered the new tea shop. "Table for two, please."

"Uncle!" a familiar voice yelled. "I need two jasmine, one green, and one lychee!"

"I'm brewing as fast as I can!" An old mans gleeful voice replied.

They own the tea shop, she thought. That meant . . . They were staying here in Ba Sing Se. Officially.

♋♋♋

Toph slammed her fists against the metal walls. "Hey! Let me out!"

"Quit your yammerin'!" Xin Fu yelled.

"I gotta use the bathroom," Toph said.

"Oh," Yu stood up, approaching the metal box and taking out his key. "Well, make it quick—"

Xin Fu slammed his hand against Yu's chest. "Are you serious?"

"Oh." Yu pocketed the keys. "We ain't fallin' for any of your tricks!"

"I'm the greatest earthbender on earth, don't forget that, you dunderheads!" She punched the metal again. Focus, Toph. Focus.

♋♋♋

Katara ran to the palace to confront the Kyoshi Warriors about what she'd seen.

"Oh, Suki!" she said. "I'm so glad you're here. The Fire Nation have infiltrated the city. Zuko is here with his uncle. We have to warn the earth King right away."

Azula's eyes widened and she smiled slyly. "I'm sure I can take care of that."

Katara gasped as she realized that Suki never had golden eyes. Before she could atack, Ty Lee blocked her chi by hitting her with her fingers in all her nerves. Katara fell to the ground.

"Girls," Azula smirked, "I think it's time for a family reunion."

♋♋♋

"Is this some sort of trick?" Xin Fu yelled as he threw open the metal box. A large hole was in the metal box with Toph nowhere to be seen.

"No it's not, dungheads. It's the real deal!" Toph yelled behind them. She slammed them two together, binding them with earth and pushed them into the metal box, metal bending the hole shut.

Then, she surfed away, bending earth.

"I gotta use the bathroom," Yu said.

Xin Fu groaned.

♋♋♋

Aang had mastered all the chakras, but for the last one, Guru Pathik had said something to him that made him think twice about this.

"There is an earthly connection stopping you from madtering your last chakra. You must let go of your memories of it."

"You mean Katara?" Aang said, as her face flooded his mind.

"You must."

"But I can't!" Aang said. "I . . . I love her."

"Aang, the only way to master this last one is to let go of her and all the memories."

"I'll . . . I'll try." Aang shut his eyes as more images of Katara burst into his mind. Suddenly, an image of her in chains, crying out for help appeared. "No!" he yelled, breaking out of the avatar state. "I have to leave. She's in trouble."

"If you leave now, you'll never be able to master the Avatar state again!" Pathik said.

Aang hesitated, but then stood up, leaving.

"Aang." Pathik stared after him worriedly. "He's locked his last chakra forever."

♋♋♋

"Ready to go knock some Fire Nation heads?" Hakoda grinned at his son.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Dad. I'll make you proud and I'll finally prove to you what a great warrior I am," Sokka said to his freshly found father.

Hakoda placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Sokka, you don't have to prove anything to me. I'm already proud of you and I've always known you're a great warrior."

"Really?" Sokka said, his voice lifting.

"Why do you think I trusted you to look after our tribe when I left?"

Sokka smiled.

Just as they were boarding the ship, Aang and Appa appeared in the sky.

Sokka groaned. "This can't be good."

♋♋♋

The Dai Li agents pushed Azula towards Long Feng's cell.

"Unhand me! How can you treat me like this?" Azula protested.

"You should've stayed where you were treated like a princess . . . Princess Azula of the Fire Nation." Long Feng smirked. 

"What do you want?"

"I wnt to make a deal. It's time that I regain control of Ba Sing Se and you have something I need."

"Oh?"

"The earth king's trust."

"And why should I help you?"

"Because I can get you the Avatar."

Azula smirked. "I'm listening."

♋♋♋

"We've been invited to serve the earth king tea!" Iroh said, walking in and announcing to Zuko.

"That's great, Uncle," Zuko smiled.

"I can't wait for this . . . "

🔥🔥🔥

I snuggled into my bed.

I was to see the Warriors tomorrow.