“Remember to be on your best behavior.” Katara told the kids while they waited outside bởi the pond for Zuko, Mai, and Jin. Toshiro played with Momo.
“You know bạn can trust me, Mom.” Haruki told his mother.
“Try to have some fun this time.” Katara told her son, kneeling down on the floor so their eyes were level and putting her hands on his shoulders. “I don’t want bạn to just watch your cousins have fun, I want bạn to have fun too.”
“Mom, bạn and I both know there’s no time for fun when there’s a war going on.” Haruki told his mother seriously
“Kya’s almost of warrior age but she knows to have some fun.” đã đưa ý kiến Suki
“You’re still a kid,” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, “How about having fun like a kid while bạn still can? bạn know, play games, run around, anything.”
Haruki looked away from his family, sulking.
“Fine.”
“Hi everyone!” yelled Jin, running outside, a big smile on her face.
“Hi, Jin.” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, accepting a hug from the young girl, “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” Answered Jin, “Mom and Dad will be out here in a few minutes.”
“I don’t need a few minutes,” đã đưa ý kiến a voice, “I’m here.”
“Hi, Zuko,” Sokka and Zuko grasped arms.
“I’m sorry Toph couldn’t make it,” đã đưa ý kiến Katara, hugging Zuko, “She’s having troubles at home.”
“Her parents still don’t understand that she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself.” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, “They keep offering to take care of Rikiya for her.”
“Well I’m glad the three of bạn could make it. The meeting will be set up in an hour. In the mean time I need to talk to bạn privately.”
“Kids, why don’t bạn go explore the palace for a bit?” suggested Katara
“Yeah, we get it,” đã đưa ý kiến Kya, taking Toshiro’s hand and walking away, “You guys wanna be alone.”
She and the other kids walked away from the adults and into the palace. Jin led them to her room. Haruki watched Toshiro and Jin play with Momo while Kya laid on Jin’s bed, deep in thought.
“I wonder what this meeting is supposed to be about.” đã đưa ý kiến Kya
“It’s about the war.” đã đưa ý kiến Jin, “My dad’s been pretty paranoid about it.”
“Too bad we can’t go to the meeting.” đã đưa ý kiến Toshiro
“Or maybe we can.” đã đưa ý kiến Kya, sitting up, an idea popping in her head.
“No, we can’t.” đã đưa ý kiến Jin, “We’re underage.”
“We can just sneak in.” đã đưa ý kiến Kya
“Bad idea.” đã đưa ý kiến Haruki
“Oh, Haruki.” đã đưa ý kiến Toshiro, annoyed, “Learn to have some fun for once. So how should we sneak in?” he added, looking at Kya.
“We’ll go into the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room where the meeting is before everybody goes in and hide behind something. This way we can hear what’s going on.”
“Sounds good to me.” đã đưa ý kiến Toshiro, smiling.
Haruki hesitated then shrugged, “Eh, why not? I just want to know whose winning.”
“Jin?” asked Kya, looking towards the silent princess
“What if we get caught?” asked Jin, “I don’t want him to get really mad at me.”
“I promise bạn we won’t get caught. Mom taught me about stealth and how to be quiet and sneaky and everything. We’ll be fine as long as we stay well hidden and we don’t make a sound. We can’t even breathe loudly either!”
Haruki, Jin, Kya, and Toshiro hid behind separate pillars in the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. In the middle of the room was a bàn where the admirals, war ministers, and generals of the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy Nation and Earth Kingdom sat. Zuko sat in his ngôi vua, ngai vàng while Sokka, Katara, and Suki sat at the end of the bàn in front of Zuko. On the bàn was a map of the Earth Kingdom. A general from the Earth Kingdom was giving his báo cáo to Zuko.
“The Chikara Army still has control over some parts of the Earth Kingdom here,” he pointed somewhere on the map, “Here,” he pointed again at another location, “And here. They’ve started to try taking over Omashu. They may succeed since their army is growing and we’re becoming thêm outnumbered.”
“What do bạn suggest we do?”
“I suggest putting up thêm security in the Earth Kingdom where there are no benders. Ba Sing Se and Omashu are completely inhabited with earthbenders but they could use some thêm help. Perhaps have some waterbenders and firebenders help with the security.”
“Katara,” đã đưa ý kiến Zuko, looking at her, “What do bạn think of that suggestion?”
“I agree with the general’s suggestion,” đã đưa ý kiến Katara, “As long as some waterbenders stay in the North Pole to protect their tribe. If the Avatar was born in the North Pole he hoặc she may need some protection.”
“You don’t believe that the Avatar was born in the South Pole?”
“There weren’t any children in our tribe born the ngày Avatar Aang died and some of us searched all over and did not find any newborns.”
“Forgive me but how do we know that there is a new Avatar?” asked a ngọn lửa, chữa cháy nation admiral, “How do we know the cycle didn’t end?”
“The Avatar wasn’t in the Avatar State when he died,” Zuko answered, glaring at the admiral that spoke out of turn, “If he died while in the Avatar State the cycle would be broken.”
The admiral remained silent after Zuko đã đưa ý kiến this.
“Katara, Sokka, you’ve been Những người bạn with the last Avatar longer, if the new Avatar is in the North Pole, what do bạn suggest we do?”
“I think maybe we should send a message to the Northern Water Tribe,” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, “Ask them if the Avatar is in their city and tell them they need to protect him hoặc her.”
At that moment, a servant ran into the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. She ran to his ngôi vua, ngai vàng and bowed deeply.
“Please forgive me, ngọn lửa, chữa cháy Lord Zuko,” she said, looking distressed, “But it’s an emergency.”
“A message came from the leader of the Chikara Army.”
Sanosuke sat on the floor in his house, absentmindedly practicing his waterbending using a bowl of water. Khalil, a family friend and Sanosuke’s teacher, supervised him as he did this.
“Very good, Sanosuke,” đã đưa ý kiến Khalil, “I’d say in a few years you’ll become a master.”
Sanosuke sighed and stopped bending.
“Is something bothering you?” asked Khalil.
“I haven’t heard from my father in two weeks, Khalil.” đã đưa ý kiến Sanosuke, sadly, “Do bạn think he’s all right?”
“You must remember, Sanosuke,” Khalil sat down in front of Sanosuke, “Your father is fighting in the war. He may be dealing with something right now.”
“I know,” Sanosuke looked at his reflection in the bowl of water, “It’s just that he promised he would send me a message at least once a week.”
“Just be patient, I’m sure he is fine.”
The eight-year-old boy smiled at Khalil and continued his bending.
“You know bạn can trust me, Mom.” Haruki told his mother.
“Try to have some fun this time.” Katara told her son, kneeling down on the floor so their eyes were level and putting her hands on his shoulders. “I don’t want bạn to just watch your cousins have fun, I want bạn to have fun too.”
“Mom, bạn and I both know there’s no time for fun when there’s a war going on.” Haruki told his mother seriously
“Kya’s almost of warrior age but she knows to have some fun.” đã đưa ý kiến Suki
“You’re still a kid,” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, “How about having fun like a kid while bạn still can? bạn know, play games, run around, anything.”
Haruki looked away from his family, sulking.
“Fine.”
“Hi everyone!” yelled Jin, running outside, a big smile on her face.
“Hi, Jin.” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, accepting a hug from the young girl, “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” Answered Jin, “Mom and Dad will be out here in a few minutes.”
“I don’t need a few minutes,” đã đưa ý kiến a voice, “I’m here.”
“Hi, Zuko,” Sokka and Zuko grasped arms.
“I’m sorry Toph couldn’t make it,” đã đưa ý kiến Katara, hugging Zuko, “She’s having troubles at home.”
“Her parents still don’t understand that she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself.” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, “They keep offering to take care of Rikiya for her.”
“Well I’m glad the three of bạn could make it. The meeting will be set up in an hour. In the mean time I need to talk to bạn privately.”
“Kids, why don’t bạn go explore the palace for a bit?” suggested Katara
“Yeah, we get it,” đã đưa ý kiến Kya, taking Toshiro’s hand and walking away, “You guys wanna be alone.”
She and the other kids walked away from the adults and into the palace. Jin led them to her room. Haruki watched Toshiro and Jin play with Momo while Kya laid on Jin’s bed, deep in thought.
“I wonder what this meeting is supposed to be about.” đã đưa ý kiến Kya
“It’s about the war.” đã đưa ý kiến Jin, “My dad’s been pretty paranoid about it.”
“Too bad we can’t go to the meeting.” đã đưa ý kiến Toshiro
“Or maybe we can.” đã đưa ý kiến Kya, sitting up, an idea popping in her head.
“No, we can’t.” đã đưa ý kiến Jin, “We’re underage.”
“We can just sneak in.” đã đưa ý kiến Kya
“Bad idea.” đã đưa ý kiến Haruki
“Oh, Haruki.” đã đưa ý kiến Toshiro, annoyed, “Learn to have some fun for once. So how should we sneak in?” he added, looking at Kya.
“We’ll go into the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room where the meeting is before everybody goes in and hide behind something. This way we can hear what’s going on.”
“Sounds good to me.” đã đưa ý kiến Toshiro, smiling.
Haruki hesitated then shrugged, “Eh, why not? I just want to know whose winning.”
“Jin?” asked Kya, looking towards the silent princess
“What if we get caught?” asked Jin, “I don’t want him to get really mad at me.”
“I promise bạn we won’t get caught. Mom taught me about stealth and how to be quiet and sneaky and everything. We’ll be fine as long as we stay well hidden and we don’t make a sound. We can’t even breathe loudly either!”
Haruki, Jin, Kya, and Toshiro hid behind separate pillars in the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. In the middle of the room was a bàn where the admirals, war ministers, and generals of the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy Nation and Earth Kingdom sat. Zuko sat in his ngôi vua, ngai vàng while Sokka, Katara, and Suki sat at the end of the bàn in front of Zuko. On the bàn was a map of the Earth Kingdom. A general from the Earth Kingdom was giving his báo cáo to Zuko.
“The Chikara Army still has control over some parts of the Earth Kingdom here,” he pointed somewhere on the map, “Here,” he pointed again at another location, “And here. They’ve started to try taking over Omashu. They may succeed since their army is growing and we’re becoming thêm outnumbered.”
“What do bạn suggest we do?”
“I suggest putting up thêm security in the Earth Kingdom where there are no benders. Ba Sing Se and Omashu are completely inhabited with earthbenders but they could use some thêm help. Perhaps have some waterbenders and firebenders help with the security.”
“Katara,” đã đưa ý kiến Zuko, looking at her, “What do bạn think of that suggestion?”
“I agree with the general’s suggestion,” đã đưa ý kiến Katara, “As long as some waterbenders stay in the North Pole to protect their tribe. If the Avatar was born in the North Pole he hoặc she may need some protection.”
“You don’t believe that the Avatar was born in the South Pole?”
“There weren’t any children in our tribe born the ngày Avatar Aang died and some of us searched all over and did not find any newborns.”
“Forgive me but how do we know that there is a new Avatar?” asked a ngọn lửa, chữa cháy nation admiral, “How do we know the cycle didn’t end?”
“The Avatar wasn’t in the Avatar State when he died,” Zuko answered, glaring at the admiral that spoke out of turn, “If he died while in the Avatar State the cycle would be broken.”
The admiral remained silent after Zuko đã đưa ý kiến this.
“Katara, Sokka, you’ve been Những người bạn with the last Avatar longer, if the new Avatar is in the North Pole, what do bạn suggest we do?”
“I think maybe we should send a message to the Northern Water Tribe,” đã đưa ý kiến Sokka, “Ask them if the Avatar is in their city and tell them they need to protect him hoặc her.”
At that moment, a servant ran into the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. She ran to his ngôi vua, ngai vàng and bowed deeply.
“Please forgive me, ngọn lửa, chữa cháy Lord Zuko,” she said, looking distressed, “But it’s an emergency.”
“A message came from the leader of the Chikara Army.”
Sanosuke sat on the floor in his house, absentmindedly practicing his waterbending using a bowl of water. Khalil, a family friend and Sanosuke’s teacher, supervised him as he did this.
“Very good, Sanosuke,” đã đưa ý kiến Khalil, “I’d say in a few years you’ll become a master.”
Sanosuke sighed and stopped bending.
“Is something bothering you?” asked Khalil.
“I haven’t heard from my father in two weeks, Khalil.” đã đưa ý kiến Sanosuke, sadly, “Do bạn think he’s all right?”
“You must remember, Sanosuke,” Khalil sat down in front of Sanosuke, “Your father is fighting in the war. He may be dealing with something right now.”
“I know,” Sanosuke looked at his reflection in the bowl of water, “It’s just that he promised he would send me a message at least once a week.”
“Just be patient, I’m sure he is fine.”
The eight-year-old boy smiled at Khalil and continued his bending.
