Avatar: Macai's Journey

Chapter 49: Aftermath Part 1

The Phoenix King Ozai and his loyal servant Azula have been overthrown. Zuko has now taken the title as Firelord and leader of the Fire Nation. Macai has been reinstated as the leader of the 31st Company and as a Fire Nation commander. Macai's charges of treason have been revoked. Now the 31st are attending one of Zuko's formal celebrations at the Fire Nation palace, where he declares his new plans.

The palace celebration room has dark red walls, several fancy pictures, gold markings, several balloons, and black tables. The tables have wine cases, silver plates, silver spoons, silver forks, and small cakes. There are several Fire Nation elites at this meeting, which makes it different than many of his recent meetings. Zuko is wearing dark red robes with black and gold markings.

Zuko has also invited several Fire Nation members who have been strong advocates for change and some of the members were involved with the United Way movement. While they may not have admitted in the past, multiple leaders formally stated their involvement after the war's end. Zuko stands in the back of the room with General Mak on his right. Macai is a few feet away from him with Kanna, Dade, Sonna, and Rosh near him.

Zuko: "Greetings everyone, it is an honor having you all here. Being in this palace feels surreal. It is full of so many good and bad memories. Though honestly, more bad than good. Hopefully, we can change that. We have an opportunity for a new start. For so long, our nation has caused damage to those around us. It is time we give back and make this world a better place."

An elderly man interrupts, "This world? Your focus should primarily be on the people of OUR nation! Though the crimes of the past on other nations were egregious, it is only natural that every government prioritize its own people."

Zuko responds, "Our nation has more than enough wealth to share and we can afford to take a few steps back in our luxury. The best well-being for us is the best well-being for all. Living to dominate other territories is not sustainable, as you should know. We will live better as our allies get more wealth and we benefit through their trade. In the meantime, we might have to make some minor sacrifices."

A woman shouts, "You weak fool! We can't afford to do that. The minute we pull back, other nations will pass us up and sabotage our growth. A lot of them will never forget what we did and will try to keep us down."

An older man interrupts, "No, the Firelord is right, we should change our image." The crowd begins to argue.

Zuko raises his hands, "People, relax. I want you all to know that your opinions are valued but stick with me. You will like what I am doing and find that my decisions are great for the long-term peace of our nation. On top of that, our economy will be vibrant but we might take some setbacks as we lose the benefits that came with our oppression."

A middle-aged businessman asks, "What about the slave labor that we got from old prisoners of war?"

Zuko answers, "Those slaves have already been freed and are being sent back to their homes. We will lose some labor and productivity. Our workers will be forced to scale back, but it's going to be alright. We just need to get creative instead of using brute force to get what we want." After the discussion is over, Zuko looks at Macai.

Zuko: "Look at you, I haven't seen you face to face in over five years." Macai smiles as he looks at his old acquaintance. Macai was just thirteen when Zuko was banished and Zuko was fourteen. Now Macai is the proud Commander of the 31st and Zuko is the Firelord.

Macai responds, "No look at you. You've grown so much, no one would have ever guessed you'd be Firelord. But now look at you, Mr. Big Man! You are so much more mature than before and when I look at you I feel a sense of power. Not just physical power, but something more... I get the feeling you are a man with strong convictions and dedication beyond what I've ever seen. Well maybe except for what I saw from Samira."