Fire and Aether

Chapter 40: Sozin's Comet Part 1: The Phoenix King

    As any normal day, Rose found herself following the schedule Team Avatar had gotten used to. She'd spend her nights with Zuko, wake up next to him, eat breakfast, practice her bending for a few hours, get some lunch, then finish her day off with swordtraining with Sokka, meditation with Aurora, and a bit of rest before dinner and bedtime. The last few days since seeing the play about themselves, however, she had been taking more breaks as the group acted as if they were on vacation and it was starting to annoy Zuko.
    On this day in particular, Team Avatar found themselves having a beach party, using their bending to show off, Katara by riding the waves, Toph making a perfect sand sculpture with earthbending, and Aurora and Rose taking place in a fun little game their people in the Aether Realm participated in during the warmer months of the year.
    Suki and Sokka simply hung out like couples did. Suddenly, a fire blast from Zuko destroyed an art project Sokka made for Suki. He began chasing after Rose, an angry expression on his face.
    "Zuko, what the hell is wrong with you? What are you doing?"
    "Teaching you a lesson."
    He continued chasing after her, sending fire blasts her way. Finally, he cornered her in one of the rooms of the house, grabbing ahold of her like he did the day she got kidnapped by pirates.
    "I've got you now." He said in his husky voice.
    "BACK THE FUCK OFF!!" Rose shouted, knocking Zuko off her and sending him flying out of the house to the ground below.
    That's when the rest of Team Avatar rushed to them. "Zuko, what's wrong with you? You could've hurt her!" Aang and Katara said together.
    "What's wrong with me?" Zuko asked, incredulously. "What's wrong with all of you? How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only three days away?!"
    They all shared a look before Rose spoke up, "About that, I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came."
    "After?"
    "I'm not ready. I need more time to master firebending."
    "And, frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too." Toph added.
    "So you all knew Rose was gonna wait?"
    "Honestly, if Rose tries to fight the Fire Lord right now, she's gonna lose. No offense."
    "The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the war. But they pretty much won the war when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse."
    "You're wrong." Zuko said. "It's about to get worse than you can even imagine. The day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I'd dreamed about and wanted for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back."
    "Welcome, Prince Zuko. We waited for you." Ozai said, gently. Zuko bowed and took his place at his father's right hand side. "General Shinu, your report."
    "Thank you, sir." The buff man said, standing. "Ba Sing Se is still under our control, however, eathbender rebellions have prevented us from achieving total victory in the Earth Kingdom."
   Ozai's eyes narrowed. "What is your recommendation?"
   "Our army is spread too thin, but after the eclipse is over, and the invasion defeated, we should transfer more domestic forces into the Earth Kingdom."
   "Hmm." Ozai turned to his son. "Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth Kingdom commoners. Do you think that adding more troops will stop these rebellions?"
    Zuko thought and felt guilty as he remembered his time in the Earth Kingdom. "The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong. They can endure anything as long as they have hope."
   Ozai glared at the ground. "Yes, you're right. We need to destroy their hope."
   "Well, that's not exactly what I--"
   "I think you should take their precious hope," Azula said, interrupting, "and the rest of their land and burn it all to the ground."
   "Yes, yes, you're right, Azula." Ozai stood. "Sozin's Comet is almost upon us, and on that day, it will endow us with the strength and power of a hundred suns. No bender will stand a chance against us."
    "What are you suggesting, sir?"
    "When the Comet last came, my grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, used it to wipe out the Air Nomads. Now, I will use its power to end the Earth Kingdom--permanently!" He smirked as he walked over the map. "From our airships we will rain fire over their lands, a fire that will destroy everything, and out of the ashes, a new world will be born, a world in which all the lands are Fire Nation, and I am the supreme ruler of everything!"
    Everyone applauded, except Zuko.
    "I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't. My whole life, I've struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance. But, once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there." He took Rose's hand in his, squeezing it gently. "I'd forgotten who I was."
    "I can't believe this."
    "What can I do?" Rose said, tears in her eyes.
    "I know you're not ready but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore."
    Rose tried to run but Zuko caught her arm. "Please don't run."
    "You're not alone in this." Aurora consoled. "All of us together can defeat the Fire Lord."
    "Are you sure?"
    "You will win, Avatar. That is assured."
    "Alright!" Sokka said. "Team Avatar is back! Aether! Air! Water! Earth! Fire! Fan and sword! Oh and magic and stuff." He pointed to each of them in turn: Rose, Aang, Katara, Toph, Zuko, himself and Suki with leaves he made to look like a fan and sword, and finally gestured to Aurora last.
    "Well, we're unstoppable." Rose said, laughing off her nervousness.
    "Fighting the Fire Lord is gonna be the hardest thing we've ever done together." Aang said. "But I don't wanna do it any other way."
   "Me neither." Rose said, hugging each of her friends in kind.
   As they shared a group hug, Katara spoke up, "Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs."
   Zuko joined their hug. A second later, a small Crystal flew over and joined the hug then Appa landed so he could join but knocked everyone down. They all just laughed.
   As everyone headed back to the courtyard, Rose grabbed Zuko's hand. "I know you're not the overly affectionate type but they're making an effort to have you join."
   Zuko smiled. "I know. I'm glad everyone finally accepts me." His smile turned to a smirk then as he stopped her and grabbed her into his arms. "But, just so you know, I have no problem with affection when it comes to you." He kissed her passionately.
    Back in the courtyard, Zuko talked Rose through the same lesson about redirecting lightning that Uncle Iroh taught him. When asked, he told her about the time he used the technique against his own father.
   He ended the lesson by warning Rose that she must kill Ozai before he could kill her. Though his words were rough, he added in an more emotional tone that he did not wish to lose her.
   Rose felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to kill anyone as she believed everyone deserved a chance to live and be redeemed. Yet, how else could she defeat the threat of the Fire Lord?
    Team Avatar gathered around for what was essentially both a team building exercise and a way to prepare to fight the Fire Lord. The practice went well, all up until the point that Rose was to deliver the final blow. She couldn't do it.
   "It doesn't feel right." Rose said. "There's has to be another way to stop him rather than just killing him."
    "Like what?" Zuko challenged his lover.
    "I don't know."
    "What's the problem? You've fought and killed people before. This is a war. That's what you do."
    "That was different. I was fighting for my life. Now it's as if I'm planning a murder and I don't like it."
    "She makes a point." Aang defended. "I was taught that all life is sacred. Killing is wrong and it goes against everything we learned from the monks."
    "You don't have a choice, Avatar." Aurora said quietly. "I see no path to victory for you other than ending the Fire Lord's dark power."
    "Well I can't do it."
    With that, Rose walked away.
                          * * * * *
    In the middle of the night, Rose found herself restless so she took a walk to clear her head. Zuko never noticed she got out of their shared bed. A hypnotic chanting came from far away and Rose decided to follow it.
   She never came back.
                       * * * * *
   An angry shout sounded the next morning. "Geez, who upset sleeping beauty?" Sokka asked, sarcastically.
   Zuko came running towards the rest of Team Avatar. "Where's Rose?"
   "I thought she was with you." Aang said.
   "She was with me last night but now I can't find her."
   The group immediately rushed to find her. They checked all over the house then the beach, finding her footprints which lead to the sea. Then...nothing. No sign of a struggle, no body left behind to show that she went on a spiritual journey, nothing.
   "I can't even feel her anymore." Aurora said.
   "What do you mean?" Zuko asked.
   "It's like she's vanished from the world in general." Aurora said. "I can no longer feel her presence. I don't know what to make of this."
    "We've got a problem then. Not only is she missing, the comet will be here in two days." Zuko said, trying not to think of the implications of his lover having disappeared. That's when he noticed everyone was staring at him. "What?"
    "Well, you're kind of the expert on finding her."
    "Yea if anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar, it's you."
    "So what do we do?" Aang asked.
    Zuko exhaled sharply. Minutes later, the group was packed and riding on Appa as Crystal had also disappeared when Rose had.
    "Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way she's there."
    "Just trust me."
                          * * * * *
    As Azula and Ozai prepared to set sail, Ozai announced, "There's been a change of plans, Azula."
    Azula looked up in confusion and hurt. "What?"
    "I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se without you. You will remain here in the Fire Nation."
    Malvina smirked as she boarded the ship alongside her sister. "But I thought we were going to do this together."
    "My decision is final."
    Azula angrily stood. "You can't treat me like this! You can't treat me like Zuko!"
    "Azula, silence yourself."
    "But it was my idea to burn everything to the ground. I deserve to be by your side more than her!" She pointed an accusatory finger at Malvina.
    "Azula, listen to me." Ozai turned to her. "I need you here to watch over the homeland. It's a very important job that I can only entrust to you. And, for your loyalty, I've decided to declare you the new Fire Lord."
    "Fire Lord Azula?" Azula said, testing the title out and finding she liked it. "It does seem appropriate. But what about you, father?"
   Ozai smirked. "Fire Lord Ozai is no more. Just as the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world." He said as his people dressed him in fancy armor. "From this moment on, I will be known as the Phoenix King."
    New banners popped up all around the ship as Ozai stood, already celebrating his victory.
                       * * * * *
    Team Avatar entered a tavern together, most of the members looking highly uncomfortable. "And why did you bring us here exactly?"
    "June." Zuko said, pointing.
    "Isn't that that bounty hunter with the giant mole?"
    "The Shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Rose's scent. It's the one shot we have of finding her."
                     * * * * *
    Rose woke up to find herself on what appeared to be a floating island. "Where am I?" She asked herself.
    No one answered.