The Origin of Roh-Shan

Highroad

Just up the hill from the fields where Avatar Roh had set down the plate of ice, was an access road. The farmer's houses were further up the hill, and the road had been untouched by the flowing waves when the ice was released.

Pulling his feet out of the muck with every step, Amiron finally dragged himself up to the road.

Suley was not authorized to do this. Torpedoes and explosions had never been in the plans. Blowing up the palace was unthinkable. Not to mention Amiron's own life had been in danger. There was going to be hell to pay, that's for sure.

Flinging water off his robes, Amiron started the trek down the road towards the Naval Base, where Suley had been operating out of.

The access road widened out into a main road just beyond the trees that separated the fields. Out in the open now, he could see the entire harbor. No part of the passenger ships were visible anymore, and a sinking, flaming battleship lit up a small area of the water. And there weren't many people around...

He jumped to a stop when a group of Residents stepped into the road, blocking his path. "Look who it is."

"Is that the Fire Lord?" Someone mocked.

"Just who we were looking for."

Amiron tried to gather his composure despite his soaking, muddy robes. "You will bow before me."

"We will? That's news to us."

He noted the small emblem on their vests. "Residents of New Yelsu, I see. If you don't, you won't get paid. Simple as that."

"Oh, this?" Someone held up a hand of burned paper money. "We didn't question why your face was on this before, but now that we saw how much of this you were hoarding in your palace, I'm starting to think you weren't really leaving the Fire Nation at all."

"That money is worthless. We'll be printing new money and if you obey me right now, I'll make sure you get a cut of the new currency."

Another guy stepped forward. "Oh I see. Because your stash blew up, ours doesn't count anymore. If my house blew up with all my money inside, you'd say 'oh well, too bad', right? But because you're the one without money now, we ALL have to start over."

"No, because the government needs to control the currency, that's how government works!" Amiron realized his slip up too late.

"Government!?"

"I though New Yelsu was 'free from oppressive and controlling governments'?"

"You are! You are free! I s-- you're completely right, I'll make sure there's nobody controlling-- and you'll get money, I swear!"

The first man grabbed Amiron's collar. "I'll maybe believe that when I hear it from Suley himself. Either way, you're not supposed to have anything to do with this."

A different woman stepped forward and laughed. "You wronged your citizens on the boats by making them think you're on their side. You wronged everyone back on land by acting like the government was overthrown when really, you and Suley's stupid idea of a secret government is just a shady rip-off of the oppressive Earth Kingdom. You can't keep wronging people and expect anyone to still be on your side!"

"Yeah, I'm quite familiar with a nice little "holding cell" under the police station... We'll let the people decide what to do with you next, not the government."

"What?"

Someone shoved him to the ground and tied a rope around his wrists.

"What are you doing! I'm the Fire Lord!"

"There is no Fire Lord."

~//~