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Blue Mask	By : PatPat Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality > Het- Male/Female Views: 11083 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Blue Mask, Two Swords, and Sozin’s Comet
Broken Hearts & Loyalties
By Pat Squared
________________________________________

“What do you mean he left? A dying man does not just up and walk off of his death bed.”

Katara could not believe that her patient was not there. Jian Li/Blue Spirit/Zuko or whatever he was calling himself this week just pulled a vanishing act.

The old ringmaster merely shook his head.

“Katara-san, Jian Li did not want to die in his bed. He chose to reveal himself as the Blue Spirit and bade me to inform the governor. He said...I”

Katara was about to slap the ringmaster.

“Tell me exactly what he said.”

“Yes...‘the governor is offering fifteen-thousand Earth Kingdom golden mountains as a ransom for his wife’s priceless necklace. Tell him where you got it from. Tell him that the Blue Spirit will give him once chance to try to kill the thief before the Blue Spirit will attempt to add the governor’s name to Jian Li’s list of client’s served.’ He told that we had ‘...a good friendship, but all good things must end. I am dying, but I will choose how I will die, not some whore called fate.’ He wanted to make his death worth something.”

“Gong Gong (god of the waters), save us all. That Gong Tai Ong (King of Stupidity) Jian Li...”

Tears were swelling in her eyes. She loved Zuko and would have done almost anything for him. If Zuko asked if she would elope with him and willingly bear his children. She would have left Aang and Sokka behind without a second thought.

Katara returned to the ringmaster to drop off the medicine for Jian Li before she would leave with Aang and Sokka to find Toph. Katara expected to cry because she would have to leave him. Now she was crying and angry because he left her behind.

Why are men so stupid? Why do they have to waste their lives doing dumb stuff?

Katara knew that Zuko wanted to end his life, but couldn’t bring himself to surrender to the despair. Zuko was too stubborn to die so he had others sent after him to relieve him of his burden.

Katara knew that Zuko had made his decision.

It was a decision that Katara could intellectually understand. Zuko wanted to die on his own terms, not die a death that some other person or entity chose for him. However, she could never understand how a boy that had never surrendered during his hunt for the Avatar would give up now.

In the old days of the Water Tribes when they followed the seals and caribou migrations, when someone could no longer keep up with the tribe and the game would realize that they were of no more benefit to the Tribe. To spare their loved ones from suffering as they were forced to be left behind, the one folks would slip away in the night and go on the final hunt for the ghost bear with not much more than a stone knife. They were not forced into it, nevertheless without exception. For generations countless warriors went on their final hunt, until the water tribe managed to discover an edible root that would grow in the frozen soil of the artic tundra.

Zuko was now on his hunt for the elusive ghost bear and he left behind everything that would tie him to the world of the living.

Katara cursed her pride. Zuko needed a reason to live. She had a chance to tell him what he meant to her. She had a chance to save his soul from the despair that was consuming him and she let the moment slip by because she was afraid to surrender her pride. Because of her failing, Zuko was going to throw his life away.

Worse, katara did not have a chance to even say goodbye.

________________________________________

Senior Lieutenant Moy Zhu Lin of the Fire Nation’s elite 96th Naval Infantry Regiment walked towards the officer’s mess. Heading back home from the front he was tasked with carrying dispatches from his commanding officer to Colonel Shin, aide de camp to General Hu, commander of the Naval Infantry branch of the Fire Nation Naval Forces. His rank and priority code was high enough to merit a private room and a place in the officer’s mess, but not high enough to garner any extra attention. Also, the elite 96th was know for going on those missions that were never talked about so Moy Zhu Lin’s closed-mouth attitude would not be marked as unusual, but merely following orders.

Zuko depended upon the identity he created. He just prayed that he did not run across a real member of the 96th, but it should not be a problem since the 96th was busy conducting raiding operations the earth kingdom port city of Aoikama. To further enhance his disguise, Zuko covered the right side of his face and his eyes with gauze bandages. No one wanted to stare at the blind officer doing his final duty before being discharged and sent home.

Using a stick to probe for objects in his path, Zuko bumped his way down to the mess. As usual, the cook in charge called upon one of the kitchen boys to give him one of everything and guide him to an empty table. Even though blind, Moy Zhu Lin wore his twin dao. Naval infantrymen, even those in the sick-bay, would never let their weapons out of their possession. To do so was disgraceful. The naval infantry protected the captain against mutinous crews, punished those found guilty at the captain’s mass, acted as the city watch aboard the vessels of the Fire Nation Navy. Unlike sailors who only were allowed draw arms from the arms locker just before a battle, naval infantry men were armed at all times. Sailors did not associate with the naval infantry nor did naval officer’s associate with naval infantry officers save for what was required to maintain the myth of friendship between the Fire Nation Navy and its naval infantrymen.

As a prince, Zuko was forced to undergo training by the naval infantry during his sixth year at the Fire Nation Academy. The training was the most brutal training offered by the Fire Nation (the highest fatality rate) and his father prayed that Zuko would be among the fatalities. Zuko survived the training and would have received his commission as a sub-lieutenant on his fifteenth birthday. Ever though Zuko was banished before receiving his commission, he remembered all the customs.

Unlike the navy, officers and enlisted ranks went through the same training. One did not sign up to become a naval infantry officer; one had to earn the rank by being the top in their class in academics, leadership, and tactics or earn it on the battlefield. Most of the officers came from the lower classes, unlike their naval or army counterparts. They were resented because of their background and the fact that they drew higher pay and a higher share of any captured prizes than any other officer aboard the ship save for the captain and his first mate. In the field, a naval infantry officer ate the same food and sleep in the mud alongside their men. Only in garrison or aboard ships, was there a divide between the officers and men and it was because of naval regulations prohibiting the fraternization between the enlisted ranks and the officers.

“Thank you, sailor. As you were and may Agni make you strong enough to face any challenge.”

“Yes, sir.”

Zuko heard the man walking away.

He slowly ate his meal. A voice interrupted his meal.

“I did not know they allowed stay mutts in here.”

The naval infantry was known for swapping insults.

Zuko replied, “Then leave. We don’t want to the others to think that cockroaches and there ilk are free to wander.”

“It has been a long time since Ergu, my old friend.”

Zuko froze. Ergu was the village nearby the training camp for all naval infantrymen. Everyone else called it Fort Zhu Wren.

“I am sorry that I can not place your voice, follow comrade. Have a seat and let us talk of old times.”

Zuko resisted the urge to reach for his swords.

“Yes, fellow Spirit Wolf, it has been a long time.”

Zuko knew that he was in trouble. Spirit Wolf was his class’ totem. Only those would went to Ergu with him would know his class totem. However, he knew that to fight here was futile. All he knew was the speaker was an old comrade of his from his youth.

If he wants to capture me, I won’t try to kill him. I don’t have enough friends in this life to go around killing an old comrade because he swore an oath and had to follow orders. Besides, they will dispatch me cleanly unlike my dear sister.

“I am having temporary difficulties with my health old friend. May I have the honor of knowing your name?”

“Captain Sui,” the voice dropped to a whisper, “It has been a long time since we both had Sergeant Ku screaming in our ears, Zuko.”

________________________________________

Aang watched as Katara walked into the clearing. She was in tears and wordlessly she climbed into her usual spot on Appa’s saddle.

“Yip yip.”

With that and a tug on the reins the air bison leaped into the sky.

“Sokka, relieve me. Head for the star on the tip of the scorpion’s claw, I will take the second watch.”

“Fine.”

Sokka preferred either the first or third watch since he would have uninterrupted sleep.

“Katara, what’s wrong?”

Katara looked at him and Aang instantly knew that someone ripped out her heart.

“Who is he and what did he do to you?”

Katara merely shook her head and cried.

Just as Aang was starting to believe that Katara cried herself to sleep, Katara whispered:

“Don’t let Sokka know. The Blue Spirit. Aang, the friend who rescued you from Zhao, the one who chased us to the North Pole, Jian Li. They are all the same person. You knew that he was Zuko and you did not tell me.”

“What? Zuko’s dead.!” Aang protested.

“I use to think that Zuko was some monster that the Fire Nation cobbled together from the body parts of dead fire benders and the blood of a thousand demons and countless lesser imps. I hated him for being so...stubborn.

“He was my rival. He was not the strongest, fastest, or smartest bender I have fought. However, every time we faced off he kept on going. You would think that the best bender would win. No Aang. Zuko would keep on fighting until we were too exhausted to fight on and gave up or ran away. I use to believe that if I could defeat him, that I could take on anyone.”

“Katara, Zuko is dead.”

“Aang, Zuko is alive. He faked his death so that his sister would be too busy trying to seize the throne to hunt down their uncle. Not that it matters anymore.”

Aang replied, “What do you mean anymore?”

“Zuko is dying. He has a disease that is killing him off. Fire bending only accelerates the process. Every time we fought, we hasten his death. His lungs are damaged and bend only damages them more. He paid for every battle by destroying his lungs and then he would sacrifice himself again and again on a futile quest to earn his father’s love and his honor.

“Last week, the ringmaster called for a healer and I was nearby. We needed coins and so I called myself a healer. Jian Li collapse in his wagon and was close to death. The lung flux almost claimed him, but I pulled him back. I wiped off the body paint and underneath was Zuko.

“I wanted to kill him, Aang. He was the one who...stole my first kiss. He taunted me as he kept on fighting and chasing. However, I remembered the healer oath my gran-gran taught me. I treated him.

“The dream Aang. Remember the dream I had about the boy and the voice from the spirit world who told me that because of what I did in my previous life, the boy would have to suffer. The boy was…is Zuko. I cannot explain things. Aunt Wu was right in that I would fall in love with a powerful bender. However, she did not tell me that my lover would die before I could even tell him how I feel.

“Aang, he couldn’t live with the weakness anymore. He felt he had nothing to live for anymore. Zuko was going to die a painful death, slowly drowning on dry land. He could not kill himself so he is taunting a powerful enemy so that they will hunt him down and kill him. I could have told him. He was delirious and believed that I was just a figment of his imagination when he told me what his family did to him. I wanted to say something, but I was afraid that you and Sokka would not understand. Worse, I was afraid that I would lose something. Because of my fears, I lost my red string soul mate. Even if he should magically appear, I don’t know what I will do. I want to tell him even if he laughs at me and calls me peasant wench again, but I can’t. Why do I have to be so messed up to fall in love with my dying enemy?”

Aang could not believe what was coming out of Katara’s mouth.

Zuko! Aang remember the Blue Spirit and how Zuko risked everything to save him from Zhao. Yes, Zuko was interested in also getting the Avatar, but Zuko was so alive, so powerful, so unrelenting that Aang was actually afraid of what Zuko would do to catch him. Aang remembered how Zuko wielded his twin blades. His movements were hypnotic like fire and flowed like a breeze through the treetops. Aang wanted to learn the unarmed and armed fighting styles, but he was far too busy learning how to bend the elements.

“Aang, I killed him. I killed him as if I was the one driving a dagger into his chest. I am a murderer. I am as much a murderer as the Fire Nation troops that kill my mother.”

Katara cried herself to sleep as Aang wondered what else would happen.

Even though Toph was Aang’s wife, Katara was his first crush. She did not reciprocate Aang’s puppy love the way he would have desired. However, Katara became his mother/older sister. She was the steady one that held the group together. She sacrificed everything for Aang’s sake and Aang wished there was only a way to guarantee Katara’s happiness.

I wish the heart was an element so I could fix the world. Bend out hate, envy, anger, and all the other bad things, then I could settle down with Toph and we can together without wondering if we are going to be alive tomarrow.

Aang held her wondering how he was going to juggle things now that Katara was overwhelmed with grief.

________________________________________
Azula had just finished deciphering Mai’s latest report.

My childhood friend,

I am slowly building up a network of agents in the earth kingdom. They believe that they are special counter-intelligence agents of the Earth Kingdom. However, they are motivated to give us intelligence on Fire Nation military operation and economic policy.

I figure out that you would prefer to obtain the information that the clerks and minister keep from you and your father.

The rice harvest in Aoi and Kuroi provinces are extremely poor due to drought and a general manpower shortage. I am using the malcontent to recruit agents and establish an anti-government insurgency. Although, they will not welcome the Fire Nation with open arms, they will force the Earth Nation to use troops to quell the unrest thus lessening the available forces on the front.

There is a large population of mixed fire/earth bloods. Since we attacked the border provinces first, they make up a higher percentage of refuges than one would think. One can see them everywhere and it is that fact that allows many of our intelligence officers to infiltrate the earth kingdom with relative ease, at least until the stupid officer tries to recruit the wrong person.

They are persecuted, but not enough to cast their lot in with us. I am also actively recruiting them into a force to counter Earth bender prosecution. If you can have the governors start a serious reconciliation campaign with our distant cousins, we can use them as intelligence agents, scouts, guides, and later as the occupying class. These mixed bloods dislike the pure earth bloods who deny them jobs, food, and ensure that their sons end up doing all the dirty fighting. They will be more brutal with the earth nation than some clerk sent here from your father’s court.

Jian Li is not longer performing for the circus. He contacted me and told me that he got a lead on the Avatar so I would be ready to pay him his fee for the Avatar. I told him about your wishes with respect to the air bender. Jian has already prepared the presentation box and hopes to give you an appropriate congratulations gift in the near future. The only problem was that Jian was closed lipped about his lead save for the line, “The best way to follow someone is to lead them from the front.”

Hopefully, I would have things set up in a few more weeks, at least set up enough to be able to deliver this information to you personally instead of using these laborious ciphers.

Yours truly,

Mai

With your permission, I will soon be traveling to the Fire Nation in a couple months to celebrate Tom-Tom’s third birthday. It will be a short trip as I will be there for only a week - just long enough to celebrate and personally deliver to you my agent roster and let you know how just how far your web reaches as I have little faith in couriers when it comes to securing something that important.

Azula read the letter.

Mai was so transparent sometimes. No matter how cold she was to the outside world, the sullen girl had one weakness – her child. Nevertheless, she is quite efficient. Mai was noble enough to be Azula’s confidant but not noble enough to take Azula’s dais from her.

Tom-Tom was Azula’s leverage over Mai. Azula knew to deny Mai some time with her child would destroy the bond that Azula used to ensure Mai’s loyalty. She would allow Mai an entire month as long as the network provides intelligence. The next assignment she had for Mai would require that Mai be utterly loyal to Azula personally. Azula knew that if her father was not dealt with before the comet, that Ozai will be reenergized, perhaps enough to sire a healthy male heir.

Azula did not not what the comet would bring, but she was not taking any chances. Mai will personally insure that Ozai perished in his sleep and Fire Lady Azula will be recorded in the history scrolls as the First Empress and Unifier of the World.
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Blue Mask