“Remember to be on your best behavior.” Katara told the kids while they waited outside द्वारा the pond for Zuko, Mai, and Jin. Toshiro played with Momo.
“You know आप 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 आप to just watch your cousins have fun, I want आप to have fun too.”
“Mom, आप 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.” कहा Suki
“You’re still a kid,” कहा Sokka, “How about having fun like a kid while आप still can? आप 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.” कहा 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,” कहा a voice, “I’m here.”
“Hi, Zuko,” Sokka and Zuko grasped arms.
“I’m sorry Toph couldn’t make it,” कहा 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.” कहा Sokka, “They keep offering to take care of Rikiya for her.”
“Well I’m glad the three of आप could make it. The meeting will be set up in an hour. In the mean time I need to talk to आप privately.”
“Kids, why don’t आप go explore the palace for a bit?” suggested Katara
“Yeah, we get it,” कहा 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.” कहा Kya
“It’s about the war.” कहा Jin, “My dad’s been pretty paranoid about it.”
“Too bad we can’t go to the meeting.” कहा Toshiro
“Or maybe we can.” कहा Kya, sitting up, an idea popping in her head.
“No, we can’t.” कहा Jin, “We’re underage.”
“We can just sneak in.” कहा Kya
“Bad idea.” कहा Haruki
“Oh, Haruki.” कहा 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 सिंहासन 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.” कहा 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 आप 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 सिंहासन room. In the middle of the room was a तालिका, टेबल where the admirals, war ministers, and generals of the आग Nation and Earth Kingdom sat. Zuko sat in his सिंहासन while Sokka, Katara, and Suki sat at the end of the तालिका, टेबल in front of Zuko. On the तालिका, टेबल was a map of the Earth Kingdom. A general from the Earth Kingdom was giving his रिपोर्ट 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 और outnumbered.”
“What do आप suggest we do?”
“I suggest putting up और 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 और help. Perhaps have some waterbenders and firebenders help with the security.”
“Katara,” कहा Zuko, looking at her, “What do आप think of that suggestion?”
“I agree with the general’s suggestion,” कहा Katara, “As long as some waterbenders stay in the North Pole to protect their tribe. If the अवतार was born in the North Pole he या she may need some protection.”
“You don’t believe that the अवतार was born in the South Pole?”
“There weren’t any children in our tribe born the दिन अवतार 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 आग nation admiral, “How do we know the cycle didn’t end?”
“The अवतार wasn’t in the अवतार State when he died,” Zuko answered, glaring at the admiral that spoke out of turn, “If he died while in the अवतार State the cycle would be broken.”
The admiral remained silent after Zuko कहा this.
“Katara, Sokka, you’ve been फ्रेंड्स with the last अवतार longer, if the new अवतार is in the North Pole, what do आप suggest we do?”
“I think maybe we should send a message to the Northern Water Tribe,” कहा Sokka, “Ask them if the अवतार is in their city and tell them they need to protect him या her.”
At that moment, a servant ran into the सिंहासन room. She ran to his सिंहासन and bowed deeply.
“Please forgive me, आग 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,” कहा 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.” कहा Sanosuke, sadly, “Do आप 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.