"Water... Earth... Fire... Air..." Katara voices over as the benders demonstrate as she talks. "My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked." It journeys into the map showing the world and closes in on a bender displaying all the elements. "Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished." He disappears from sight. "A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe." It shows the Water Tribe men on their boats and Katara hugging her older brother Sokka holding up a lantern. "Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world."
Forever Loyal
In the Earth Kingdom somewhere in the forest with the sun high in the sky as the three Fire Nation fugitives ride cautiously of their surroundings. "This is ridiculous, we've been travelling for three days," Rin complains as she holds onto Zuko's waist.
"We can't do anything about that, we need to move away from Azula." Zuko reasons, she knew that was the truth but three days would be enough, she was by ship and they were on land nowhere near water she could access.
"I have to agree with Rin, we should stop for a night." Iroh jumps in looking ahead as he had the reigns this time, so by definition was in charge.
"See, two former General's against one Prince." Rin teases him, gaining a little sour look before she kisses his cheek to get replaced with a bashful look.
"Fine, we can stop for the night." Zuko agrees, feeling played.
A battleship beside a beach, it is now nighttime and the full moon hangs overhead, the beach is filled with tents and populated with people from Azula's royal procession. Azula sits within her litter which rests atop the dais on the deck of her ship, she flanks on either side by Lo and Li., below them on the deck, a row of Fire Nation soldiers lie prostrate on either side of the ship. "When tracking your brother, uncle and Rin, travelling with a royal procession may no longer be an option..." Lo starts to explain.
"May no longer be wise... if you hope to keep the element of surprise." Li cuts into finish explaining.
"You're right. The royal procession is dead weight. If I want to catch my prey, I must be agile... nimble. I need a small, elite team. It's time to visit some old friends." Azula announces thinking about how she would take down Rin, this was really all she thought about after she had gotten fished out of the ocean by the soldiers after Rin had thrown her in.
A young woman walks in front of two Fire Nation guards, her expression emotionless, she has a large quantity of well kept coiffed black hair and her eyes are a light brown. "There really is no fathoming the depths of my hatred for this place," Mai says mostly to herself, as she walks next to an older woman carrying a baby, they are being escorted by Fire Nation guards down a passage.
"Mai, your father was appointed Governor. We're like royalty here. Be happy, and enjoy it." Her mother advises her not wanting to see her daughter this way. They exit the fortress passage emerging out into the open, the torches of the party can clearly be seen below. The party walks below where the end of one of Omashu's famous chutes.
The Earth Kingdom resistance fighters look down at the torches from their vantage point, then back at someone, in front of him are some rocks ready to drop down the chute. "The targets are approaching." One of the Resistance fighters announces as a bearded face Earthbender, his eyes obscured by his helmet.
"Take them out." The leader orders and below them walk Mai and her party.
"I thought my life was boring in the Fire Nation, Rin made it bearable with her training. But this place is unbearably bleak. Nothing ever happens." Mai complains distressed, wanting to see her friend again and away from this dullness.
The resistance fighter above launches the rocks into the tube which go crashing down at high speeds. Aang looks on with horror at the falling debris, then over at the party of people passing to his left that will soon be crushed by the falling debris. Aang with Katara and Sokka behind him stands just next to the bottom of the chute as the rocks enter from above. Mai and her party are just slightly below him on the plaza itself, the young Avatar raises his staff and pulverizes the rocks into pebbles and dust as it passes with a blast of air.
A few moments of silence pass as Mai looks at Aang and he looks back at her and the rest of her party. "The resistance!" Her mother shouts out pointing at Aang, this causes Mai to smile slightly and in an instant she fans out her arms, releasing a hail of small arrows. Aang sees them coming, dodging the arrows which embed themselves on the stack of construction material he stands on, as Aang, Katara and Sokka run out to the right, being pursued by Fire Nation soldiers, who climb up a couple of ladders from the plaza below. Katara turns around and uses the water from her waterskin, she whips them off of the ledge and onto the plaza below again.
Mai runs at Katara, her arms spread to either side, then she fires another hail of arrows from around her hand and forearm. Katara creates a wall of ice in front of her, stopping the arrows collision with her, Mai continues her pursuit as Katara flees from her. Aang lets Katara pass him as he turns to face Mai, as she approaches, Aang causes some construction scaffolding on his right to collapse between them. As the scaffolding collapses between them, Mai is able to get one, ornate throwing star through the falling debris. Aang twirls his staff in front of him stopping the throwing star just in time, the dust from the falling scaffolding clears, once again giving Mai a clear shot of the Avatar. She throws another hail of arrows, but the kids disappear through a large trap door which closes instantly above them, Mai sighs amidst the wreckage, turns around and walks away in almost disappointment.
In a grass area with mountains in the background sit some red and pink circus tents, with a few people working on finishing setting up tents and rolling barrels around. When Azula walks over to a young girl who is performing a headstand on her index fingers, the young girl is dressed in pink and red with a long black ponytail. "Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?" Azula asks feigning confusion when she has set out to find her friends.
"Azula!" Ty Lee greets her longtime friends smiling widely at her arrival. Ty Lee breaks her headstand with a couple of graceful moves, she prostrates herself on the ground, then runs giving Azula a bear hug, Azula smiles almost like she really is happy and returns the hug. "It is so good to see you, the only one I've seen is Rin, but that was a year ago!" She exclaims in joy of seeing her dear friend, inside Azula was fuming that Rin was all around, she hated the girl this grew every day as she kept thinking about how she was going to take her down. To become more powerful, to surpass her, even her own father praised her these thoughts went away as she had to keep a clear head for her mission to recruit her friends to take her brother, uncle and Rin down.
"Please, don't let me interrupt your..." Azula smiles at her then raises an eyebrow, searching for the right words but seems to fail. "Whatever it is you were doing." She finishes, but Ty Lee still smiles at her, then flips over backwards ending up lying on her chest, with one of her feet arched over in front of her head, the other pointing straight up into the air. In the background, three circus people try unsuccessfully to coax a platypus bear dressed in a red vest and wearing a fez to move. "Tell me, what is the daughter of a nobleman doing here? Certainly, our parents didn't send us to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls to end up in..." Azula asks her as she looks at the people trying to move the platypus bear still, she continues on, with a slight note of contempt in her voice. "Places like this." The platypus bears groan then gets up with a slight popping noise to reveal that it has laid an egg. "I have a proposition for you. I'm hunting a traitor." She explains looking at her wrist a tad absentmindedly, not wanting to right away tell her that her friend was also on the list. "You remember my old fuddy-duddy uncle don't you?" She asks her, Ty Lee still rests on her chest and elbows, but now with both feet planted on her head.
"Oh yeah. He was so funny." Ty Lee replies giggling remembering the times back then.
"I would be honoured if you would join me on my mission," Azula tells her, but she craved to make it an order knowing that it was a last resort as there were other means to get her way if she said no.
"Oh...I...uh...would love to." Ty Lee tells her before springing back to her feet in a single, fluid motion. "But the truth is, I'm really happy here." She smiles serenely. "I mean, my aura has never been pinker!"
"I'll take your word for it. Well, I wouldn't want you to give up the life you love just to please me." Azula tells her thinking the exact opposite of that statement.
"Thank you, Azula." Ty Lee says bowing slightly and clasps her hands in a gesture of thanks to her friends, thankful for her understanding. Azula walks away as Ty Lee turns around with a smile she raises her leg to her head in an impressive stretch, then Azula turns around to address her once more.
"Of course, before I leave, I'm going to catch your show," Azula tells her, this causes an expression of panic to spread over Ty Lee's face, which luckily for her is not facing Azula, and she loses her grip on her leg. She recovers herself and grips her leg once more, a sad and worried expression on her face now.
"Uh...yeah...sure...uh...of course..." Ty Lee stutters over her words in fear of what Azula would do and pray that Rin would save her from her and Azula walks away with satisfaction.
In the underground cavern under Omashu, it is filled with Earth Kingdom resistance fighters, the kids and the Resistance Leader stand on the ledge in front of the main exit tunnel from the room, which is lit by several lamps hanging from the walls. "So, is King Bumi with you guys? Is he heading the resistance?" Aang asks the Resistance Leader unaware of the answer.
"Of course not! The day of the invasion, we readied ourselves for battle. We were prepared to defend our city... to fight for our lives and for our freedom. But before we even had a chance, King Bumi surrendered. The traitorous Royal Advisor was found to be a Fire Nation spy, he knew all of this and still, he surrendered." The Resistance Leader states with great intensity. Aang looks clearly disconcerted with the news, Katara looks at him in concern on her face, this was not good.
King Bumi stands atop one of the city walls, the Royal Adviser and the Resistance Leader next to him. They all look in front of them as fireballs arch into the city overhead. "I'm going to do..." King Bumi announces turning his face to them. "Nothing!" He exclaims laughing and snort maniacally, the Royal Adviser walks behind him as he laughs.
"Perfect." She purrs and hits him over the head before Earthbending the Resistance Leader over down the side of the wall. "Our Fearless Leader will be pleased."
On one of the balconies of the Governor's mansion, his wife and their baby son, Mai and some guards enter. "What is going on down there?" The Governor asks.
"I saw some kids yesterday who were sick with pentapox. It must have spread!" The guard announces.
"Pentapox! I'm pretty sure I've heard of that." The Governor agrees, unaware there was no such thing.
"Oh, this is terrible." His wife adds worriedly for her children.
"What should we do?" The guard asks the Governor.
"Drive them out of the city...but don't touch them! We have to rid the city of this disease!" The Governor orders them and the guards bow to him then leave. Mai offers her father a bowl of fire flakes she is carrying not to console him but to get his attention almost.
"Fire flakes, Dad?" She asks him but is ignored as his wife hugs him in comfort.
"How awful!" His wife gasps, as their baby unaware of them, toddles away from them, then the Royal Advisor walks over behind them.
"Do not worry, we shall still have Omashu." She purrs but not in a flirtatious way and walks over to Mai taking the bowl from her smirking at the emotionless girl.
The Royal Adviser walks along the empty halls up to the aviary to deliver a message to Rin telling her of the events so far but stops as a guard walks down the steps. "What brings you here?" The guard inquires with venom.
"I have a message to deliver to a friend of mine." She answers with half truths but the guard just pushes her down to the floor.
"Hey!" A female voice shouts out, they both turn their heads to see Mai walking towards them. "What right do you have to push her?" Mai asks him not wanting an answer.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." The guard replies and rushes away.
"Thank you, Mai." The Royal Adviser thanks her as Mai helps her back to her feet.
"It's quite alright," Mai replies but think for a second and can't think of her name. "May I ask what is your name?" She asks her.
"It's Shai." She answers thankful for her hood covering her face.
It was night in the grass area with a brightly lit circus tent, with some performers in two Chinese style dragon costumes. The dragons jump out to reveal the Circus Master addressed the crowd, with the circus' main ring behind him. "We're deeply honoured to have the Fire Lord's daughter at our humble circus." The Circus Master announces as Azula and two guards reside in a box seat high above him, richly decorated in Fire Nation lively as the rest of the circus looks empty. "Uh... tell us if there is anything we can do to make the show more enjoyable." He inquires.
"I will," Azula answers him when a net is stretched across the main circus ring, showing Ty Lee wearing colourful clothing and a golden tiara like headpiece doing a headstand using one hand holding a short stick. This stick, in turn, is balanced on top of what looks like the frame of a small tent, incredibly, this tent frame, in its turn, balances on a high wire. "Incredible. Do you think she'll fall?" Azula asks the Circus Master not really caring about her friend.
"Of course not." Circus Master answers her quickly.
"Then wouldn't it make it more interesting if you removed the net?" Azula asks him but more in an authority.
"Uh...the thing is...the performers..." The Circus Master tries reasoning concerned for his performers and regretted giving Azula that choice.
"You're right, you're right. That's been done." Azula dismisses and pauses for a second. "I know. Set the net on fire." She adds.
"Of course, Princess." The Circus Master agrees thinking that this was of lesser harm to his performers. He stands up and shoots a gout of flame at the net which promptly catches fire, the fire from the net reflects on Ty Lee's face as she still remains balanced on the high wire. Sweat pours down her unhappy face, as Azula and the Circus Master, who look up tensely towards Ty Lee, his fists balled into frustration.
"Brilliant, just brilliant!" She says looking down at the Circus Master. "Oooo, what kind of dangerous animals do you have?" She asks him.
"Well, our circus hosts the most exotic assortment..." The Circus Master begins to say.
"Release them all." She orders cutting him off. Ty Lee looks terrified, sweaty face as the sounds of wild animals erupt from within the tent.
At the Governor's palace, his wife sits in a chair on the balcony, sobbing at the loss of her baby boy, Mai stands next to her and offers her a handkerchief. "So, the resistance has kidnapped my son." The Governor demands. "Everything so clever, so tricky. Just like their king." He exasperates on the verge of rage.
"What do you want to do, sir?" A guard asks him, the Governor turns around and looks back out over the city with the full moon above it.
A bouquet of what looks like dead roses drop unceremoniously on a table, with Azula stands behind Ty Lee as she sits at her dressing table, the roses had been dumped on her dressing table. "What an exquisite performance. I can't wait to see how you'll top yourself tomorrow." Azula tells her as Ty Lee looks at her through the mirror's reflection.
"I'm sorry Azula, but unfortunately there won't be a show tomorrow." Ty Lee tells her.
"Really?" Azula asks her shocked.
"The universe has given me strong hints that it's time for a career change. I want to join you on your mission." Ty Lee says taking off her tiara, Azula looks satisfied with her answer to join her as she has gotten her way yet again.
Several Fire Nation guards carrying Azula's litter on their shoulder through one of Omashu's plazas. Azula sits in her litter, as Mai and the Royal Adviser stands at the foot of a large, white staircase, then the guards lower the litter to the ground in front of Mai and the Royal Adviser. Azula gets out from her litter and walks over to Mai and the Royal Adviser joined quickly by Ty Lee at her side. "Please tell me you're here to kill me," Mai asks her old friend in her dull voice after bowing to her, she looks up slightly and smiles as the Royal Adviser bows to the bratty Princess then leaves as Mai and Azula begin to laugh with one another.
"It's great to see you, Mai," Azula tells her hugging her and Ty Lee runs over to him joining in on hugging Mai.
"I thought you ran off and joined the circus? You said it was your calling." Mai asks her somewhat surprised at her friend being there.
"Well, Azula called a little louder." Ty Lee says releasing Mai and smiles widely.
"I have a mission and I need you both," Azula tells her putting one of her hands on each of their shoulders.
"Count me in. Anything to get me out of this place." Mai answers her quickly wanting out of Omashu.
"Another thing, who was the woman with you?" Azula questions her friend.
"That was the old Royal Adviser to the King. She has to stay here." Mai answers her looking at where the Royal Adviser had left, confused why Azula had asked about her.
Azula sits in the Governor's chair, flanked by guards, in front of her stands the Governor, his wife, the Royal Adviser and Azula's friends. "I apologize." The Governor tells her as he kneels on a red pillow, looking up at Azula, his hands held out before him in a pleading gesture. "You've come to Omashu at a difficult time. At noon we're making a trade with the resistance to get Tom-Tom back." He tells her.
"Yes, I'm so sorry to hear about your son," Azula says to him and crosses her legs in front of her, "but really, what did you expect by just letting all the citizens leave?" She asks him then she stands up, suddenly angry, and looks down upon him. "My father has trusted you with this city." She makes a slashing gesture with her left hand. "And you're making a mess of thing!" She shouts at him.
"Forgive us, Princess." The Royal Adviser tells her as the Governor prostrates himself. Azula walks between the Governor and her two friends as she looks down at him.
"You stay here," Azula orders him, as Mai and Ty Lee stand up behind her. "Mai will handle the hostage trade so you don't have a chance to mess it up." She tells him. "And there is no more 'Omashu'. I'm renaming it in honour of my father, the City of New Ozai." She adds even when not there she tries winning her father's affections.
Aang wearing his hat with Katara and Sokka at the bottom of the scaffolding of a huge statue that is under construction, each of them looks ahead with defiance as Sokka holds the baby. Mai, Azula and Ty Lee mount the platform, with Mai leading the group, the two groups face one another at opposite ends of the construction platform. A crane lowers a metal coffin suspended by a chain, inside is the laughing and snorting of King Bumi can be heard, as the coffin twists on the chain as he is visible through a porthole just large enough for his face. "Hi, everybody!" King Bumi greets, then the coffin lands standing straight up behind Mai and her friends.
"You brought my brother?" Mai asks them not really caring about it.
"He's here. We're ready to trade." Aang tells the other group.
"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?" Azula asks Mai as Bumi grins behind them all.
"Of course not, Princess Azula," Mai tells her turning towards her.
"We're trading a two-year-old for a king," Azula says turning to Bumi. "A powerful, Earthbending King." She adds and he smiles, closing his eyes and nods in agreement. "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?" She asks and Mai looks away from Azula towards her brother in Sokka's arms. Aang and Sokka stand, the baby cooing over Sokka's shoulder and Mai begins to walk forward.
"You're right." Mai agrees with her friend. "The deal's off." She tells Aang and raises her left hand and Bumi is lifted back off the ground as the chain is reeled in from above.
"Whhhoa! See you all later!" Bumi shouts out seeming to be enjoying himself as Aang, Katara and Sokka watch as he is hauled up as Bumi continues to laugh and snort.
"Bumi!" Aang shouts out to him, he then rushes forward towards Mai, Azula and Ty Lee, as he approaches Azula bends a plume of whitish blue fire at knee level towards Aang, who jumps high into the air to avoid it. He lands down on part of the partially constructed building and jumps off again, he opens his glider in mid-air, but loses his hat, exposing his tattoo. He grabs the hat with his mouth before it flies away, but it is too late, Azula immediately recognised him.
"The Avatar!" Azula exclaims in surprise as Aang spirals upwards with his glider, then Azula looks smug. "My lucky day." She smirks and runs over to the elevator winch and releases the break with a blast of blue fire. The winch begins to spin rapidly as Azula grabs one of the chains attached to the mechanism, the winch raises her rapidly toward the top of the construction scaffolding.
Aang lands atop of Bumi's metal coffin as it continues its ascent. "Aang, is that you? Where did you come from?" Bumi asks him.
"Hang on! We're gonna get you out of here." Aang tells him and he takes a deep breath and begins to blow onto the chain connecting the coffin to the crane, it slowly freezes.
Mai and Ty Lee charge at Katara and Sokka, several blades extend from Mai's right hand during that are shot of Katara and Sokka behind her watching the charge. Katara is in a Waterbending stance while Sokka blows on the bison whistle in the background. "We've got to get the baby out of here!" Katara orders her brother as he still holds the baby.
"Way ahead of ya! Sokka tells her after whistling for Appa with a smile on his face, the baby grabs a hold of the whistle, the Water Tribe siblings run to the edge of the construction platform. Suddenly, a fist punches Sokka's foot as he passes over a hole in the floor, he goes sprawling to the edge of the platform, but lands on his back to protect the baby.
Katara looks down the platform to Sokka and sees Ty Lee vault out of the trap door in the floor and heading towards Sokka and the baby. She creates a water whip and prepares to strike Ty Lee, but turns just in time to use the whip to raise up some wood from the floor to block the blades that Mai has just thrown at her. The blades bury themselves in the wooden plank, Katara then uses the whip to throw the piece of wood at Mai, then turns to catch Ty Lee's ankle with it. Ty Lee falls flat on the ground as Sokka climbs down a ladder with the baby, in the background, Katara whips Mai away once again as Sokka slides down the ladder and runs off below with the baby.
Bumi and Aang still being raised with the metal coffin and Aang continues to blow on the chain of the coffin. "Aang, stop your blowing for a minute," Bumi tells him and the chain is now encased in the ice where it meets the chain. In the background, an explosion of dust announces the arrival of Princess Azula, the top of the construction scaffolding and the metal coffin to which it is now adjacent to one another. Azula jumps high into the air after having been carried up at high speed by the mechanical energy of the winch below, she reaches the height of her arc, she unleashes a blast of blue fire from her foot at Aang. He's still on top of the metal coffin as the blast comes towards him, he partially deflects it with his staff, but the chain holding them breaks. "Now hold on just a -" He begins to say and the chain breaks apart and they fall, he shouts out at the sudden motion. Azula watches the coffin fall, Aang atop the falling metal coffin as they are about to hit one of Omashu's chutes, he creates a huge airball that deflects their fall and they land in the chute and begin to ride it down.
Azula watches from a perch high above, she scowls jumping into a nearby box, which falls into a nearby chute following after them as Aang surfs atop Bumi's metal coffin as it rockets down the chute. "Just like old times, isn't it, Bumi?" he asks his friend smiling and laughing.
"Aang, I need to talk to you!" Bumi yells out to him.
"It's good to see you too!" Aang yells back not understanding because of the noise they were making, he looks up to see Azula riding a box in another chute just above them. He begins to twirl his staff rapidly to dissipate the blue fire bolts that are being rapidly fired at them by the Princess, their chutes merge and Azula is now behind them. Aang launches a gale at her, but she parts it with her hands steepled in front of her, she follows, launching more fire blasts at him, finally, they enter a portion of the chute that has arches over it at short intervals. Aang blasts at them with wind and they come tumbling down on the chute between Azula and him with Bumi still in his coffin, Azula still riding atop the box, they both disappear as they enter the dust cloud of the fallen arches. The box emerges from the other side just without Azula atop, Aang breathes a sigh of relief, but soon screams as she stands up from where she had been crouching in the box. She launches another blue blast of fire at the Avatar, but he ducks out of the way avoiding the flame.
Katara faces Mai on the construction platform, she whips Mai but misses as Mai leans back to avoid the water. As she leans back, Mai launches another blade from one of her devices, this one around her ankle, but Katara blocks it with a wall of ice. Mai charges towards Katara, her arms sweeping back behind her in a herringbone formation, as she approaches, Katara encases Mai's arm in water then freezes it but Mai tries breaking the ice with her free hand but fails.
Ty Lee jumps up onto the platform and bounds towards Katara, she systematically jobs various pressure points on Katara's body, apparently causing her whip to fall to the ground, useless, and the ice around Mai's arm melts away. Ty Lee jumps over to stand next to Mai, Katara recovers and assumes another Waterbending stance trying to raise the water from the platform, but very little happens, the girls both wait for Katara to do something.
"How are you gonna fight without your bending?" Mai taunts her as she pulls out another blade from her robe, this one has three pointed devices that unfold into a talon shaped throwing star. Katara gasps in fear as Mai gets ready to throw, as she does, Sokka's boomerang comes from behind Mai knocking the star out of her hand.
Sokka comes around atop Appa, who catches his boomerang in hand. "I seem to manage!" Sokka shouts out to her answering her earlier questions as they land between Katara and her would be killers. Appa's tail comes down in a huge arc, smashing the platform in behind him, throwing Mai and Ty Lee way back and making a huge hole in the floor.
Sokka and Katara are now atop Appa flying away, she looks to her left finding the young Avatar still on the move, she points him out. "There's Aang!" She exclaims.
"We can catch him!" He tells her as the chute where Aang and Azula are battling clearly visible below them.
Azula throws more blasts of her blue fire ahead of her towards Aang, he deflects them with his staff as Appa and the others pull up alongside. "Hang on, Bumi! Our ride's here!" Aang announces to his old friend and strikes the side of the chute with his staff, launching the metal coffin out of the chute. Katara and Sokka try to grab the coffin as it passes overhead, but they miss it and the coffin sails over Appa falling down to the other side. Bumi screams on the way down and they land crosswise on another chute and break right through it. They fall through to another chute, this time landing lengthwise and they begin to slide down once more.
Azula continues to pursue them in her box and creates a circular saw blade of blue fire then launches it at the metal coffin. As it approaches, Bumi strains in his bonds causing a pillar of Earth to rise up through the chute in time to absorb the blast. Azula jumps out of her box just as it impacts on the pillar of Earth, she slides to a halt in the chute, looking very displeased as she watches Aang and Bumi slide away.
Meanwhile, Bumi's metal coffin begins to plane out as it reaches the bottom of the chute. "You could Earthbend all along?" Aang asks him astonished at this fact.
"Well, they didn't cover my face," Bumi remarks and strains again within his bonds, and an outcropping of rock appears, the metal coffin hits it as it exits the chute ending up standing straight up on the newly raised rock with Aang now looking up at Bumi in his coffin.
"I don't understand," Aang says getting angry at his old friend. "Why didn't you free yourself? Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded? What's the matter with you, Bumi!?" He questions becoming rapid fire.
"Listen to me, Aang. There are options in fighting, called jin. It's a choice of how you direct your energy." Bumi tells him.
"I know!" Aang says holding up his fingers as he counts them off. "There's positive jin when you're attacking, and negative jin when you're retreating." He adds.
"And neutral jin when you do nothing!" Bumi adds.
"There are three jins?" Aang asks him startled by this, looking at his hand which now has three fingers raised.
"Well, technically there are eighty-five. But, let's just focus on the third. Neutral jin is the key to Earthbending. It involves listening and waiting for the right moment to strike." Bumi tells him.
"That's why you surrendered, isn't it?" Aang questions him with dawning understanding.
"Yes, and it's why I can't leave now," Bumi informs his dear friend, Aang looks down and turns away, clearly sad and disappointed.
"I guess I need to find someone else to teach me Earthbending," Aang states, upset that his old friend will not teach him.
"Your teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral jin You need to find someone who waits and listen before striking," Bumi advises him and Momo jumps onto Aang shoulder and begins chittering.
"Hey, Momo!" Aang greets his furry friend.
"Momo's mastered a few jins himself!" Bumi announces who looks at Bumi and screams. "Goodbye, Aang. I'll see you when the time is right." He says before leaning back and his metal coffin tumbles backwards onto the chute. The mad king laughs maniacally, Bumi uses his Earthbending to drive his coffin back up the chute. Aang looks on at the now empty chute where his friend used to be with Appa and the others appearing behind him.
As Azula's litter is driven out of the city, she sits in her litter, partially obscured by the litter veil, her friends walking beside her. "So, we're tracking down your brother and Uncle along with RIn, huh? Mai asks her, not wanting to harm her dear friend Rin, who she had spent most of her happier memories with when RIn wasn't away on the battlefield.
"It'll be interesting seeing RIn and Zuko again, won't it Mai?" Ty Lee asks her, unknowing of the relationship blooming between Zuko and Rin, but Azula looks at them even then she knew that it was inevitable that they would side with RIn. Mai turns sideways, looking away hiding her brief smile before looking ahead again.
"It's not just Zuko, Iroh and Rin anymore. We have a third target now." Azula announces
Aang peeps over the balcony to the Governor holds his wife on the patio below where Aang is hiding, it is night now or just past dusk. Aang glides silently down from above and releases the baby, who toddles over to his saddened parents. Aang departs not wanting to be caught as silently as he came as the baby is greeted with overwhelming joy. "Tom-Tom!" The Governor's wife gasps at the sight of her baby and Aang watches from the roof with a smile before flying away.
During all of that, the Royal Adviser or Shai runs to the aviary to deliver a new message this time uninterrupted by any guards, she sends the messenger hawk to Rin, hoping it reaches her in time for her to ready for the oncoming fight she will face with both the Princess and her friends.
The three Fire Nation fugitives make camp in a forest area, Iroh already asleep snoring keeping Zuko and Rin awake. "How can I sleep with that!?" Zuko whisper-shouts to Rin who looks up at the night sky.
"Let's go for a walk," Rin suggests, getting up from the ground waiting for Zuko to join her, he too gets up taking her hand in his.
They walk around the dark forest with Rin casting a flame in her hand to keep light as they walk, the flame begins to shape into a dragon, flying around them. "Could you teach me how to do that?" Zuko asks her, she looks at him with confusion at first then sees what she was doing and nods her head.
"Sure I-" She is interrupted by a hawk shrieking above them, they look to the night sky to see a hawk flying above them. "That's Shai's hawk." She announces and whistles gaining the bird of prey's attention, she holds out her arm as it rests on and takes the message on its leg. She opens up the message and reads it then looks up at Zuko. "Seems your sister has recruited Ty Lee and Mai." She tells him, he looks at her in shock to the news and Rin takes the note and begins writing on the end for Shai to join them in Ba-Sing-Se as they would need their help.
"What are you doing?" He asks her, she finishes writing and puts the message back on the hawk's leg and sets it free to return to Shai with the message.
"Shai is going to join us in Ba-Sing-Se, once we get there are refugees, she's visited before but as the Royal Adviser to King Bumi but they've never seen her face." She explains, he looks at her even now she thought of battle plans even before the fight, he admired that about her, she thought things through. "Come on, let's try getting some sleep." She tells him and they head back to the campsite where Iroh still snoring loudly, they get themselves comfortable and soon sleep did follow.