Book II, Act I: Dark Crescendo, Chapter II

Edited by: Bieverdog AO3: GalavantingGoose

Book II, Flow

Act I: Dark Crescendo

Music:

In a Box - LOK OST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UO4FqFXCfA&list=PLlejc_qetMpgBKmB3mAplLr0eYDQqum_c

Sunrise of Flutes – Elder Scrolls Oblivion OST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v17z_nIidA

Third Date – How To Train Your Dragon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GnjaKpnIpg

Into the Light - Destiny 2 OST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggwq2j15dWo

Chapter II

Aang looked to the sky sadly as Appa soared higher. They had recently met Toph again, only to leave. To Ba Sing Se, no less. Sokka went with her after, so it was now just him and Katara. Being without Sokka was both a relief and weird at the same time. For once, he could be alone with her without him commenting about it or nagging Katara to the point of fighting with him stuck in the middle. The downside was the quiet. Well, depending on who you asked. No comments, no idle chatter, or jokes… He only wished they could all be together at least for once… like before. But he had long given up on that.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to let those two on their own?" Katara jokingly remarked as she fixed her hair.

He gazed down at the forests below. His eyes showed sorrow, but he didn't want her to notice. Even still, it was hard for him to not sound discouraged. "It's been a while since we've seen Toph. I'd like to stay if I could…"

She sighed. Aang was sure she was probably thinking the same thing. "There will be time for that later… Don't feel so bad, Aang; I'm sure we'll be able to fix it."

He looked down at his hands. "...What if we can't, Katara? Have you thought of that? We talked about this before. You didn't think it'd come to that; at that time, I didn't either. But we always assumed there would be a way we could sort things out. You've seen Zuko–he is entrenched in what he believes now… It– I might have to…"

She put a hand on his shoulder. "No, don't see things like that; don't give up on it, Aang. We are going to talk things out… you'll see. Kuei will understand–"

Aang stood up. "You're not seeing things clearly. If he doesn't back out, I cannot ignore him. I'd be repeating history… I would be allowing another war. He claimed all remaining colonies should become an exception, Katara! It's insane! The King will never accept it! monkey feathers! I'd even be surprised if the King even let Yu Dao become an exception."

"Sweetie, what makes you think that? If there's an option for peace, it would be in everyone's best interest to do what's fair to all. Nobody wants another war; the last one has already been hard enough. No one has recovered yet…"

"Let's not talk about this; I've had enough of this mess for the day. We still have a long road ahead to get to Ba Sing Se."

Her tone was reassuring. "You're right, just don't get caught up with it. Kuei will listen to us, you'll see…" Still, that didn't ease his anxiety.

"Sure…" He smiled lightly. He still couldn't get it out of his head, would be deceiving himself if he thought he would.

As their journey continued throughout the day, his mood slowly cooled down. Katara was probably right; he was making too much of a fuss about it. Kuei would listen; they would set up a meeting; and they would arrange a solution. He was going to make sure of that. The problem would be finally put to rest, and they would continue on as they did… He wondered, though, if he'd ever look at his friend the same way again. After all, they had been through… Had he not changed at all? Had his newfound power corrupted him? What if Zuko refused to back down?

Before he could ponder any longer, the massive walls of Ba Sing Se came into view. He raised an eyebrow when he saw there was still a half-closed gap in the outer walls. There were scaffolding and propped up wooden structures barely holding pieces of the wall together. He thought that they would have had it repaired by then.

He noticed some of the houses remained burnt down, and the areas were now home to makeshift houses more like tents piled one on top of the other. Others looked like plain earth houses probably built with earthbending. He assumed they were still at work and carried on forward, spotting a clear place to land in the Lower Ring.

As soon as they did, two girls came running to them, wearing plain brown tunics with his face sewn on the front. He knew he had turned into quite a celebrity around the Earth Kingdom, but he didn't expect that kind of recognition. They excitedly introduced themselves as Hei-Won and Won-Yee and told him they had made a 'fan club' and everything in his honor. The 'Official Avatar Aang fan club'... He had to tell Kyoshi about that; they both had something named after them now. Katara seemed to be in a sour mood, perhaps because of the long journey. The girls were even kind enough to offer them a place to stay. He accepted joyfully after they told him they had modeled their clubhouse after the Western Air Temple. He hadn't expected people to be so interested in his culture and be kind enough to do that.

It wasn't much like he expected, only a simple house with an Air Nomad banner hanging in the front and some upside down umbrellas placed atop the roof. That gesture almost made him tear up with happiness. Perhaps the airbenders wouldn't be forgotten. It gave him hope that he could change that. He thanked them fondly and excitedly followed them inside. The house was fully decorated with paintings: one of an air nomad symbol, as well as full portraits of himself, Appa, and Momo. The walls were painted white and had some beautifully hand-drawn clouds. What struck him the most was an airbending pit in the center.

The girls noticed how exhausted they were from the trip, guiding them to a small bedroom with wooden bunks. The room felt disconnected from the house, like they had suddenly entered an entirely different place. It was untouched, retaining the Earth Kingdom palette of green and brown.

He lay down on the bed, happy about the unexpected surprise. Katara didn't share his excitement, but he knew she was exhausted as much as he was. With his arms crossed over his chest, he looked up to the ceiling, trying to imagine himself in the Eastern Air Temple before the war. He soothed himself to sleep. Falling to the melodic sound of a flute.

Aang was awoken by a commotion outside the room. Puzzled, he went to the common room of the house, where he found yet more girls. It took a moment for them to notice his presence. Most were gathered around the center of the room, near the four-square airbending pit. It was yellow with a white border. Seeing it better in the light, he was surprised they managed to replicate one so similar to the originals.

A girl nearly fainted as he greeted them with a crooked smile. They all gathered around him astonished, then they made him try Nomad dishes they had prepared. Soon, Katara joined in, though she wasn't as cheery. The taste was a window to the past. He gave Katara a taste; and she claimed she liked it but sulked in a corner, much like Zuko used to do. Others focused solely on Momo, who, after taking a piece of moonpeach for himself, was chased around the room and spoiled by his fans with more food.

Aang paid Katara no mind as he thanked the girls with some airbending tricks. They clapped and cheered as he demonstrated his airballs as well as his air scooter, but he had a new one up his sleeve. He created a handful of air marbles, spinning them around his hands, and blew on them, turning them into multiple air scooters. They swooped around the pit, carrying the girls in circles around the room until the air slowly dissipated.

A brown eyed girl timidly approached him, holding her hands together behind her back and avoiding eye-contact as Hei-Won nudged her towards the Avatar and introduced her. From behind her back, she pulled out an authentic air nomad flute. He couldn't believe his eyes. Back then, it was the first instrument he had learnt to play. Gyatso had taught him himself.

She handed it to him, and it all came rushing back. He played as he used to: joyfully dancing and spinning around the room, entranced by the music as the girls joined in and danced around him.

Katara softly tapped his shoulder, a hint of annoyance in her gaze. "I hate to ruin the fun, Aang, but shouldn't we get going? We're here to meet with the Earth King, remember?"

He put down the flute. She was right; he had lost himself in the moment. He didn't want it to end, felt like he could go on for hours. It was like being with his old friends again. But he was the Avatar after all… He couldn't forget why they were there and what was at stake. "You're probably right…" He gave the girl her flute and thanked them for having let them stay the night. They accompanied them outside the house and waved cheerfully at them as they went.

Katara brisked towards the city, and he had to jog to catch up. She was always on to the next task. It had become second nature for her to remind them of what had to be done. "Well, you certainly seemed to enjoy those girls' attention."

"Weren't they amazing?!" He stopped, thinking back. It wasn't always that he was reminded of his people. "I know it's just a silly fan club, but for a moment there, it almost felt like... like I was at home again. With my people. Thanks for agreeing to stay there for the night, sweetie. It meant the world to me."

She hugged herself limply, looking down and saying softly, "Don't thank me, Aang. I don't deserve it."

As they walked along the city roads, heading straight for the train, he noticed how little had the city changed. It was still a mess of people going out and about. It felt weird not to see any Dai Li agents roaming the streets as they did. Instead, patrols of soldiers in light leather armor marched along, sometimes stopping random passersby to ask their identifications.

The general mood was uneasy, for even though the inhabitants of the city didn't have to worry about the war anymore, the scars of it still remained visible. Maimed war veterans hung on every corner begging. The city and its people would take time to heal. He couldn't expect things to be fixed immediately.

He did notice some new quarters with Fire Nation influence and that armed patrols circled around the area constantly. The newly built houses had graffiti all over them, with the words 'invaders' and 'go back to the Fire Nation' splattered in black. Some of the houses and stores had even barricaded their doors and windows. The people ambling around seemed afraid, looking behind their backs as they walked the muddied street.

Katara held his hand, urging him to keep walking.

The train station at least appeared to have a semblance of order, having ticket lines as long as in Ba Sing Se. At the car doors, the soldiers checked the passengers, randomly stopping them and questioning them. Luckily, none approached him and Katara.

As they finally squeezed into the crowded train, it began to softly slide down the tracks. When they passed through the Middle Ring, the change was night and day. The houses had been fixed, and buildings new as the dawn dotted the streets. Beggars, Peddlers, carts, and ostrich-horse drawn carriages buzzed with life. When it stopped, most of the people departed, leaving only a few well-to-do passengers. There weren't any guards questioning the passengers this time. The train was back on track.

Soon, they were in the Upper Ring, where luxurious buildings had sprouted from the ashes of the war. The squares and gardens, once filled with fallen soldiers, barricades and weaponry, were now glimmeringly clean. Perhaps they had begun their reconstruction from the center, prioritizing the well-to-do.

The armed patrols of soldiers were now replaced by the king's personal guard, marching or standing tall at the squares or before gardens and mansions, but their purpose appeared more ceremonial than practical.

They stepped off the almost barren train to see a station decorated as luxurious as a palace, with fountains and golden badger-mole statues. That sure was new. The people that had shared the ride with them began to queue towards the exit, where they were now being questioned by the King's personal guard.

A royal guardsman of some rank confronted them, leading a squad of four. "What business do you have in the Upper Ring?"

"I'm Avatar Aang. We're here to meet Earth King Kuei."

"It is an honor to meet you, Avatar. Have you scheduled any visits with the King? We weren't notified."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Uh… I think we did. We sent a letter ahead of us… It's urgent; we couldn't wait to get an appointment."

"I see... I might have to bother you two for a minute. I need to speak with my superiors to let you through if you haven't got an appointment." The soldier stepped away, leaving two others behind him.

"Sure… but please try not to take so long. We really need to speak to the King."

They sat alone in the station. At first, they thought it wouldn't take more than a few minutes, then an hour passed… and another. The train had already come and gone twice, barren of passengers. They had already gotten tired of staring at the soldiers, who behaved more like statues than people. When the sun reached its height, signaling midday, the soldiers parted from the sealed entrance, opening the door. A man in an elaborate white and green tunic with gold trim smiled at them broadly.

He extended his arms like he was greeting old friends, bowing before them. The jewelry dangling from his ridiculously tall hat clanked from the sudden movement. Momo tried to reach out for the jewels, but Aang snatched his hand. "Good day, Avatar Aang and Master Katara."

Katara raised an eyebrow, slightly amused by the ridiculous outfit. Aang could tell she was trying not to laugh. "Master Katara?"

"An appropriate title for a master waterbender, wouldn't you agree?" He raised his gaze slightly, his smug smile eerily unchanging.

Katara, taken aback by the compliment, took a moment to reply. "Thank you, and who might you be?"

"I'm Grand Secretariat Mingzhi." The man laughed when he saw the look of shock in their faces. "Oh, please don't be alarmed; the purpose of my office has always been to be the right hand of the King. He is happy to learn that you have arrived in the city. I am merely here to escort you to him…after some time. I am afraid that His Majesty is currently in a council meeting. It is the main reason why you see the streets are quiet now."

"Oh, that's okay… I guess…" He guessed that would mean more waiting, so he looked at Katara, who was just as puzzled.

The man smiled, already moving past the guards, and waved them on. "Don't you stand there; follow me. There's plenty we can do whilst we wait."

As they passed by the guards, finally walking inside the Upper Ring, the first thing they noticed was the lack of people. Why would everyone go inside during a council meeting? He looked around expecting to see anyone else at all. Instead, all they saw was the King's soldiers.

Minghzi led them through the empty streets nearer to the palace. As they walked, Katara bumped Aang's arm, and he looked forward to see an imposing, bronze statue had been built, surrounded by a gilded pool of water and with braziers lit around it. It looked new.

The closer they got to it, he started to realize it was of him. His statue was wearing his ceremonial robes and necklace and holding out his staff as if leading the world on to a brighter future. His eyes had been decorated with pearls. The man stood next to it, pointing at a plaque.

In honor of Avatar Aang, who delivered us from the tyranny of the Fire Nation and ended the great war.

The man's green eyes looked at him, expectant. And Aang bowed. "I'm honored." He felt thankful about it, but he surely didn't expect all the praise he would receive for doing what he had to do.

"I'm glad it is to your liking." The man looked proud of himself.

Katara hummed. He could tell she wasn't happy about it. "It is beautiful, really. Seems expensive."

Minghzi smiled politely. "That may be so, but one cannot be scant when building a monument for the one that ended the Hundred Year War."

She faced the man. "I understand, only it might be money better spent on the Lower Ring." He pursed his lips.

The man clasped his hands together. "I see what this is about. But, Master Katara, do not worry; His Majesty is not economical when it comes to his subjects either. I assure you he is doing everything within his power to bring the city back to its former glory."

She crossed her arms, a tad annoyed. "It doesn't seem to be enough."

It isn't the time for that. Aang put a hand on her shoulder. "Katara…"

The Grand Secretariat sighed dramatically. "I am afraid great changes are hard to see around the Lower Ring due to its vastness. I am sure you know that it is home to most of the population of Ba Sing Se as well as the new refugee arrivals. To date, there have been exactly three thousand and ninety-seven houses rebuilt, and daily meals are being handed to everyone free of charge."

Aang scrunched his forehead, for it wasn't like what he had experienced. "I didn't see any of that."

Minghzi waved it off. "It would be hard to do so since our rebuilding efforts have been done here and there, not by section. It is more of a patchwork than a grand redesign. Concerning the food, it is distributed at designated areas at the midday mealtime and in the evening. It is only natural that you didn't see it. I am sure that if the Master or the Avatar have any other questions about it, His Majesty will be able to answer them."

It seemed a lot had been done in some areas, but he was still puzzled about one thing. "Well… I do have another question. Uh, is there a reason why you haven't repaired that hole in the outer wall?"

The man raised a finger. "Oh, I am glad you asked. The Impenetrable City they called it. Now that byname is in danger. We have been trying to find a solution; and since the conflict is finished, we can afford the time to research the problem." As they followed the secretariat he strolled forwards, barely taking any pause to breathe as he barraged them with more frivolous smalltalk.

Bored of it, Aang looked around. The buildings looked untouched by the war, when once they had been partially burnt to cinders. The city really had managed to make a lot of progress.

As they continued walking, he paused. A soldier in red armor? He rubbed his eyes for a second. Is that a Fire Nation soldier? When he looked closely, he noticed it wasn't one but at least a dozen of them standing guard before a mansion. A small Fire Nation banner fluttered shyly from the entrance.

Aang pointed towards the house, alarmed. "What's that building over there with the Fire Nation soldiers?"

Minghzi stopped, confused until he spotted the building. "That would be the Fire Nation embassy. Quaint isn't it? Fire Lord Zuko and Earth King Kuei agreed to have it built, or rather repurposed (that building is quite old). But the embassy is one of the newest additions to the city since the war ended."

Katara pointed at the barricades and improvised watch towers around it. "Does it always look like a military base?"

The man nodded, pursing his lips. "As of recently, yes. Some people tried to attack it a while ago. It was a regrettable affair."

Katara raised a brow. "Why would they attack them?"

But the man shrugged, looking as clueless as she was. "Well, I am sure you know how it is, Master Katara. Having been so recently at war with them, it is hard to blame the people that still have strong feelings about them. But I can proudly say we have been actively working with our counterparts in the Fire Nation, all in the best interests of our peoples."

There came the sounding of a gong. "Ah, hear that? The council meeting should be over. Let's not keep His Majesty waiting." He promptly rushed them to the palace. Once inside, he bowed to them, letting them into the throne room and disappearing out of their sight. Momo flew forward as they walked towards the Earth King. He was sitting on his throne, petting his bear with a bored expression.

Aang bowed. "Greetings, Earth King Kuei!" At their sight, the King stood up to greet them with a smile from ear to ear.

"Avatar Aang! Katara of the Southern Water Tribe! It's been much too long!" Katara smiled and bowed as the king fixed his glasses. "I heard you were in the Earth Kingdom dealing with the situation at Yu Dao! Thank you for all your help with the removal of that colony! The remaining few seem to be more difficult than–""

Katara held her hands stiffly. "That's why we're here, Your Majesty. We'd like to set up a meeting between you and Fire Lord Zuko. Yu Dao... is still there."

Aang smiled uncomfortably. "For now." Then, Momo leapt from his shoulder, flying straight over to the sleepy bear.

The King rubbed his chin. "So then, the Fire Lord persists in denying the movement his support! He wants to keep his colonies!"

Aang brought his hand to his chest. "Earth King Kuei, I'm on your side! The people of the Fire Nation don't belong in your Kingdom, so the Harmony Restoration Movement has to continue! With a little convincing, I'm sure Fire Lord Zuko–"

Katara sideglanced at Aang. "Fire Lord Zuko has legitimate concerns about the colonials who still live there! We really need to sit down and talk through our options. Maybe there's something we missed."

Kuei shook his head. "I can't see how we could have missed something. The maps before the war were clear–these colonies were installed on Earth Kingdom soil."

"As I said, Your Highness, the Fire Lord's concern is about the people who currently live there. We are trying to find a solution that could be amenable to both parties that doesn't harm those caught up in between. There are thousands of families there; children. They've lived there their whole lives–"

The King held up a hand. "Stop. That's enough. I thank you for coming all the way here, but I cannot give you an answer right. I shall convene with my council again." When he was already leaving, he turned around. "I had ordered a meal to be prepared in your honor. Why don't you go ahead? Enjoy it. I'll join you once I have arrived at a decision." They bowed, and the King left, not even taking his pet bear. Bosco didn't mind having Momo atop his head and took the opportunity to take another nap.

Aang sighed. "That went down smoothly."

Katara was perplexed. "Do you really not care about those people, Aang?"

"I do, but they don't belong there. They have to get over that. Their home is in the Fire Nation; that is all I know. They aren't the victims here, Katara. They will be fine once they are back in their real home."

A white haired man with a long beard slowly limped up to them, clad in full armor jangling with medals. "Do my old eyes deceive me? Avatar Aang, isn't it?"

Aang smiled and bowed to the old man. "Yes…and your name?"

The man brought a fist to his chest, saluting him. "Oh, my apologies. I'm General Yu. It is a pleasant surprise to have you visiting us. To what do we owe your visit?"

"We came here to speak with Earth King Kuei. We just did, actually."

Yu looked back, maybe expecting the King himself. "Well… That was a short audience; we had just finished a council meeting. Or perhaps time has zoomed by. When you're my age, you'll know what I mean."

Katara was a bit surprised. "You are one of his ministers?"

"Member of the Council of Five, actually. The Earth King needs all the advice he can get lately. The war may be finished, but there is still a lot of work to be done… and a lot more once we have to deal with whatever is left of those pesky colonies. We can't thank you enough for all that you're doing to restore our kingdom." Yu nodded a bow.

Aang laughed nervously. "I've been doing what I can… We have found some issues, but we're trying to work around them."

"Oh how is that? Maybe there's something I can assist you with."

"That is fine, General, we've spoken to the Earth King about it–"

"General Yu, His Majesty is waiting for you to begin a meeting."

The old general narrowed his eyes and turned his ear to the servant, who repeated the message.

"Another one?" I'll be there immediately. Well, Avatar, it was a pleasure to meet you."

As the General was leaving, Katara whispered to Aang. "I didn't see that guy in the Council of Five…"

He shrugged. "Maybe he's new." A servant shyly entered the room and asked them to follow them to their table. Adjacent to the throne room, they found a long table laden with fish, bread, dumplings, salads, noodles, and rice. He was dazzled by the choices.

His mouth was already watering from the smell. "Is all this supposed to be for us?"

"The other guests are in a meeting, but the King said anyone could have as much as you wanted. Or if there's a dish you may desire, we can make the royal chef prepare it for you."

"This is more than enough, thank you…" The servant bowed and stepped away to join another. He was uncomfortable that the attendants had to stand there looking as they ate. Kuei's bear was brought inside the room on a leash by three other servants, and it walked on its hind legs and sniffed before sitting next to him. It buried its head in a fish, devouring it. The servants quickly set another before it. Aang laughed, paying him no mind as he tasted the tofu.

Katara brought a hand to her mouth, closing her eyes. "Mm! Sweetie, you have to try this!"

"I'm still working on these delicious pan-fried noodles!"

"This has got to be the best tofu I've ever tasted! Right, Momo?" The lemur snatched a dumpling from his hand, immediately munching on it.

Kuei entered the room, accompanied by his guards and with a grim look on his face. "Avatar Aang and Katara, thank you for giving me the time to ponder our present situation."

Aang stood up with his mouth half full, saying, "No problem, your earthiness! Thank you for dinner! So, when should we set up our meeting with Fire Lord Zuko?"

Kuei stared at his clenched fist. "I'm sorry, but you're not going to like what I have to say. All my life I've been weak–so weak that my most trusted advisor was able to hide a hundred years' war behind a curtain of lies! Well, I'm tired of being weak! It's time for me to be a man!"

Aang almost choked on his food, his eyes widening with fear.

Katara gruffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The King slammed his fist into his palm. "Fire Lord Zuko promised he would see the Harmony Restoration Movement through to the very end. Now he's turned his promise into a lie! Why should I meet with him? So he can tell me more lies?! I will not stand for any more lies! I will order General How to lead my troops to Yu Dao and enforce harmony!"

Katara paled. "Your Majesty, do you even hear what you're saying?"

Aang shook his head, alarmed. "Please, Earth King Kuei! Sending your army there will be seen as a declaration of war!"

Kuei's gaze was resolute. "The Fire Nation residents of Yu Dao will either leave my kingdom peacefully or face the direst of consequences! That is my decision! If you are not with me, Avatar Aang, then I can only assume you are against me!" The King turned around, and his guards blocked the way behind him.

Aang held his hand out. "Your Majesty! Please wait!" The doors closed with a dull thud, and the guards stood before them in stony silence. But they opened again as General Yu marched in, escorted by royal guards.

Aang turned pleadingly to the man. "General Yu, you have to let us through!"

"I'm sorry, Avatar, the Earth King doesn't want to be disturbed."

In disbelief, Katara screamed at him, "You have to make him see reason! He could start another war!"

The General raised an eyebrow. "War? What war would he start?"

The Avatar was dumbfounded. "You went to the meeting; you know he wants to send the army to Yu Dao!"

"And how do you assume that could start a war, Avatar Aang? The Earth Kingdom has sovereignty over that territory, reaffirmed by our treaty with the Fire Nation. We're within our rights. I'd suggest you convince Fire Lord Zuko to evacuate the colony peacefully. The army will merely oversee the operation."

With her eyes wide, Katara tried to step closer to Yu, but then his men grabbed their weapons. "General, this is madness! You cannot allow this! Where is General How? We have to see him."

The old man's tone was dry and cutting, his green eyes fixed on Katara's hands. "General How isn't here at the moment. I will ask you again to leave the palace; my men here can escort you out if you desire." She was reaching for her water bag.

Aang placed a hand on hers before bowing his head. "Thank you, General; we know where the door is." He almost had to pull Katara to leave, for she was still in shock.

The guards stared at them with caution as they walked out of the palace. Katara had been holding her breath. "Has everyone gone mad?! They were going to attack us!"

He looked down. He was disappointed by Kuei, for his method might have been wrong; but the man was still right. "No… I don't think the Earth King would have let them."

Katara's lip quivered. "Then why kick us out like that?"

He held her hands. "He's probably angry we came up with this. He shouldn't be doing this, but it is their land."

She closed her eyes. "What can we do now? We cannot allow this to happen."

He gripped her hands tighter, looking away for an answer that didn't come. He wished he could speak to Roku now… anyone at all. But there was only so much they could do. "We– We tell Zuko… Maybe help to try to get the people out before their army arrives. That way, we can make sure no violence breaks out."

"...Okay, you're right, maybe there's still time…"

Wasting no time, they quickly got their bearings, running towards open space. Aang whistled for Appa, who swooped down for them, gaining the attention of the surrounding guards. They would have to fly straight through the night if they even hoped to get as far as Yu Dao during the day. He felt bad for demanding so much from Appa, but they were running against the clock. However, if anyone could prevent a war it was them.