Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Extreme =&gt; Extreme Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Violence on 26-02-2013, 10:16:33</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>26-02-2013, 10:16:33</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/eb/Pheonix_queen_azula.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/b5/Capital_crater.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Phoenix Queen Azula<br><strong>Location:</strong> Fire Nation Capital, Courtyard<br><strong>Weather:</strong> Mild Rain, Distant Lightning<br><hr><hr><br>It was rare that the streets of the Capital were quiet.&nbsp; Normally the city hummed with the sound of trade and tourism.&nbsp; Particularly since what had become known as Unification Day, four years ago.&nbsp; The day when all four nations had finally come together in harmony.&nbsp; The wise and noble princess Azula succeeded where the traitorous Dragon of the West had failed and presented her father with the city of Ba Sing Se, a city that greeted the Fire Nation as liberators and saviors.&nbsp; After her father's untimely death, the courageous and valiant Princess Azula was crowned as Fire Lord and she extended the offer to the Northern Water Tribe to cease this foolish war and join in the glory of the united Fire and Earth Nation.&nbsp; That was Unification Day.<br><br>The land that arose became known as the Phoenix Imperium, and Fire Lord Azula had been rechristened the Phoenix Queen.&nbsp; The Imperial Council, also called the Phoenix Council, was formed with representatives of each of the great regions of the Imperium.&nbsp; One representative of the nobility from the three Nations and, because Queen Azula was as benevolent as she was beautiful, one representative was taken from the peasantry of each nation as well.&nbsp; From the Earth Kingdom, former Earth King was named Councilman of the Earth Nobility.&nbsp; A rebel and former freedom fighter, Jet, was named Councilman of the Earth Commons.&nbsp; The Princess of the Northern Water Tribe disavowed her title and was named Councilwoman of the Water Nobility.&nbsp; Finally, and most evident of Queen Azula's ability to turn enemies into friends, former enemy of the state Katara was named Councilwoman of the Water Commons.<br><br>On the first anniversary of Unification Day, the Queen held an elaborate ceremony and celebrated the day by taking for herself a bride.&nbsp; The fierce and beautiful warrior became Queen-Consort, Wife and Protector of the Phoenix Queen, the Silver Queen Ty Lee.&nbsp; The known world rejoiced at their union. And finally, after more than a hundred years of a war, the nations of the world lived in harmony and peace under the gracious leadership of their enlightened Queen.<br><br>Or so the History Books all said.<br><br>There's a saying about History and Victors...<br><br>The rain was soothingly rhythmic against the the ground as the turtle ducks crossed the courtyard to wade in the fountain.&nbsp; It was midday but the cloud cover made it almost as dark as dusk.&nbsp; The summer heat combined with the rain to turn all of Capital Crater into a sauna like it did every summer.&nbsp; Drops evaporated almost as soon as they touched the ground, creating a murky atmosphere.&nbsp; It could be more accurate to say one swam through Capital Crater than walked, that day... had anyone been on the streets to do so.<br><br>It was a day of Mourning.&nbsp; The anniversary of the death of Fire Lord Ozai, and Azula counted herself thankful that the sky was weeping for him.&nbsp; It saved her the trouble of having to try and fake tears of her own.<br><br>Servants held the heavy umbrella over the Phoenix Queen while she read by the light of a hoving blue flame.&nbsp; Her arms around Ty Lee as they lay on a bench covered with pillows brought from inside the palace.&nbsp; She rested the silk binding of the book between her wife's breasts so that the soft leather cover fall open against her curves, and the pages were displayed so they both could read at the same time.&nbsp; She never turned the page before she heard a noise of confirmation from her lover.<br><br>Azula was almost sleepily content as she recline in a royal robe, left open just enough for her beloved to rest against her bare flesh.&nbsp; In a rare display, her hair was let down freely and the Phoenix crown rest in a chest by her side. She had been reading in silence and quiet contemplation for several blissful minutes.&nbsp; She enjoyed the words more when they wrapped so comfortably around the form of her wife's body.<br><br>She was surrounded by women.&nbsp; Her wife.&nbsp; The serving girls with the umbrellas, and fans, and bowl of cherries.&nbsp; At the end of the bench, sitting under another umbrella was her loyal adviser and hand, Lady Mei.&nbsp; Mei had been charged by her Queen days ago with writing a suitable love poem to read to Ty Lee on their coming anniversary, but the only words Mei had been able to come up with were mostly about the blackness of dispair and how much romance made her want to vomit.&nbsp; Another slip of paper was crumpled and tossed callously to the ground, hitting a turtle-duckling as it flew.&nbsp; Azula laughed a little as it filled her with a sense of nostalgia.<br><br>One of the serving girls was quick to run out into the rain and gather the crumpled paper and toss it into a basket full of others.&nbsp; It was established the the Phoenix Queen valued cleanliness.&nbsp; It was known within the palace to be easy to upset the Queen, and depending on her mood the punishment could be quick or last ages.&nbsp; Men were usually put to death.&nbsp; Women the Queen "expected better of" and her punishments often reflected that expectation.&nbsp; It was rare she'd kill a girl for doing wrong, but it was all too common she would make them wish she had.<br><br>All in all, Azula could not have asked for a more relaxing day.&nbsp; And naturally, that meant it would come crashing to an end when a soldier came splashing through puddles in a hurry towards her.<br><br>"My Queen!&nbsp; I bring news of the rebellion..." he said.&nbsp; Even with the mask, Azula could tell where his eyes lingered.<br><br>Azula pulled her robe closed so that her bare breast was concealed. "Mei," she said. "Am I ugly?" she asked.<br><br>Mei shrugged, "No, Azula."&nbsp; She was probably the only person in all the world who could have answered without conviction.<br><br>"Hm," she turned the page of her book, "Am I a man?"<br><br>"I think Ty Lee would have mentioned something by now, Azula," Mei responded.<br><br>"And I'm also certain she'd have said something if my personal grooming had become disgusting," Azula said.&nbsp; "So, it would stand to reason, then, that I am not Admiral Zhao.&nbsp; So, Mei..."<br><br>"Yes, Azula?"<br><br>"Why is this soldier bringing me news of the rebellion?"<br><br>"I don't know," Mei shrugged, "Because he's stupid?"<br><br>"Or suicidal..." Azula purred.&nbsp; She finally let her yellow eyes fall on the soldier with disdain, "Care to tell me which it is?"<br><br>The soldier swallowed, "I was told to deliver a message.&nbsp; Urgent news in the Throne Room... from Admiral Zhao..."<br><br>Azula sighed and handed the book to Ty Lee, slinking out from under the girl and adjusting her robe again, "Then you're stupid <em>and</em> you've wasted my time."<br><br>"Someone's on a fast track to a promotion," Mei said.&nbsp; Her smokey voice coming as close to laughter as it ever did.<br><br>One of the serving girls attempted to place the crown back upon her head but she impatiently slapped the girl away as another tied her robe closed.&nbsp; If Admiral Zhao were calling for her, then that meant this news directly involved her brother.&nbsp; She raced quickly back to the throne room with the soldier at her heels, her bare feet getting dirty as they walked over the rain soaked stone path.<br><br><div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/89/670px-96%2C577%2C0%2C360-Azula_in_the_throne_room.png)</div>As she entered the throne room the pit in front of her seat burst to life in a wave of blue flame, she took her seat and breathed deeply looking down at the soldier and Admiral Zhao bowing before her.&nbsp; Formality dictated she bow to them, as well.&nbsp; She didn't.<br><br>"Guards... have this man stripped of rank and taken to Boiling Rock," she said.&nbsp; Immediately several Earth Benders descended upon him from the shadows and he was sealed in a virtual coffin of stone.<br><br>"He's been a loyal soldier," Zhao protested, though with all the conviction of a man reading the packaging information on a bag of Fire Flakes.<br><br>"And that is the only reason he's not being executed," Azula clarified as he was taken away.<br><br>Zhao offered no further argument but did question, "What was his crime?"<br><br>"He looked upon my royal flesh without permission," Azula explained. "In front of my wife."&nbsp; She looked, with boredom, at her finger nails and sighed, "I'd have him blinded but I don't wish to risk offending Lady Toph over such a trivial matter."&nbsp; Then she sighed. "He didn't even have the decency to compliment me."<br><br>"I'm worried about this rain," Zhao said. "That pet water bender you keep... this is asking for trouble.&nbsp; She should be executed."<br><br>"Lady Katara is more valuable to me where she is than all your fleets of ships, Admiral.&nbsp; And you will remember your position when you speak of her, I'll burn that tongue from your throat if you speak ill of her ouside these walls."<br><br>Zhao shook his head and bowed, "Of course, my Queen.&nbsp; No disrespect meant to the throne.&nbsp; But, this rain is expected to last for another day at least."<br><br>"Katara is contained," Azula assured him.&nbsp; Ty Lee's sisters surrounded the Lady Katara like a cage of flesh at almost all times.&nbsp; And she'd be locked inside a stone tower for the duration of the storm.&nbsp; Azula had been very careful about when Katara was allowed to bend.<br><br>"We have news that General Iroh..." Zhao changed the subject, getting down to brass tacks as it were.<br><br>"The Dragon of the West is simply Iroh, now, Admiral Zhao.&nbsp; He has no rank.&nbsp; He has no family."<br><br>"Well, he's been spotted in Omashu.&nbsp; Intelligence says he was on the road from Ba Sing Se.&nbsp; The rumor is that they're tracking a powerful bender," Zhao explained.<br><br>Azula looked on with all the enthusiasm usually reserved for the reading of a will.&nbsp; Her lips were pursed and her eyes half lidded and bored, her posture even slouched a little. "I could be bedding my wife, right now," Azula said crassly.&nbsp; "Why do I care if my brother and his cadre of oblivious fools have found another Earth Bender?"<br><br>"It's not an Earth Bender," Zhao said. "The rumor is that it's the Avatar."<br><br>"The Avatar is a Child's story..." but even as she said it, she doubted her own words.&nbsp; She'd never been a superstitious girl.&nbsp; She didn't believe in spirits she'd never seen, or places she'd never been.&nbsp; But something about the legend of the Avatar had always had too much truth to it.&nbsp; Her father had certainly feared it enough, and he was not a man that Azula had known to fear fairy tales. "If I had the Avatar... I wouldn't need my brother to sire an heir."&nbsp; It wasn't that Azula had any particular interest in incest, but to secure her throne she would need the seed of a powerful bender... and she would not allow herself to lie with the peasantry.&nbsp; Her brother had always seemed like the most logical choice.&nbsp; But... if the Avatar had returned... "Bring him to me."<br><br>"Of course, Phoenix Queen." Zhao bowed, "If we encounter your brother?&nbsp; Should we treat him as an enemy of the state?"<br><br>Azula thought about it.&nbsp; Even if there was a chance she could get what she needed from the Avatar, she wasn't the type to throw all her eggs in one basket.&nbsp; "No.&nbsp; I still want my brother returned to me alive..." she said. "In chains.&nbsp; But alive."&nbsp; She'd much rather hedge her bets.&nbsp; She dismissed him and the Admiral went about executing her orders.&nbsp; How he did it didn't really matter to her at this point, her mind was already laying out the rules for a new game. "So, Zuzu... you've finally found your Avatar?" she said to herself. "I'm glad.&nbsp; I might have gotten bored playing just against you and Uncle..."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>26-02-2013, 12:55:51</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Kataras_Fire_Nation_outfit_zps905253c1.png)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Stonetower_zpscb39a836.jpg)</div><br>Name: Katara <br>Location: Being locked in a stone tower<br>Thoughts or feeling's: She is pissed, and sick of being confined. <br>=========================================================================================================================================<br><br>The tower was a fairly large building that stood alone on a platform, only a lone trail of stairs lead up to the base. The tower was elevated slightly allowing for all the water to run off the building and continue on its way down the hill. Looking at it the building was nothing special but anyone in the know could see it was built by several Earth benders with the soul goal being that there would be no collection of water on or around the tower. There was no windows, and the only door was a solid slab of stone that was raised and lowered when it was needed. No matter were Katara was there was a minimum of four guards on some occasions such as this there had been more. All were well trained and all with the ability to block her Chi to keep her from bending. There was a wrapping at her door as the other guards showed up so they could transport her to the tower and 'Keep' her safe. Three guards stood at each side in a row blocking her from being able to move left or right, then two more filed in. One in the front and one to the rear. It was the anniversary of Azula's father's death and it was expected to rain. Hence her immediate transfer to where she would be kept. <br><br>To show her continued 'support' to the Phoenix Queen, Katara ha been dressed in a red top, and a red wrap skirt. Her hair was tied back in a traditional red ribbon. She was allowed her water tribe gear only on the days of a council meeting or in the event that she would be in the eyes of the public. Other than that she had no free will, and made no real choices on her own. It was worse than being a prisoner; she would much rather be tossed in a cell somewhere to be left alone to die in peace. That was not the case and was not going to happen. So for now she would suck it up and do what she needed to get fair and better treatment for her people. As the assortment climbed the long stairs to the tower two Earth benders would bow low to the guards. With a stomp of there foot the a small door would sink into the ground. Both Earth benders walked in side of the tower followed by the advanced guards. Two of them would walk in while the rest formed outside behind Katara. They would usher her in before they followed in single file. As the last guard cleared the entrance the door was replaced. The seal air tight to ensure there would be no water leaking through. In side the tower was broken up into several sections. A kitchen area, a bathroom, a bedroom, a common area, and that was it. All of the rooms were enclosed which is which is why the Earth benders had gone in with them. The guards having complete control of all the sections and area's where there would be water such as the kitchen or bathroom. Katara looked around as though there was going to be something different from the last time she had been in the tower, though as she expected there was not. <br><br>"Look I need a shower and I am hungry" she would call out to any of the guards that had been listening. <br><br>There had been a sigh from one of them but they seemed to agree. "Its always something isn't it Katara?". No sooner did the female speak Katara could feel the impact of knuckles being jammed into her shoulders and back. The girls small frame fell forward all of her muscles failing to work. The guard had blocked her Chi and locked up her muscles so they could manipulate her. "Alright it's your turn this time bring her up stairs and wash her off. You three go and make sure everything goes according to plan. Katara was picked up by two of the guards, they draped her arms around there necks and dragged her to the upper room. Once there the Earth benders would create a whole in the wall only to secure it once all were clear of the way. The room was a basic bathroom, there was a shower, a sink and a toilet. As two of the guard's stripped her down to nothing a third followed suit and un-clothed herself. Being that they knock out her ability to move her arms or legs she would have to rely on one of her guards to wash her. Having gone through this many times before she was sure it would have been more than sufficient to just block her Chi, though she figured this added to the humiliation and torture of her already rugged situation. <br><br>There had been no conversation as two guards held Katara up in the line of the water which pored from the spout. The similarly naked guard rubbing her hand's over Katara's exposed features. The soap gliding across her flesh. The girls would be smiling at Katara's pain but it was clear she was not enjoying it in the least. The guard stepped forward wrapping her arms around the Water bender's frame pulling her back so they were pressed up against one another. Moving the soap across Katara's breasts she would also lay her chin on Katara's shoulder. "What's wrong girly, I thought you wanted to get cleaned up." The only response was a very beaten and muffled sigh. The guard chuckled and finished. "Lets go, get her dried off before she starts to cry" The guard mocked Katara as she reached under the counter to throw some loose towels to the others in the room. Normally one would suffice but they could take no chances they needed to make sure she was completely dried off and her hair was rung out before they could leave. They had a job and they were damn good at it. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Karma</strong> on <strong>27-02-2013, 02:21:06</strong>
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				Ty Lee<br>Fire Nation Capital, Azula's Lap<br><br><div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/6/65/C98ab66c466d3fbc213734974fbc8f54.png)</div>Azula was always so warm. Others that had touched her and lived often described her as hot or burning, as if she had a fever; Ty Lee had never agreed with that. Maybe she was just more resilient than most, but she wasn’t even a fire bender, and so should have been more susceptible to heat. Instead, she basked in the waves of warmth that flowed through her with each beat of the Phoenix Queen’s vital heart.<br><br>The soft turn of the pages swam together with the rainfall, singing a lullaby in Ty Lee’s ears. Azula’s perfectly smooth, warm flesh only served to relax Ty Lee further, and she found herself sinking into her wife, idly wondering if they were still two people, or if they had finally merged. She struggled to keep her eyes open… though reading was not a pastime of hers, Azula sometimes liked to discuss their readings and would get displeased when Ty Lee got lost, which was too often.<br><br>Today’s reading was something historical. Fire Nation this, Avatar that… lost bending techniques and important names. Ty Lee wasn’t stupid, but academics had never been her interest, as she had preferred to get outside and play. It was lonely at times, as the playmates she was with were usually more interested in books and discussion. Still, Ty Lee decided it was worth trying to remember a few names to get a few more moments feeling Azula’s breast against her spine.<br><br>Like Azula, and at her request, Ty Lee had loosened her robe to bare her own breast to serve as a shelf for the book. Its silk binding was soft, and Ty Lee found herself shifting slightly now and then to enjoy the feeling of it sliding against her skin. It was all she could do to stay awake under the cascade of relaxation, and more than once a cherry gently pressed to her lips by Azula had brought her out of a near-nap. <br><br>She didn’t know how much time had passed when the soldier finally arrived and Azula had her bit of fun with him. At first she didn’t move to cover herself, as decisions like that were typically left up to Azula, but as the conversation ended and Azula prepared to leave, she wrapped up her matching robe and tied it lazily, holding the book tightly to her chest under an arm so her chest wouldn’t pain her as they walked quickly to the throne room. She kept up effortlessly, as usual, but not before swiping the bowl of cherries.<br><br>Her usual place was back and to Azula’s left, close enough to be within the queen’s reach at any time but far enough away to give her freedom of movement. One never knew when Azula would need to prepare a lightning bolt. The brisk pace brought her back to her senses, for whatever good they would do in the well-protected throne room as those of more responsibility than her talked politics and strategy. Still, she enjoyed watching Azula work. The way she treated most people was so very different from the way she had treated Ty Lee… at least, since the Phoenix had risen. Ty Lee tried not to think about how it had been before.<br><br>Zhao couldn’t help but glance at Ty Lee upon Azula’s comment about bedding. Ty Lee was already vaguely flustered about it, but his piercing gaze, if only for the slightest of moments, made her clench her jaw. There was judgment in those eyes, and she didn’t like it. Not that it was out of the ordinary for Zhao, of course; he made most people uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as Azula, though…<br><br>She inched slightly closer to her love.<br><br>Azula’s mere presence was a comforting shield from the daggered glances of Zhao. Ty Lee was always one to enjoy attention, and most of the time basked in it, but of late she had become acutely aware of the leering and sneering aimed their way from time to time. Back in the Earth Kingdom she thought it was just because they weren’t welcome, but she had been stunned to discover the same kind of looks here, just well-hidden. Their union was unwelcome everywhere. Ty Lee wasn’t sure why… they were in love, and so they should be married. It was simple. Of course, it wasn’t simple at all… but Ty Lee was good at convincing herself things were okay.<br><br>As Zhao took his leave, Ty Lee retrieved the fresh-hourly bowl of warm water from behind the throne. As thorough as the capital’s custodians were, dirt nonetheless accumulated on the floors, and Azula disliked her feet being dirty. She knelt before the throne, and the goddess who occupied it, gently taking her feet in hand and dipping them in the water, a ritual they had practiced a thousand times. Azula barely seemed to notice it, at first, as Ty Lee’s gentle, sure hands found every little nook and took the dirt from it. She never bothered with the towel; she liked the intimacy.<br><br>When she was done, and Zhao safely out of sight, she cupped her hands underneath and lifted Azula’s feet to her lips, kissing them gently. Satisfied, she was standing in a flash, giving Azula her best enthusiastic smile. “It is time for your daily exercises, my queen,” she said in a goofy mock-serious tone. “Spend all day in that chair and you’ll become part of it!” Her robe had slipped from her left shoulder when she jumped up, leaving most of a breast visible. She let it be. “C’mon, ‘Zula. Let’s play.”
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>28-02-2013, 13:42:50</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ed/Warrior_Sokka_by_Mandy_Mo.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/b3/Image015dw.jpg)</div><div align="center"><strong>Name:</strong><br>Sokka and Iroh<br><strong>Location:</strong><br>Aboard Zuko's Frigate, now in Earth Kingdom Waters.&nbsp; Below deck in the officer quaters.<br><strong>Weather:</strong><br>The storm behind them, they head southward under clear skies, the sun setting in the west.</div><hr><hr><br>The dragon and the leviathan sat at a Pai Sho table.&nbsp; The room was hot and humid as the steam pipes hissed around them.&nbsp; Candles flickered on either side of the table.&nbsp; The dragon moved his tile into an opposing zone of the board.&nbsp; The faint candle light cast an almost sinister shadow over his elderly features, despite the enlightened and knowing smile hidden in his thick beard.<br><br>The younger man across from him studied the board once Iroh's hand moved away.&nbsp; He hadn't always been known as "The Leviathan".&nbsp; Precious few still bothered to call him Sokka of the Water Tribe.&nbsp; Once he'd earned the reputation, he'd made no effort to escape it.&nbsp; As a child, all he'd ever wanted was some title of respect that marked him as a true warrior.&nbsp; Now that he had one, though, he never felt like he really belonged to it... he hadn't earned it, he felt.&nbsp; Not like Iroh had earned Dragon of the West.&nbsp; Iroh had boosted him up as some symbold of the Water Tribe to help lure other warriors from his people into their resistance.&nbsp; They called him a hero for killing the Combustion Man when he'd come to kill the exiled Prince.&nbsp; They called him the rebellion's jack of all trades.&nbsp; The truth, as far as Sokka was concerned, was that he was a sponge.&nbsp; Nothing more.<br><br>His sister's necklace was tied around his wrist.&nbsp; The constant reminder of what he'd lost and what he had to reclaim.&nbsp; His mission had given him focus, and focus had given him humility.&nbsp; He wasn't a great warrior because anything was special about him.&nbsp; He simply spent enough time around better people than him and soaking up whatever greatness they had eminating off them.<br><br>He'd learned to hunt watching his father.&nbsp; He'd learned to fight watching the Kyoshi warrors.&nbsp; He'd learned the sword from an old friend of Iroh's.&nbsp; He'd learned tactics watching the Dragon, himself.&nbsp; What he knew of machine smithing he knew from tinkering around or reading books and scrolls they picked up journaling the work of others.&nbsp; He wasn't great, he told himself every day, he'd just absorbed what leftover greatness they'd had... he wasn't worth the name until he'd gotten his sister out of that cage.<br><br>Pai Sho was supposed to be part of his strategy lessons.&nbsp; He'd yet to beat the man, but he couldn't help but feel like he was close.&nbsp; He tried to hide his excitement as he set his tile down.<br><br>"The Cao Ren gambit?" Iroh said admirably as he brought a steaming cup of tea up to his lips.<br><br>"Uh... yeah," Sokka replied with fake confidence.<br><br><div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/c8/01Cigar.jpg)</div>Iroh studied the board over his cup, wise eyes clearly working moves ahead.&nbsp; It was intimidating to Sokka to watch Iroh look over the tiles, he felt like the old man knew where tiles were going to fall before either of them had made a move.&nbsp; This must have been how all of his oponents felt on the battlefield, Sokka thought.&nbsp; The idea only made it harder to plan ahead, a self fulfilling prophecy.&nbsp; He had to shake it off.&nbsp; He knew the rules of this game by now... and Iroh had been making mistakes early on.&nbsp; Sokka had him this time, he knew it!<br><br>"It's exciting isn't it?&nbsp; On our way to find the Avatar.&nbsp; No one has seen him in over a hundred years..." he placed his next tile down.&nbsp; If Sokka were going for the Cao Ren gambit that tile would have been a step in preventing it.&nbsp; Of course, if Sokka had no idea what the Cao Ren gambit was then that tile was probably wasted and did little to secure Iroh's territories on the east side of the board.<br><br>"You're trying to distract me," Sokka said.<br><br>"No, I mean it," Iroh said.<br><br>Sokka placed his next tile down and made it clear that he wasn't working with the strategy that Iroh had believed him to be working with.&nbsp; Sometimes the best way to outsmart a genius was to attack like an idiot.<br><br>Iroh set his tea down and nodded as he looked at the board.&nbsp; He seemed impressed by Sokka's move, and it was fairly obvious that he hadn't been anticipating this.&nbsp; "It will be a great honor for us to meet the- BY THE SPIRITS!&nbsp; WHAT IS THAT?!" Iroh shot to his feet and pointed over Sokka's shoulder.<br><br>Sokka drew his sword and turned quick as the falling rain, "What is it..." and nothing was there.&nbsp; When he turned around and resheathed his weapon, he noticed changes in the board.&nbsp; "Hey!&nbsp; That's not where the pieces were!"<br><br>Iroh looked down at the board in confusion, "I believe you are right.&nbsp; The tiles must have shifted from the rocking of the ship!"<br><br>"I was about to beat you!" Sokka protested.<br><br>"I believe that you were," Iroh nodded in agreement, "I was very happy for you."&nbsp; He shook his head and began putting the tiles away, "Damn these waves.&nbsp; Perhaps, tomorrow, I can convince Zuko to play a game with you.&nbsp; He needs to play against challenging opponents like yourself."&nbsp; That may as well have been Iroh's way of saying he wanted to retire from the game undefeated after his technical victory here.&nbsp; His grin suggested that he was quite proud of himself as he gathered up the tea and began to take it towards the Prince's quarters.<br><br>(( Am I gonna get kicked out of this RP for using a picture of the ships from the movie? &gt;.&gt; I swear, they just didn't have a good one of the boats on water from the cartoon!!!! :'(&nbsp; Don't banish me! ))
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>01-03-2013, 16:17:27</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/259/8/b/grow_up_zuko_by_kelly1412-d5ew60m.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/066/f/c/zuko___atla_by_attyca-d4s15xx.jpg)</div>Name: Zuko<br>Where: On my Frigate<br>With: My self at least for now. <br>==================================================================================================<br><br>Fire Lord Zuko walked down the hall of the Frigate he had addressed several members of the resentence moments before the frigate took off. Zuko was supporting his long flowing ceremonial robes. His long hair pulled back with a small bump in the back to support the crown he was wearing for show. His swords crossed in the back they were sharpened and prepared to be used in battle even though he knew there was no chance of them being attacked. His sister was likely busy wrapped up crying and putting on a show of her own on the eve of the anniversary of there father's death. He could only shake his head his thoughts going to a dark place, his sister had lost it; her antics may have most of the world consumed and cascading under her rule but he knew the truth. His sister was crazy and a tyrant. He knew the job fell to his shoulders who else would rise up against the 'phoenix queen' The anger in him rising like a pot of boiling water, the thoughts of his sister only aiding to the flames. <strong>"Who does she think she is... I am the rightful heir and she knows it!"</strong> he blurted out halfway down the hall. Looking behind himself he had saw no one. His outburst lost to the metal walls that surrounded him. Zuko pursed his lips as he went on his way; he needed to make it to his quarters so he could have some private time to himself. <br><br>A crusade to find the avatar, Public enemy against his own sister, outcast, leader of the rebellion. The titles stacked onto him self higher and higher. The weight pushing against him sending him closer to the brink of a break down. Who did he think he was kidding, he could not even convince himself that he was right for the job anymore yet he went out there day after day giving speeches and empowering people against his sister. They believed it and that was all that mattered but how long could he really fool them. How long could he keep up the façade that he was as strong and well put together like he portrayed himself to be. <br><br>Reaching forward he pushed the door open to the officers quarters, walking with purpose past his uncle and Sokka playing a game. Zuko could have guessed what it was but at that moment could have cared less. By the fact that his uncle did not stop him or say anything he assumed they were two wrapped up in the game that he walked by unnoticed. The officer corridor opened up into another hallway that split in several directions. Straight through would lead you to another part of the ship while heading to the left you would head to Zuko's room. To the right was a unknown to most except Zuko, his uncle, Sokka, and Suki. It was Zuko's obsession... The avatar. The Fire Lord knew he was alive, or at least really hoped so... but in Zuko's mind that was enough to set off to try and find him. The room stayed sealed and was only opened to give inspiration and to allow Zuko to think. It mostly lead to nothing over than time to himself and time to reflect on his life as he tried to keep from melting completely down. However on the eve of the anniversary Zuko was more inflamed than he had been in the last few days. <br><br>The door to his chambers slammed shut behind him, the walls running thick to keep the sound in so no one would bare witness to conversations or more likely tantrums. Zuko's right hand trailed over the scar on his face, images of his father and conversations filled his mind replacing his sister. He respected and loved his father, more than many realized his sister the source of all of his problem's. On this day his frustration grew to be to much his hands igniting in flame even as his fingers lingered over the scar. Zuko moved over to the table in the center of the room, with a cry of anger and pain he would slam his fist down onto the table splitting it into three different section's all of which were now on fire. He would follow up by picking up part of the top of the table and tossing it towards the other side of the room, as it flew through the air he would send a barrage of fireballs at it to splinter the wood into shards. <br><br>None of this took all that long but it took up a good ten minutes of time and got the blood flowing, a light sweat beading on his brow. With his adrenaline pumping and no further large solid objects to destroy he moved onto smaller less valuable things in the room. He was not to worried about setting anything ablaze he was on a metal ship and worst come to worse he could extinguish them easy enough but for the moment his frustration and anger was being taken out in a small tantrum. The world saw the mold. What the Fire Lord showed them... when he was out of the publics eye and behind a closed door that's when it fell apart. He let his hair down and the true jello nature shined through. Only Suki, or his uncle could help to scoop the pieces up and mold them back and right now neither were that to calm him down.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Karma</strong> on <strong>01-03-2013, 19:29:37</strong>
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				Name: Ambassador Yue, formerly Water Tribe Princess<br>Location: Stone Tower confinement facility<br><br><div class="floatleft">(http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/262/e/e/yue_by_goldensunlight-d5f8eo4.jpg)</div>In her homeland, she was still referred to as Princess. She missed the North: the ocean, the drifts, the people and their smiles. They had adored her so, and she them. Life had been good up there, in the moonlight. Everything changed when the hordes of the Phoenix arrived on their doorstep. <br><br>Pakku had wanted to fight them. When Arnook, her father, had finally, tearfully agreed to the Phoenix ultimatum, and the Fire soldiers had come for her, Pakku couldn’t stand it. He tried to stop them, but was prevented from doing so not by the Fire soldiers, but by Arnook and the other tribe members in the room. They refused to let his honor doom them all to death.<br><br>Yue was still allowed to visit, but only once a year, and accompanied by a “royal escort” so impressive that it could put down any Northern rebellion. On those occasions, though, she was able to forget about everything and enjoy the company of her loved ones, her people. They hadn’t forgotten her; the week-long party was grander every year.<br><br>Instead of personally communing with her people, couriers from the Northern tribe had to come to the Capitol to inform her of the goings-on. They did their best to inform her of the tribe’s interests, but it paled in comparison to talking to them personally. People tended to trust Yue and tell her things they might not otherwise. Her otherworldly grace disarmed all but the most hardened individuals, and in that way she would have been able to more thoroughly represent the Water Tribe.<br><br>She did the best she could with what she had. Azula had set up the former princess in quite resplendent quarters and had made no demand that she dress in Fire Nation garb as she did of most in the Capitol. The calming blue and white in a sea of red was a beacon of hope for many that not all was lost, and she found herself hosting people from all walks of life, even Fire citizens, looking for counsel. Yue didn’t always know what to say, but they always said her smile was enough.<br><br>This life of living for others was satisfying, but being surrounded by fire day in and day out was disconcerting to say the least. She stood now before a structure that represented the events of the last four years to anyone that had resisted the propaganda: a fire-controlled earth tower used to imprison water. <br><br>Azula’s power could not have been more perfectly represented. <br><br>Yue knew what this building contained. Her dear friend Katara was within, widely known as both the Water Commons Ambassador and her political partner, and also Azula’s pet waterbender. It was impossible to truly fault Azula for taking such precautions against Katara; there were several bending masters in the world, but only a few prodigies. Azula herself was one and knew what that entailed. Katara was water’s answer to Azula, and it would not do to have someone like that on the loose.<br><br>A delicate hand, Yue’s, rapped on the door of the tower. After a long moment one of the Lees answered; it was impossible for Yue or indeed almost anyone to remember which was which, other than the Silver Queen, of course. Ty Lee’s playful attitude along with her now-expensive royal robes made her quite distinct… along with her position at Azula’s side. These Lees were in simpler Fire-styled tunics that gave them freedom of movement, and they tended to be surly.<br><br>Maybe it was because no one could ever remember their names. Maybe it was because Azula had given them complete power over someone. That was guaranteed to turn most people sour.<br><br>“Hey, the Water bitch is here,” whichever Lee had opened the door called back into the tower. “What do you want, bitch?”<br><br>Yue clenched her jaw a little and tried to brush off their language. “I’m here to visit my friend. I’ve brought a meal for us to share.” She absent-mindedly patted her satchel. <br><br>“Gimme that,” Lee said, grabbing it without giving Yue a chance to hand it over, taking Yue a bit off balance, which knocked her umbrella aside and showered her with rain for a moment before she got her footing back. Lee rooted around in the bag, pulling out the food and setting it on a small table inside the doorway, before dumping everything else out on the ground. It was little more than some beauty care items, things any woman of her position would have on hand. “Alright. Come in.” Lee just left everything where it was and went back inside, leaving Yue to gather it back up herself.<br><br>“Search her,” the now-apparently lead Lee told two others, who looked younger. Yue always thought she was prepared for this, but she never was. They didn’t even let her disrobe herself; they surrounded her like wolves, their expertly deft hands finding every tie and strap of her Water-styled blue tunic and freeing her from it. It was only moments before she was naked before them, apart from her boots. One of them gut-punched her, forcing the air from her lungs and causing her to stumble backward into the wall and slump to the floor, all so they could take off her boots.<br><br>“You could have just asked her to sit down, idiot,” one of them said sarcastically.<br><br>“Shove it, or you’re next,” the other shot back.<br><br>Now totally naked, Yue shivered in the dankness of the tower. The Lee that had punched her grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to crawl to the center of the foyer, standing about her neck and bringing her calves together, locking Yue in place while Lee undid Yue’s hair ties and picked through her hair as if looking for nits. “Maybe someday you’ll cut all this off, then it’ll hurt less,” she said idly.<br><br>“She’s clean,” the Lee finally announced. “No water here unless she pisses herself.”<br><br>“If she did when you punched her, I would have used your face to dry it up,” the lead Lee said angrily. “Azula will kill us in a second if word gets out that Yue is being abused.” <br><br>“So what? It’s not going to bruise.”<br><br>“I’ll try it on you later, see how much it does or doesn’t bruise, you pasty moron. You’re lucky she’s tan.”<br><br>Yue hadn’t moved from her hands-and-knees position, trying not to inflame them further. The one in charge walked over and offered a hand. Taking it hesitantly, Yue rose. “You’ve got a nicer body than your friend,” Lee said quietly, openly looking Yue over. “You give Ty a run for her money.” Yue shuddered and tried not to protest as Lee fondled her breasts. “Wish mine were like this. Look me up if you ever want to spend a night out of your mind from pleasure.”<br><br>Barely able to speak from fear, Yue just nodded. She would have given her kingdom to have Sokka with her now, with all his courage and skill. Yue caught herself imagining what terrible things he’d do to them with his sword. They were unpleasant thoughts, unbecoming of her, so she shoved them down.<br><br>The lead Lee handed Yue’s bag back to her and gripped Yue’s buttcheek with a strong hand, using that to lead her into the room where Katara was. Yue was sad to see her also nude and looking emotionally battered. They shared a glance of mutual suffering, and Yue offered the most graceful smile she could manage after the treatment she had just received. “I… I brought you some food, hun.” Lee half-pushed Yue into a chair across from Katara, but just stood there, hovering. The rest of the Lees filed in, taking no chances with two waterbenders.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>03-03-2013, 18:02:36</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Kataras_Fire_Nation_outfit_zps905253c1.png)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Stonetower_zpscb39a836.jpg)</div><br>Name: Katara <br>Location: Being locked in a stone tower<br>Thoughts or feeling's: She is pissed, and sick of being confined. <br>=========================================================================================================================================<br><br>Katara was completely dry though it had taken a fairly long time. The lee's not taking any chance, by this point had they missed anything Katara would be all to willing to take advantage of it. They're concern was not outrageous and they had every right to take the precautions. Certainly Katara was not happy about it in the least the treatment was less than most prisoners got. The stone slab below her was cold against her bare skin the towell having been taken away so the lee's could have it dried. There was a loud noise down below she had known it to be the door of the tower being opened. Confusion littered Katara's face, it was a rain Storm and she was getting a visitor? Surely that was more than odd. She looked up to the Lee's in the room and asked for her garb so she could dress but was denied. There she laid disheveled and naked. <br><br>Her assessment of what the noise turned out to be correct as a similarly naked Yue was pushed into the room and placed in a chair not to far from where she sat. Katara's face began to turn red, both for anger, and yet embarrassment at the same time. She was angry at the treatment not only of herself but of the Princess. Or at least the former Princess, yet she was also embarrassed that they now both faced each other with nothing left to hide. There body's exposed. Katara's eyes met Yue's for a moment before she tried to cover her original feelings with a comforting smile.<strong> "Yue, its really thoughtful of you to come visit me, and you brought food" </strong> She would give a wider smile though this one true. It was extremely thoughtful of Yue to risk going down to the tower and being put through this mess just to bring some food. <br><br><strong>"Thank you, I really appreciate it."</strong> She said as she stood to attempt to give Yue a hug. As she opened her arms to move towards Yue she felt a furry of knuckles cutting into her pressure points all across her back. It only took a moment before Katara fell to her knees just in front of Yue, her Chi once again blocked and her arms falling limp to her side's <strong>"Come on did you really think we would let you get touchy feely on us? Who knows what you girls are planning but it won't happen on our watch." </strong> One of the Lee's spat out clearly not trusting both water benders in one place. Katara would try to move her hand's so she could take the food from Yue and eat like a civil human being but her arms would not budge, with a slight growl she turned to the lees's and shook her head with disdain. <br><br><strong>"Great"</strong> Is all she said clearly to angered by they're actions to think up a more appropriate response. Slowly she turned back to Yue and again placed on a smile trying not to show how beaten she was. <strong>"So, how are things over with Azula?"</strong> She tried to take both there minds off this situation and make it less awkward that they were bare. Katara could care less about Azula or what she was doing but any conversation was better than the silence.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Karma</strong> on <strong>03-03-2013, 19:07:20</strong>
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				Name: Ambassador Yue<br>Location: Stone Tower confinement facility<br><br><div class="floatleft">(http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/262/e/e/yue_by_goldensunlight-d5f8eo4.jpg)</div>Yue let out a gasp of sympathetic pain as the Lees put Katara down like a dog. Her hand reached out instinctively to catch her but was quickly swatted away from behind her. “Hands off,” the lead Lee said brusquely. “You know the deal.”<br><br>Wracking her political brain for a moment, Yue looked back to her, distraught. “Please, Ky Lee, let me help her. You know my bending is weak and my talents only lie with healing. I have little martial training… I can’t resist you. Keep Katara blocked if you must but let me treat her with a soft hand even if you aren’t allowed to.” She had taken a huge risk guessing at the Lee’s name. They all looked so similar, and to compound it, their names <em>rhymed.</em> But this one had both power over the others and expressed concern over their abuse… it was worth the risk. The worst that could happen was than an enemy would remain an enemy.<br><br>It paid off. The tall woman worked her jaw for what seemed like an eternity before snorting derisively. “Fine, water trash. You know what’ll happen if I even suspect you’re trying to pull something.” The other Lees grumbled, irritated at any quarter being given. “What? Are you serious? These cunts don’t deserve any lenience!” These were their cries, and Yue made a note of it. It seemed Ky really was the only one with compassion, if that’s what it truly was. There was good reason to believe it was just a show for Yue’s benefit. Ty Lee hadn’t mentioned any special exception for her oldest sister. Still, a show of compassion was as effective as the real thing in this case.<br><br>Yue slipped down from her chair and knelt into a hug with Katara, using her long legs to lift the younger woman up, and maneuvered Katara into sitting on her lap in the chair. The dank air was cold, and Katara colder, so Yue used her less-abused body to keep Katara as warm as she could. There was no point in asking for a blanket; it would hide them, and that was unacceptable. “So, about Azula,” she said, hugging Katara close with one arm, pressing her pleasantly warm breasts against Katara’s bare back, and reaching for a piece of bread with the other. “She’s stonewalling us.” The princess suppressed a giggle… Sokka would have been proud of that one.<br><br>“I’ve asked many times for more beneficial trade agreements. She seems to think our tribe has everything we need in our “ice castle,” but I think keeping us just a little underfed is exactly what she’s planned. She knows we can’t grow wheat… and every time she rules in favor of the Earth kingdom she earns just a little bit more loyalty from them. It’s a perfect plan, really. When it comes down to it we don’t have nearly the military might or population to resist them even under better circumstances.”<br><br>She rested her head against Katara’s shoulder, letting her long hair drape around them both as a makeshift robe. “I miss them so, Katara. Tui and La, father, Sokka, even that stick in the mud Pakku… home seems so far away.” One of the younger Lees groaned from boredom. <br><br>Yue smiled inside. She wanted them bored; maybe at least some of them would leave. It was a long shot, but any level of privacy was preferred to this voyeuristic situation. She knew the Lees all tended towards the softer side when it came to their private preferences, and it made her very uncomfortable to have six people all seeing her shame and wanting more. She was not at all sure they weren’t willing to take from her what they wanted… it would be easy to do without leaving marks, especially with their particular abilities.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>05-03-2013, 11:05:56</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Kataras_Fire_Nation_outfit_zps905253c1.png)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Stonetower_zpscb39a836.jpg)</div><br>Name: Katara <br>Location: Being locked in a stone tower<br>With: Yue<br>Thoughts or feeling's: She is pissed, and sick of being confined. <br>=======================================================================================================================================<br>Katara sat there on her knees as she balanced her weight so she would not fall over. Her arms dangled at her sides her head staring at the ground. The embarrassment on her face would be evident though Katara would try to hide it. She remained silent while Yue played ambassador trying to get some ground with the Lee's while Katara was hopeful she assumed nothing would come of it. Katara looked up to watch Yue speaking to the Lee's; when she heard the response Katara smiled relieved, though again she would now be an inconvenience to Yue being that her arms were useless at least for now. Katara would lean into Yue's hug embracing her warm body for a moment. Yue would feel the touch of cold skin and likely a few bumps from bruises that were still healing. Being lifted into the chair Katara would again curl up to Yue sucking the warmth from her bare body. <br><br>Listening to what Yue had to say Katara nodded and even laughed slightly at the comment about being stonewalled. She to missed everyone and longed to see them again. Though with the level of security she was not sure if rescue or escape was possible anymore. The thoughts were forced to the back of her mind as Yue brought the piece of bread to Katara's lips. Opening her mouth she would take a bite, it was the first thing of food she had that day. She would savor the flavor a moment before chewing the bread and swallowing it down, Yue continuing to make small talk. Katara rested her head on Yue's as she spoke.<strong> "I miss them to, Sokka could be a pain in the ass some day's but I would give up everything to be back there with him. I have been fighting for the water tribes but I have not gotten anywhere with it yet either. It almost seems pointless but I will not give up. Did, they say when this rain would let up, because we both know I wont be leaving till it does."</strong> Her voice soft but there was conviction in her words. She was never going to give up as long as she had breath in her lungs to fight back with. <br><br>It was around this point that some of the lee's had left the room, they left the main Lee as well as one other. The others stayed outside of the room. If anything happened they would not be far away, that and Katara was Chi blocked so the only problem would have been Yue at that point. The lee's figured if they made it through the two in the room they still had to make it out and down past the other four and two earth benders. They were more than secure. The two lee's that left had been talking but Katara was not paying enough attention to them to have heard what they were saying. It was not complete privacy but at least there were only two people staring at them now. It was a small victory.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>apygoos</strong> on <strong>06-03-2013, 05:13:11</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2z5tgnaWV1r0tyr5o1_500.png)</div>Aang<br>Location: all over the place, ending up at the gate of the Fire Nation Capital<br>Weather: Stormy<br>100 years ago…<br>“Aang stop it, that tickles!” A young Water bender girl of the southern water tribe exclaimed as the young Avatar Aang was no top of her, pinning her down&nbsp; with one hand and the rest of his body. “I’m going to keep going until I find every ticklish spot in your body!” Avatar Aang was spending and extended stay at the Southern Water Tribe where he was learning to master his water bending. Over the course of his time there he found himself getting very close to a particular Water tribe girl, Soraka. They flirted with each other quite a bit, up to the point that they regularly&nbsp; had started visiting each other every day. This particular day though, it got complicated.<br><br>“Aang, cut it out! Hahaha!” She laughed wildly before the laugh quickly became silent, the movements stopped. His eyes were locked with hers. Quickly the Avatar found his lips pressing to hers in a hot, passionate kiss. Be fore is could escalate further however, several of the elder benders were drawn to the previous commotion. “Stop that this instant! Aang, you are the Avatar and still have a lot to learn, you cant afford to be distracted!” The strict mentors peeled Aang off his would-be lover and carted him off.<br><br>A few days later, they arranged to have a boat ride together. The mischievous spirit of Aang wouldn’t be denied his first love. Fate though, had a different plan. Aang had made the mistake of not having Appa close by as a storm quickly came upon them. Violent wind, rain, and waved crashed about them. Aang was busy trying to use his airbending to get them home, while trying to water bend the waves away, but alas, a wave that was just too big to handle came upon them and capsized the boat. The immediate threat to Aangs life triggered the Avatar state, allowing Aang to unconsciously save his life, falling unconscious on Appa, who had come to find him out in the storm. Unfortunately, it was too little too late for Soraka who was violently swept under the current out of Aang’s grasp <br><br>A while later Aang awoke on Appa’s back. He sat up trying to remember what happened then his eyes went wide, ”SORAKA!! Where are you?! SORAKA?!” The answer to his call was the silence of the south Pole's icy wind. Tears filledhis eyes and soul as who was at this point the closest person to him, was lost. Why couldn't he save her? He was the Avatar, the most powerful bender on the planet, yet he failed. If he failed to save her, what good would he be to the rest of the world? All these were questions that throbbed in Aangs head as he went ballistic. A storm quickly formed, this time by Aang’s own power. In his self pity he tried to drown himself, so the world may “have a better Avatar,” but once more, the Avatar state saved him from drowning, this time freezing himself beneath the water, with his companion Appa.<br><div class="floatright">(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-62-EdXwlY2I/TcWh8Yy9xPI/AAAAAAAAB1g/J5DliBIhAFE/s1600/airbender-frozen.png)</div><br>Present Day:<br>Aang was released from his icy prison when what seemed like a repeat of the storm that took Soraka returned. The storm combined with an undersea volcanic eruption cracked the ice open. A pillar of a bright, white-blue energy went into the sky and could be seen for hundreds and hundreds of miles. After the events subsided, the time lapsed airbender slowly regained consciousness. He wasn't sure what he had been doing or why he was where he was in the moment. He got onto the one friend he did recognize, Appa, and told him “Let’s go home buddy..yip yip!” The ride was long, but finally, after several breaks to eat from various fruits and water. <br><br>He arrived to find no one around, finding abandoned fire nation armor, and what appeared to be scorched dead Air monks. Not a single soul was alive in the place, causing the earth to shake before another bright pillar appeared into the sky, Aang’s rage exploding forth once more. Wanting answers, he flew for the fire nation capital. Several reports spread across the lands of the sighting of a flying bison. The word arrives in the capital only a short time before the airbender arrived In the Area, using his airbending to make short work of the fire nation soldiers at the gate of the capital city. “Where is the fire lord?! I am the Avatar I want an explanation for this!” He threw down an old fire nation helmet he had picket up from the air temple ruins. Meanwhile, the message of the flying bison makes its way to the phoenix queens chambers, a second messenger with word of what is happening at the gate was only a few minutes behind…<br><div align="center">(http://avatarkieran.webs.com/undefined/250px-Aang_avatar_state.jpg)</div>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>09-03-2013, 02:00:00</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/eb/Pheonix_queen_azula.jpg)</div>Perhaps they weren't the attribute that had drawn Azula to her, but ever since they were girls Azula had always been fond of Ty Lee's breasts.&nbsp; Fond, and perhaps, a little jealous.&nbsp; She adored her wife's body, in general... the way the muscles pressed beneath her skin like a form under silk sheets.&nbsp; And the way her joints seemed to bend both ways.&nbsp; But especially the soft shape of her breasts and the candy color of her nipple peaking out at her.<br><br>That was what love was, Azula had realized long ago.&nbsp; Finding the person who had all the features she wished she possessed...<br><br>Then possessing that person.<br><br>She rose to her feet slowly, stretching herself so that the robe fell open and revealed every defined line of her muscle tone.&nbsp; Her smaller breasts pointing firm nipples skyward as she arched her back and stood on her toes like a dancer.&nbsp; As the muscles relaxed, lightning tingled down the outside of her skin making what little hair there was on her body stand on end, and her flesh covered in goose bumps.&nbsp; She took a deep breath and let her robe fall as she released a long exhale that came out like a wash of flame and smoke that fell over her and flooded the throne room.<br><br>Then an explosion of blue flame as her naked form came launched in a backflip over her lover, smiling at her as time seemed to slow down.&nbsp; She landed like a crash of lightning and grabbed at Ty Lee's wrists, "I suppose it's only sporting I give you a head start," she purred the words, the pale blue smoke and azure sparks still rolling from her lips as she spoke.<br><br>Already her hand was snaking under Ty Lee's robe, however, staticky fingers running over the smoothness of her wife's stomach.&nbsp; Little bursts and sparks of lightning bending that she jolted into individual muscles to make them tighten or relax, like somewhere between a tickle and a sit-up.<br><br>Her hand was just about to get below Ty Lee's navel when a voice interrupted her.<br><br>"My Queen..."<br><br>"By the spirits!" she groaned, "What is it now?!" there was a burst of flame out from her that looked like the wings of a great bird and flashed through the entire room too fast to actually burn anything.<br><br>It was one of the Dai Li, the stone mask concealing his eyes and obscuring the world to him in honor of their mistress.&nbsp; The Queen didn't like anyone looking upon her body too long without invitation, and so the Dai Li made for optimal private guards in her palace.&nbsp; She could place them in places where she wouldn't trust the eyes of a Fire Nation guard, or the Water Benders - most having spent an extended training at Lake Lao Gai - she had guarding the Harbor and outer gates of the Palace.&nbsp; Besides, Azula liked the Dai Li more than she favored most of the peasantry.&nbsp; They were quiet and patient without being passive.&nbsp; Ruthless and efficient without being overly aggressive.&nbsp; They were ideal tools... like their mistress.<br><br>"The Avatar..."<br><br>"So I've heard," Azula said, letting Ty Lee see her roll her eyes as her hand moved a little lower towards Ty Lee's pubic region.&nbsp; "Whatever would I do without such urgent delivery of old news...?" she purred and pressed her lips against Ty Lee's ear.<br><br>"He's here, my Queen."<br><br>Her hand had just cupped over Ty Lee's crotch when he'd said that, and likely Ty Lee might have been the only person more stunned by the words than Azula had been.&nbsp; "Here?"&nbsp; She'd been planning on sending out fleets in search of him.&nbsp; She'd already been working on remembering how to contact the bounty hunter, June, in the back of her mind.&nbsp; And... he'd just come to her?<br><br>Of course he'd have the audacity to arrive unannounced.&nbsp; Honestly, like being the connection between two realms and the conduit of elemental harmony somehow excused him from proper etiquette.<br><br>"Have Lady Katara and Lady Yue sent to the throne room at once!" she growled the orders as she pulled her hand and body away from her wife.&nbsp; Azula snapped back into "Queen Mode" frustratingly easily, and Ty Lee might have noticed the look in her eye that suggested gears were already turning inside her head.<br><br>"Send in our girls," Azula called, "My wife and I must be properly dressed before the Avatar.&nbsp; Where's Mei?&nbsp; What use is my royal diplomat if not for this exact purpose?!" she was already pre-emptively wrestling with her thick long hair, "Where the hell is my crown?"<br><br>She was frantic but in absolute control as she dictated where everyone would be positioned when the Avatar arrived in the Throne Room.&nbsp; The triangular shaped "Table of the World" would be placed at the foot of the throne pointing towards Azula, with Ty Lee at her right in her Silver Queen's gown... and Mei at Azula's right in her finest formal wear.&nbsp; Yue and Kuei would be brought in and sat at the narrowest point of the triangle on opposite sides... closest to Azula.&nbsp; They would have to risk moving Katara in the rain, Azula didn't like the chances but the Avatar was forcing her hand by having come here.&nbsp; Katara would sit opposite Jet at the furthest end of the table... closest to where the Avatar would be brought into the room.<br><br>She was thankful now that the "Table of the World" had always been marked on one end with the symbol for the Air Nomads.&nbsp; She could claim it had been a symbolic gesture, and in a way it was.&nbsp; Having the symbol there and arranging the table how it was forced both the former Water Tribe and former Earth Kingdom representatives to look outward at what could happen to those who opposed the will of the Phoenix Queen.&nbsp; She'd never had to say a word, the reminder was there constantly.&nbsp; But now she already had everything in place to say to the Avatar that his people had never been forgotten... that the Phoenix Queen, she smirked at the name itself, was all about the restoration of the world... seeing it reborn from the ashes left by mad men like her great grandfather and her brother.<br><br>"... and we shall have a contingiency of our most trusted guards," she was speaking only to Ty Lee, now, everyone else having been sent on their respective tasks to get things ready.&nbsp; "The Dai Li will be closest to us, then the Water Benders... then our Fire Benders on the outside, closest to the door.&nbsp; It'll represent..." she waved her hand in the air and sighed, making it difficult for the slave girl to continue dressing her, "Harmony or retrospection or... something."<br><br>"All I need you to do, my precious," she smiled at Ty Lee.&nbsp; It was the smile she only ever let Ty Lee see. "Just stay close and be beautiful," she said blowing a kiss into the air that fluttered outward as a soft flame that touched Ty Lee's cheek just warm enough to feel like a wash of sunshine. "But don't flirt.&nbsp; I want the Avatar to know that you're mine."<br><br>Meanwhile:<br><br>Perhaps surprising to the Avatar, it was Water Benders that met his approach first.&nbsp; Dangerous enough as they might have been near the Palace's outer moat, the rain storm gave them plenty of additional power to work with.&nbsp; But they didn't attack, simply took a defensive stance as a warning to what they viewed as a threat.&nbsp; Nobody had seen a Sky Bison in over a hundred years, and nobody alive still remembered what one looked like.<br><br>Then the chambers burst from the ground behind him like cannon fire.&nbsp; Stone cylinders that each opened to release an Earth Bender and a Fire Bender, each.&nbsp; The Capital City Response Force always worked in pairs.&nbsp; Though trained by the Dai Li, these benders weren't titled as such, and were allowed to keep their sight... though they were never taught the higher levels of Earth and Metal Bending.&nbsp; Within moments, the Avatar was surrounded by men from every nation but his own...<br><br>And then Admiral Zhao.&nbsp; "Well," he said under his breath, "This is easily the fastest quest I've ever been sent on..." he put on his most charming smile and approached yet another member of the spirit world he'd have to lie to.<br><br>"The Avatar, I presume?" he bowed low and with respect.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Karma</strong> on <strong>09-03-2013, 23:14:26</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/y9NOTA1.png)</div>Once the prettiest girl in the whole world, Azula was now the most beautiful woman in the whole world, if Ty Lee had anything to say about it. Everything about her was in perfect proportion, a reflection of her personality. There wasn’t a masculine inch on her body, from the sleek bend of her shoulders to the enticing curve of her hips. She was femininity embodied in a small package; she exerted the same kind of control over her body that she exerted over her subjects.<br><br>Well, that used to be the case, anyway. Comfortable in power, and with no one to impress or to lord over her, Azula had lost interest in such things. Ever forward-thinking and aware of her own mind, the Queen had appointed Ty Lee to be in charge of her fitness, and in many ways in charge of her entire royal body. It was one of Ty Lee’s more pleasant assignments in her life. Ty Lee didn’t crave power, or even particularly enjoy it when it was given, but Azula’s form was… important to her. <br><br>Even better than that, of course, was the trust Azula had shown in giving her that responsibility. Ty Lee was unquestionably Azula’s closest friend, and the only person left alive that could be said to truly know Azula. Mei understood Azula as far as she cared to, which wasn’t all that far. Zuko had been away far too long and had always reduced Azula’s actions to craziness, which Ty Lee knew it wasn’t. Iroh was no better than Zuko and had been around even less. Ozai was dead, and Ursa… well, nobody knew what happened to her. Ozai did, but he had taken that knowledge with him to the underworld.<br><br>Ty Lee belonged to Azula, but at least in some small way, Azula belonged to Ty Lee, too. There was no one else in the world with any kind of power over Azula. Regardless of its truth, Ty Lee felt as though she was the most powerful woman in the world in the only way that mattered.<br><br>The sight of Azula’s sparks sent a shudder of anticipation through Ty Lee. Sometimes it took a lot of work to convince Azula to get moving, and she had prepared a speech about the importance of exercise, but it seemed that it could be saved for another day. Ty Lee couldn’t match Azula’s flashy shows of arousal, but as her love landed behind her, she leaned back, grinding against her, gasping quietly at the grip on her wrists. She couldn’t help but giggle uncontrollably as Azula played hell with her muscles.<br><br>It didn’t hurt this time. That was good.<br><br>Of course that didn’t last long as Azula’s outburst rendered itself as a zap straight to her privates. Ty Lee whited out for a long moment as the shock locked her whole body, which shut down Ty Lee’s mind for a moment as it dealt with the pain. She should have been angry, but she had forgiven Azula even before she regained her awareness. Instead of an admonition, she only whined, frustrated as Azula pulled away from her. <br><br>This damn Avatar fellow was <em>rude.</em><br><br>Any residual irritation with Azula was washed cleanly away by <em>that</em> smile. She had heard of actors who could make a whole crowd of women faint with a grin, and that was how Ty Lee’s heart felt whenever Azula arranged her gorgeous face in just this way… and it showed, as Ty Lee blushed so fiercely at it that the redness went from her cheeks all the way down to her collarbone.<br><br>“Of course, my Queen,” she said, curtsying a little as a joke. Next to Azula’s glory, Ty Lee felt like a street rat, but she was aware that everyone, her wife included, thought of her as eye candy. Her own beauty was not something she had ever given much thought to, but the way the impeccably aesthetic Azula treated her, it must have been true. <br><br>It was scarcely any work to look like she did, as her natural activity level kept her in shape and she had been blessed with nearly perfect skin. She rarely even bothered with makeup unless Azula required it for a social function. It was such a hassle, otherwise… how those Kyoshi warriors put up with that war paint all the time was beyond her. She supposed it was just another thing she wouldn’t be able to understand. Ty Lee wasn’t a fool, but some things just weren’t worth thinking about.<br><br>The girls filed in with the ridiculous Silver Queen robes. They were certainly pretty, but so restrictive and often itchy. She felt like a clown in them, not an unfamiliar feeling given her past occupation. Azula liked them though, so it was okay. Ty Lee would have no part in disappointing her love. Quite practiced now, she twirled from one girl to the next, effortlessly dancing into her outfit as they held out each layer. She might as well have fun putting them on, even if they were no fun to actually wear.<br><br>Her least favorite part, the crown, went on last. It was larger and more showy than Azula’s crown, but less intricate. The way it hooked around behind her braid was annoying and messed with her freedom of movement, just like the rest of the getup. When it was finally all put together, she fanned her arms out and looked down at herself. <em>Oh well. At least I never have to wear it for very long.</em> It was especially annoying today as she had been on the verge of wearing nothing.<br><br>She showed none of her displeasure, modeling herself to Azula. “How’s it look, babe? Am I queenly?” A twirl helped it all settle into place, causing an annoyed gasp from the girls who always wanted her to be careful while wearing these; they were very expensive fabrics. “Am I gonna knock ‘em all out with a smile?”
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Karma</strong> on <strong>10-03-2013, 00:18:18</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/262/e/e/yue_by_goldensunlight-d5f8eo4.jpg)</div>Yue heard a rapping on the door downstairs, but disregarded it for the moment. There weren’t a lot of options for who that was, and she’d probably find out soon. Helping Katara to another bite, she shrugged. “From the look of it, it could last for the rest of the day,” she said defeatedly. “I think you can expect to be guarded for at least that long.”<br><br>As she had thought, it was only minutes before the rest of the Lees returned. “There’s a council meeting, and they’re both to attend,” a younger one reported. “Messenger’s outside. Something big is going down… they say the Avatar just showed up at the gates. Airbender, believe it or not!”<br><br>“What? That’s stupid,” Ky said incredulously. “He hasn’t been seen for a hundred years. What’s that old cook thinking? What good can he possibly do now?”<br><br>“He looks like a teenager, that’s the thing… they’re guessing he’s <em>Sozin’s</em> Avatar. You know, the one they were hunting-”<br><br>“Shut up about that.” Ky Lee stalked over to the table and hoisted Katara roughly out of Yue’s lap, laying her on the floor and delivering several light blows to her body. “You can move on your own now, but you can’t bend. Don’t try it unless you want an aneurysm.” <br><br>Another Lee came in, dropping clothes on Katara’s rousing body and throwing Yue’s in her face. “Be quick about it. The Queen wants you there an hour ago.” Yue wasted no time getting dressed. The less time these women were spending eyeing her naked body, she happier she would be. When she finished, she knelt and aided Katara with her own.<br><br>The Avatar… an archon of justice and balance, long gone from the world. Some blamed him for the Fire Nation’s tyranny over the last century. Others knew better, that Sozin had orchestrated it all, exploiting the Avatar’s pity and the power of the comet to create the situation they were now in: Fire supremacy. Yue believed that Azula was a better ruler than Ozai and Sozin were by a long shot, as she was less bloodthirsty than they, and more power-hungry.<br><br>It was a very difficult scenario. Relatively speaking, the world was more stable and peaceful than it had been in nearly one hundred and fifty years. Azula had ended the war and the bloodshed that had come along with it. There was no more uncertainty about Fire Nation aggression; it was unneeded now, as everyone was now in the fold. The Dai Li ensured that everything went smoothly. Perhaps the world was modernizing and this was how it was meant to be… <br><br>No, Yue couldn’t accept that. Her immediate surroundings were all she needed to sweep that thought permanently away. Any regime that needed to keep a promising young bender like Katara locked up and prevented from any freedom of choice was rotten to its core. The current government might have functioned more acceptably with a different ruler, but a system entirely dependent on the state of its ruler was already flawed. There had to be checks on power. As it was, there were none. Or was there?<br><br>The Avatar was the ultimate power check. He had insight onto how things should be, or he was supposed to, at least… but he was still just a person like anyone else. He could be fooled and misled, and Azula would make sure that he was. She could try to reach out to this Avatar, to inform him of the real situation, but if he really was <em>that</em> Avatar, then he was still a child. He knew nothing about this world. He would be completely out of his element, probably with incomplete training, and telling him the truth might just fly him into a destructive rage.<br><br>Azula would kill him.<br><br>When this thought occurred to Yue, the rest of her world fell like dominoes. The next Avatar would be a waterbender. Azula would hunt the replacement Avatar down and either take it for her own to raise or simply wipe out her tribe trying to find it, if they chose to hide it. The Avatar would be trained directly in her image or permanently killed. This meant the only option was to let this Avatar be, to not try to involve him in any plans, and let him come to his own conclusions. She had to trust that his life up until this point would prevent Azula from fully corrupting him.<br><br>Katara… she was naturally wise and patient like Yue, and they were sisters in that way, but Katara had been abused regularly for years now. She had to be wearing thin… Yue could see it in her pleading eyes whenever she visited. Katara couldn’t endure this forever, and Yue couldn’t blame her, but if Katara made a move, she could doom them all.<br><br>She said as much, but veiled. “It looks like today will be very interesting, Katara, don’t you agree?” As she helped Katara up from the floor, she added, “Let’s just see what happens. I hope it doesn’t get too exciting, I don’t know if my poor heart could take it.” She could only pray Katara understood.<br><br>Now that they were dressed and ready to go, the Lees prepared umbrellas for their walk to the council chamber. “Let’s move,” Ky ordered. “Try anything and you’re dead.”
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>12-03-2013, 06:54:46</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Kataras_Fire_Nation_outfit_zps905253c1.png)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Stonetower_zpscb39a836.jpg)</div><br>Name: Katara <br>Location: Being moved from the stone tower to the palace <br>Thoughts or feeling's: She wants to feel the water running off her and wants things back the way they were.<br>===================================================================================================================================<br><br>Katara stayed curled up on Yue's lap as she was feed. "You know I am really sorry you have to go through this to. If I could have it my way" Katara tried to respond was was cut off by the pounding at the door. It did not take all to long to figure out what was going on when the Lee's returned to the room throwing her clothes to the floor and ordering them to get dressed. Katara's arms were still retaining there feeling and movement so she had been much slower getting dressed than Yue had, so she was more than thank full to receive the help as she finished dressing. If there was any reason to like a council meeting it was because Katara was actually allowed to wear her traditional water tribe garb rather than the Fire nation rags. She was also given her cantina of water, it was useless to her if she wanted to keep the peace but it was nice to have it close again. <br><br>There was no suprise when Katara was turned over feeling the familiar sting of knuckles across her back. They had not been has hard as times past thus allowing her the use of her arms and legs however, she was sure if she tried to bend she word find it impossible. "Can't we just walk there with out the umbrella's? You already blocked me from using my bending..." The only resp once Katara received was laughter and a pair of hands shoving her to the door.<br><br>The umbrella was opened in the tower and placed over Yue and Katara. The Earth benders making a hole for the Door and allowing Two of the Lee's out followed by Katara and Yue. Once outside the two girls were surrounded and lead towards the palace. The rain beating hard on the umbrella. Katara got to feel a rain drop or two as they splashed off the other umbrella's. The trip was relatively short as they were ushered straight to the chambers where the meeting would be held. The table sitting in waiting. Azula had already been there likely preparing lies, or to skirt the truth. <br><br>There had only been a few thoughts in Katara's mind. The first is if the Avatar was really here after all those years. He must already have mastered the elements and ready to seek the balance again. The other being how she needed to listen to Yue knowing any hints to there being an imbalance would jeopardize the water tribes further. Fearing her situation Katara would take her place at the table waiting in pure silence. Time would tell what was about to happen.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>19-03-2013, 03:18:19</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/0/0a/Iroh-Dragon-of-the-West-avatar-the-last-airbender-8933996-900-990.jpg)</div>Many years before the prince had even been born, Iroh had learned the hardest part of being a parent.&nbsp; It was those times when he could sense, or worse when he <em>knew</em> something was wrong... but also knew that it was something the boy needed to work through himself.&nbsp; What had been true for Lu Ten was also true for Zuko.<br><br>Iroh had never insulted Zuko by saying the Prince reminded him of his lost son.&nbsp; Zuko was his own man, and any flickers of similarity between the two boys could just as easily be lost in the inferno of differences between them.&nbsp; There was an important light that both of them had, but Iroh didn't think of it as something they shared... it was something all good men shared.&nbsp; Integrity.&nbsp; Nobility.&nbsp; Honor.&nbsp; There were probably a thousand names for it.&nbsp; Lu Ten had it, and Zuko had it.&nbsp; But so did Suki and Sokka and Sokka's sister.&nbsp; It was not something Iroh believed was exclusive to his family.<br><br>He didn't protect Zuko because Zuko was like Lu Ten.&nbsp; He didn't love Zuko because Zuko was like Lu Ten.&nbsp; He did those things because he was Zuko.&nbsp; And maybe, because it pained him to see how Ozai hadn't been able to see that for himself.<br><br>Now was one of those difficult times.&nbsp; He could feel the heat of Zuko's rage through the bulkheads.&nbsp; The Prince was having another crisis, but going in too soon or for the wrong reasons would teach him the wrong lessons.&nbsp; When they restored the balance to the world, Zuko would be Fire Lord... and even if Iroh were still around to see that corronation, he was not foolish enough to believe he'd be around forever.&nbsp; Zuko would need to learn to stand not just on his own... but taller and prouder than any other man.<br><br>The tea was getting cold as he waited, but that could be remedied at will.&nbsp; Thankfully.&nbsp; He could not imagine a world where tea could go to waste...<br><br>"General..." a female firebender approached and bowed to him, "Messenger hawk from Shiu Dao..."<br><br>Shiu Dao a fishing village on the coast of the Fire Nation.&nbsp; For many years they'd been the primary hub for naval travel coming and going from the Fire Nation, but when the colonies had been established in the Earth Kingdom its importance had started to die out.&nbsp; They were still known for their "world famous" snack that they called "hot cakes".&nbsp; Iroh had done much travelling in his years.<br><br>"The Prince can not be disturbed right now, I am afraid..." Iroh said with a reassuring smile.&nbsp; Anybody else could go ahead and believe the Prince was deep in meditation or working on his Firebending or going over strategies... they could believe he was having anal sex with Suki while the entire Kyoshi entourage watched.&nbsp; Those things were all Zuko's right and privilege, but Iroh would not have it spread throughout the ship that his nephew was having a tantrum.&nbsp; The prince had already proven himself a warrior and a great leader who inspired the loyalty of great people.&nbsp; But it could be as simple as one rumor to remind everybody in the resistance that he'd once been known as a dishonored and spoiled child.<br><br>"It's for you, General." She extended a note with a familiar mark on it.<br><br>Iroh took it with a simple, "Thank you," and dismissed the girl before he opened the note.&nbsp; If the White Lotus were contacting him then it had to be important news.<br><br>His face turned grim as he read over it.&nbsp; A sky bison spotted for the first time in over a hundred years.&nbsp; They believed that meant it was a sign of the Avatar, the last airbender.&nbsp; But the note said it was heading at a furious pace towards the Fire Nation Capital.<br><br>He did the math in his head.&nbsp; A Hawk from Shiu Dan would have taken at least a day and a half to get to their ship.&nbsp; But something flying from Shiu Dan would easily have been in the Capital by now.&nbsp; This could have been the best news in the world or the worst, and they would have to wait until another messenger hawk to find out.&nbsp; If the Avatar were as powerful as the legends said, it was possible he could raze the Fire Nation capital and its Phoenix Queen to the ground, leaving nothing but the Crater and the ashes of another fallen city.&nbsp; But Iroh had already learned his lesson about underestimating Azula.&nbsp; And the Avatar restoring balance by reducing all the nations to the state of the Air Nomads wasn't exactly the kind of restoration that Iroh and Zuko had in mind...<br><br>The General called two guards over and gave them explicit instructions to deliever to Commander Sokka the Leviathan.&nbsp; Then he sighed.&nbsp; Whether Zuko was ready for company or not, he would have to disturb his nephew...<br><br>He knocked as he pushed open the door, his expression serious in a way that only Zuko had ever really seen before.&nbsp; The fact that the tray of tea lay crashed carelessly behind him in a spill was sign enough of his urgency.&nbsp; "We will not find what we're looking for in this direction, Prince Zuko..." for once such a string of words wasn't a cryptic riddle for Zuko to take a life-lesson from.&nbsp; He handed Zuko the note he'd recieved from the White Lotus.&nbsp; "I've ordered the ship be turned around..." he frowned, "It would appear we are going back into the storm..."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>apygoos</strong> on <strong>20-03-2013, 12:07:04</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2z5tgnaWV1r0tyr5o1_500.png)</div>Aang<br>Location: the Fire Nation Capital<br>Weather: Stormy<br><hr>Aang looked around noting that indeed he was surrounded by benders form near every nation, bar his own. “Why we’re my people so violently attacked?! We Air nomads had no qualm with the fire nation, let alone anyone else!” The second part of his statement was more directed towards the other two nations surrounding him. “Someone talk!” He exclaimed, kicking the aged fire nation helmet he discovered among the scorched ruins of his people.<br><br>He was then approached by a man, clearly of high military standing in the fire nation, giving him a bow of respect, “The Avatar, I presume?” Admiral Zhao asked to the Air nomad. “Yes, I am the Avatar,” Aang replied before promptly following up, “Why…why are my people in ruin?!” Zhao was thinking very quickly to find a legitimate response or a decent quick one at least. It was clear with each passing moment; the Avatars patience was getting thinner and thinner. Logic said that his rage was justified, and if he was the Avatar, there was no telling if this group of benders in front of the palace gate could even stop him.<br><br>Finally Zhao was able to make a suitable enough response to the Avatar, “Much has changed, Avatar...I’m afraid I did not catch your name?” “Aang,” The airbender promptly responded. “Avatar Aang, you have been absent from the world for some time but, please, come in peace with us...” He said though almost gritted teeth, the whole act being a fib of his true nature, “Phoenix Queen and Fire Lord Azula along with the high council of nations has been expecting you. They will likely have the answers you desire; this has become a peaceful, balanced world. and we would be eager for you to rejoin us in it.”<br><br>Zhao was actually breaking a sweat though no one could tell thanks to the rain. Despite outright lying to the avatar, his words seemed to make some progress with the last Air Nomad as Aang took a less aggressive stance. “You have been away for over a hundred years, Avatar Aang, let us help you in every way we can, please, join us.” Zhao turned half way, his leading arm pointing towards the slowly opening palace gates. <br><br>Aang slowly started making his way in, being escorted by these benders from every nation. Once they arrived to the throne room, Aang Saw, first and foremost The Phoenix Queen, and her companion Ty Lee, before his eyes landed on the water tribe ladies, Yue and Katara. Between the two of them, what he saw was a beauty that was near equal to Soraka’s. It ma be possible to see that for the moment, hat is where his eyes were lingering.<br><br>Zhao then steps forward before everyone, making a formal presentation to Azula, as if he did all this hard work bringing her what was her greatest desire. “Phoenix Queen Azula and members of the Council of Nations, I present to you, Avatar Aang, who has come to grace us all with his presence after a hundred years!” Azula could probably tell how full of it he was, but the wheels of fate start to turn, as for the first time in over a century, the four nations stood in... relative harmony.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>21-03-2013, 06:41:51</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Kataras_Fire_Nation_outfit_zps905253c1.png)</div><br>Name: Katara <br>Location: Sitting at Azula's table.<br>Thoughts or feeling's: She is curious about the Avatar, yet worried of the consequence for speaking out. <br>========================================================================================================================<br><br>It had been story's the Avatar. Something made up to inspire younger kids to strive for peace and harmony. At least that was the hushed word on the lips of the soldiers in the fire nation. Katara always believed, or rather strongly hoped. Her feet shuffled over to her corner with Yue as she sat cross legged starring out to the empty section where now the only representative was on his way in. Looking over to Yue, Katara would smile letting her know that while she completely understood the former warning. There was still a hint of a desperate act behind her eyes. The thought continued to play in her mind that the Avatar was mastering all of the elements in secrete and has now determined it was the opportune time for an attack. <br><br><br>All the rest of the council filed in and sat at there respective places among the table waiting. Katara turned her head to get a good look at Azula, no doubt the woman was formulating a grand speech to show what a fantastic leader she was being to the people. Only time would tell.<br><br>The wait was not entirely that long when the footsteps pierced the silence. Zhao was in front leading the way for the Avatar and several of Azula's benders behind. Katara looked shocked for a moment before turning her face to the table. The Avatar was still a young man, in sure of what exactly the situation was Katara took a moment to compose her self before placing a fake welcoming smile. One she had cone to perfect while standing at the council meetings portraying strength and happiness for the water tribe. This would be no different, and Yue was more than right. Any outbursts would be punished. Nothing good would come of it. As Katara watched the Avatar she noticed his gaze lasted longer on there section of the table, her eyes would meet his if only for a moment her smile showing joy. <br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>22-03-2013, 02:41:16</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://24.media.tumblr.com/7dbb8ae0cd4a9e1000c15420431e0dab/tumblr_mji2b5x5ci1r0tjypo1_500.png)</div>Name: Toph<br>Location: Standing behind Azula.<br>========================================================================================================================================<br><br>Toph sat at her desk pondering on the days events. There had not been much going on but it had been raining. Katara was moved to the stone tower with no assistance from her guards, she did not expect the Lee's to fail but it would fall to her shoulders if it did. Her bare feet were planted firm onto the metal floor, she could feel the structure of her room and just beyond into the hallway. There had been a few passerby's but nothing noticeable that was until she felt the vibrations of many of the soldiers heading to the front gate. Her brows furrowed in slight frustration as the noise of them moving and the vibrations were disrupting her from thinking. It was then that she felt a much lighter vibration heading towards her quarters. By the way the figure moved she could tell it was one of her own. Azula claimed ruling over all of the members of the palace but when it came to the Dai Li she considered them hers. Of course she would never say as such to Azula. Lifting her foot she would stomp hard to the cold metal below twisting her foot ever so slightly to the right. The metal on the lock of her door opened in an instant, the door swinging open to allow a male decorated in full armor to enter. His helmet covering his face and making his voice sound slightly muffled. <strong>"Ma'am there is a problem out front. Someone claiming to be the avatar has shown up at the front gate supporting a flying bison. Zhao has gone to meet him. The Phoenix Queen has called a council order to meet with the Avatar."</strong> Raising a finger to her chin Toph thought a moment on the situation. Upon coming to a conclusion she turned to stand. <strong>"Well then why are you still standing here. Get your ass moving, I want you and one other in the council chambers by my side. We will stand behind Azula. If the Avatar makes a move we will bring him down. Who knows if that scum of a brother has gotten to him and fed him lies."</strong> Toph barked the orders out to the man in her room as she moved to put on her suit. It was a long green tunic though still very fashionable. The sleeves had been cut off to allow for her armor to reside underneath. The metal shoulder pads would act both as a defensive measure as well as allowing her to have a weapon handy at all times. It had multiple uses, the fact that it was fashionable was the least of her cares. (Look at the picture. I was kind of going off that)<br><br>When she had outfitted herself with the tunic she placed matching gloves over her hand and took off towards the Council chambers. Being able to bend Metal and earth Toph did not necessarily have to take the hallways around the palace to get where she needed to go, in fact as she exited her room the turned down the corridor. With a jump she would slam her feet into the ground raising her arms to build a small bridge out of the metal in the floor. The bridge lead up towards the ceiling where she again bent the metal to open a passage way. Once through the door she created she would lower the bridge back down into the floor, and then closing the door to the passage way behind her. Being able to see through her feet using her element was a huge plus, light or lack there of did not hinder her making it so she was able to navigate around the crawl spaces with ease. were there any obstacles in her way such as support beams or the like Toph would create holes to pass through fixing them back into place once she passed. <br><br>When Toph had been above the council room she took the time to feel the metal, she would feel for the vibrations in the movement of the people in the room. Once she determined where everyone was she had a clear idea of where Azula was by how the table was set up. With a wave of her hand she opened a small square hole before placing her right hand over the hole and raising the floor just below the open area. The small section of the floor was raised to meet the hole she had just created allowing her to stand on the flat surface. Using her left hand she would push the now large pillar down while using her right hand to close the hole she made. Toph would ride the pillar down until the top became even with the floor once again settling to its original shape. It seemed she was on time as she could feel the heavy vibrations of Zhao, the avatar and the precession of benders behind him. Toph would walk over towards Azula making sure to stand far enough back as to give her room but close enough to protect her if the Avatar moved. It was not as though she -needed- the protection she was not weak by any stretch of the word and there were enough benders in the building to take the avatar down were he to attack. But still it was her job and Toph was loyal to Azula. It had been moments later she was joined by two more members of the Dai Li who took there positions just behind Toph, one to her left and one to her right. All three of them stood with a wide defensive stance, there hands placed at the small of there back's. At this point Toph would wait and listen, purely keeping tabs on the Avatar. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Visna</strong> on <strong>22-03-2013, 23:02:16</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3zc6wRsbM1qber67.png)</div><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">June</span></span><br>Location: The Fire Nation Capital<br><br><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size">I</span>t had been some time since June had last been in the capital. She had worked under Zhao for a short time a few years back. Her missions had been relatively simple: track down dissenters and bring them back to Zhao. During that period of her life, she spent much of her time in the Fire Nation Capital. She never missed a target, and she was able to cover large stretches of ground in a short amount of time because of her pet Nyla. In the wake of her terror, some of the rebellious tendencies of the foreign villagers began to fade. She had been well known before, but it was these tasks that made her infamous. Her mere presence in small villages would scare villagers into giving up their own rebellious family members to save themselves. Azula's reign had been cemented.<br><br>Ultimately, June's relationship with Zhao soured. The mercenary required a hefty price because "she was good at what she did." Zhao intentionally came short on a couple of payments. June was never the type to seek revenge, mostly because she liked her reputation the way it was, so she simply left his services. She always enjoyed keeping relationships neutral in case of future employment.<br><br>For a few months she did small time jobs. June cared about only three things: money, her fearsome reputation, and sex. She used each of these to get more of the other two. For a while, she seemed to hover around villages with excess amounts of young men and women. She had an especially keen taste for the softer gender. Her "special" pet and cunning wit allowed her to pretty much get what she wanted with no consequences.<br><br>Eventually, she received an enticing offer from the Rebellion. Apparently, the rebel leaders believed that the Avatar was waiting in hiding. They believed that, if he could be found, he could change the tides of the war. June thought the prospect was laughable, but their general, Iroh, offered a hefty price for her services. Plus, the man was easily courted. June was able to squeeze out some extra money from him every time she came to collect her due. For two months she had searched for the Avatar. She ended up crossing several continents, exploring many islands, and even searching a deserted air temple.<br>&nbsp;<br>June found the mission rather annoying, but Nyla in particular was frustrated by it. The shirshu always seemed to be on the trail of a similar scent, but the trail seemed to be everywhere. The legends of the Avatar weren't as well known as they used to be, but June wondered if Nyla was merely catching onto the spiritual scents of the past Avatars. She spent every day cruising along at whim. She traveled on Nyla's back, but the hidden Avatar was elusive. She was getting paid though, and she loved tasting the men and women in each town they passed through, so she didn't care.<br><br>One day, her blind pet went berserk. She began to charge in a single direction until the two arrived on the tip of a mountain. In the distance, June witnessed a single sky bison speeding through the air. She had an interest in exotic pets, and she recognized the beast instantaneously. A grin covered her face as she turned Nyla around and continued the chase. Once she reached a village, she found a trustworthy rebel and had him relay the message back to their headquarters. Eventually, it made its way to General Iroh and the others. June had more important situations to handle; she was no messenger girl, after all.<br><br>For quite a few days she followed the bison. It was fast, but she managed to keep up because of Nyla's determination. The animal had finally found the source of the scent, and it had no intention of letting it split away. The direction of the bison's course was clear: the Fire Nation Capital. June thought that the situation couldn't have been more perfect for her. On one hand, if she caught the Avatar, she would be rich. If the Avatar managed to escape, there were always other employer options. June had no interest in who won the little war between the Fire Nation and the rebels, but she had a personal interest in Azula. She was the first lesbian Queen, and she was powerful. June loved soft women, but she had slept with so many of them that she craved somebody stronger than her. The only women that rivaled her prowess were those in Azula's court, so she had self interest in getting closer to the Fire Nation. Of course, she would never take a job for less money than she was already being paid.<br><br>Sneaking into the Fire Nation Capital was no easy feat, but June pulled it off with ease. The guards would have let her in anyways, but she didn't want anybody to know she was around. The bison landed near the palace. No matter how cunning June was, she had only a small chance of shifting through the palace guards unnoticed. She elected to merely wait around and witness the outcome of the event. A strange sensation seemed to tell her that the Fire Nation would not be able to handle the legendary Avatar as easily as they believed.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>29-03-2013, 09:41:42</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ed/Warrior_Sokka_by_Mandy_Mo.jpg)</div><strong>Name</strong>: Sokka<br><strong>Location</strong>: On a boat! (http://youtu.be/R7yfISlGLNU)<br><br><hr><hr><br>He was studying a book on Pai Sho when he noticed the ship change course.&nbsp; There were little notations on the edges of the pages from the previous owner that he had been copying to hold his own against Iroh at the game.&nbsp; Whoever had owned the book before him had been almost as good as the Dragon of the West, himself.&nbsp; Maybe better.&nbsp; Sokka was only just beginning to understand the strategies as they were laid out.&nbsp; Some were more complicated.&nbsp; Whoever had put it together had put as much work into Pai Sho as his sister had put into bending…<br><br>His sister.&nbsp; When he thought about her the necklace tied to his wrist always seemed to tighten.&nbsp; Zuko had told him about the Phoenix Queen's… perversions… sometimes it wasn't always better to be a woman held captive by the Queen.<br><br>But last Sokka had heard, Katara was some representative on Azula's cabinet.&nbsp; Iroh and Zuko had spies near enough her to assure Sokka she was safe and cared for, relatively speaking, but nobody could get close enough to her inconspicuously to inquire about her state of mind.&nbsp; Was she okay?&nbsp; Was she holding out hope?&nbsp; Did she even know her brother was still out there?&nbsp; The fact that Azula had her wife's sisters guarding Katara, Iroh had told him, seemed to imply that she hadn't been brain washed like so many of the others in the cabinet they'd heard about.&nbsp; But that didn't mean she was safe.&nbsp; And he wouldn't think she was until he saw her with his own eyes.<br><br>He probably noticed the change in course before anybody else.&nbsp; He'd grown up on the water, he noticed every wave that rocked the boat.&nbsp; Iroh had tested him once… if they were in the southern seas, Sokka could sit in the bowels of the ship for days at a time and pinpoint their location with startling accuracy just by the way the boat rocked and how cold the hull was to the touch.&nbsp; He could listen with his ear against the hull and hear the songs of the whaliphants in the water, and he understood them enough to know when they were warning of Phoenix Empire ships patrolling for them.&nbsp; Who knows how great a hunter he'd have been with just a few more years under his father's tutelage.&nbsp; Sometimes he thought it was the only reason Zuko kept him around.<br><br>"Why are we changing course?" he kept asking everybody he ran across in the corridors.&nbsp; Nobody seemed to have a satisfactory answer for him.<br><br>Iroh would know, he thought.&nbsp; More certainly than even Zuko would know.&nbsp; The painted slut might know…<br><br>Sokka wouldn't call her that to her painted face, of course.&nbsp; The Kyoshi warriors were deadly, and he had no urgent desire to see his own beating heart.&nbsp; He'd been watching them fight.&nbsp; Especially their commander.&nbsp; He absorbed what he could.&nbsp; When he finally convinced them to let him participate in the training he'd slowly gotten to a point where he could beat some of the weaker members… and hold his own against some of the more experienced girls.&nbsp; But any time he'd had a battle against their commander or her elite guard, if he wasn't allowed to use his sword or his chu-ko-nu, then he went down faster than he did playing Iroh at Pai Sho.<br><br>No, he wouldn't call her the painted slut to their face.<br><br>To her face, he called the commander…<br><br>"Sifu," he pushed his way closer to Suki of the Kyoshi Islands. "Why are we changing course?"<br><br>She was his master, and he had learned almost half a decade ago that some people are due the proper show of respect no matter what your personal feelings about them are.&nbsp; He wasn't always good at it, but he had learned to hide at least the majority of his contempt for people.&nbsp; Especially women.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Empyrean</strong> on <strong>01-04-2013, 04:39:28</strong>
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				<strong>Suki</strong><br>On the Boat<br><br>The thrust of a sharpened fan. The rush of air as a foot swept for her leg. A quick twisting dodge. These things were beauty and poetry. They kept the mind clear and focused. In the dance of combat one could forget doubts. Forget fear. Forget the self. It was a form of meditation that soothed the soul. When faced with the long tedium of hours at sea, rigorous training was a must to keep wits and skills sharp, and to stave off the endless boredom. Oh sure, there was always Pai Sho with the Dragon. It was a good tactical exercise. But for Suki of the Kyoshi Islands nothing beat physical contest to hone the mind and the body.<br><br>It wasn't even clear to her when that had become the case. Maybe during the long years of holding together this revolution against the tyrant Phoenix Queen, maybe before. She didn't know. She didn't care. Right now she was sparring against four of her best Kyoshi Warriors and thrilling to the hum of battle. She'd known these women virtually her entire life. She'd trusted them with that life time and again, as they had trusted her. When she put out the call to rise against the greatest tyrant the world had ever known, they had stepped forward without question, without hesitation. They fought in a near-perfect harmony. She was trying to make that harmony flawless.<br><br>Then came the note of dissonance. A voice, intruding on her symphony of combat.<br><br>With only a quick hiss of breath she took down the four surrounding her. Yuli fell to a quick chop across the throat as she brought her fan up for a sweep. Kai fell for a foot feint that got her an elbow to the chest. Sarin and Siri were redirected into each other then laid low with a series of swift kicks. It was over in a moment. Not breathing hard, not sweating, Suki turned to face Sokka with one raised eyebrow.<br><br>"I don't know. An important reason I shouldn't wonder. Have you tried asking General Iroh or Prince Zuko if it so upsets you? And did you think that interrupting me at my practice was so essential for so small a question? You've ruined my harmony. I think it fitting that you try to recreate it. Yuli, Sarin, Siri, and Kai will be your opponents for a sparring session. Let's see if this time at sea has been used to keep up your skills Sokka." She smiled slightly. "Unless of course, you're afraid."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>06-04-2013, 07:15:33</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/259/8/b/grow_up_zuko_by_kelly1412-d5ew60m.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/066/f/c/zuko___atla_by_attyca-d4s15xx.jpg)</div>Name: Zuko<br>Where: On my Frigate<br>With: General Iroh. <br>==================================================================================================<br><br>Zuko had been breathing heavily for some time, the flames still lingered across his hands even as he heard muffled tones of a conversation outside. His uncle no doubt of course he would interrupt likely for tea. The old man drank tea as if with out it he would die... no Zuko was sure the old man could not go a full day with out some. <br><br>"Come in" Zuko called out to the knocking on the door. 'Look uncle I am not In the mood for tea" having turned fully around and seeing the letter Zuko fell silent. The full realization sinking in with the spilled tea set on the floor behind Iroh. <br><br>The conversation was short and simple. They were being turned around and going back towards the black clouds. The letter made it clear the Avatar would reach the fire nation several days before the ship would dock, if they wanted to get the Avatar before he was turned into a hand puppet for Azula; they needed to try anything and everything. <br><br>"Send another messenger, Sokka, Suki, and the warriors are to meet me in the conference room on the upper deck&nbsp; one hour. I will fill them in if they have not heard by then. We needs to think this out, a plan is the only way we will pull this off." Dread filled the prince as the realization festered in his mind. "Uncle I'll have that tea with you when its ready" not being one for tea it would have been more of a symbolic gesture than him wishing to enjoy a cup. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 07:09:33</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/bb/03Azula.jpg)</div>Name: The Phoenix Queen, Azula<br>Location: Upon Her Throne<br><br><hr><hr><br>Zhao had faced the spirit world before.&nbsp; He'd stolen books from the hidden library.&nbsp; He had held a god hostage at the Seige of the North.&nbsp; For all the legends and all his reading, he had been expecting the Avatar to come upon the world with apocalyptic fury.&nbsp; Frankly, Zhao was... less than impressed.&nbsp; The last thing he was expecting was this.&nbsp; Barely a man grown, if Zhao was being generous.<br><br>The Queen sat upon her throne, legs crossed, the fabric of her robes falling seductively over every curve, perfectly applied makeup masking her face, thin red lips smirking.&nbsp; With every breath she took the candy-blue flames burning softly around her seemed to sway and dance.&nbsp; Sparking and crackling lightning danced along the ceiling above.&nbsp; It seemed that even with the Avatar present, she had absolutely no intention of letting anyone question who she thought the most powerful person in the room was.<br><br>"So this is an Airbender?" the Queen asked him.&nbsp; Her voice sounded soft, feminine, smokey.&nbsp; Almost like the purr of an eaglelion.<br><br>When she heard the sound of Toph ariving she supressed a sound of relief.&nbsp; Unlike Zhao she didn't like to take chances, and she liked to make sure her deck was stacked if a confrontation went down.&nbsp; Maybe she had no doubt she could kill the man in front of her, if she had to... but with the addition of Toph, Ty Lee, Mei, Zhao and all her guards... she could kill him if she <em>wanted</em> to.&nbsp; She wondered which side Yue and Katara would fall on.&nbsp; After all, she was the devil they knew, and the Avatar was already looking at them like meat.<br><br>She stood from her throne and extended her hand to Ty Lee.&nbsp; There was a confidence in her posture.&nbsp; She didn't even look back.&nbsp; Her wife would take her hand, her wife would walk with her, her wife would follow her into oblivion.&nbsp; Maybe Azula took it for granted, but who in her kingdom could say they had as happy a marriage?<br><br>The Queen gave a signal that Toph and Zhao would understand meant to secure the room.&nbsp; Just like with her wife she didn't have to do anything else to know it would be done.<br><br>Ty Lee's hand in hers, she approached the Avatar.&nbsp; His eyes were looking over Azula's water-maidens?&nbsp; So the legendary Air Nomads were not so chaste and serene, after all.&nbsp; As she passed them, she ran her fingers through Yue's hair and gently carressed Katara's face.&nbsp; Little sparks dancing from her fingers as she touched the Southern Water-maiden.&nbsp; The Phoenix Queen rarely passed on an opportunity to touch Katara.&nbsp; Sometimes it was to make Ty Lee jealous... jealousy had a wonderful effect on Ty Lee's libido.&nbsp; Sometimes it was to remind Katara of her place.&nbsp; Sometimes it was just because Azula loved touching her...<br><br>Of all the things she owned, Katara was her favorite piece of property...<br><br>And if Aang got the impression that he'd need Azula's permission to play with her toys, well, she wasn't opposed to fast learning.<br><br>For the first time since her father had died, she did the unthinkable when she was near the Avatar.&nbsp; The Phoenix Queen bowed to him.&nbsp; She placed her fist beneath an open palm, the traditional Fire Nation salute and bowed low to him.&nbsp; It was a gesture of respect.&nbsp; And respect was an expression she'd learned to fake ages ago.<br><br>A waterbender hurried over to her and placed a silk shaal in her hands that the queen presented to Aang, "You'll have to forgive us," she said. "We had anticipated, should the avatar return... it would be a woman..." she stood to her full height.&nbsp; Still a head shorter than Aang, but somehow towering over him in spirit. "The belief was that your lives alternated sex between reincarnations."&nbsp; She turned to Ty Lee, "It would appear I owe both you and Yue a bucket of peaches."<br><br>"We have a place for you at our table, Avatar Aang," she gestured sweetly to the table.&nbsp; There were two chairs marked with the symbol for the Air Nomads, just as there were two chairs for the other three nations, as well.<br><br>Azula was a completely different woman when she was putting on her diplomatic face.&nbsp; She was delicate.&nbsp; Girly, even.&nbsp; There were little giggles between her words and her eyes were warm, instead of fierce.&nbsp; It was something else she'd learned to fake.&nbsp; After all, she'd been a princess once.&nbsp; Before she was her father's favorite weapon... and long before the rumors that her father took her to bed...<br><br>"May I present to you, my wife, The Silver Queen, Ty Lee," she moved her hand so that Ty Lee would be nearer the Avatar.<br><br>"I don't suppose you could humor us with a demonstration of Airbending," she said.&nbsp; She raised her hand and looked about to touch his chest in a flirtatious manner, but then recoiled as if she remembered who she was addressing.&nbsp; Every bit of it was calculated.&nbsp; How much she would reach out, how much she would flirt, exactly where she'd recoil, exactly where she'd <em>almost</em> touch.&nbsp; Manipulation was an art and Azula was the world's only Heartbender.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Karma</strong> on <strong>16-04-2013, 08:53:54</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/y9NOTA1.png)</div>A reverie took hold of Ty Lee in the moments before Azula offered her hand.<br><br>She was on stage, but it wasn’t a circus. Ty Lee was in a grand theater, of such exquisite design as to seem impossible in the world she knew. The seats were filled with fabulous people of all types, from all four nations; even Air Nomads! They watched on intently as she, alone, weaved her flexible way among a complex array of bars. It was some sort of artistic performance, clearly, and it came easily to her.<br><br>As her body slid sensuously among the intricately intertwined metal, Ty Lee became aware that she was wearing a leotard rather than her typical outfit. It clung to her strangely but wasn’t uncomfortable. Her hands and feet were powdered, making it easy to slide about. There was no way to see it, but she was certain she wore facepaint as well, though what sort was impossible to say.<br><br>At long last she completed her display, performing a flourish of a dismount to the great pleasure of the crowd. They seemed to be patrons of the fine arts, though Ty Lee would never have described her circus performances as fine art. Odd words came out of her mouth as the apparatus behind her was rolled away and the curtain drawn for the moment. She seemed to be introducing someone or something… <br><br>The daydream skipped forward, and there she was: Azula, as yet the Fire Princess, but she seemed softer. She was speaking heatedly with several others on the stage. Ty Lee realized she was now in the crowd, watching, rapt, as Azula moved the theater with her beautiful, heart-wrenching acting. In this strange alternate world, Azula used her talents for entertainment rather than world domination.<br><br>When Ty Lee’s hand finally landed in Azula’s, her moments-long dream ended, and she knew. She had seen, <em>felt</em> Azula put that mask on as the Avatar entered. Thoughts of what might have been still lingered in her mind as they made their way toward him. What Azula wanted was best, of course, but what of a world where circumstances had led her to want something different? Would they have been the same people? Would they have still been happy? Might they have been even happier? <br><br><em>Don’t be so thick all the time, Ty Lee. You’re happy now. None of that matters.</em> It was easy to say that, but sometimes, she wanted…<br><br>Azula put an end to that train of thought quite suddenly when she caressed her Water Tribe pet. There was no one else in the world that challenged Ty Lee for Azula’s attention… except Katara. In truth, Ty Lee knew better, but sometimes Azula would touch Katara in such a way, or say something just so, and it would seem that Katara was Ty Lee’s rival. Azula said otherwise, of course. <em>No one shall ever come between us, Ty Lee.</em> And yet, who was it that had too often shared their marital bed? Who was it that Azula was grooming?<br><br>Ty Lee was not envious by nature, but Azula was a prize to be coveted. It didn’t help that only a short time ago, she had been the one being caressed. Frustration was setting in…<br><br>Azula was playing the feminine diplomat, and so Ty Lee would have to play the gracious queen. Even after a few years, it was a role she was still rather uncomfortable with. “We’re so glad to see you well, Avatar Aang.” She curtsied in the way that Azula had taught her. “We feared the loss of both the Avatar line and the Air Nomads… but we never lost hope, as you can see,” she said, also indicating the place at the table.<br><br>Diplomacy and courtliness was almost physically painful for Ty Lee. She just wanted to run free, Azula at her side… but Azula’s side was here, and so this was where she belonged.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ashena</strong> on <strong>08-05-2013, 19:05:38</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/mellei_2007/Kataras_Fire_Nation_outfit_zps905253c1.png)</div><br>Name: Katara <br>Location: Sitting at Azula's table.<br>Thoughts or feeling's: Trying to stay calm and putting on a good show for Azula. <br>========================================================================================================================<br><br>There was no mistaking the sound of Toph joining, the ceiling opened up and a large pillar lowered the woman to the floor. She was the tunnel rat, running from her proved most difficult when you could get from one part of the palace to the other in a straight line through the walls. Katara had learned this lesson well during her first few weeks of captivity, however with the Lee's that now walked her everywhere that dream was crushed even further. Hope of ever getting out or being rescued dwindled as the hours passed. There were some days Katara even entertained the idea of staying the life she had was not all that horrible. It sure had its days but that was the way life was.<br><br>It took her a moment to realize Azula had moved and another moment even still to feel the touch of warmth running through her face. Azula's finger tracing the outline of her jaw. Forcing a smile Katara hid any true thoughts that had been surfacing, she would play up the touch by turning her head into it adorning a smirk. Her eyes left the Avatar and trailed up to Azula's. Knowing that disobeying or giving a reason for the Avatar to question something would mean an even harder life for both her and the water tribes. It was imperative that she sold everything she did.&nbsp; Having not wanting to interrupt the queen she remained silent, it was not her place to speak yet, perhaps that time would be coming but it had not thus far. <br><br>(Sorry its short for me having just come back from Vaca but I did not have a ton to go off of. I hope this is ok?)
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				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>apygoos</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 11:55:31</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2z5tgnaWV1r0tyr5o1_500.png)</div>Aang<br>Location: the Fire Nation Capital, Azula’s throne room<br>Weather: Stormy<br><hr>Aang for a long while wasn't sure how to approach the situation. He was angry, furious as to what he had discovered. From what he saw though upon arrival, he was so graciously accepted, just about immediately. He took a long visible breath, clear to everyone there he was trying to take this all in,<br><br>The Phoenix Queen was an attractive lady. Who was he kidding, they <em>all</em> were attractive especially the water tribe girls, he couldn't peel his eyes off them until he was directly approached by the Phoenix Queen. He remembered that bow as clear as day, a sign of respect and greeting. He returned the gesture before recieveing this gift that was made just for him. While he was the incorrect gender for it, he graciously accepted it all the same, nodding in understanding as it was explained. They thought the Avatar was lost. His failure seemed now to stretch for however long he had been away.<br><br>He looked to the Table as it was gestured to, he felt the anger slipping further away still. <em>“These people are not responsible, maybe they can give some answers though..”</em> His eyes returned to Ty Lee as she spoke, offering her and the Queen the best smile he could muster before taking another long look at the seats for the Air Nomads. His eyes wandered over to Yue and Katara once again though, looking them over long and hard before his attention was reeled back in by Azula. Her hands motion nearly touching him. A woman’s touch was something he had lost all those years ago before becoming frozen in his own self guilt. The Phoenix Queen requested a demonstration of his Air Bending. Who was he to say no?<br><br>He gestured for everyone to give him some space as he backed up. “Forgive me if I’m a bit rusty here.” He gave a bow before promptly creating a sphere of air beneath him. And standing on it He gestured for the men to give him his staff, which they promptly did, as they did not wish to make Azula impatient. As he stood on the sphere, with the staff in hand, he looked to be doing very meditative, slow, focused movements. After a while of this display, soon he jumped down through the bubble, spinning his staff around in a circle, reshaping the air bubble into a small spinning vortex of air around him before striking a stance and the air dispelled outward, the visible air dispersing mere inches from the Phoenix Queens face along with the others. <br><br>Setting the staff down, he removes the tattered remains of his top tossing it down in front of him, his slim, but well defined body on display for all to see. His arrow tattoos&nbsp; now more visibly joined the animation of his movements as he spiraled with his hands, forming a disc out of the air as he focuses it, the air seemed to be spinning faster and faster, you could almost hear the disc cutting the air around it. A gust of air comes as he slides his left foot towards the grounded cloth, launching it into the air, and throwing the disc. The disc of Air sliced clean through the tattered cloth before he let the air vanish. <br>He hoped the display was good enough for them. Inside, he could only do so much without destroying the place. “Thank you for&nbsp; having me here.. I’m not sure what has changed, what the world is like now. I Don’t even know how long I've been gone, but maybe could you help me understand, starting with what happened… to my people."<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>25-06-2013, 19:31:50</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/074/4/3/azula_on_the_iron_throne_by_kissyushka-d5y518a.jpg)</div>Well, he'd certainly calmed down quick enough.&nbsp; She'd had an entire speech prepared on the sins of the ancestor and the judgment of the scion.&nbsp; Then, it wasn't even for the numbers around him that he changed his tone.&nbsp; She'd gone to all the trouble of greeting him with the combined force of three nations… three of the greatest mistresses of bending the world had ever known stood before him… and he lacked even the courtesy to cower before her?&nbsp; For all his thunder and rage, the Avatar turned out to be just a scared and lonely boy?&nbsp; The concept would have almost made her feel sad, were she genuinely capable of it.<br><br>"Your people," she frowned.&nbsp; It wasn't sincere, of course, but she could fake sincerity better than most girls could fake an orgasm.&nbsp; There was a long pause and a slow sigh, but so perfectly timed before she spoke again that it never felt like she was reaching for words. "I imagine if you've come all the way here, you're likely aware of the worst news, of course."&nbsp; She placed a hand on his shoulder, warm and soft and the shadow of supportive, her eyes peeking into his soul with just the glimmer of apology and tears upon them.&nbsp; "It was my great grand-father.&nbsp; Sozen the Mad, we call him, now.&nbsp; Though, Sozen the Jealous may be more appropriate."<br><br>She gestured to her wife to guide Aang to a seat, and took well note of how the avatar's eyes lingered - even in such time of sadness - on the girls of the water tribe.&nbsp; Her mind danced over an old saying her cousin had.&nbsp; <em>The best part of travel is the girls.&nbsp; Girls of the Fire Nation are hot, girls of the Earth Kingdom are dirty, and girls of the Water Tribe are always wet.</em>&nbsp; And then Lu Ten would fill the room with that infectious laughter of his that everyone always loved him for, but she had always found more annoying than endearing.&nbsp; She wondered what he would have said about Air Nomad girls...<br><br>"Some say he coveted the power of the Avatar," she said, with a tone of lamentation on her voice. "Others that he wished to surpass you.&nbsp; Not that his behavior is your fault, of course," she said.&nbsp; Though there was a twist in her voice that might have planted a seed that it was.&nbsp; "He wasn't especially clear in his reasons," she explained. "He was fond of saying, 'There is no right or wrong apart from what the Fire Lord decides.&nbsp; What the Fire Lord chooses is, by definition, right.'&nbsp; A belief he managed to instill in his sons, I'm sad to confess."<br><br>"He killed your people," she finally admitted. "Near as we can tell, you're the last airbender."<br><br>"The war lasted a hundred years, and atrocities were committed on both sides.&nbsp; I was fourteen when a band of Earth Kingdom rebels - terrorists really - flooded a Fire Nation colony, killing thousands… not even a garrison of soldiers, mind you.&nbsp; A colony.&nbsp; How we were all swept in the rallying cry.&nbsp; I regret how long it took me to see through the lies we told ourselves," she said.&nbsp; Though, what lies they might have been she wasn't clear on.&nbsp; She could make quite the convincing lie of the idea that she didn't buy into the superiority of the element of fire.&nbsp; But, as easy as a lie would be to bake, if the avatar would eat his fill on tiny grains of truth, then all the better.&nbsp; "A new balance was required."<br><br>As Aang was escorted to a seat set for him in the empty, dusty chairs reserved for the Air Nomads they'd never found, Azula returned to her own golden chair above all of them.&nbsp; The phoenix's wings wrapped around her not unlike an embrace. "There was no avatar to restore it," she explained and opened her arms to address the rest of the room. "So, I did."&nbsp; She was polite and even in every word she said, and clever in the way she wrapped up her subtext.&nbsp; The words were not so important as her meaning…<br><br><em>You abandoned the world.&nbsp; So I did your job for you.</em>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Avatar TLA: Phoenix Risen [EX]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Violence</strong> on <strong>25-06-2013, 19:47:34</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/0/0a/Iroh-Dragon-of-the-West-avatar-the-last-airbender-8933996-900-990.jpg)</div>He came into the room silently, but as powerful as the beat of a dragon's wing.&nbsp; If he had interest in the sexual tension between Sokka and his nephew's favored girl, it didn't show on his face.&nbsp; None of the joviality that he'd become known for shown through at all.&nbsp; There were precious few times when Iroh ever allowed seriousness to overtake his composure.&nbsp; Life was meant to be filled with smiles, he often said.&nbsp; So when the smile faded, it was clear something was most certainly wrong.<br><br>The last time his demeanor had broken had been when he had to announce the fall of Ba Sing Se.<br><br>"There's news, isn't there?" Sokka asked. "That's why we're changing course."<br><br>"My nephew, the true Fire Lord," titles being used were a more grave sign, "Has commanded your presence in his war chamber."&nbsp; He made it clear that the point was being made to both of them.&nbsp; He let the words hang in the air, burning hot into the walls.<br><br>"Something's wrong," Sokka said, as much to himself as to Suki. "You're holding something back."<br><br>Under other circumstances, Iroh might have been proud of a student learning to read a situation so well.&nbsp; But this was not the time to give the Leviathan of the Water Tribe a pat on the back.&nbsp; "Our purpose remains the same.&nbsp; We've changed course because we've learned we were heading the wrong way," he explained.<br><br>"But, we're looking for the Avatar.&nbsp; The other way is just Fire Nation," Sokka reasoned.&nbsp; He didn't have to put anything further together, the way Iroh looked down and turned away told him the whole story.&nbsp; They'd been doing almost nothing but chasing ghosts for close to a year, only to learn that the very thing they sought was in the hands of their enemy...
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