The Dust Before Dawn

It has been several weeks since Macai's disappearance. Azula has not heard anything about her boyfriend's departure and is restless. She has asked several students where he went, and no one has been able to answer her questions. She has questioned several teachers at the Royal Boy's Academy, and they refused to answer her. Azula is at her home trying to think of a way to discover what has happened to Macai. She invited Ty Lee and Mai to her room to discuss this matter.

Azula is sitting on her bed while Ty Lee and Mai are sitting in chairs across her. Azula: "I have no idea where he went. This isn't like him. I don't know what to do and who to ask."

Ty Lee: "Why don't you ask Rosh? Macai tells him everything."

Azula: "Ah, right. But if I ask Rosh, he probably won't tell me. He doesn't trust me."

Mai: "Then beat him until he tells you the truth."

Azula: "Rosh is stubborn and persistent. He would be difficult to break. I have a better idea." Azula looks at Ty Lee and smiles, "Ty Lee, Rosh is much more likely to tell you the truth than me."

Ty Lee gasps, "But I broke up with him and kicked him out of my house. He won't trust me anymore."

Azula: "Nonsense, he is crazy about you. His walls may be up now, but they can slowly be broken down. You must gradually regain his trust and start dating him again. Then he will answer your questions about Macai's whereabouts. After I have gotten all I need of him, you will be free to continue dating him if he has straightened up his act."

Ty Lee smiles, "Really?!"

Azula nods. "Of course, but that's only if he cleans up his act. With Macai away from him, I believe the odds of that are greater."

Ty Lee gleefully says, "Yay."

Mai responds, "Unless Macai is not really gone and is still here. Perhaps he was asked to stop seeing you, Azula."

 Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee.

Azula frowns. "We will see."

A Fateful Visit

Rosh is returning home from school on a Thursday with Spinge and Barge. Spinge laughs. "I can't believe Jacen did that. He broke his trumpet when he pulled that stunt."

Barge: "What a maniac."

Rosh: "Oh well."

Spinge: "Cheer up, you're still acting like a downer because Macai is gone. You'll get to visit him soon enough."

Rosh: "I know, I know."

Barge: "Well, in the meantime, let's play some foosball."

Rosh: "Remember when Zyger taught us foosball tricks? I miss him too."

Spinge shouts, "Rosh stop it!"

Rosh: "Ok, ok." Ty Lee emerges in the distance and walks toward the boys. Rosh freezes.

Spinge points his finger. "Stay away from us, Ty Lee! Rosh remembers how you wrongly rejected him. You made your choice long ago and I doubt you'll ever truly change your mind."

Ty Lee sighs. "I'm sorry, but it's not your decision. It's Rosh's."

Spengi looks at his friend. "Tell her, Rosh."

Rosh confirms, "He's right, you blew it, Ty Lee. I was hurt when you shunned me, but I always hoped that one day you would return. Deep down, I knew that if did it would only be to fulfill one of Azula's goals."

Ty Lee locks eyes with Rosh. They both get teary-eyed. Spinge: "This is all touching, but we must go, Rosh." Spinge takes Rosh by the hand and starts to direct him away.

Ty Lee: "Rosh, wait!"

Rosh stops in his tracks and Spinge is unable to further direct him. Ty Lee moves in toward Rosh, "Rosh, I miss you! I'm sorry, for everything. I promise that I'll make it worthwhile this time."

Rosh: "If you're really sorry TELL ME THE TRUTH! Why are you REALLY here?!"

Ty Lee nods her head. "You want the truth! I came because Azula sent me! She wanted to know what happened to Macai, she misses him."

Rosh: "Well, his departure is probably the best thing that ever happened to him. He's away from her and for good reason."

Ty Lee asks, "Why? And tell me the truth, Rosh."

Rosh: "I don't owe you anything."

Ty Lee warns, "Oh Rosh, you know better than that. If you don't tell me the truth, sometime, someday, Azula will find out. When she does, she will not stop until she destroys you. Azula never forgets. Do you really want to worry about that?"

Rosh shakes his head. "Fine, she wants the truth, here it is. Macai was sent to Nyarri because of a military academy program. He was selected in something that supposed to test his skills to see if he is truly worthy to be one of the greatest of all time. It tests him by sending him to one of the coldest Fire Nation colonies that gets little sunlight and has intense non-royal training with its own distinct style."

Ty Lee looks in surprise, "Then why is Eyre still here?"

Rosh: "He still has a job to do here and it's part of Macai's test."

Ty Lee: "Ok, thanks Rosh. What about us?"

Rosh: "What about us?! You already told me that Azula sent you here! You did not come on your own will, you came for her!"

Ty Lee pleads as tears leak from her eyes. "That may be true, but I also came because I care about you. That's why I told you the real reason I came, I didn't have to. Azula didn't tell me to do that. I know it's difficult, but we can make this work. Azula said she wouldn't mind if we dated again."

Rosh: "You still don't get it. AZULA will never accept me around. She is using me to get what she wants from you. Eventually, she would move to shut me down. Long ago, you had to CHOOSE between me or her and you chose her." Rosh starts crying.

Ty Lee moves in closer. "I'm sorry."

Rosh: "No! Get away. I don't need you and I don't want to be with you anymore." Ty Lee breaks down crying and falls to her knees. Barge gasps in disbelief.

Spinge: "Now, let's go." Rosh follows his friend and Barge moves behind them.

The Answer

Ty Lee returns to Azula and Mai who are both sitting in chairs at the living room table in the Fire Nation palace. Azula: "Ah, Ty Lee. You look down, is everything all right? Did you get the answer I needed?"

Ty Lee: "Yes, Rosh told me everything. Macai is in the Nyarri region. He has been moved because of a military and academic program that is meant to test him. Though his father is still here."

Azula: "Is Rosh still willing to date you?"

Ty Lee: "No."

Azula: "Then you didn't follow my gameplan, you did it the Ty Lee way. That's your fault. Oh well, at least you still have me." Ty Lee runs out of the room.

Mai shouts, "Ty Lee?!" Mai looks at Azula. "Should I pursue her?"

Azula dryly responds, "No, she is just venting. Don't worry, she'll be back."

Mai: "What do we do in the meantime, to complete your goal?"

Azula smirks. "First, I'm going to visit the post commissioner, the Leader of the local post office. I know Macai would be writing me letters if he's all the way out in Nyarri. If that's the case, then someone must be withholding mail. It's been three weeks."

Azula and Mai leave the palace and take a carriage ride to the Post Office. It is a large white building with red stripes throughout it and a Fire Nation flag on top of the center of the rooftop. Azula and Mai sneak into the facility and step outside of the post commissioner's office.

The Post Commissioner is inside of his room. He is a gaunt elderly man with yellow skin, grey hair, thin eyebrows, almond-shaped brown eyes, wide thin lips, and a long bell-shaped nose. His name is Ron Wett and he is wearing a light grey postal uniform with red stripes. His office has white walls, a light grey floor, a light grey ceiling, a dark brown desk, and dark brown drawers. There is also a window that emits sunlight.

Ron hears three knocks on the door. Ron responds, "Who is it?" A twelve-year-old Azula kicks the door open.

Ron: "What is the meaning of this?!" Mai moves beside Azula.

Azula: "You have something that I want."

Ron glares at Azula. "You have some nerve talking to me like that, girl." Azula leaps forward and kicks Ron in his stomach. Ron glides three feet back and his body violently crashes into the wall. Ron feels his back pop as Azula rushes toward him and grabs him by the throat.

Azula: "I should be receiving letters from Macai. I know he sent me some, where are they?"

Ron starts coughing. "What?! I don't know all of the specifics."

Azula slaps Ron. "Don't lie to me." Ron shakes his head.

Ron defiantly says, "You won't get away with this, I'm the Postal Commissioner!"

Azula: "Of course I will, I'm the PRINCESS!"

Ron pleads, "Ok, I'll see what I can do to get you those letters. Please, just let me go."

Azula: "I hear he's out in Nyarri, so his messages might take a while to get here. But it shouldn't take THIS LONG."

Ron responds, "It would probably take two weeks."

Azula: "It's been three."

Ron nods his head. "I will see what's holding it up. For future reference, it might take a month during the wintertime."

Azula: "The winter hasn't started yet and if it takes a day longer than a month, then I'll be back. For now, I advise you to focus on my more recent letter. You have three days to fix this mess or I'll be back." Ron nods his head and Azula lets go of him.

Azula looks at her friend. "Let's go, Mai, this place stinks." While the girls walk out of the room several Postal workers look in astonishment as they exit the Postal Commissioner's office.

Three postal workers rush into his office and notice the wounded Commissioner struggling to get back on his feet. Male Postal worker: "What happened, sir?"

Ron shakes his head, "It doesn't matter. You all have a new priority, get Macai's letters from Nyarri to me as soon as possible."

Male postal worker: "Yes sir."

Knowledge and Power

Three days later, Azula receives a letter from Macai describing his absence. After receiving this letter, she meets with Ty Lee. Azula is sitting in her room in a chair with Mai sitting to the left of her. Ty Lee is standing across them, like she is on trial. Azula: "Well, the information you provided for me was correct. Macai's letter confirms it. Well done, Ty Lee. It's great to have a friend like you."

Ty Lee faintly smiles, but is still upset about her confrontation with Rosh. She wants to say something, but cannot manage any words. Azula stands up out of her chair and Mai does the same. Azula walks toward Ty Lee and pats her on the back. Azula: "It's ok Lee. Things will turn up, this is just a spiritual test of your resolve. You should know that, you are the most spiritual one out of us."

Ty Lee hugs Azula. Mai: "So, want to get something to eat?"

Azula: "I hear they are having an Agni Kai tournament soon for the potential graduates. That will be Macai soon enough, but he'll be at the Nyarri tournament."

Mai: "If he does well enough, he can go national."

Ty Lee raises her head. "That does sound exciting."

Azula: "It will be and you two can compete in the non-bender tournament when our time comes next year."

Mai blandly says, "Oh joy."

The next day in the Nyarri Valley, Macai is laughing with his new friends Zaber's cafe. The floor is made of dark brown wood, the tables and chairs are made of light brown wood, the walls consist of light brown wood, and the ceiling consists of dark brown wood. There are dozens of people in the cafe drinking tea, hot chocolate, or hot milk. The cafe also offers sandwiches and light pastries.

They are all sitting at a long light brown table. Macai drinks a cup of hot vanilla milk while Dade is drinking a cup of black tea with caramel syrup. Kanna is enjoying a cup of light lemon tea with light cream. Kett is drinking green mint tea with nothing added.

Macai: "Wow, Kett, you're one of the only people that I know who drinks tea straight with nothing added. Especially for someone our age."

Kett: "Yep, all that extra stuff gets in the way. Sometimes I just want hot leaf juice."

Dade: "You know they also have cold leaf juice here."

Kanna: "Stop calling it that."

Macai: "Yeah, I hear calling it that can be disrespectful."

Dade: "Oh well, people cry about everything."

Kanna: "There is an entire history about tea. My daddy told me that tea can heal sick people and it has been used to save entire cities."

Dade: "Imagine that, entire cities saved by tea." Dade tilts his head and notices a Fire Nation messenger approaching them. He has a dark grey uniform with dark red stripes. The man is in his mid-twenties, and he quickly jogs toward Dade.

Dade: "Looks like we have company. Some kind of official."

The Fire Nation messenger looks at Macai, "Hello Macai, I bring a message from Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. She wants you to know that she would like to schedule a time to visit you. In fact, rather than ask, she has already scheduled a specific weekend to visit you. She wants you to know that she did not forget about you and that there has been some meddling that has delayed her discovery of the reason for your recent departure from Fire Nation Capital."

The messenger hands Macai the letter which has the specific date that Azula wants to meet listed on it. Macai's eyes are suddenly glued on the paper and the messenger says, "Good day, sir. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your time here." As the messenger departs, everyone in the shop stares at Macai. Macai looks around and notices.

Macai whispers to Dade, "Why are people looking at me?"

Kett stands up, "Let's go outside."

Macai: "I haven't finished my drink." 

Kett: "Now, it's a good thing we paid up front." Macai, Dade, and Kanna follow their friend. Once they make it outside Kett turns around and looks at Macai. Kett: "That messenger spoke very loudly. People around here, the normal part of town, don't like nobles. You are our only friend that is a noble and we didn't even know you were from Fire Nation Capital."

Macai: "I never told you guys I was a noble."

Kett: "It's kind of obvious. The way you dress, the way you carry yourself, you have noble written all over you. We don't judge here, but that is part of the reason you received hate."

Macai: "Darn it, I tried to dress in a normal uniform."

Kett: "It may have helped a little, but it still wasn't fooling people who were around you long enough or that heard you talk."

Macai: "Well, I'm not afraid of them."

Kett sharply responds, "It's not about being afraid or not. Sometimes you just want to minimize issues. People may get you off guard or it may just stress you out. Don't get us into a bunch of crap."

Macai: "Sorry."

Kett: "No need to be sorry, you didn't know. Azula sent you a letter?"

Macai: "She's my girlfriend."

Dade and Kanna simultaneously shout, "What?!"

Kett: "Keep it down, you two."

Macai: "Yes, we have been dating for years."

Dade chuckles. "Even here, we heard stories about the crazy princess who is really powerful. Good luck with that. You seem tough yourself, but good luck."

Kanna: "Even if she loses the fight, she can get her guards or friends to help her take you down. I hear she's persistent."

Macai: "We aren't going to fight. Come on now."

Dade: "I'm just saying, I heard she has done some wild stuff."

Macai: "A lot of those stories are probably true but, not all of them. Most of the people she hurt deserved it."

Kett responds, "You sound like a sucker to me."

Macai chuckles. "You are pretty bold, like my friend Rosh, but not quite as bold as him."

Kett: "Now I really want to meet this Rosh guy. Any other close friends?"

Macai: "Spinge and Barge. Awesome guys."

Dade: "I bet, I definitely would like to meet them."

Macai smiles. "Oh yeah, I have stories to tell you all about our adventures."

Kett: "Sounds good to me."