In the great hall where all the pictures of the past Fire Lords were hung sat the current Fire Lord. A large rod fell upon the Fire Lord's foot. Azulon profoundly shouted out, "PIANDAO!"
"Are you alright sire" A guard asked, out of breath from running to tend to his liege.
"I'm fine," grunted the upset Fire Lord as he rubbed his sore foot. He noticed the guard staring at him and felt more embarrass than anything else.
"I didn't call for you, did I" Azulon demanded irritably.
"No sir," the guard replied hesitantly as the Fire Lord glared at him, "But... you said ...THAT word."
"What word" Azulon asked, annoyed at the slow speech of his servant. He was confused, as he didn't remember saying any word that should cause anyone worry. He was totally unaware that he screamed out the accursed swordman's name every time something bad happened to him.
"Well, uh... uhh..," the guard found himself at a loss of words. He knew the Fire Lord hated hearing the word. "You know ... the P word."
"The P word" What the heck is 'the P word'" screamed Azulon in frustration, why did the guard have to be a moron"! "Spit it out already!"
The guard looked around for, and began moving towards, the closest exit and whispered, "Piandao."
"You do not say that name!" snarled the Fire Lord. "I hate that name! Hate it, hate it, hate it! I only ask that in this castle is that no one mentions that accursed name. How simple is that"
"I'm sorry sir," the guard begged for forgiveness on his hand and knees. "I didn't mean to say the forbidden word."
"Pack up your things and be gone," yelled Azulon. "I never want to see you face again!"
The guard ran out of the room as fast as he could. He didn't want to anger Azulon any more than he already had. He knew Piandao was a sensitive issue for the Fire Lord, why oh why did he have to say that man's name"
Azulon couldn't help but wonder if there was a way he could settle the Piandao problem for good. He wanted thing to go back to how things used to be. He would just simply know that one of his sons would run the nation after him. But how"
After careful consideration he remembered the guard calling the name of the stupid swordman a forbidden word. He was allowed to control his people with laws. It was perfect, he thought, he would just forbid everyone in the Fire Nation from saying that name. It was his most brilliant idea yet. Soon Piandao would give up his right to the throne, just so the law could be abolished. Azulon smiled for the first time since the stupid stupid race.
Sword Master Piandao woke up and found that his breakfast was not on the table as it normally was. He went to search for his assistant, to find the meaning of this, but he had no luck. He checked all the usual spots. He wondered to the front of his property where he noticed a large splotch of black paint on his missing assistant.
"What are you doing" the sword master asked after seeing the alterations to his sign. It read Master P*****o's Academy.
"I'm censoring your sign," replied the assistant as if it was obvious.
"Whatever for"
"Well, the Fire Lord made a new law," answered the assistant in a worried tone. "Your name now is considered forbidden. Anyone caught saying or writing of your name will have to answer to the Royal Courts. Your name even has to be stricken from all records too. Some say anyone caught disobeying this new law will be severely punished."
Piandao tried to hold back a laugh; he knew exactly why the rule was instated. It wasn't Azulon first time setting a up a ploy for him to get him resign from being next in line to be Fire Lord nor would it be the last.
As time wore on the law amused the sword master then anything. He now loved visiting the local village to see the reaction of the people. What was he suppose to do" Change his name" They always would stare at him; they acted like he was a rebel. This was quite an interesting experience for him.
"Greetings, Master Pi-"a son of a merchant greeted him but stop himself from saying the man's name.
"-an-" continued another child with a mischievous grin.
"-dao" a girl snickered.
The merchant lady came out of her store and grabbed her son by the ear and scolding the other kids, "You children ought to be ashamed of yourselves for using such foul language."
When he arrived back home that day, he had an unexpected guest.
"Azulon" the swordsman asked. He was shocked to find himself in the presence of the Fire Lord himself.
"Since when are we on first name basis" grunted the cranky leader. "Are you ready to resign your claim to the throne yet"
"No," Piandao replied, "Why would I want to do that"
"Because no one can say or even write your name," Azulon answered. "Surely it makes your life very bothersome."
"Really" I haven't noticed," chuckled the swordmaster. "But I was wondering why everyone was calling me 'badass'."
"How do you expect to rule the nation well if you don't even follow the laws of today" the Fire Lord responded growing more irate by the minute.
"You don't know a joke when you see it do you" grinned Piandao wittily. "I really don't see why I should resign. When I am crowned I will be better known than you were because of this. I will be known as a great man because I was strong and never changed my name even after it was forbidden by you."
"If you change your mind you know where to find me," Azulon snarled at Piandao as he stormed out of the house.
That night, Azulon had a horrifying dream.
He was at the ceremony to crown Piandao as Fire Lord.
The sage announced, "All Hail Fire Lord P*****o."
Azulon looked at his hands and they were transparent. I can't be dead. Not yet, I have too much to do first. He shouted but no one seemed to hear him.
"I'm glad to see someone innovative in power." one soldier said to another.
"Yeah I know what you mean."
"This guy is bound to do good stuff for us. I mean with a badass name like Piandao. We are sure in for inspirational times.
"He will be as grand as Sozin. I wonder how that last guy got to be Fire Lord. He did absolutely nothing for us. I can't even remember his name."
"I think it was Zuko."
"No, no that's not it. Zuko is still alive."
"PIANDAO!" the fire lord screamed as he woke up from his nightmare. Azulon knew must lift up the law that made the word 'Piandao' forbidden. He hated but, it was for the best.
"Forgive me Father for not restoring our heir line to the throne," Azulon prayed. "I do not want to be forgotten. It wasn't my fault in first place; it was my children's fault."