a/N hey guys, sorry about the poor quality of this chapter in some instances. It's straight from my iPad as im currently in the process of cleaning my computer. Review and enjoy!
Kuzon glared angrily at his bedside as hunger named at his insides ravenously. Personally, he felt beings net to his room with no dinner was a bit much. He had played a harmless, albeit moist prank.
Again his stomach growled like a bear-tiger, commanding him to comply with it's wishes. He glanced out the window and noticed that the moon was very high; his parents were likely sleeping and most servants had taken to their quarters.
Maybe he could find his aunt and apologize while he was on the hunt. He knew his aunt was a nocturnal creature, especially when her husband was taken with work until all hours of the night.
He cracked the door and peaked out like a rodent peeps out of it's burrow. He noticed a figure approaching and commanded the candles in his room to dim.
Kuzon observed the Gaurd walk by and slipped out behind him silently, stealthily tiptoeing away. He rounded a corner and took off into a silent-footed run, arriving at the kitchen in mere minutes.
Stuffing his face with the few snack foods the palace had for a few minutes was heaven. He stuffed his pockets with a few extra and made his way out, licking his fingers as he did so.
He glanced behind him and noticed a dark figure at the end of the hall and froze. He assumed it was another Guard doing his rounds and he walked away, knowing that he had already been seen and trying to be sneaky now would just be suspicious.
He came to a corner and glanced back and was startled to tee the figure had arrived at the very kitchen doors he had just been at, but was still unmoving.
Alarmed, he walked much faster and rounded the corner. He crossed the the corridor halfway before chancing another glance.
Now the figure was only 10 or so meters back and Kuzon could see his features clearly enough to verify that this was definitely no Guard. Starting to feel a little like prey, and with thoughts of how old this palace was and the possibility that a few fire lords might still be lingering here, he broke into a sprint.
He looked back once he rounded the second to last corner and was relieved to see that the figure was no longer there.
"Oof!" Kuzon fell to the ground and gasped. Standing before hi a as a man clad in midnight black light armor and a blood red mask with a menacing smile etched below some black eyeholes.
Kuzon no longer felt as much panic now that he knew this was no supernatural entity. But that panic returned as he realized the man had two very long, very sharp daggers.
The masked man wasted no time and stabbed at Kuzon, who scooted backwards quickly and flipped backwards, landing on his feet.
"You wanna dance?" Kuzon hissed, blue fire igniting in both hands in the shape of backwards daggers. "Let's dance"
He swiped at the man's face, who dodged the blue and aimed for the shorter boy's neck. Kuzon caught the blow and used the man's momentum to push him forward as he moved to one side.
The man staggered and kicked Kuzon in the stomach, who was in shock. Any other man, skilled or not, would have fallen onto the ground after Kuzon pulled a move like that. Who was this?
Kuzon regained himself and growled, punching the man with a flame coated fist sending him flying back a few feet. He used this time to burn the man viciously with two blasts of fire,
Red stood up, throwing a knife at Kuzon. He caught it by the hilt right before it would have stabbed him in the eye. Kuzon grinned menacingly at the figure, igniting his hand with such heat that the blade began to melt.
Dropping the now useless weapon, Kuzon flipped sideways into the air, sending several slices of flame at the man. Red dodged each blow expertly, as if he had been trained specifically to dodge moves such as these. He ran at the firebender, who desperately tried to fell him with large, quick balls of flame.
"HEY! What's-" The gaurd who had just rounded a corner was silenced as Red's second knife was sent into the eyehole in his mask, killing him instantly.
Kuzon gaped as the Guard toppled to the ground like a rag doll. He glared furiously at the masked man, who stood weaponless but not discouraged, fists raised.
Kuzon decided to switch tactics. This man had clearly been training many years in taking down firebenders, and he could see that no amount of flame would easily deter him.
He made a fist with each hand, allowing only his middle and index fingers to remain erect. He jabbed multiple times at the man with lightning speed, who in turn blocked these attacks with surprising ease.
Kuzon gasped as the man caught both of his hands, stopping him in an instant. He stared up at the mask, awed and afraid of this intruder.
But he would show no weakness, he could win this yet. He smirked and pulled his arms down suddenly, bringing Red down with them. He brought his knee up to meet the mask, kneeing the man in the face with enough force to break the skull had he not been wearing that mask.
Red stumbled back, clutching at his stinging face in agony. Kuzon jumped in the air, kicking with the left, spinning a full 360, and kicking agains with the other, spinning jets of flame the product of these attacks.
The man staggered back with each attack, but he never lost his balance. Kuzon smirked as he moved towards the man, who swiped at him quickly with a curled fist. The firebender caught the fist and held it away with some difficulty, this slender man was very strong.
He jabbed the man quickly in the neck several times, rendering the left side of his torso, and subsequently his free hand, useless and limp. It was Reds turn to stare at Kuzon, unsure of what the young man would do next.
Kuzon smiled at the man menacingly, heating his palm as he did so. The metal armor surrounding his forearm that Kuzon was clutching turned red with heat and began to melt. Red's fingers curled and his muscles tensed in pain, but he did not scream in agony as most would. Kuzon continued his burn as the man deftly struggled, kicking and struggling. Finally, Kuzon reached skin and clenched down harder, the smell of burning flesh growing strong.
He finally landed a kick on Kuzon's thigh, and the firebender staggered back a few feet, watching the red masked man fall to his knees, clutching the wound close to his chest. Curiously, he was still not screaming, nor vocalizing in any form for that matter.
Smirking at how easy this fight turned out to be, Kuzon delivered one final kick that sent a torrent of blue fire that engulfed the man, bringing him completely down.
Smiling satisfactorily, he could hear more guards approaching, he strolled over to his felled opponent, leaning over and removing his mask with some difficulty.
He was shocked to discover the man, who looked like any ordinary fire nation man, had no lips. His mouth was hanging open and further inspection proved that he also had no tongue.
He grimaced and backed away from the disgusting sight before a hand caught his shoulder and turned him around roughly. "Master Kuzon, are you alright?"
"He could have gotten killed!" Azula raged to her brother, who backed away, slightly afraid of his sister in her current state. Her eyes were wild, hair unkempt and makeup smudged.
"He's perfectly fine!"
Azula grabbed her brother by his royal collar and pulled him forward angrily.
"The man killed a guard who trained for many years to achieve his position. It is only by a miracle of Kuzon's talents and my genes that he defeated him!"
Zuko shoved his sisters hands away, trying to demand an air of authority. He was the fire lord now, not his insane sister. "Fine Azula. If it makes you feel better I will double security and double the amount of rounds made every night."
Azula stepped away from her brother, examining him. Then another menacing grin overtook her. "That's good news Zuzu, because if that doesn't happen, another person could end up attacked!" She gave him one final stare to get her message across before leaving in a huff.
Zuko blinked and silently gulped. Behind him, a guard leaned forward, this one dressed in red armor with gold a faceplate to signify his captain status. "Sir, shall I begin-"
"Yes." Zuko snapped, turning with a flourish and entering the throne room behind him.
Azula stomped down the hall and nearly ran into her husband, who was looking for her. "Jeez you look-" he caught himself as she shot him a dark glare. "-Greattt!" He finished dramatically. He Dared not touch her while she was in such a state.
She stormed past him, making for the courtyard. He followed her, desperately trying to reasons with her, although he knew that would do as much good as trying to reason with an angry tiger-seal.
"Azula, he's fine! There's not a scratch on him!"
She whipped around, glaring at him and halting him abruptly. "He got lucky. And this is exactly what I was talking about last night. He's not safe! He'll never be safe!" She said that last words with more sadness then anger and her voice broke, and she turned and collapsed on her knees before the pond, clutching at her sides.
Sokka, alarmed, slowly knelt down next to her, draping his arm around her carefully. "Azula, he's more than capable of defending himself and he lives in a palace full of guards." He reasoned, pulling her closer to him as she clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "He takes after you, he never allows himself to lose. If anything, you guys should be worried about me!"
Azula did not smile at his joke as she normally would have. She was just so scared for her son...she did not like feeling this helpless. She was Azula, and even when Azula was not in control, she was still in control. Only not this time.
Sokka pulled her close as she began to sob softly and he gently ran his hand through her hair. "Do you remember the song I used to sing to you when I would come to the asylum? The one my mom taught me?"
Azula nodded, remembering vividly. She could feel a breakdown coming, and she hated that. She hated that her mind could be so weak sometimes..
"Sing it with me."
He whispered in her ear. He began to sing a low tune that rose and fell with tempo, just like the waves. He rocked her back and forth as he sang a song about the tides and how the moon watches over everyone.
She did not sing it but she managed to hum in between hiccups. Her mind was still in turmoil, she hated it, she hated it so much how stress could push her to a breakdown like this.
Sokka finished singing and held her close, kissing her head. "Do you want to go lie down?"
She defly nodded and he helped her shaking form to her feet and they left the pond.
Unknown to them, Kuzon had been walking by the courtyard when this all occurred and had stopped to listen in.
He was now leaning against a beam, sighing. He knew his mother was sometimes prone to breakdowns when stress or fear. This was because of her childhood, and he knew it wasn't rational to feel guily about it.
But damn it all, it didn't feel good when it was he she was worried about.