So this took a bit longer then I originally hoped. Not perfect by any means, but I admit I enjoyed writing it even though I got frustrated on how to write it just right and with smooth wording. If you can look past the bad format of writing I think there's a good(?) or at least halfway interesting story being told.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
"Form up!" A voice shouted as a group of armor clad Imperial Firebenders formed into rows of five by six next to their horses and stood at attention.
Mounting a horse in front of them the captain of the Imperial Firebenders faced them.
"Earlier today the princess and the prince ventured outside the capital to spar, but have yet to return despite the less then pleasant weather." The captain spoke loudly over the pouring rain.
"Our orders come directly from Firelord Ozai, and are to retrieve them by any means necessary and escort them immediately back to the palace. Questions?"
A soldier stepped forward.
"Yes, Qing?" The captain asked.
"What if the prince is injured sir?" He asked.
"Right, in the case the prince is injured you are to treat to him to the best of your ability and escort him immediately to the palace healer for further examination." The captain said.
"Sir?!" A female soldier shouted stepping forward out of line.
"Yes, you have a question I take it?" The captain asked.
"Does the same go for the princess, sir?" She asked.
The sound of hearty laughter echoed through the entire ranks as the female soldier looked around confused.
"What's your name solider?" The captain asked amused.
"It's-It's Shun, sir!" She shouted nervously.
"Oh, your Qiang's daughter." The captain said fondly.
"Sir, yes sir, forgive my greenness sir!" She replied.
"Nothing to forgive, so I take it you haven't seen the prince or princess yet?" The captain asked smiling.
"Sir, no sir, I haven't had the honor yet!" She said.
"Well after you see her I'm sure you'll understand like the rest of your fellow comrades, the prince may still need our help from time to time, but the princess…She's far beyond needing our help." He said.
"Rider approaching the gate!" a voice shouted down from the top of the capital wall. The captain looked up at the solider giving the news.
"It's the princess!" The solider shouted.
"Well see it's just as I said the princess didn't need us after all." The captain said.
"Open the gate!" the soldier on the wall shouted as the ginormous gate began raising up.
Turning around to greet her, the captain's smile on his face faded as Azula came into view from behind the gate. She was heavily injured and completely soaked in rain and blood barely hanging onto the horse as she rode in on.
"Princess…what happened?" The captain asked shocked.
"Get me another horse." Azula demanded practically falling off of her horse onto the ground.
The captain turned around and gestured for a horse, before turning back to Azula.
"Princess, I have orders to-" the captain started.
"Clear a path for me to the palace." Azula cut him off as she put Zuko wrapped in a blanket over the new steed.
"But, princess what about the pr-" The captain tried to inquire.
"That's an order captain." Azula glared at him angrily.
The captain only hesitated for a second.
"A-All units mount up!" The captain yielded to her demands, turning around.
"We're escorting the princess to the palace!" The captain shouted as he took his position in front of his men as they all formed a spear head with Azula in the middle.
"Move out!" He shouted as they took off down the street.
The sun had begun to peek out from behind the clouds and the rain had died down to just a drizzle as the fog on the ground dispersed and the citizens of the capital had begun to fill back up the streets, commuting as they walked around with either hooded tunics or umbrellas.
Hearing a growing rumbling coming from down the street the people looked onward, before scurrying out of the way as a group of royal procession members came charging past them on horseback. Leading the charge, the captain of the royal procession raised his head as he spotted something up ahead.
Splashing his feet in a puddle in the middle of the street, a small boy in a hooded tunic frolicked about happily ignorant to the incoming charge of horses.
Raising his hand into the air with one finger, the captain motioned it forward as a member of the spear formation broke off and zoomed up ahead as someone took his place in the formation.
Snatching up the boy the member pulled off to the side of the road as the formation continued past him up.
"Lan!" The captain called the name of a solider as she rode up to the front of the formation.
"Take your squad and scout ahead!" The captain ordered.
"On it, sir!" Lan replied, before turning her head back and raising her hand.
"Dawn squadron, we're up." She called motioning forward as she rode through a hole in the formation the captain had made as four members followed her.
Galloping forward at full speed as they broke away from the main formation, they were completely out of the line of sight within a couple of minutes.
Though they would reach the halfway point faster, the scouting party would begin to fall behind by the three quarter mark. Their job while they were ahead was to make sure there weren't any obstacles that would get in the way of main formation.
Approaching the halfway mark, which was a narrow channel of water with a bridge crossing over it, everything seemed to be going smoothly until they came upon a broken down wagon facing sideways, blocking the bridge.
Coming upon it, Lan quickly dismounted her horse with the rest of the squadron. This was the only bridge in a mile radius they couldn't afford the time to use anything else.
"Hui, Gang, check the damage." Lan ordered as two men one muscular and one skinny walked toward the wagon.
"Nuan, take care of the horses and survey the area." A female soldier nodded before walking off.
"An, you keep watch." Lan finished pointing upward as a slender female soldier hopped on a building and began scaling up it.
"Damage report." Lan commanded.
"Back wheel's busted." The big muscular man named Gang answered as he held up a large broken off wheel.
"Most likely from the broken tie rod." Hui elaborated examining the vehicle.
"Any solutions?" Lan asked.
"I can rig the tie rod, but I won't be able to do anything about the wheel." Hui replied.
"We'll just have to move it by hand then." Lan said.
"Alright, now you're talking. Hope you brought your weight belt Hui." Gang giving a slap on Hui's back.
"Lan." Nuan called walking up to her.
"I've found some volunteers to help." Nuan said, three city police guards standing next to her.
"Mam." They saluted.
"Good we'll need the extra muscle." Lan said as she turned around and looked up.
Sticking up her index finger in the air she twirled it in a circular motion. Scaling back down the building, the slender female An hopped back onto the ground.
"How far out?" Lan asked referring to the main formation.
"Three minutes." An signaled with her hand.
"Alright, all hands on deck." Lan said turning around as the group walked toward the wagon.
"Everyone ready?" Lan asked.
"Ready." Gang and two of the city police guards said, squatted down on the corner of the broken wheel.
"Were ready here to Lan." Nuan said alongside Hui, An, and the last city guard on the front side of the wagon.
"Alright…" Lan said taking her position next to Nuan.
"Go!" She commanded as Gang and his group lifted up the corner of the broken wheel off the ground and her group began pushing the side of the wagon.
The remaining three wheels turning, the wagon began straightening out so it was now facing in line with the street.
"Alright now everyone push from the back." Lan said as everyone in her group began pushing the wagon forward down the bridge.
"Why's this so much harder...!" The city guard behind the wagon strained out.
"Angular momentum, it's harder because-" Hui strained out.
"Shut Hui...!" Gang strained.
The group was making little to no progress as Lan ordered, "Stop."
Everyone let out a breath as the wagon's corner fell and it recoiled back a little and clotheslined Hui down on the ground.
"Lan." Nuan called out as she turned her head to her and An standing next to her.
"One minute." An motioned with her hand referring to the arrival of the main formation.
They had to move 20 feet when they couldn't even budge the thing.
"Get up Hui." Lan called out as he stood up breathing hard.
"I'm going to give us a boost."
"Remember we'll have only a short window of opportunity for this to work." Lan emphasized standing on top of the wagon.
"Please be careful Lan." Nuan said concerned as she, Hui, and the city police guard stood behind the wagon.
"On the count of three." Lan said.
"One…" her fists tightened as Gang and his group squatted down on the corner of the broken wheel getting ready.
"Two…" Lan wound back her hands as Nuan, Hui, An, and the city police guard readied themselves.
"Three!" Lan shouted as the wagon lifted up and she pushed forward her fists in unison unleashing a concentrated stream of orange flames from them.
The wagon moving forward began picking up speed as Lan kept up the stream of flames.
In the distance the main formation came into view as the wagon moved speeding toward them.
The distance closing between the two it appeared they would crash into each other as they approached an intersection in the street.
"Now!" Hui shouted as the group carrying the corner of the wagon dropped it.
"Aghhhh!" Everyone shouted in exertion including Lan as she increased her flames as the wagon jerked to the side and turned down the intersection.
Riding through as the tip of Lan's flames dissipated the captain and the formation charged through crossing the bridge unhindered.
"It should be a straight shot from here princess!" The captain called out turning his head back to her.
"P-Princess?!" he said shocked as he watched as her split off the formation and down an alley.
"I'll follow her!" The rookie Shun shouted turning down the same alley.
Speeding her horse along quickly, Azula made it hard for Shun to keep up with her as exiting out the other side of the alley she made a series of turns down a couple of streets.
Turning down a street corner that she saw Azula use seconds prior, Shun looked around for her.
Spotting her down the street dismounting her horse in front of a hospice, Shun sped forward to her.
"Princess!" She called out dismounting her horse behind her.
"Please excuse me, I know you must be in a lot of pain to stop here, but the palace isn't too far off and if you need me to I can escort you personally…" Shun stopped as she watched Azula take off what she didn't know to be Zuko's body under covers off her horse and put it over her shoulders.
Completely ignoring her, Azula started toward the door of the hospice.
"Princess, it is the fire lord's orders that you return to the palace straightaway." Shun said grabbing her by her the fabric of her clothes on her lower back.
"Unhand me." Azula's cold voice ordered.
"I'm sorry princess, but I-" Shun was interrupted by a boot into her gut as she was sent sliding back.
Dropping her foot, Azula turned back as she approached the door of the hospice.
Before she could knock however a fireball flew by her head and crashed into the door.
Turning her head, Azula looked at the young woman grasping her stomach on her knees.
"I…I have orders to bring you in….by any means necessary…" Shun said grittily.
Azula's scow intensified as she bore her clenched teeth in anger before turning around and charging back at the still downed imperial firebender.
Rising to her feet hurriedly, Shun shot a fireball from her fist at Azula.
Jumping into the air with a twirl, Azula reflected back the fireball at her with a kick.
Winding back her arm, Shun swatted it away, soon as she did however, she was met with Azula who used the attack as cover for her advance.
Face widening in surprise, Shun's face recoiled from a kick from Azula across her face.
Ramming her knee into her, Azula then sent Shun flying back.
Rushing forward, Azula kicked the still midair Shun under her chin as she went sliding back on the wet ground.
Chasing after her, Azula jumped into the air and drove her feet into Shun's stomach stopping her in place.
Scowling as she stared down on top of her, Azula's attack was stopped by Shun's hands that caught Azula's feet.
Pushing her off her, Azula jumped back as Shun rose to a crouch.
Coming at her head with a cross kick, Shun lunged at Azuala with a fist as the two struck each other across the face.
Recoiling from each other's attack, Azula recovered quicker as she rammed her knee in Shun's stomach.
Grimacing in pain, Shun grabbed Azula's knee with her hands and head-butted the princess's face with her metal helmet.
Falling back as blood spurted out of her nose, Shun realized what she had just done in her fit of rage.
"Oh my gosh, princess, I didn't mean to-" Shun started apologetically as she walked toward Azula who was leaning her head down with blood dripping down.
Approaching her, Shun's head snapped back as Azula brought her boot under her across her face with the same boot, Azula brought it back across her face with her heel, before bringing back her leg and shoving it forward, square in Shun's metal helmet.
Helmet rolling onto the ground, blood dripped down at Shun's feet as she ran an arm across her broken had brown eyes and short brown hair that was wrapped into a pony tail with a tom boyish look to her as she winced in pain staring at Azula.
Scowling at her, Azula rushed toward her as Shun dropped into a defensive stance.
Coming at her with barrage of kicks aimed at her upper body and face, Shun blocked them with her arms as she backed up. Changing the tide, Shun began stepping forward throwing punches causing Azula to back step and dodge.
Lunging forward, Shun slipped slightly on the rainy ground as Azula having evaded to the right prepared to deliver a devastating kick in it coming, Shun put out her arm quickly in a vain attempt to block it.
Face widening in shock, Azula jumped back a couple of steps.
"What was that?" Shun thought looking at Azula incredulously.
"She jumped back in fear, but why?"
She was in no position to block the blow and Azula could have ended the fight right there, but something scared her off.
Replaying the moment back in her head, Shun realized she backed off the moment she put her arm up to block.
Staring at Azula intensely, Shun tried to figure it out.
That's when it hit her. She was fighting this entire time whilst carrying that thing wrapped in a blanket over her shoulders.
When she put her arm up to block she was in perfect position to hit it, that's what must have scared her.
She didn't know what it was she was holding, but whatever it was, Azula cared about protecting it more than winning.
Charging toward her, Shun threw a light but quick left hand at the thing on Azula's shoulders making her dodge wide in the same direction.
Unfortunately for Azula Shun had anticipated this and had swung a heavy right hand in preparation as it connected with Azula's face and she went flying back skidding on the ground.
"It worked. She could beat her like this." Shun thought.
Rising back to her feet shakily, Azula stood up with Zuko.
"Give up princess." Shun said.
"You can't win, with you guarding that thing." Shun said.
"Idiot…Idiot, idiot, Idiot!" Azula snarled surprising Shun.
"Did you even for a second consider what I was carrying?!"
"Just get out…get out…Get out of my way!" Azula screamed.
Shun was taken back for a moment, before regaining her composure.
"I'm sorry princess, but I'm a soldier and I have to follow orders." Shun said stonily.
"You want orders…" Azula seethed as Shun charged her again.
Swinging at Azula again with a quick left that made her dodge wide again, Shun prepared to connect her right hand against her face again, but instead…Crack!
"Aghhhhh!" Shun screamed in pain holding her right leg that was now broken in her hands as she lay on the ground.
"Stand down." Azula spat before walking over her.
The slightest bit of hesitation in her right leg, Azula had noticed it when she had almost slipped, most likely from an old childhood injury. It didn't take much, one swift kick with the ample amount of force in the right place and it cracked.
Azula didn't care, if anyone stood in the way of helping Zuko, than they would fall.
Okay, so a couple of things I wanted to mention.
1. Truth be told I've written everything up until now before. Thing is I've never published it before and either through me hating what I wrote and or having the file deleted through my computer crashing, I've rewritten this about at least 10 times. So honestly I have no real idea where to go from here. I mean I know how I want it to end kinda, but I honestly don't know how to bridge everything in between. So in short, either one of three things can happen.
A. I drop the story and leave what I believe to be a at least halfway decent story well enough alone.
B. I just start writing and try and make it work along the way.
C. I try and plan out every chapter meticulously and take longer to upload.
Honestly I'm more for either A or C, but not B. There's so many great stories on this site that start off so well and I'm so engrossed in them, but as time goes on they just to lose what made them great, because lack of planning when writing. If I'm going to write a story I want it to be consistent, if not improve over time.
2. Let me know if you hated the minor characters I added in this chapter, I didn't really want to add so many, but just kinda happened.
3. I know this is terribly cliche, but please review let me know what you think of the story so far. I know when I used to read stories on this site and would hear writers saying to review I really didn't put any significance on it at the time, but now that I'm writing and I received the few reviews I have I understand how even one can motivate you to be a better writer and write more frequently.
