I need to make an apology here. See, I only just realized that what I uploaded earlier this week was a rough draft of this chapter that I wasn't very happy with. After almost totally re-writing it (the first part is almost the same, but not nearly as drawn out and boring, but with some significant dialogue changes), I went and uploaded rough draft instead of the final.
(Long story short, I saved it into the wrong folder with the same chapter name as the final draft.)
Unfortunately, given my busy week, I only checked my account today and realized the mistake. So here, I present to you Chapter 10 as it should have been and I once again apologize for uploading that other convoluted mess of a chapter
So, without further ado, I present the REAL Chapter 10
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Chapter 10
Meanwhile
Nighttime, just outside the Fire Nation Capitol
Zuko had been gone from the capitol longer than expected. It had been almost four days since he'd visited the hospital and another five since his men reported seeing, and loosing, Azula in New Chung Ling. He'd wanted to keep this as low key as possible. But, now that she was in the Earth Kingdom, that was no longer an option. He'd spent the last few days aboard his airship making preparations.
He'd sent a message to the Earth King, along with wanted posters, asking that they be circulated around all Earth Kingdom cities as soon as possible.
He'd also sent his Captain of the palace guards, Makato, and a few soldiers into the Earth Kingdom (disguised as civilians, since, under the new peace treaty, Fire Nation soldiers were strictly prohibited from entering the Earth Kingdom) to locate someone who's help in tracking Azula would be invaluable.
Zuko's airship finally arrived back in the capitol just as the sun was setting. After docking and being brought back to the palace, he made his way down the hallway leading to his private chambers.
He passed by his door without stopping. There was somewhere else he needed to go first. Questions he needed a certain someone to answer.
He neared the door at the end of the hall and reached toward the handle when a knife suddenly stuck into the wood only inches from his hand. Zuko jumped back and quickly turned, readying himself for a fight.
Mai was standing just down the hall from him, her hand extended. Her eyes steadily fixed upon Zuko.
"Mai What are you... " Zuko began to ask her in shock.
"Where are you're going?" She responded, her voice calm and even.
Zuko relaxed "To see my father. There are few things I need..."
"Stop" She interrupted, holding her hand up.
"What?" Zuko replied.
"You're doing it again" She said with a hint of annoyance.
"Doing what?" Zuko asked, bringing his hands up.
"You're letting this become an obsession." Mai responded.
"What's that supposed to mean" Zuko shot back defensively.
She just raised one eyebrow and looked at him. "You know exactly what I mean! You get so focused on something you start to lose perspective on everything else. "
He was ready to continue his argument, but her accusing stare disarmed him. She had a point and he knew it
"What am I supposed to do?" He said, raising his voice "Just sit here doing nothing?"
"Well running around franticly sure isn't helping you any" Mai said "I guess I'm just a little confused. Ever since I've know the two of you, you've been at each others throats one way or another. And that's not counting the times you've actually tried to kill one another over this last year. So I'm just wondering where this sudden concern for Azula is coming from"
"She dangerous, you know that as well as I..." He started in before Mai cut him off.
"I do know that, which is why I find it odd that you seem more concerned for Azula then about her. You've been acting strange ever since this all started and I want to know why?"
"So you're not concerned about her" He asked, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.
"Honestly, no." Mai answered bluntly. Noticing Zuko's eye twitch at her answer, she felt the need to continue. "She tried to kill you. Then, after I helped you, she tried to kill me. If Ty Lee hadn't stepped in, she probably would have. This was from someone that supposed to be my friend. So please, explain to me why it's suddenly so important to save her."
Zuko looked down at the ground in front of him. As much as he wanted to be, he couldn't bring himself to be angry with her. She was more than justified in her resentment for Azula.
"She wasn't always like that" He said, still looking at the ground between them. "When we were little, we used to play together all the time. She was never cruel or scheming back then...." He stopped talking, his eyes watered up as he remembered them as children, just a normal brother and sister. He raised his head and met her eyes. "My father made her this way. I just..."
As he talked Mai walked foreword and put her hands on either side of his face. "Zuko, I hate to say this. I know that, even after everything she's done, you still care about her. But that little girl you remember may not exist anymore. I certainly never met her."
Zuko hung his head and remained silent. Mai sighed and spoke softly in his ear.
"I need you to answer something. Not for me but for yourself."
Zuko was surprised, her words came out softer then he was used to hearing. It may have been just to get his attention, and if so, it worked.
"What is it" He said looking directly into her eyes.
"Are you really doing this for Azula, or this another way to get back at your father?"
"I'm not sure what..." Zuko responded apprehensively.
"I think you know exactly what I mean. Your father took someone away from you, now you have a chance to take someone away from him."
Zuko didn't have a response. At first he was angry that she'd even think that of him, but could she be right? Could I be using this as another way to fight him, to attack him. He didn't think so, but now that she brought it up, he couldn't be so sure.
He looked back at her and smiled "You're starting to sound like my Uncle."
"Well, someone needs to look after you" She said as she leaned in and kissed him.
"C'mon" She grabbed his hand and turned, pulling down the hall. "Either way, the only place your going tonight is bed." She stopped for a moment and spoke without turning to face him. " And I want you to think about what I asked you. For your own sake."
Zuko sighed "I guess I could use some sleep."
Before she started walking again, she turned her head to look at him, and with a smile added "Who said anything about sleep."
* * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile... early the next morning, somewhere in the western Earth Kingdom.
Yu looked at the instruments displayed among the shop selves. None of them seemed to really draw his attention, but ever since he'd made the accidental discovery that he knew how pick a lock and handle a boat, he'd become curious as to what other talents might remain hidden inside him. He picked a flute up off the shelf and blew into it. A shrill sound filled the air as Yu tried, and failed miserably, to play the flute.
The other patrons in the shop all cringed and covered their ears as what sounded like a catweasel being wrung out like a wet towel echoed mercilessly through the air. Yu pulled the flute away from his lips and set it back on the shelf. He smiled sheepishly at the other shoppers and started to apologize when he was quickly pulled out of the store by the back of his shirt.
Azula yanked Yu into the street and pulled him aside. She stared at him a moment, before turning around and doing her best to calm herself. She closed her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers.
This is what it must be like to have a child she thought in frustration as she struggled to retain her composure. If he keeps this up, she thought, I may just deal with him long before Zuko arrives.
She turned back around and interrupted Yu as he began to apologize. "You do realize that we're trying to keep a low profile. No part of which entails you drawing as much attention to yourself as possible!"
"I was just thinking..."
"No, you weren't. Which seems to be a rather consistent problem of yours. From now on, I'll do the thinking. All you need to do is tell me when you sense firebenders near. Is that understood."
"Yeah yeah, got it."
"Good. Now see what you can do about getting us a map and whatever other supplies we might need and meet me back here."
Azula watched with narrowed hawk like eyes as Yu walked off and into another shop. Ever since they'd landed three days ago, Azula had been doing her best to try and act friendly, though it wasn't easy. While she'd been in situations before where she was required to act submissive to achieve her means, such as dealing with Long Feng, this was the first time she had to do so with someone so far beneath her. It grated on her nerves and wore away at her willpower, but she persevered. She did what she could to clear her mind and tried to concentrate on her plans once again. Over the last few days, she'd come across one major obstacle to using her brother's death as a catalyst to starting a new war. Her uncle, Iroh.
While the death of his own son, her cousin Lu Ten, seemed to have stripped the tea loving coot's desire to rule, she couldn't be certain Zuko's death would have the same effect. If anything, he might take the mantle of Fire Lord simply to ensure neither she or her father...
Even after everything he's done to you... her mothers voice flowed into her ears …your still trying to fight for him?
"Done to me?" Azula said out loud "You mean for me. Father always had my best interests at heart. He even named me Fire Lord..."
A title that no longer had any meaning. He abandoned you Azula, you know that...
She felt a lump catch in her throat, but forced it away. She wouldn't let her mother win. "Well, we've at least come upon a subject you have a bit of expertise on." Her voice taking on a venomous edge. "How dare you accuse HIM of abandoning me! You're the one..."
Azula stopped herself short when she realized she was beggaring to draw a small crowd. People all around her where beginning to stare at the girl arguing with no one. They began to look away and disburse as soon as Azula stopped and looked up. Of course, they couldn't hear her mother's voice the way she could. Azula realized that to them, she must sound...
...crazy.
Azula felt her breath catch in her throat for a moment before shaking her head at the thought. No, that wasn't it. She didn't know how her mother was doing it, something to do with the spirit world perhaps, but it was her mother doing it. Her mind was still her own, the one thing she still had control of. She wasn't imagining it, she couldn't be. If that we're the case...
...then that would mean your brother really was trying to help you, Ursa's voice filled her head once again.
"Stop it! I know what you're trying to do and it won't work!" She said out loud once again.
"I was just doing what you asked me to." A familiar voice startled her. She turned to see Yu standing next to her with a map and small bundle of traveling goods. How long had he been standing there she wondered, her anger at him quickly returning.
She eyes him suspiciously for a moment, wondering whether or not he'd been listening to her. She swiped the map from his hands. "Let's keep moving".
* * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile... later that same day, outside a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern
Captain Makato looked at the tavern in confusion.
"Is this... is this really where the Fire Lord wanted us to go?"
He looked over his shoulder at one of the soldiers behind him, who simply shrugged his shoulders.
How could anyone here possibly be of any help in finding the princess?
Makato entered the tavern and found exactly what he expected. Rowdy drunks, smoke filled air and the suspicious glances of leery patrons. He looked around for the person they'd been sent here to find. A woman with pale skin, dressed in black and a red snake tattoo on her right shoulder. That had been the Fire Lords description. Makato glanced about the tavern when his eyes suddenly stopped woman sitting by herself at one of the tables. Compared to the rest of the rabble, she looked completely out of place, she was gorgeous. It was only after starring at her for a few moments that Makato realized that this was the woman they'd been sent here to find.
Shaking his head and regaining his composure, he walked up to the her, his men following closely behind him. As he approached, she shifted her chair back and kicked her feet up on the table. Though she seemed to have noticed them, she kept her eyes on her drink an didn't acknowledge their presence. After a moment, she leaned her head back and addressed Makato.
"So, you just enjoying the view, or did you need something?" Her eyes locked on him as she spoke.
"We were sent to hire you for a job" He replied.
"No thanks" She said bluntly and went back to her drink.
"Don't... don't you even..." Makato began to say before being cut off.
"No." Jun said dismissively. She kicked her feet off the table, sat upright in her chair and spun around to face them. "I don't care what the little prince... guess I should call him Fire Lord now, wants. Tell him I don't feel like tracking down little bald kids or perverted old men at the moment. I've got my own problems to deal with."
"How did you know we were..." Makato began to ask. Jun looked at him with a half smile and spat out a short laugh.
"Please, I can spot a soldier when I see one, even out of uniform. And the only reason you'd be disguised is if you're Fire Nation. Here, you look like you could use this more than me." She handed her half empty glass to Makato and started to walk toward the exit.
Makato set the drink on the table and headed after her.
"Wait, this is important!" He said in an attempt to stop her.
"Always is" Jun said dismissively over her shoulder as she walked away.
She left the tavern, Makato and his men followed. They caught up to her outside, just as she mounted her shirshu.
Makato tried reasoning with her once again. "We can offer you a rather substantial amount of...."
"Double it" Jun said looking down at them.
"I... I havn't even told you how mu..."
"Double it anyway"
"I don't have the Fire Lords permission to do..."
"Oh, that's a shame. See ya" She cracked her whip, causing the shirshu to jump to it's feet.
"Fine, anything. Just listen to us" Makato yelled up to her.
Jun paused and looked down at him from atop her shirshu. "Fine, let's see what you got"
Makato explained the situation while his men went and fetched a chest. They brought it over and set it down in front of Jun. Makato opened it and pulled out Azula's armor.
Jun shook her head and looked at Makato "Ya know, you could have just brought a sleeve, or maybe a sock, anything with her scent on it"
"The Fire Lord said to bring her armor, so we did" He responded in all seriousness
"Geez, and here I thought it was just the kid? All you Fire Nation types this stiff? " Jun asked.
The men simply looked back and forth at each other, not sure what to say.
"I'll take that as a yes" She turned away from them and called to her shirshu."Nyla!"
The animal lumbered over and sniffed the armor. It turned it's nose up in the air and sniffed a few more times. Nyla ran in a few circles, then scurried about thirty feet west of their position, then laid on the ground whimpering and scratching at it's nose.
"Looks like you boys are outta luck" Jun said.
"What's the problem?" Makato asked, confused.
"Well, whatever your lookin' for, it's west of here."
"...And?"
"That's the problem I was talking about earlier. Started about three days ago. Not sure why, but Nyla's not to keen on heading west. Something out there has him spooked, something he doesn't like the smell of. I've tried everything, but whatever it is, Nyla won't go any further west then this. Even getting him this far required some persuasion" She said while patting the whip on her belt.
She jumped back on Nyla and looked down to a dejected Makato "Well, that only leaves half a continent or so to search. Good luck boys."
With that, she gave a command to Nyla and rode off eastward.
Capitan Makato sighed "Seems this was a waste of time" he turned to his accompanying soldiers and looked down at the chest containing the princesses armor. "Pack it up, let's get out of here."
