Interlude Six - Zuko & Azula
The burning man, Prince Zuko, soared through the sky, leaving contrails of combusted atmosphere in his wake.
Behind him, in the distance, a town (recently rebuilt after a flood) burned.
He didn't want to do it.
He warned them.
But they wouldn't listen.
It's almost funny, thought Zuko. Who knew Fire Nationals would be so upset someone burned them out of their homes? They've been doing it to other people for years!
He gave them 24 hours to pack up what remained of their belongings and leave or, he told them, he would be back.
And then the burning wouldn't stop with their houses.
He knew they'd comply.
Because none of them could stop him.
As he flew through the air with an ease more typical of only one other thing on his world - sky bisons - the ramifications of what he had done finally sunk into Zuko's mind.
He had taken up arms against his own people!
That was big.
Real big!
Word of his attack was sure to get back to his father.
Zuko wondered if he should deliver the message in person?
Then he reconsidered, and went back to his original plan - to find the Avatar!
His newly gained lackey, Jet, may have a lead on the Avatar's whereabouts, so he set a course to meet him.
Meanwhile, another scion of the Fire Lord was traveling through the Earth Kingdom in search of the Avatar also, and she was not having any better luck in locating him.
In fact, her luck was worse.
A lot worse!
"It sure was nice of those Earth Kingdomers to let us go, since we did lose the fight!" stated Ty Lee.
"They never intended to arrest us, Ty!" pointed out the perceptive Princess Azula. "They wouldn't want to get 'daddy' mad at them!" she said, referring to her father the Fire Lord.
"Oh. Well, it was still nice of them!" added Ty, swinging on the tank they rode through the woods.
"Bah!" bitched Azula in reply.
She looked around the tank.
Mai, bored, was playing a solo game of mumbletypeg. However, with no ground to catch the trickily thrown knives, Mai had substituted the garments of the Fire Nation soldiers accompanying them (while the soldiers were still wearing them!). Azula wasn't concerned, since the soldiers were losers, anyway!
And Ty Lee was practicing her acrobatic moves, using the tank as her personal gym.
Azula wondered how she would complete her mission to capture Aang the Avatar.
Her Hay Lin ploy had gone bust, and she had no idea where the Avatar was or how to find him.
Ty Lee finished her workout and somersaulted in front of the princess.
"Wow, what a shiner, Azula! You almost look like Prince Zuko now!" said the amused Ty Lee, who finally got a good look at the black eye Will gave Princess Azula in their fight.
"Not now, Ty! I'm thinking!" she replied. "And will you get that ridiculous color out of your hair?" demanded Azula, speaking of how Ty dyed her hair 'plant spirit' color (that is, blonde like Cornelia's) back in Avatar Town.
"Sorry!" said Ty, who ran off to wash her hair.
Just then, the fiery Prince Zuko flew overhead.
Azula looked up and thought Taranee had followed them.
Zuko noticed the tank rolling through the countryside and recognized it as being of Fire Nation origin.
Then he spied the young girl at the head of it.
Could it be?
He flew down for a closer look.
It was her!
His hated sister, Azula!
The same Azula who had replaced him in his father's heart, and who had also tried to take him back to the Fire Lord in chains!
For her part, Princess Azula was very confused.
This wasn't that 'Guardian' who had somehow managed to best her in the arena!
Even though flames surrounded his body, certain features stood out.
Facial features she knew!
It was...
"Zuzu?" said the very surprised Fire Princess.
Seeing Azula in her present state - unsure, beaten - Zuko banished any notion of revenge from his mind.
He thought, when he first saw it was her, this would be the perfect time to declare an 'Agni Kai', a challenge.
But now?
She was unworthy to face him.
Without a word, the burning man also known as Zuko rose up into the sky and continued his journey.
:"Azula?" asked Ty Lee, drying her once again brunette locks with a towel. "Who was that??"
"Father must be warned." replied the princess, as she watched Zuko disappear in the distance.
"What??" said the stunned Ty. "You're returning to the Fire Nation before you complete your mission? Won't the Fire Lord be upset you failed?"
"Yes, he will, Ty, but what I have to tell him is more important than any possible punishment he may dole out." said the sober Princess Azula, who knew the course of action she must take, and was willing to pay the price.
Spirits...No, more than spirits, Gods were clearly at work on her world.
Everything had changed!
"Yeah, but he'll probably blame you for losing the sub thingy! Even though it wasn't your fault it sank!" added Ty Lee.
"Yes, Ty. I know, Ty. Leave it alone, Ty!" said Azula, trying to control her anger, and praying she could last the long trip back to the Fire Nation without destroying any of her companions.
Next:
Cornelia, Irma, Jet & Zuko!
But it's no double date!
Oh, there's one more guest...
Death!