Chapter 115: Tedium and Alliances
"Sokka?"
"Yeah, Aang?"
"How long's it been?"
"Honestly, buddy… I have no idea."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Any more escape ideas?"
"Asking all the hard questions today aren't you, Aang? And to answer it… No, I'm all out."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Toph had taken to passing the time by throwing pebbles at the wall; an activity that seemed to both soothe her with its familiarity, and yet infuriate her in that she couldn't currently Earthbend the pebble back into her hand.
Either way, it was starting to get on Katara's last, fraying nerve. "How about taking a break, Toph?"
She'd tried to keep her voice neutral, though she apparently failed given Toph's response.
"Oh, I'm sorry, am I annoying the high and might Sugar Queen?"
Katara sighed internally. She needed to think of a way out of here.
Zuko awoke from the light doze he'd drifted into. Vaguely he could feel the sun cresting over the horizon, far above the Catacombs they were imprisoned in.
"Sunrise." He murmured to the otherwise empty cell. They'd been imprisoned for about a day, then.
He pushed himself up into a seated position, being mindful of his ribs and fingers. His nose throbbed too with the change in altitude.
He hissed to himself, "Fucking Dai Li."
"Now, that is the question, isn't it?"
Silence rang through the teashop following Azula's comment. Silence that was broken by a rich, feline chuckle.
"The little Princess knows how to play the game, how to hunt, and how to toy with her prey, doesn't she, Dragon?" Miyuki drawled, her eyes never leaving the 14-year-old Firebender.
Azula's clever golden gaze settled on the white cat that she'd previously ignored. "Hmm." She said, almost to herself. "It seems I am in the company of Spirits, though the physical form is somewhat less than elegant."
"Oh, and clever too, so very clever. Rude, though." Miyuki crowed. "Yes, she's so sharp she'll cut herself to ribbons, no doubt. Already I can see the frays and tears in her young mind. How long before she pulls herself apart, I wonder."
Azula frowned at the feline, before dismissing her, turning her attention back to Iroh.
"It seems to me that I have a choice to make, dear uncle. I could capture you, drag you to Earth King's paltry excuse for a palace, and offer you up to the Dai Li along with your conspirators, thus cementing their allegiance to me."
"You could do that, Niece." Iroh said, a small smile emerging on his face. "Or…?"
"Or… I could assist in your endeavours to free Zu-Zu and the Avatar."
Iroh's eyes narrowed, though the smile remained. Azula's expression remained unchanged. He asked politely, "Why would you consider such an option, my Niece? Forgive me, but it seems somewhat out of character for you."
The Princess began examining her nails, apparently disinterested by the rest of the room.
"Well, for one, to think of my dear brother in Earth Kingdom hands is… distasteful, shall we say. Despite his many obvious flaws and failings, he is my brother. Mine and mine alone to build up, or to destroy. And I shall destroy him, have no doubt of that; after all, my Lord and Father has commanded it to be so and I am but a loyal agent of the Crown.
"And as for the Avatar… well, likewise he belongs solely in Fire Nation hands, where he can be kept safe and secure."
"You have already alluded to your plans to take ownership of the Dai Li and the city along with it, Niece, so I have to ask, why bother freeing Aang and Zuko? Surely if your plan comes to fruition, they will be yours anyway?"
"Yes, well, that operation is taking marginally longer than I anticipated. Their leader has been attempting to play shadow games with me, and is growing bolder by the hour, though it is often like watching a toddler attempting to play Pai Sho. Cute, but futile."
Iroh couldn't help but chuckle. "And yet Long Feng is interfering in your designs, dear Niece, so not entirely futile."
"The interference, as I said, is marginal. Temporary." Azula stressed, her eyes narrowing at her uncle. "Not for long, though. I have a plan in motion as we speak that should incapacitate him entirely."
The Princess' mind drifted to the Dai Li agent that she'd… re-conditioned. Improved.
"Which leaves my question unanswered, Azula." Iroh said. "Why help us?"
Azula paused, caught out by the question.
Iroh couldn't rightly describe the expressions that flitted across her otherwise composed features.
Finally, in a quiet voice, Azula said, "As I said, Zuko is mine."
Understanding seemed to blossom within Iroh's mind, even as he questioned the validity of said understanding; Azula cared for Zuko. Not as a sister should for her brother, not as any right-thinking individual should care for another human being, but in the way that a toddler cared for one of their toys. They might smash them to smithereens, but if another child tried to take it away they would yell and stamp their feet in anger.
In that moment, Iroh understood his niece better than he ever had before. She would trick and lie and deceive to meet her ends, and she would fight like hell to reach those ends; well, today their goals were one and the same. There would be conflict once the mission was complete, but until then? Well, it appears Iroh had gained a powerful ally.
He nodded at Azula, smile widening. "You have a plan, Niece?"