Chapter 30: The Coup
Even though Aang and most of his friends were away, there was still official business to be done concerning their agreement with the Earth King. To that end, Taiyo was currently in a large building next to the palace, which was Ba Sing Se's Department of War, making preparations for the plan to confront Fire Lord Ozai. Inside a large room there was a wide map of the world, with curved stone tables around the edges where people could observe movements on the map. Taiyo stood at the northern side of the map, while standing at the southern side was the Council of Five.
Each of the five generals gathered here managed a different aspect Ba Sing Se's military, from domestic matters to the Outer Wall to the navy, as well as civil service and diplomatic envoys. The Council was led by General How, though he was merely the first among equals. Taiyo was providing details about the Fire Nation for the invasion plan, wanting to see it done with minimal casualties on both sides. Over several hours, the Council agreed on a first draft of the invasion plan, which the Earth King needed to see.
As a gesture of trust, General How passed a scroll with the plan to Taiyo for him to bring to the Earth King. "All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan."
"I'll get this to him right away," Taiyo said, picking up the scroll. He disappeared in a blur, and in a few minutes he returned, showing the scroll with the Earth King's seal. "Done."
"Impressive," General How said, wishing he had more people like Taiyo. "Have you considered work as a courier?"
"I think I can do more important things than run messages all day," Taiyo said. "Is there anything else?"
"That's all for now," General How answered.
Taiyo bowed and then walked away, glad to have the boring part of his day over with. He took his time as he left, since he was left without anything else he needed to do. While he walked, he listened for anyone that might need help, but the city was oddly calm at the moment. It seemed strange that nothing was going on, especially considering all that had been happening before. He took it as a sign that things were finally improving in Ba Sing Se, that the good work done already was actually making a difference.
When Taiyo walked through the front doors, he found Toph sitting on stone steps in front of the building, relaxing there without a care in the world. Apparently, she had been waiting for him to come out, as she had nothing better to do than wait for a friend. The others had yet to return from their road trip, the Dai Li were pacified, and the Batman was nowhere to be found, so there was no one for her to beat on to pass the time. It was obvious that she was bored out of her mind, having no one to fight and nowhere to be.
Taiyo stopped next to her. "Hey Toph."
"Took your sweet time," Toph said. She stood up and turned towards Taiyo. "Let's go find something to do. I'm getting bored just sitting around."
"I'm sure something will turn up, something always does," Taiyo said. There was one thing he wanted to do. "I hear there's a new teashop opening today. Let's check it out."
"Sure," Toph said.
As they weren't in any hurry to get there, Taiyo and Toph walked through the streets of the upper ring at a casual pace. They took in the sights and sounds now that they had relative peace and quiet, enjoying the walk simply because they could. It was strange to experience the city without needing to look over their shoulders, being able to act like anyone else walking down the streets. They didn't have to worry about any of their friends being missing, including the big furry bison, since everyone was accounted for and far beyond the reach of their enemies.
It didn't take long for them to figure out which direction the new teashop was in, as there were dozens of people walking towards the same place and gossiping about it every step of the way. It was located in the wealthiest part of the upper ring, which was saying a lot for the richest part of Ba Sing Se. Eventually they arrived at the teashop, which was housed in a fancy building surrounded by people coming and going. There was a sign above the open doors, with the name of the teashop written with formal elegance.
"The Jasmine Dragon," Taiyo read aloud. "Sounds like something Iroh would come up with."
"Any chance he's behind this teashop?" Toph asked.
"He was coming to Ba Sing Se before we split up," Taiyo answered. "But a teashop in the upper ring, that's just asking for trouble."
They went inside the teashop after another group of patrons, and were immediately bathed in all the scents of delicious hot brews. It seemed like every variety of tea was available for sale, including Fire Nation and Water Tribe flavors that had to be hard to come by here. A few particular blends were dominant in the air, being the most popular among the customers, with fresh pots constantly being brewed. The teashop was full of people enjoying their favorite flavors, gossiping about all the news of the day.
However, shortly after entering Taiyo stopped in his tracks. "Oh you've got to be kidding me."
In the middle of the teashop was Zuko, wearing brown clothes and an apron while carrying a tray. "Uncle, I need two jasmine, one green, and one lychee."
And from the back of the teashop came Iroh's voice. "I'm brewing as fast as I can."
"Of course…" Taiyo muttered, putting a hand to his face.
"So it is them," Toph said.
"Yes, but don't say anything about that in public," Taiyo insisted, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "It's Mushi and Lee, remember."
"The old man and Sparky, got it," Toph said.
"Please don't call them that," Taiyo asked. He walked through the teashop and Toph followed behind. "Hey Lee, table for two."
Zuko paused as he carried a tray with several cups of tea on it, surprised to hear that voice here and now. He turned and saw Taiyo standing there, smiling at him like there was nothing wrong with the world. Zuko smiled back, making it look like he was greeting a friend to anyone that might be watching. He noticed the blind girl next to him a second later, though he barely recognized her beyond a recent addition to the Avatar's group. Zuko wasn't going to judge, as long as the stranger didn't expose him or his uncle.
"Just a minute," Zuko said. He delivered the tea to a pair of ladies at a table and returned the tray to the back before returning. "Over here."
Taiyo and Toph followed Zuko to an empty table in the back corner, close to a wide window to the brewing kitchen that Iroh worked in. "Nice place you've got here."
"Who'd you con to get it?" Toph asked, taking her own seat.
"It's all legit," Zuko said. He noticed more customers entering the teashop, and thus had to get back to work right away. "So what are you ordering?"
"Green tea please," Toph ordered.
"Earl Grey," Taiyo ordered.
"Okay," Zuko said.
He wrote down the order and walked away, making a quick stop at the back to hand off the order to Iroh before moving on to more customers. While Taiyo and Toph waited for their tea to arrive, they listened to the gossip coming from the other patrons, since it was nearly impossible not to eavesdrop. Most of them were talking about the tea being served here, unlike anything else served anywhere in the city. A few patrons joked about Mushi being Fire Nation because of the delectable tea, getting others to laugh at how ridiculous that idea sounded.
Among the gossip were talks of Ba Sing Se getting more involved in the outside world, a possibility would have seemed impossible just a few days ago. There was talk of the Avatar being involved, though the details were still hazy to the general public. So the people were left to speculate instead, which had Taiyo and Toph snickering since they knew what was really going on. After a few minutes of waiting Zuko returned to Taiyo and Toph's table, holding a tray with two small teapots and two cups of tea, piping hot and ready to serve.
"Here you are," Zuko said, putting the cups on the table.
"Thanks," Taiyo said. He took a sip and savored it, finding sweet bliss in the moment. "He's only gotten better over the years."
Toph drank all of her tea in one swig, gulping it down in seconds, and slammed the cup on the table upside down. "Another!"
"Coming up," Zuko said. He had the teapot on hand, refilled Toph's cup, and then turned his head to the back of the shop. "Uncle, I'm going to take my break now."
From behind the counter, Iroh heard his nephew's voice. "Okay."
There were other people working here, who could cover for Zuko's breaktime. Zuko took off his apron, draped it over a chair, and sat down. "So, how did you end up in this part of the city?"
"That is a long story," Taiyo said. He set his cup aside and folded his hands. "First of all, that problem I was having, it's been fixed."
Taiyo briefly summarized everything that had happened since arriving in Ba Sing Se, though he had to keep it vague in a public space. He described his abilities in ways that Zuko would understand, but others within earshot would be left confused. From having his abilities restored, to temporarily losing his sight, and all the encounters with the Dai Li. He didn't mention the secret police by name, to avoid spooking anyone nearby, but it was easy to make it obvious who he was talking about. Then there was the assault on the palace, which explained the rumors going around.
"So, that was you," Zuko said. By now, he had the gist of what had happened. "A lot of people were wondering about all the noise that morning."
"I wish I could be more specific," Taiyo admitted. He finished his third cup of tea, and refused to have another refill. "I'll have to swing by after this shop closes. Get some privacy then."
"Yeah, sure," Zuko said. "Sounds like a plan."
Zuko picked up the tray, with cups and teapots loaded, and grabbed his apron before he left to return to work. Meanwhile, Toph noticed more people walking through the teashop's door, put paid them little mind. Among the people coming in, there was a short man wearing the light green clothes of a palace servant. He was obviously here on official business, carrying a bundle of envelopes to be delivered. That servant looked around the teashop until his gaze found Taiyo, and he appeared relieved when he walked up to the table.
"Are you Kal El?" the servant asked.
"I am," Taiyo answered.
"I'm supposed to deliver this," the servant said, handing over a small envelope. "The Earth King sends his regards."
Taiyo opened the envelope and found a letter inside, which he silently read while the servant left. "Interesting…"
"What's on there?" Toph asked.
"The King wants to see me in the palace library," Taiyo answered. He pushed his chair back and stood up, while also putting some silver coins on the table to pay for the tea. "This shouldn't take long."
"I'll just stick around here for a while," Toph said.
With her plan in motion, all Azula had to do now was wait.
She had the Dai Li release Mai and Ty Lee from the prison cells that Taiyo had put them in, and they were brought into the extensive cavern system beneath the city. All of them were given a fresh change of clothes, and the plain green and brown outfits were far more comfortable than the Kyoshi Warrior uniforms. The caverns they were in now were being treated as a temporary base of operations for the Dai Li, until new facilities could be constructed elsewhere. Azula didn't know the story behind that, and the agents she asked were still trying to piece it all together.
That was something for another time, as right now she had more important matters to attend to. She had already sent out missives under a false identity as bait for selective targets, with the Dai Li arranging for everything to occur as planned. But as she worked with the Dai Li, she noticed something peculiar about them, for although they were earthbenders, they possessed a drive that was all too familiar in the Fire Nation. It was something she could use to her advantage, once she proved she was a better leader than Long Feng.
Right now, she was in the middle of a speech to boost morale, given that the Dai Li needed it after recent losses. "…seizing power today is a matter of life and death. This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five generals must be taken out simultaneously. If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all, I will snuff it out."
Azula kept her gaze on an agent with a small scar, who seemed the most likely to crack under sufficient stress. But she wasn't going to punish the agent, not yet anyway, when it seemed that her speech would keep the agent in line. She dismissed the assembled agents, sending them off to accomplish their assigned tasks. She wanted to be out there handling some of those tasks personally, but knew in her gut that it would end disastrously. She had to stay well removed from everything happening up on the surface, given how badly the Kyoshi Warrior disguise had failed.
Mai and Ty Lee were waiting for her at a stone table, and Ty Lee was pouring tea for all three of them. "Nice speech, Azula. Pretty, poetic, scary, all the things you're good at."
"Those men will get the job done," Mai said. She waited for Azula to take a cup before accepting one for herself. "Still, I have to wonder why you didn't send either of us out with them."
"It's too dangerous," Azula admitted. She drank her tea while she tried to put her suspicions into words. "Somehow, Taiyo knew where we were, despite our disguises and minimal contact with people in this city. I don't know how he did it, and we can't take the risk that he might do it again."
"Yeah, that was not a fun experience," Ty Lee said.
"Any theories on how he figured out it was us?" Mai asked.
"None, and that's what makes it so dangerous," Azula admitted. "If I knew how he did it, I could plan around it. So we are staying down here until we're ready to deal with him."
"You've got a plan for that, right?" Mai asked.
"A gamble, on Long Feng's word," Azula said. She took a bracelet out of her pocket, looking at her reflection in the polished green rock. "If it works, we can move on to other loose ends."
Left to her own devices at the Jasmine Dragon, Toph figured she might as well learn something cool.
At first, she pretended to be enjoying one cup of tea after another, getting refills every so often, while observing Iroh working behind the counter. His passion for brewing was on full display, and she wasn't the only one wanting to figure out the secrets he employed. He guarded his craft well, having the most important aspects prepared ahead of time, so that observers would never know. Toph figured it had something to do with the tea leaves, since in her vibration sight they appeared different from what she had found elsewhere.
The demand for Iroh's services were greater than he and Zuko could keep up with, so he was more than happy to accept help from someone he could trust. With a shrug and a simple 'eh, why not' Toph ended up behind the counter helping brew tea, doing the simple parts so that Iroh could focus on the delicate tasks. At first people questioned why the blind girl was working at a teashop, but that aspect quickly became another attraction when she demonstrated no handicap whatsoever. Toph could appreciate the small bit of showmanship, making it seem like she knew all the motions from memory alone.
"Order up!" Toph announced, placing a tray with several teacups on the counter for Zuko to deliver. "Plenty more on the way."
When he spotted Toph returning to the part of brewing he trusted her with, Iroh was satisfied with how much she had learned already. "Thanks for making opening day even more impressive. I'm sure people will be talking about this teashop across the entire city."
"Glad I could help," Toph said. "So how come Lee's out there waiting tables and not back here? Shouldn't he have learned a lot of your secrets by now?"
There was the slightest wince in Iroh that only Toph could notice. "He tries… but I'm afraid his heart lies in other activities. His tea is… well it is not what anyone might expect."
"I see," Toph said, wondering if it was just Iroh's high standards or if Zuko really was that terrible at brewing. But before she could inquire further, she noticed someone skipping the line. "Hey, you can wait your turn like everyone else."
The messenger was not here to order tea, instead presenting a small scroll to Iroh. "A message from the Royal Palace."
"Oh, sorry," Toph muttered.
Iroh quickly read through the scroll as the messenger left. "I can't believe it."
Close enough to overhear, Zuko turned toward him. "What is it, Uncle?"
"Great news," Iroh said. "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King."
"Wow, word spreads quick," Toph said. There was one other explanation that she could think of for the sudden invitation. "You think Taiyo told the Earth King about your work?"
"He knows better than to call attention to us," Zuko said. He eyed his uncle with a disapproving but understanding look. "Unless someone asked him to put a good word in."
"I did not," Iroh said. "I had thought he would be back shortly after he left and we could talk then."
"Apparently not," Toph said. "What could be keeping him?"
Although Taiyo had arrived at the palace quickly, and was expecting to meet with King Kuei right away, he was disappointed. Palace staff told him the king had to deal with a pressing matter, and that he would be there once it was over. When Taiyo found the library, he discovered he was the only one there, alone with just thousands of books and scrolls for company. Taiyo wandered along the library's bookshelves to find something to pass the time, and there were all sorts of topics for him to choose from.
Such as the great works of fictions, to studies on the most obscure sciences, and so much more. It seemed like there was something for every subject, save for anything related to the war beyond the walls. Taiyo soon settled on a world history book, as he was curious about how the Earth Kingdom's view of history differed from the Fire Nation's view. Obviously, the last century would be completely different, given the whole 'No War in Ba Sing Se' mantra, but he wondered if the pre-war events might be even remotely similar.
But as Taiyo looked for a chair to sit down on, he saw someone entering the library, someone that he had last seen in a prison cell. "Azula…"
Holding her left hand behind her back, Azula stood at the threshold to the library, savoring the moment for all she could. Taiyo took a moment to observe her, finding the new outfit simple and far from Azula's style. She was wearing simple green and black clothes to replace the stolen Kyoshi Warrior uniform, needing something a little more subtle now that her former disguise was worthless. She took a few steps into the library, her gaze never wavering from Taiyo with every step, keeping her new toy behind her back.
"Surprised to see me free?" Azula asked.
"Hardly," Taiyo answered. He glared back at Azula, but kept a casual pose. "Do we really have to do through this song and dance again? I'm just going to put you back in that cell."
"I don't think so," Azula said, walking closer to him.
Taiyo let out a small sigh. "If you insist."
He took a few quick steps to close the gap between them, but when he got close, he felt intense pain. The pain made him stumble and trip, falling and crashing into the floor at Azula's feet. He recognized this pain, that of kryptonite, and he realized she must have been carrying it all along. The look of pleasant surprise on Azula's face was telling, and swung her left arm forward to reveal the green bracelet on her wrist. Her gaze shifted back and forth between the bracelet and her fallen foe, and all her doubts about the meteor rock were swept away.
Azula was certainly surprised that she had been told the truth. "So it does hurt you."
Struggling in pain Taiyo could barely keep his head off the floor. "Who… told…"
"Long Feng did," Azula answered.
She crouched to get closer to Taiyo's eye level, wanting to see his pain up close. Azula took the bracelet off her wrist and put it over her knuckles, and she punched Taiyo in the face. His head hit the floor and he was bleeding from the mouth, and the wound did not heal. Azula smiled at the sight of him bleeding, and she wanted more. She struck him with the bracelet again and again, delighting in the real damage inflicted on him for the first time. She didn't stop until the bracelet was nearly covered in blood, when she realized she needed to pace herself.
"I'd love to enjoy this here and now," Azula said, standing up over Taiyo. "But I have more business to attend to. And I want to savor your punishment for as long as I can."
With a snap of her fingers, Azula ordered Dai Li agents to appear, emerging from through the library entrance with a metal box large enough for a person to fit inside. The agents set the box on the floor and opened one side, intending to throw Taiyo inside for transport. It took longer than expected to haul Taiyo into the box, as he was heavy for someone his size. Several agents were needed to lift him high enough to place inside the box, and they all dropped him inside with a loud thud when he hit the bottom.
Azula stood next to the metal box and looked down, smiling as agents tossed chunks of meteor rock inside. "Don't worry. I won't let you die… yet."
Meanwhile, Aang was at the Eastern Air Temple, meeting with the Guru that had been waiting for him.
Guru Pathik was a frail old man, little more than skin, bones, and beard, wearing a robe that left one shoulder bare. He claimed to have known Monk Gyatso long ago, and saw it as his destiny to help Aang master the Avatar State. Pathik had spent decades of his life learning about the body and how energy flows through it, and that meditation and soul-searching could maximize a person's potential. He wanted to pass that knowledge on to Aang, so that the Avatar could be prepared and restore balance to the world.
After introductions were made, Pathik explained what chakras are, places in the body where energy collects and is stored. Opening those chakras allowed energy to flow freely through the body, which Aang could then use to enter the Avatar State at will. Each chakra was tied to a specific emotion and blocked by another, which required spiritual insight to open. Pathik took Aang on a spiritual journey, taking him to different parts of the air temple to learn about himself. Each time Aang felt better about himself, overcoming the bad parts of his past and looking to the future.
But while he followed the old bearded man through the temple, Aang noticed something strange, besides the usual strange things about a man living alone for years. Pathik always carried a woolen bag that was tied shut, never leaving it out of sight for even a minute. It was clearly Pathik's most prized possession, always with him wherever they stopped in the temple to unlock a chakra. Aang kept his curiosity in check and didn't ask Pathik what was in the bag, as it had nothing to do with unlocking chakras.
By the time night fell, Aang had unlocked six of the seven chakras, which were named for Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Sound, and Light. Each had dealt with a particular shortcoming Aang knew about himself, and each was overcome with a reminder of the positive parts of his life. Only the Thought chakra still remained, and Pathik took Aang to the very top of the Eastern Air Temple to unlock it. There both Aang and Pathik sat cross-legged in meditative poses, facing each other underneath all the stars in the heavens.
"Let's do this," Aang said, eager to control the Avatar State.
"The Thought chakra is located at the crown of the head," Pathik started. "It deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world."
Only one thing came to Aang's mind, his feelings for Katara. Her face was the first one he'd seen after the century in the iceberg, and she had been with him ever since. They had traveled across the world together, and while he hadn't shared his feelings, he suspected Katara knew anyway. Aang couldn't imagine a world without her in it, or what he might have become without her there. There had been times when he might had given in to despair without her, but she had pulled him back from the brink each time.
"Now let all those attachments go," Pathik continued. "Let them flow down the river, forgotten."
"What?" Aang objected. "Why would I let go of Katara. I… love her."
"Learn to let her go," Pathik instructed. "Or you cannot let the pure cosmic energy flow in from the universe."
"Why would I choose cosmic energy over Katara?" Aang asked. "How can it be a bad thing that I feel an attachment to her? Three chakras ago that was a good thing."
"You must learn to let go," Pathik insisted.
"Says the guy that won't let go of his bag," Aang argued.
Pathik paused at that, his gaze drifting to the bag at his side. "That's… personal."
"Sounds hypocritical to me," Aang argued.
"Not if you knew," Pathik reasoned. He paused again and closed his eyes, remembering old memories from another time. "When I was young, I witnessed a power not meant for this world. Your past life and your mentor entrusted me with keeping it hidden, so that it could not create an imbalance."
The thought of Pathik knowing Roku and Gyatso only made Aang more curious about what they gave him for safekeeping. "So what's in the bag that's so important?"
At first Pathik hesitated, remembering the promise he made over thirteen decades ago. In a sense, a promise he'd made to Aang through Roku. "Only a look."
Pathik grabbed the bag and slowly pulled on the rope that tied it shut, as if to put this off even a little while longer. Aang scooted close enough to see what was in the bag, and when it was opened a simple golden helmet was revealed. Pathik lifted the helming out of the bag, letting Aang see that it was completely smooth, with simple eye holes in the golden metal. Aang could tell there was something mystical about it just from looking, figuring that it had something to do with his Avatar spiritual connections.
"That's it?" Aang asked, unsure of what he was looking at. "You're hiding a helmet?"
"A helmet from the spirit world," Pathik corrected. "It belongs to the Spirit of Order."
Staring into the helmet's eye holes, Aang only had more questions. "How can order be a bad thing?"
"Too much of it leads to stagnation and decay, as I'm sure you have seen in Ba Sing Se," Pathik answered. "Order must be balanced with chaos, so that the world can grow and evolve safely. It's why the Avatar exists."
"To keep balance," Aang muttered.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he reached toward the helmet with one hand. He was quicker than Pathik could react, already too late for him to pull the helmet away. The helmet reacted to Aang's touch, shining with golden light while Aang's tattoos glowed bright blue. In that moment Aang experienced a brief vision, where he saw a threat to the natural order. There was a prison cell, bathed in dim green light, with a person writhing in pain. The vision was hazy, but he recognized Taiyo in that cell, and if he was pain something was very wrong.
Immediately Pathik pulled the helmet away from Aang, putting it back in the bag and tying it shut. "What did you see?"
"My friends are in danger!" Aang yelled, standing up and turning away from Pathik. "I have to go!"
"No Aang!" Pathik yelled back, seeing Aang running to the edge of the temple roof. "You haven't finished unlocking the chakras. If you leave now you won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all!"
Aang left anyway, leaping off the temple to get Appa. Between his concerns about the deep personal cost of the last chakra, and his need to act quickly, he didn't give Pathik's warning a second thought. The last Pathik saw of Aang was the sky bison, flying away from the Eastern Air Temple. His northernly course would take him back to Full Moon Bay, where he could pick up Katara and Sokka before heading back to Ba Sing Se. Aang was going to need them when he returned to the city, assuming they weren't already too late.
Early on the following morning, the Dai Li got to work.
Under the orders of Azula, they carried out the plan to overthrow the Earth King and take back control of Ba Sing Se. Only a handful of people could possibly stop it, most of which were accounted for and in no position to save the Council of Five. Taiyo was imprisoned, the Avatar and his Water Tribe friends were out of the city, and the earthbender girl was hanging out with the two firebenders in their teashop. Only the mysterious Batman was unaccounted for, and Azula doubted this masked vigilante even existed.
In simultaneous attacks, each general in the Council of Five were abducted by Dai Li agents, taken by surprise and restrained by metal chains before any could strike back. Each general was imprisoned below the palace, occupying cells in the same prison that once held Long Feng. Once the generals were out of the way the Earth King was next, attacked in his own throne room by more Dai Li agents. Azula personally escorted the Earth King to the prison, as she wanted to go there anyway to check in on her favorite prisoner.
"Enjoy your stay," Azula said, shoving the Earth King into a cell. She closed the cell's door and locked it, enjoying how well the day was going. "I hope it's to your liking."
At the end of the prison another cell was opened by Dai Li agents, allowing Long Feng to walk free again. He left the cell and walked up to Azula. "I trust things are going well."
"Everything is proceeding on schedule," Azula answered. She didn't expect that to continue much longer, as no plan ever finished without complications. "We're ready for when the Avatar returns."
"Excellent," Long Feng said.
Long Feng resumed his walk out of the prison, heading up to the higher levels of the palace to secure control. After he left Azula turned her attention to another cell, now that she had some time for personal pleasure. She unlocked the door and walked inside, seeing Taiyo on the floor with chunks of meteor rock around him. It seemed that the pain had only increased with time, and he could barely move now. She enjoyed seeing him powerless like this, even if she had to rely on rocks from space to make it happen.
"How the mighty have fallen," Azula said.
"Get to… the point," Taiyo muttered, immobilized by the kryptonite.
Azula kicked Taiyo's face, breaking his lip open and spilling blood on the floor. "You've had this coming a long time. Finally, the unstoppable Taiyo brought down before the overshadowed princess."
"It's… your father's shadow…" Taiyo muttered. "He's a monster… and you're a fool for following him."
"The only fool here is you," Azula said, stepping on Taiyo's hand. "All that power you have, yet you waste it on the weak. Now look where it got you."
With the other hand Taiyo pushed against the floor, having just enough strength to lift his head up a few inches. "I chose my side, the side that helps the world."
Azula stomped her foot into Taiyo's back, slamming him against the floor. "What do you care about the world?! "You've got another one to go back to!"
"What…"
"Don't play stupid!" Azula interrupted. "I figured it out. No human can do what you can, and these rocks that hurt you came from space. It doesn't take a genius to realize you come from space as well. And you should have stayed on the world you came from."
"It's not there anymore!" Taiyo yelled. "That world was destroyed! There's nothing left!"
"Good," Azula said. She grabbed Taiyo's hair and lifted his head up, while her other hand clenched into a fist with the meteor rock bracelet over her knuckles. "So there's no one left to mourn for you."
Azula punched him with the bracelet, breaking his nose and tearing his mouth, with both bleeding onto the floor. She struck him again and again, harder with each blow, enjoying the simple beating she inflicted. After the tenth blow Azula dropped Taiyo's head and stood up, leaving him with his face in a pool of his own blood. He wasn't dead yet, Azula wasn't going to let her fun end this soon, wanting to enjoy this as long as possible. But she was finished for now at least, and she left the cell to handle other matters.
Azula had to deal with a familiar teamaker.
At the scheduled time stated on the scroll received yesterday, Iroh and Zuko arrived at the palace.
They couldn't help but pause to look at the majestic building, though for reasons beyond the riches and grandeur. Iroh imagined how it might have been if he'd arrived several years earlier, with an army at his back and palace set ablaze in the fires of war. Zuko was glancing at every shadow and bit of movement, searching for any guards or Dai Li agents that might have discovered their true identities. But as far as anyone could tell, they were just a pair of humble teamakers, summoned here to serve tea to the Earth King.
"Many times, I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace," Iroh whispered, since no one was close enough to overhear him. "But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny if a funny thing."
"It sure is Uncle," Zuko whispered back. He took one last look around, and was glad he did when he spotted the blind girl heading their way. "What's she doing here?"
Iroh turned and nodded when his young friend was close enough. "Hello Toph, what brings you here?"
"You're the only people in this city I could go to," Toph answered. "Taiyo didn't come back last night."
Zuko raised his good eyebrow. "He never showed up after closing time either. Where would he have gone instead?"
"Last I know, he went to the palace," Toph said. "After that, nothing."
"You think something happened?" Iroh questioned. He paused to think about that for a second. "What could possibly happen to him?"
"Oh, right you don't know," Toph realized. She got up close to whisper. "There's something in this city that can hurt him. I'll tell you what it is in private."
Although he was alarmed by the possibility of something that could harm Taiyo, Iroh hid it well as he eyed passersby around the palace. "Then here is not the correct place."
"Should we leave?" Zuko asked.
"And disappoint the Earth King, if our suspicions are wrong?" Iroh questioned. "No, we need to act as if nothing is wrong, and be vigilant in case we are correct."
"If you guys are heading inside, I'm going with you," Toph insisted.
"Very well, if you don't mind a bit of deception," Iroh said.
The three of them walked into the palace, and the servants directed them to a small teahouse on the premises. Once there Iroh and Zuko set up their teamaking supplies and started brewing, perfectly timed so that the first pot would be ready at the scheduled time for the Earth King. Toph was playing the role of a simple apprentice, though it only fooled the palace staff that didn't already know who she was. She didn't care if anyone recognized her, focusing on searching the palace through her vibration sight, though the place was so big the lower levels were beyond her range.
As Iroh was pouring some tea into a cup he glanced at Toph. "Anything?"
"No sign of him," Toph admitted. However, just when she was about to relax, she spotted Dai Li agents entering her field of view. "But we've got trouble. Dai Li agents, coming in fast. And the fancy fire lady is with them."
Zuko stood tall and clenched his fists. "This is a trap."
"It appears so," Iroh said. He drank the tea meant for the Earth King, letting it sooth his threat ahead of time. "Toph, have I ever told you how I got the nickname 'the Dragon of the West'?"
"Nope," Toph said. "And we don't have time for a story."
"How about a demonstration?" Iroh asked.
That was when the Dai Li agents entered the teahouse, coming from every entrance and quickly surrounding them. But they didn't strike yet, content to simply cut off every avenue of escape. So Iroh didn't act just yet, and Zuko wasn't going to interrupt what he knew was coming. Toph was certain she could fight her way through all of the agents, and she wanted to see what the old man would do when the fighting started. The agents were ready to act the moment anyone tried to bend something, watching the hands and feet of their foes for the slightest movement.
So when Azula appeared, they were all surprised when Iroh breathed fire.
A plume of flames erupted from Iroh's mouth, first aimed at Azula before turning toward the Dai Li agents surrounding them. Azula blocked the first flames with her own blue fire, and the agents threw up walls of rock at the last second. But then Toph tore down those walls, exposing a portion of the agents to Iroh's fire, forcing them to scatter as their uniforms were set aflame. Zuko followed with a blast of fire that tore a hole into the thin wall of the teahouse, enabling him and the others to retreat into a hallway before anyone could pursue them.
"Okay, we can fight them better from here," Toph said.
"This is not the time to fight," Iroh said. He summoned a lightning bolt and used it to demolish the thicker outer wall of this building, making a hole big enough for everyone to get outside. "I advise a tactical retreat."
Toph watched him leap through the hole, and felt his soft landing in some bushes a couple floors down. "I hope you know what you're doing."
Iroh watched her jump down after him, and then looked up at Zuko. "Come on. You'll be fine."
However, just before Zuko could jump, a rock glove snatched him by the shoulder and yanked him away.
"He's not coming down, is he?" Toph asked.
"Afraid not," Iroh muttered, wishing he could get back up there and help his nephew. "We have no time to waste and we can't stay here."
Toph nodded in agreement. "Let's move."