CONTENT WARNING! Graphic depictions of violence and death, as well as flashbacks to a traumatic experience. Read at your own discretion!
Hina was excited to be back in Ba Sing Se. Her mommy had been promoted to be a diplomat in the new Fire Nation embassy, and the entire family was happy for her. They had come to Ba Sing Se a while previously in order to check out the city before moving, and on their last day they visited the famous Jasmine Dragon.
That was what made Hina so excited. She wanted to see Mianju again! Mianju the super cool Fire Nation waitress who got her bubble tea and smiled at her! Who Lu spit up all over! That made Hina laugh when she thought about it.
Bubble tea quickly became her favorite. They tried to make it at home, but they could never seem to get the mixture of tea and milk just right. Oh, well, that didn't matter anymore. Now Hina could get bubble tea from the Jasmine Dragon!
She strolled with Lu and their dad to the tea shop, and a greeter brought them to a table. Hina looked around. She could see various people walking around, but she didn't recognize any of them as Mianju.
"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon!" said a waitress, coming up to their table and bowing. "May I interest you in any of our specials?"
This waitress wasn't Mianju. She was taller, and had dark brown hair that she styled in two braids going over her shoulders. She had a round face and a big smile, and very kind eyes.
"Where's Miss Mianju?" asked Hina.
"Hina! Be nice! I'm sorry," said their dad, turning to the waitress.
"Oh, it's no problem at all!" The waitress met Hina's eyes. "I remember you guys, you came in a month ago, right? Mianju looked so happy to see you! She's been missing home a lot!"
Hina's question was still unanswered. "Is she here? Did she go back?"
The waitress shook her head. "No, she's training in the art of tea making in the kitchens. I'll be your waitress for today. My name is Jin."
Hina deflated. "Oh…"
Jin smiled and crouched down to be on eye level with Hina. "If you want, I can try to bring Mianju out to say hi."
Their dad shook his head. "Oh, we don't want to be a bother!"
Jin shook her head. "Nonsense! I'm sure she'd love to see you again!"
Their dad paused. "Well, if you're absolutely sure it's no trouble…"
A crash resounded from the kitchens, followed by a frustrated growl.
Jin looked to the kitchen window and then back to their dad. "I'm positive, it's not a problem at all!"
0-0-0
Azula swept up the broken shards of yet another teapot. The second one this week. She had been doing fine, until she accidentally splashed some tea on her wrist.
It burned.
Azula thought she would be used to heat, used to burns, but evidently, being burned in a spar was much different to be caught by surprise. Her arm had jerked on a reflex, and before she knew it…
Smash!
Tea spilled all over the floor and broken pottery slid everywhere.
Jin came into the kitchen and began to whisper something to Iroh. Azula moved closer so that she could hear.
"—want to see her," whispered Jin.
Iroh stroked his beard. "I understand, but I don't want her to be out in the open too much."
"It'll just be for a short bit, they really wanna see her! It's honestly so adorable!"
Iroh closed his eyes and nodded. "Alright." He turned to face Azula. "My niece, please follow Jin. There is someone who wants to meet you again."
Azula felt wary. Who in the Earth Kingdom was possibly asking for her?
She handed Iroh her broom and went to follow Jin. Jin led her through the dining room to…
"Miss Mianju!" called out the little girl, waving enthusiastically.
Azula felt herself smile, and for once she didn't try to scowl just to be contrary. "Hina, was it?"
Hina turned to her brother. "I told you she'd remember me!"
Azula glanced at the table. There were only three people sitting there.
"Where is your mother?" Azula tried to ask casually.
"Oh, mommy got a new job, so we all moved here! She's an ambassador!" Hina looked very proud of her mother.
Azula's heart skipped a beat. If Kei was an ambassador, then she likely had contact with the Fire Lord, or at least the foreign minister. Was her cover in danger of being blown? Would Kei recognize Princess Azula, brought low and serving tea in Ba Sing Se?
No, Kei didn't seem to recognize her last time. She had even cleaned Azula's apron for her, assuming that Azula was a nonbender.
Azula tried to keep a smile on her face. "Well, that's very nice to hear."
"Yeah, and now we can come to the Jasmine Dragon every day!" said Hina.
Hina's father coughed. "Um, we won't be able to come every day, Firefly."
Hina deflated. "Awww."
Azula wasn't sure what to say, but Jin fortunately swept in. "What can I get for all of you?"
Hina perked right up. "Taro bubble tea, please!"
Lu raised his hand slightly. "Me too, please."
"I'd just like jasmine," said their father, smiling.
Jin wrote that all down and beamed up at the customers. "It was very nice to meet all of you! Miss Mianju has to go back to the kitchens now, but I'll bring your tea in just a little bit!"
Jin gently tugged Azula back to the kitchen. Once they passed through the doors, she squealed.
"Oh my gosh! Hina is soooo cute!"
Azula rolled her eyes, but couldn't quite keep the smile off of her face.
0-0-0
"Everything is in place, sir," said the Dai Li agent. "We have over half of the new Dai Li, and expect to have up to 60% firmly on our side by next week."
"Very good, Yanrong," said Long Feng. "The time is almost near. By the end of next week, we should be ready to make our move. The rest of the new Dai Li will either fall in line or be destroyed."
Yanrong nodded and melted back into the shadows. Long Feng steepled his fingers.
Neutral Jing was paying off. It was finally time.
0-0-0
The day it all happened, Hina, Lu, and Jian returned to the Jasmine Dragon. Azula had gotten marginally better at brewing tea. She tried to tamp down the pride that brought to her, because tea was stupid. But the way Uncle's face lit up, the way he praised her… it felt nice.
Sokka and Suki were at the Jasmine Dragon as well. The rest of Team Avatar was at the Earth Palace, trying to sort through the Dai Li. Toph was definitely picking up dissent and deceit now, but not anything concrete enough to be able to root anyone out. She was beginning to question whether she was any good at telling lies apart from truth anymore.
While everyone was going about their tasks for the day, the old Dai Li snuck their way through tunnels into the Upper Ring. Meeting with their collaborators, they made their way into the castle.
Toph was the first one to feel it. "Um, guys?"
She was cut off as multiple Dai Li agents burst through the ground and surged forward to attack. Katara whipped out water from her water skin and began to defend against them, while Toph began sending out boulders ripped from the palace floor.
Some of the Dai Li standing guard also began to attack, while others attempted to defend the Earth King. One of the old Dai Li managed to come up behind King Kuei and put him in a headlock.
"Surrender and your death will be swift," said the agent.
"I surrender! I surrender! Please don't kill me!"
Toph cried out and fell over. She hadn't been able to react because it was so fast, but a small stone flew into her right shin, tearing muscle and cracking bone. She landed on the ground with a thump, screaming. Tears flowed down her face, cutting lines through the fine layer of dirt that always seemed to coat her.
Aang followed the stone's path back to a Dai Li agent who was standing like Azula after shooting lightning, turned to the side with an arm straight out, two fingers pointed at the target.
Aang was surrounded, outnumbered, and the Dai Li were closing in to kill his friends. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, everything was white.
0-0-0
Iroh was trying another batch of tea that Azula made when they burst in. He was smiling and about to tell her how she had improved, and what she would still need to work on, when the back door to the kitchen was kicked in and imposing figures in black and green came gliding through.
Iroh turned and began to demand what the meaning of this was, when two more agents popped up out of the ground and began attacking Azula.
Azula dropped the tray she was holding and dodged out of the way of the boulders. As she landed, she punched out two fistfuls of blue flame, which were blocked by a wall of earth.
Iroh also began striking out, sending out powerful blasts of fire. One of his blasts hit a Dai Li agent into the face, causing him to scream and fall over. The other got hit in the chest, sending him flying backwards.
The other tea makers were screaming.
A rock glanced off of Iroh's shoulder, and he turned to see his niece facing a wall of earth. The Dai Li agents were punching blocks out of the wall, sending them flying, while Azula dodged and wound up her arms. Iroh's hair stood on end and the air filled with static as electricity arced around Azula's arms. She touched her fingers together, then struck out like a rat-viper.
With a Crack-BOOM! lightning flew from Azula's outstretched arm into the earth wall, exploding it. The force of the explosion sent the agents behind it flying back. They hit the wall and crumpled, unconscious.
Iroh turned to his still screaming employees, who were huddled on the floor. Waving his arms, he shouted, "Get up! Get up! Get out of here! It isn't safe!"
Fortunately, as scared as they were, the employees took his words to heart and sprinted out the back door where the first two agents had entered.
Iroh grabbed Azula's hand and began to run towards the dining area.
"Uncle, what happened? Why are they attacking?" shouted Azula.
"I don't know. This may be what your brother was warning us about!"
Iroh and Azula burst through the doors to the dining area, and stopped. Iroh immediately stepped forward, putting himself between Azula and the dozen or so Dai Li agents facing them.
0-0-0
Sokka, Suki, Jin, and the Fire Nation family were restrained on the ground with the Dai Li's rock gloves. Hina and Lu were crying. Their father looked scared out of his mind. Sokka and Suki looked furious. The Dai Li agent standing over Jin was covered in tea and bleeding from a wound on the back of his neck, shattered pottery at his feet.
Other customers were huddled against the walls of the Jasmine Dragon, physically unrestrained but cowering away from the fearsome Dai Li.
Only Mrs. Hu still sat at her table, calmly drinking her tea.
"General Iroh and Princess Azula!" said the head agent facing them. "You are under arrest for crimes against the Earth Kingdom. Come quietly, and your deaths will be swift and merciful."
Iroh bowed his head and spread his hands, making sure to keep in front of Azula. "My good sir, the Earth King pardoned me for my crimes when I helped take back Ba Sing Se."
The agent glowered at Iroh. "The Earth King is no longer in power. We are making sure of that."
Iroh arched an eyebrow. "So you mean to tell me that all agreements that he made are now null and void?" he asked playfully.
"That is correct. Now surrender."
Iroh smiled without humor, his eyes glinting. "I must apologize, but if all agreements with the Earth King are now nullified, then it seems I no longer have to make good on my promise to BEHAVE!"
As he said the last word, Iroh stepped forward, swinging both arms in a large circle and jutting his arms out when they reached the level of his navel. He launched forth a bolt of lightning as thick as a man's thigh right toward the lead agent.
The blast was so loud that behind him, Azula covered her ears. Her eyes widened as she watched the lightning arc out of the head agent's back and branch out the other agents, connecting them all in a web of death. She had never seen anyone bend the lightning after shooting it like that. The agents' faces contorted in pain, and they all seized up where they were standing. Iroh held like that for two seconds, three seconds, four…
Azula smelled cooking meat. Her stomach twisted when she realized it was the agents. Even when she had seen Zuko get burned, she couldn't smell it.
Iroh pushed his arms forward one last time, sending out a powerful blast of lighting that sent the head agent's body flying out the entrance to the Jasmine Dragon. The other agents all collapsed where they stood, like dolls left forgotten on the ground when their owner was called for dinner. Various spots on their clothes and hair burned with orange fire. Their skin, where visible, was mottled with purple scars that were shaped like lightning.
Azula felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder and looked at him. After being exposed to such a large lightning blast indoors, even after covering her ears, she had lost her hearing. He was saying something, but he sounded far away, or… underwater. Azula's breath hitched. She hadn't felt like this since the asylum, why now? For a moment, she was being chained to the grate again, surrounded by water inside an ice block made by that waterbender. She felt Iroh's other hand on her other shoulder and looked up. She could just barely hear the sound, but she could read his lips.
"Breathe, Azula. It's okay, it's temporary, just breathe. In, out—"
Behind him, the others stumbled to their feet. Without any benders maintaining them, the stone gloves crumbled to pebbles. Immediately Sokka and Suki began ordering people out of the restaurant. Hina and Lu got pulled into a tight hug by their father. The bodies on the ground continued to smoke and smell sickly like cooked meat.
Iroh kept his eyes locked with Azula's, guiding her through breathing. The smell was getting to her, and the way she scrunched up her face must have alerted him, because he started emphasizing inhaling through his mouth and exhaling through his nose.
Azula tried to imitate him, tried to get that disgusting smell out of her lungs, as Sokka came rushing back in saying something and pointing outside. Iroh nodded to him, then gently began guiding Azula out of the Jasmine Dragon.
Once she made it outside, Azula could see the giant, furry beast that the Avatar rode on floating a foot or so above the ground. The Fire Nation family was climbing onto its back, and the Avatar's girlfriend was already helping Jin sit down. Iroh guided Azula over to the beast, and the Avatar reached down to help her onto its back.
Azula had ridden on it before, when they went to find her mother. She wasn't fond of its smell then, but now she took a big breath through her nose. Anything to purge the smell of cooking human meat.
Azula laid herself down in the saddle and closed her eyes. Nothing made sense, and she just couldn't deal with being awake at the moment.
Sleep took her in moments.
0-0-0
Toph grimaced as the people around her shifted. Katara continued to heal her broken leg, which had been wrapped in a splint. She could hear the others on the saddle, and feel Appa as he lifted off.
She knew they had managed to get the Earth King and Bosco out, and that they were headed to the Jasmine Dragon to pick up Sokka and Suki. It sounded like more people were in the saddle, though. She could hear two children crying, and she smelled someone else's perfume, mixed with ozone.
"I don't know if Appa can take all these people," said Aang from Appa's head.
"We should stop at the Fire Nation embassy," came Iroh's gravelly voice. "That will be a safe place. They won't attack there without securing their power first, or they risk another war with the Fire Nation."
"Mommy!" cried one of the children. "I want mommy!"
"My wife works at the embassy," said an unfamiliar voice. "Please, if you could bring us there, Avatar, we'd greatly appreciate it."
"Okay, if you're sure. Um, which direction?" said Aang. As the man described the embassy's location in relation to the Jasmine Dragon, Toph felt Appa turn slightly.
Toph tugged on Katara's sleeve. "Hey, Sugar Queen," she whispered.
"Yes, Toph?"
"Who's up here with us?"
There was a pause, as Katara probably made a confused face at her before remembering that she couldn't see it. "Oh, um, we managed to get Sokka and Suki, and Jin, Iroh, Azula, and a man with two kids also came up."
Toph nodded. She furrowed her brows. "Azula's here? I don't hear her."
"She's sleeping next to Iroh."
"Sleeping?"
"Yeah, she just curled up and went to sleep."
"Huh." Toph wondered what that was about. "Also, what was that smell back there? It smelled like there was burnt meat?"
A tense silence. Katara stopped moving the healing water up and down Toph's leg. Finally, Katara spoke up. "It was… a body."
"What?"
"There was a body outside the shop. It was on fire. I think it was a Dai Li agent." Katara began moving the healing water again. "That was probably what you smelled."
"Oh…" Toph wasn't often shocked into silence, but she had no idea how to possibly respond to that. She almost wished she didn't ask. "I wonder how she can sleep after frying a guy alive?"
"She didn't," came Suki's voice to Toph's left. Toph inclined her head in that direction.
"What?"
"It wasn't Azula who killed them," said Suki, her voice low. "It was Iroh."
Toph's mouth went dry. Iroh, the kindly old man who made tea and played games and spouted proverbs? The one who had tea with a lost, sleep-deprived blind girl while he was frantically looking for his nephew? That Iroh?
Katara stopped moving the healing water. "What?"
"They had us pinned down with their rock gloves when Iroh and Azula came out the back," said Suki. "We tried to fight them, but there were just too many. Jin got a good hit on one of them with a teapot, though." Toph could hear the tiny smirk enter and just as quickly leave Suki's face and voice. "Iroh came out, had some banter with the leader, and then shot them all full of lightning. I… I've never seen anything like it. I think he actually controlled the path of the lightning so that it hit all the Dai Li, but not us."
Toph leaned her head back on the edge of the saddle. She felt Appa start to descend, her stomach lurching lightly with the motion.
On her left side, Momo curled up next to her, and she started to scratch his head. They had kept Momo away from the Jasmine Dragon before, worried that he might try to play with Azula and end up fried. He liked Bosco enough, though, so they brought him to the Earth Palace to play while they interrogated the Dai Li. Momo purred as she scratched.
Toph felt empty and confused. She couldn't imagine the Iroh she knew and loved killing people like that, but then she remembered.
He was called the "Dragon of the West" for a reason.
0-0-0
Jin wished she could appreciate the feeling of flying through the air, but she was scared, in shock, and shivering.
Her workplace was just raided by the Dai Li. She attacked a Dai Li agent. She injured a Dai Li agent. Then she watched her boss massacre the entire secret police force sent to capture him at once. And honestly, despite the spring weather, it was cold all the way up in the air.
Azula was curled up like an owl-cat next to her, but Jin didn't want to scooch up next to her and steal her heat in case Azula woke up. She knew that Azula was likely very warm, being a firebender, but Jin didn't want to cuddle her without her consent and risk a repeat of that time Azula lashed out upon being woken up. And Jin knew that Azula would never consent to cuddling of any kind, even if they were both freezing to death at the North Pole.
So, Jin stuck it out, until after what felt like hours (but was only a few minutes) later, they finally began descending to a building in the Upper Ring with multiple Fire Nation flags flying from poles on the roof. Other than the flags, the building was unremarkable, with plain architecture and simple masonry. Ironically, its lack of ostentation in the Upper Ring made it stick out even more.
The building was surrounded by a gate. On the outside of the gate, Earth Kingdom soldiers stood guard, though the gate itself was open. Inside the gate, on the property itself, Fire Nation soldiers guarded the entrance. A sign by the front door had the Three-Pointed Flame national emblem, and welcomed people in.
烈火國公使館
烈火國歡迎您
Fire Nation Embassy
The Fire Nation Welcomes You
The Avatar's bison landed in the courtyard, and Jin began to scramble off. She could see Iroh gently trying to shake Azula awake. Katara picked up Toph and, with the help of Aang's earthbending, brought her down to the ground. As Jin slid down the bison's tail, she saw Suki approach Aang, who had a lemur on his shoulder.
"Can you go pick up Rin and Arna?" she asked. "You know where our place is. I don't want the Dai Li going after them, too."
Jin felt the color drain from her face. "Oh no… my parents!"
Aang and Suki both turned to look at her.
"My parents are in the Lower Ring! Please, can you get them? If they get targeted because of me, I… I…" tears slipped down Jin's face, and a lump formed in her throat.
Aang came over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get them. What is your address?"
Jin told him, and within moments he jumped back up on his bison to get the Kyoshi Warriors and Jin's parents. The lemur had since disembarked from Aang's shoulders and moved to Katara, purring on her as she tried to help Toph keep weight off of her injured leg. The group began to move inside, escorted by the Fire Nation guards. As soon as they got inside, Hina and Lu called for their mom, as their father shouted, "Kei!"
One of the doors opened, and Kei ran out. "Kids? Jian? What's going—"
She grunted as her husband and children ran and tackled her into a hug. She held them all tightly as the kids cried and her husband tried to whisper what happened to her. Jin looked away.
Some workers had brought out some pillows for Toph, as she laid down. Katara asked for a bucket of water so that she could continue soothing Toph's leg. Suki and Sokka went over to her to see if they could help.
The Earth King—the actual Earth King!—slumped down in a seat in the waiting area next to his bear. Iroh and Azula sat a few seats away, Azula staring blankly at the ground, Iroh sitting peacefully with his eyes closed. Jin didn't know where she should sit, so she went over to Azula and sat on her left side. Azula side-eyed her.
Jin wanted to say something nice, but she was tired and scared and in shock and she was still warming up. Instead, she said, "I was cold."
Azula arched an eyebrow, but simply looked down at the floor again. Jin leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. The adrenaline drained out of her system, leaving her muscles tired and sore. She drifted off into a nervous sleep.
Jin didn't know how long it took, but she awoke to the sound of a bison groaning outside and people shouting.
"Jin! Where are you? Jin!" screamed her mother.
Jin jumped up and ran towards the entrance, just as her parents came running in.
"Jin!" shouted her mother.
Jin ran up to her parents and threw herself into their arms. She could feel the relief lift the weight from her chest. Her mother and father were right there, safe and sound.
"Jin, what's going on?" came a new voice. Jin looked up from the hug she was in to see her two friends, San and Jia. Jia looked around nervously, while San looked right at Jin, concerned. Behind them, Suki hugged Arna and Rin, who had also come in with the Avatar.
Jin's father broke the hug and stepped back to look at his daughter. "What is going on, Sweetheart? The Avatar came out of nowhere and said there was danger, and that you were at the Fire Nation embassy." Now that he and Jin's mother had reunited with her, Jin noticed how they tensed up, looking around at the red décor of the embassy. They had both fled the Fire Nation during the war, and now they were in one of its government buildings.
Jin gulped. "There… there's been a coup." She looked over to where the Earth King was sitting dejectedly. Her parents and friends followed her gaze and gasped.
"Is it… is it the Fire Nation again?" asked Jia.
Jin shook her head. "It's the Dai Li. They took over the palace, I guess, and they attacked the Jasmine Dragon. We had to get out quickly."
"Why would they attack the Jasmine Dragon?" asked Jin's mother.
Jin inhaled, then looked over to Iroh and Azula. Azula still hadn't moved, and appeared to have dozed off. Iroh was looking straight at her, and simply nodded.
She turned back to her parents and friends. "They attacked because of the owner and one of the workers." Jin gestured to Iroh and Azula. "May I introduce General Iroh, the Dragon of the West, and his niece, Princess Azula."
Nobody said anything for a second. Jin's father glanced at Iroh and Azula, then back at Jin, smiling in a way that showed he had no idea what to say or do. Jin's mother pursed her lips very tightly. The color completely drained from Jia's face, and she looked like she would faint at any moment.
Only San said anything. Eyebrow arched, looking at Jin, she said slowly, "Jin… that's Mr. Mushi and your coworker, Mianju."
Jin nodded. "Those are the names they go by, but they're actually General Iroh and Princess Azula."
Jin's mother shook her head. "No. No way. That can't be them. Mr. Mushi is so nice! And Mianju is way too short to be the Conqueror of Ba Sing Se!"
Jin remembered thinking the same thing the first time she met Azula. She looked over to them again, and saw that Azula had sat up and was now looking at them.
"I know how crazy it sounds, but it's true!"
"Jin, I'm not in the mood for these games," said her mother.
"Um, hi, is everything alright here?" asked Aang, slowly approaching them.
"Come on Jin, we're going home," said Jin's mother.
"Um, I'm really sorry, but you can't do that!" said Aang. "There's a Dai Li coup going on, so this is really the safest place!"
Jin's mother paled. "In a Fire Nation Embassy?!"
"I'm going to be working on it, but we just got ambushed, and need to regroup. So, yeah, I'm sorry."
Jin's mother deflated. Jin grabbed her hand and squeezed. She knew her mother had a particularly bad history with the Fire Nation, and she wanted to comfort the woman who raised her.
It was San who broke the silence. "Is that really General Iroh and Princess Azula over there?" She pointed to Iroh and Azula.
Aang followed her gesture and smiled. "Oh, yeah, that's them. Don't worry, Iroh is super nice. Azula is… working on it. But, yeah, that's them."
Jia fainted.
Author's Note:
Welp, here you go! I hope this chapter was satisfying to read!
Things are finally coming to a head. Long Feng has finally made a move. I'm super excited to be at this part of the story!
Azula's hearing loss is only temporary, like when you go to a concert or a school dance and everything sounds weird once you leave because it was so loud. Of course, repeated exposure to such loud noises can permanently damage her hearing, but as it is, Azula's hearing will be fine.
Remember Jin's friends from the chapter "Mission: Friendship"? San and Jia. Jia seems to have some bad feelings towards the Fire Nation, doesn't she?
I have a bit of a buffer now, so the next chapter will be next week!
Please let me know what you thought! Comments are super appreciated! :D