Chapter 20
"Aang, to master the Avatar State, you must open all of your chakras. Surrender yourself." Guru Pathik urged intently, not moving from his position on the floor, a peaceful aura escaping his meditative posture even if a not-so-peaceful smell came along with it.
But Aang, this aged visage's pupil, had long since gotten used to the odor. How could he not when he had consumed a concoction of banana and onion juice, twice…willingly. So instead of letting it bother him, he listened to the wise man's words, letting them overcome him and his worries.
"Okay...I'll try." Aang nodded with determination, closing his eyes mere moments afterward an approving smile appeared on the Guru's face. The man gave Aang a few seconds to regain his focus, to enter the meditative state that opening your chakras put you in, before continuing with his instruction.
"Now think of your attachments and let them go. Let the pure cosmic energy flow."
With a final breath, Aang did as Pathik said, imagining his image of Katara once more in his mind, imagining her beauty, her kind smile, her comforting words, then, feeling pain in his heart…Aang imagined himself letting go of her, letting go of his earthly attachments, letting go of his attachment to both Katara, and to a lesser extent, his friends.
The instant he did this, Aang began to feel an unfathomable feeling swirl around his conscious, ethereal energy surrounding Aang that he could not touch, but still felt deeply as he looked around in wonder, the energy swirling between every color there was and more as it hovered around the representation of himself present in the spiritual plane.
Looking down, Aang was surprised to find himself standing on a bridge of light, one that led forwards to an eternity of space with countless stars scattered throughout, and in the very center floated the shadowy figure of Aang himself.
Only, this Aang, while seated, did not look anything remotely like the normal one. No, this one did not have much of a body to go with it, simply possessing the outline of limbs, a torso, a head, and shining purple tattoos and eyes.
This…Aang was in a state of awe. This must be it, he felt. This must be the Avatar state. Smiling to himself, Aang took a single, momentous step forward, ripples echoing out from his bridge, then another, and then another. Each step was not like a normal step in the outside world, not even like one in the spirit world.
There, they had felt normal, covering the correct amount of distance. Here though, in this mysterious place, every step felt like it went nowhere, and everywhere, covering simultaneously massive amounts of distance while somehow not moving at all.
But he was moving, Aang knew. If not physically, then spiritually as he transitioned on his journey with his destiny, the one he had hidden from so many years ago. One that he would no longer hide from, one that he would no longer fight.
Not with the world depending on him. Not with his friends depending on him. Not when he himself expected himself to accomplish his task. Today was the day, the very moment, that he would stop trying to fight fate.
Today was the day to embrace it, to embrace what he was meant to do. Peering closely, Aang saw that his false body was holding something, a sphere of energy of purple coloration between two enormous hands, the ball beckoning him towards itself, whispering promise and victory in his ear.
Aang wouldn't lie, a part of him felt nervous at the prospect of coming into contact with the ball of energy, feeling like he would lose himself if he did. But a larger part, the part that was in control, did not share such a feeling.
No, this part of Aang had him walk straight up to it, hesitantly holding out his hand as he leaned towards the ball, grasping fingers stretching ever closer to the ball's surface. Right before his fingers touch the surface, however, the sphere seems to pulse, startling Aang as he flinched backward, watching as an image of Katara appeared in front of him, the girl smiling as she hugged an older male finger in Watertribe clothing, one that shared many of her features.
This must be Hakoda, Aang realized with a sad smile, staring at the scene as his heart yearned, not wanting to give up on her. It was nice to watch her like this, acting so carefree as she and her brother leaped at the man, forcing him to fall over in laughter as he hugged them both, taking the two teens down with him.
But even as he watched this scene, Aang realized that this was precisely the reason he must give up his attachments. As the Avatar…he was the one who would bring balance to the world, and to do so…he couldn't be selfish. Not like he had been before. Not again. And by watching this scene, even as tears filled his eyes, Aang knew she would be okay. Knew that, if anything, she would be better off without him, so with a force of will, he dispelled the image in front of him, suspecting that it was a final test in opening his chakra.
A test that would not dissuade him Aang promised, determination swelling inside of him as his face turned solemn, a glint in his eyes appearing that promised he would not back down, he would not give in. Determination that had him stick his hand straight in the sphere without fear, pushing through his apprehension, his concerns, even his doubts.
Right now was not the time for such things. Now was the time to look forward, to reach towards the future with both hands less he falters. So that was what he did, sticking his other hand inwards and then gripping onto something immaterial as he pulled himself forward, closing his eyes as he was bathed in the sphere's soft light.
And he was met with oblivion.
…
"…Aang! Aang, wake up! Think of Katara, think of your attachment to her!" Guru Pathik's panicked voice yelled out to Aang, his voice somehow piercing the veil as he found himself refocusing on his attachment to the world, on his attachment to his traveling companions as his vision slowly faded from blank white into normal, everyday color.
Much to the boy's surprise, he was floating in mid-air, his legs still crossed in the meditative position he had taken to open his Thought Chakra. He looked around in surprise, trying to figure out just how he was doing this.
Until he no longer was of course, as after a few seconds Aang's invisible seat seemed to dissipate, leaving him tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs and clothes.
"Ahhhh!" Aang yelled as he hurtled down head first, moving faster and faster towards an impending death before, at the last second, he suddenly remembered he was an Airbender and held his hands out in front of him, streams of air leaving his palms as he came to a stop a mere hands width above the crumbling concrete, bobbing in the air before the stream cut off, leaving him to fall the final distance.
"Gah!" Aang groaned as he landed fast first, holding his position momentarily before he flopped over on his back, his hands and legs splayed outwards as he panted, seeking to regain his breath.
Before he could though, Guru Pathik's bronzed expression popped in front of him.
"Well, that was exciting! Are you planning on getting up anytime soon?"
After regaining his equilibrium, Aang merely groaned as he rubbed his face, sitting upwards as he moved to his feet, shaking his limbs out as he inspected himself for anything different.
"Hey Pathik? Did I actually open my final chakra? I can't feel any differences, not like the last ones. Well," Aang corrected himself, "my face hurts, but I'm pretty sure that's not because of the chakra."
"Indeed, you haven't!" Pathik said cheerfully, scurrying about as he gathered his scattered bowls, taking a couple of bananas and onions, mincing them for juice before swirling them together in a bowl. "While at the same time, you did! Isn't it great?"
"Ah…yes? I think? To be honest, I'm still a little confused." The boy admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "You said I had to let go of my attachments, and I did, but I still feel the same attachment I always do to her. Did something go wrong?"
"Nope! Something went right. You see, the thought chakra, the final chakra, is not one meant to remain open, not for the Avatar. You see, the Avatar needs their earthly attachments, it's the only way they are able to act as a bridge to bring balance to both the mortal realm, and the spirit realm. But sometimes they need access to the wisdom and power of their forefathers and seeing as you are currently standing here, all of them are dead. Not forgotten though, the universe still remembers them. That's why you have to open your Thought Chakra, as it allows you to activate the Avatar state manually rather than by accident. Does that clear things up?"
"I guess?" Aang replied, rubbing his forward before a thought came to him, a hopeful expression filling his eyes. "Wait, does that mean I don't have to give up on Katara? That I can still…pursue her?"
Even now he was embarrassed.
"Indeed it does, my young fellow. You just need to remember that there are times that you need to give up such earthly attachments, to let the power of the Avatar state flow through you in your time of need, but otherwise, such earthly attachments are a good thing. Essential, in fact, less you turn into an unfeeling monster."
Guru Pathik's frankness brought a sweat drop to Aang's forehead, amazed at how brutally honest he was being.
"But I wasn't in control then? Yes, it was different than normal, but I still wasn't the one in control.
"That's just for the first time you ascend your mental state. I'm told that it's intense for everyone," Pathik waved off as he took a seat, offering Aang his second bowl which the boy took, finding that he was disturbingly growing to like it. "Every time after that it'll be under your control. In fact, try it now, and do so regularly as the more you do it, the easier and faster it will be to enact the change."
Taking the ancient man's advice, Aang tossed back the less disgusting connection as he focused his thought's on Katara, pushing his mind towards letting go of her over a span of 30 seconds or so before a switch flipped in his mind, overpowering knowledge and power filling his mind as his tattoos began shining, the boy looking around in a shocked stupor through glowing eyes before blinking as he lost it, losing his state of focus.
"It also allows you to stay in the state for longer, as a single thought of attachment can disrupt the state. It's why you blanked out when entering the Avatar state previously, as any such thoughts could have proven deadly. Still, that's all over now, as I can happily declare that you are a fully realized Avatar!" Guru Pathik cheered, throwing his hands in the air much to Aang's bemusement before he dropped them, blinking.
"Well, half-realized. You still have to learn Firebending after all, but that can come later. Need be you can always fall back on the knowledge of your previous Avatars when you need to use the element. Who knows, you might even manage to learn to use it outside of the Avatar state from them, the possibilities are endless." Pathik shrugged.
He could Aang thought in surprise, mulling the problem over as his eyes widened in surprise, realizing that he actually could! Even now he had memories of countless years of Firebending kata after Firebending kata, the feeling of harnessing the rush of chi mixed in with all the other memories of his past life, examples from every element that he couldn't wait to try!
Sure, the knowledge was fading, but it looks like he just found his method of learning how to Firebend. But that did present another problem, well question, to mind. If he could learn to bend this way, in a way that seemed like it would be faster than the standard method of finding a teacher, why had no one else? Searching his thinning bank of new memoirs, he couldn't think of any memories of other Avatars doing the same.
His confusion must have shown on his face, as Guru Pathik answered his unasked question, the man's vast wisdom helping him do so.
"You may be thinking why no one has done this before you Aang, yes? It's simpple. Because most don't learn how to enter the Avatar state until after they have mastered the four elements. In fact, I do say that you're the first!" Pathik chuckled, earning a rueful smile from the boy as the man straightened, his laughter dying off as a pleasant smile replaced it.
"Still, you can focus on that later, as now that you have learned all that I have to teach you, you can go. Before that though, I have other news to share with you, news that I believe you will find quite important. If you would mind taking a seat?"
"A seat? I mean, alright, but why would I need to take a seat?" Aang asked as he did as requested, folding his legs again together, a curious expression on his face. "What is it?"
Guru Pathik seemed content to it in silence for a second, almost zoning out in the calm ambiance of the evening. However, he was the one that had requested for Aang to wait, so it didn't take him long to get started.
"I'm curious, ever since your awakening from that ball of ice, you must have noticed the clear absence of other Airbenders in the world, correct? How where before you woke they were a nation strong of over one million nomads, and after you awoke there were none?"
Aang felt a pang of anguish, one that he suppressed with experience at the reminder, the boy choosing to nod instead of answering as Pathik returned it, a grimace appearing on his features.
"It was one of the many atrocities of Fire Lord Sozin, ordering his military to slaughter your people at the start of the war under false pretenses. But those people, your nation…it is not something that dies easily. Yes, one could argue that the presence of the four empty Air Temples fulfilled that role, but that is not who I am talking about."
A breath caught in Aang's throat as he caught onto the insinuation.
"Wait, are you saying… I mean, is there…"
"You are not alone, Aang," Pathik answered, his aged lips cracking a wily grin. "The Fire Nation may have managed to beat back the air nomads, but just like Air, even they could not destroy us. No, like the very element they embody, the Air Nomads flowed around the forces of the Fire Nation, avoiding capture and even attention after a while until we come to today, the dawn of a new age. Aang…it is my pleasure to announce that you are not the last Airbender."
"What?" Aang said with confusion even as a smile began to form, tilting his head in puzzlement. "I already knew that. Haven't you heard of my traveling companion, Feng? He's an Airbender as well, I've been teaching him on our travels. But do you mean that there are others? More than just you and I? As in, actual Air Nomads?"
"Yes, I do. Many in fact" Pathik confirmed as he scratched his head in the slightest hint of embarrassment. "It seems like I've missed a few things this past year if this Feng character is an Airbender. To be honest, I've found that happening a lot recently, old age is a terrible thing for the mind."
"Really? I wouldn't know." Aang replied innocently with a wry smile before he shook his head, his face becoming ecstatic.
"Stills, that's amazing news! Like, seriously, I think the Fire Lord himself standing before me couldn't force the smile off my face!"
"I don't know about that." Pathik chuckled before reaching to his side, withdrawing out a small slip of paper with some writing on it, and handing it to Aang. "This will allow you to contact them when the time is right. You see, over the course of the war many of them were worried about getting caught by the Fire Nation, so they retreated even further into the mountaintops and caves than the Air Temples previously had, practicing their culture in hiding until this very day, or at least, " Pathik looked intently at Aang, "until now. Until the news of the Avatar, a Master Airbender of the past, returning to the world. They wish to meet you Aang, and are eager to discuss their involvement in the battle to come."
"Really?!" Aang asked in surprise, puzzled at the statement even as he clenched his fist tightly around the missive. "But we're pacifists! The only reason I fight as much as I do is that I have to."
"Yes," Pathik nodded easily, "but you'll find that 100 years of hiding has had an effect on your people's mindset. Not changing it per se, but like the free-natured spirit of air, evolving to their surroundings. One practice of which is the notion of fighting."
That was actually concerning to Aang, because as much as he liked Feng, he was far too violent for his tastes, even with just what he had seen let alone what he had heard of his past deeds.
"But not much different Aang. Don't give me that look, I know you were thinking it," he admonished, earning an embarrassed grin from the teen. "No, what I meant is that they wish to act as messengers, moving with the wind to help coordinate the battle, to help find our enemy's secrets, and if need be, help push them back and even disable them. To the New Air Nomads, or as they are now called, the Air Gypsies, no I don't know why they chose that name either," Pathik paused when he saw Aang's face, "Only life is still sacred, and not the perfect condition of the body, and while they would mourn anyone who died against them, and would seek to prevent it at all costs…they would find it to be an acceptable cost for their freedom. Even you cannot begrudge them for this Aang."
And he couldn't, not with all the injuries he had caused these past months traveling with Sokka, Katara, Feng, and Toph. If anything, it would actually be a relief to have his people fight back against opposing forces, defending themselves if necessary.
"So when the time is right, send a message to the person outlined in the scroll, and they will make sure that it reaches the Air Gypsies."
"Really?" Aang blinked as he took a closer look at the note, scanning it. For the most part, it was just directions, but there actually was a name at the bottom of the list, a name that…Aang had no recollection of. "Huh, I don't know this person."
"And why would you?" Pathik asked with amusement, "That would defeat the purpose of being a spy after all. But send the message, all the same, and they will know what to do. Now, I do believe it is now pushing past my bedtime, so unless you want to spend the night…shoo."
Blinking, Aang didn't need to be told twice, and he was far too excited to go to sleep after such news and the last hour's events. Coming into his meeting with Guru Pathik, he couldn't imagine how his multi-day stay with the man would have come out any better than it had. Not only had he mastered the Avatar state, but he had also found a possible route to learning how to Firebend, and he had found out that the Air Nation consisted of more than just two people. No, he'd stayed up all night before and would do so again, too eager to share his news with his friends as it were.
Even if they were called Air Gypsies. Stupid name.
…
"That man, I swear, if he wasn't necessary for the war event, I wouldn't hesitate to sneak up behind him and tie a noose around his neck. Just thinking about him gives me the heebie-jeebies." Feng complained the instant he walked through the door, flopping onto the couch in the Royal suite they had been assigned.
"Hello to you as well, Feng. My day's been fine, thanks for asking." Toph retorted from her spot on the other couch, the girl spreading out as far as she could as she messed with the small ball of iron in her hands, having barely moved in the few hours since Feng had left.
A muffled sound emerged from the cushions as Toph tilted her head, an amused expression crossing her face.
"No thanks, I'm good with just practicing my metal bending while you go have your big boy talk with the creep. Nice try though." Toph replied to his offer for her to take his place.
"Yeah, yeah," Feng muttered, rolling over so that he was no longer speaking into the upholstery, now lying flat on his back with his legs hanging over the end. "It's not like it would work anyway, a bunch of time was spent trying to convince Long Feng where to best position his armies for the best effect, least of which includes the staging ground he wants to use. He wants to split up our forces, attacking from multiple fronts. Yes, that would normally be the best approach against the Fire Nation military, but the solar eclipse isn't exactly a normal event." Feng sighed, complaining to Toph about his day.
"It's literally an all-or-nothing event to strike back at the Fire Nation when they are at their most vulnerable, taking advantage of their lack of fire to deny as many assets as possible, and even take out the Fire Nation leadership if the opportunity presents itself. The eclipse will only last for about an hour, which is already extremely short, and will be the last chance we get before Summer rolls around, and by then if we have done nothing it'll be too late."
"And I agree with you on that matter," Toph nodded, setting down the mishappen iron knife on the table beside her as she turned to face Feng, more to be polite than anything as it wasn't like she could see him. "But it doesn't explain why you're saying that to me. It's not like I have any influence over the creep, even if I could probably ambush him and hold him at my mercy."
"Don't tempt me," Feng muttered with an amused smile, one that Toph copied before Feng shook his head as he sat up.
"And I know you can't do anything, it's more about venting than anything as I have to see him again tomorrow. Before then I want to destress if possible because if this keeps happening, someone going to get hurt, and it's not going to be me."
"Not like it would be a real loss," Toph pointed out as Feng nodded.
"True, but as much as I don't like to say it, Long Feng is a very crafty individual and one that I want to keep on my side if at all possible. Shame I can't say anything nice about his personality though. Seriously, why did I have to be the nice guy and take Katara's spot here? I could have gone with Sokka and, I don't know, sparred or drank some liquor with them or something, I don't precisely know. What I do know is that it's got to be better than dealing with this shit."
…
"You've Father invented tangle mines himself." Bato, a senior water tribe soldier, informed the curious-looking Sokka and Katara as he stuffed it full of biological material.
"Destructive? Buoyant and," Sokka took a big sniff before immediately covering his nose, his face becoming green at the odor, "Aggh, Terrible smelling!"
"Your telling m-me." Katara almost gaged, resorting to covering her head in a ball of water with an air bubble in the middle, performing an advanced technique to exchange the oxygen outside of it with the carbon dioxide inside, leaving her with uncontaminated air.
"Very perceptive, kids." Hakoda smiled as he walked towards them. "The mines are filled with Skunk fish and seaweed. When a ship detonates the mine, the seaweed tangles up the propeller and the foul smell forces people to abandon the ship. I call it the 'stink and ship'". The man grinned, clearly proud of his work even as Katara groaned, face planting at the forced pun.
She shouldn't have, as this actually caused her delicate bubble of water to pop, both soaking the top of her hair and clothes and exposing her to the foul smell once again.
"Hah! Good one Dad!" Sokka laughed even as Katara died inside, sharing the sentiment with Bato that Sokka really was their Dad's son.
Why?! Why did she take Feng up on his offer!? Sure, it's nice to see Dad, but she didn't think she'd be assaulted in both mind and body! Give her easy negotiations any day!
…
For some reason, Feng felt a premonition crawl up his spine, like someone had just said something ironic, but Feng didn't pay the feeling any mind. He had other things to think upon.
Like who the hell he was going to get to teach Aang Firebending because right now he was drawing up blanks, a fact which made him groan.
"Oh again? Seriously? Learn to put a sock in it, geez." Toph complained, visibly rolling her eyes at the action as she pushed her hands together, pulling them apart as the caricature of a star appeared…basically a ball with a bunch of spikes if you couldn't tell.
"Yeah, your right," Feng admitted as he rubbed his face, attempting to relieve some stress by rubbing his eyes. "I was just thinking about how Aang's going to learn Firebending. Because unlike most Waterbenders and Earthbenders…"
"Most Firebenders want to kill us." Toph summarised with a hum.
"Yep," he nodded, "which is precisely the problem, because Aang actually has pretty specific requirements in a teacher, even if he himself doesn't realize it. I mean, if you think about it."
"He does?" Toph blinked in surprise as she put her hands in her lap, fiddling with her new metal bracelet. "Because I haven't noticed anything, not," she shrugged, "that I've thought about it though."
"Why doesn't that surprise me," Feng said in a low voice before clearing his throat as he sat up, moving from his slouched position into a more upright one. "Anyway, what I was saying is that Aang needs a few key characteristics in a teacher. Firstly…they need to be a prodigy."
"A Prodgidy?"
"Yep, a prodigy, someone who mastered their element with ease, a person who has experience moving through their bending lesson at a fast pace, not needing to repeat the basics again and again as most benders do. People like you and Katara really, because you can't deny how quickly you picked it up miss Earth-Rumble-Champion at 11."
"No, I cannot." Toph grinned, not even bothering to hide her smugness as she crossed her arms, leaning back and putting her feet on the table. "And I guess sweet cheeks learned how to play with water pretty quick."
"In 3 months, Toph. Katara mastered Waterbending in three months." Feng replied much to the girl's shock, not that he blamed her. When he had first heard that figure from the group he had to double-check that they were being truthful, and even then he had still been doubtful.
"Which is the current record, I believe, but we're getting side-tracked. The reason Aang's teacher needs to be a prodigy is that he himself learns in a way most similar to one. Unconsciously, he draws upon his prior experience from past lives, using it to ease his journey to mastering the four elements. It makes his progression pretty quick by most standards."
"I…huh, you're right." Toph frowned as she placed a hand on her chin, a thoughtful look appearing on her face. "I just had him learn things in the same order I did, and he seems to be progressing at the same rate. I didn't even think about how quickly I had learned it compared to the average smuck. Good catch."
"Thanks," Feng grinned before rubbing the back of his head. "But I can't take all of the credit. The thought came to mind when I was training with Aang one time when I was struggling to learn the Air Funnel. He just couldn't seem to understand why I was struggling with it so much. Hours of frustration later he finally cracked and asked if I wasn't trying my best."
Toph snorted.
"Yeah, he probably could have broached the topic in a better way than he had, but after we calmed down I asked him about his own learning process and how quickly he moved through his own journey to bending mastery. It's been in the back of my mind ever since, and it's only since I've compared you and Katara against him that I put it together."
"Well, it's still impressive that you came up with that," Toph replied with an easy grin, earning a fond smile from the man before he sighed, continuing his previous train of thought.
"So, back to Firebenders. The term prodigy doesn't really apply to many people that I can think of, so I expanded the search criteria to include high-level mastery, which makes things a bit better, but still hard."
"Oh, this I got to hear." Toph grinned as she picked her feet off the table, bringing them up to the couch and crossing them, placing her hands on her knees, an eager expression showing her true feelings.
"Well, first up is the Royal Family, as it seems like every single one of them is a Firebender, and every single one of them is ridiculously skilled. Well, except for Zuko, who was the first I knocked off the list, but in comparison to the average Firebender, he's still leagues very powerful."
"Makes sense." Toph nodded.'
"Then there's the Fire lord, who is just…"
"The Worst."
"Exactly!" Feng grinned, pointing at the girl. "Azula would actually be ideal if she didn't have the personality issues she does, as she is the one who mastered Firebending the fastest, as well as remembering what it's like to be young. Of course, she's more likely to incinerate us than accept the request to teach Aang."
"And laughing in our face while doing it," Toph interjected, Feng nodding in agreement.
"Yeah...Finally, there is the Dragon of the West, Former General Iroh who…is actually not a bad option, now that I think about it."
"What makes you say that?" Toph asked in puzzlement, not immediately denying the option, but unsure of why he had come to such a decision.
"Well, to start with he's the second most powerful Firebender in the world, with decades of experience in wielding the element, and over a decade of teaching it." Feng began to list off. "Then there's the fact that he is a wise man, full of wisdom and patience, more patience than anyone else on our team to be sure."
"Yes, and that all sounds great," Toph affirmed before deadpanning at Feng. "But how the hell are we supposed to find him? He's hidden somewhere among Ba Sing Se's population, and any attempts to find him will get the attention of the Dai Li on us, and if that happens, you can say bye-bye to Aang's teacher because he's going to be too busy in prison to do anything, and I kind of doubt that any amount of pleading on Aang's part will change the Creeps mind on the old General."
Yeah, that was exactly what Feng had been thinking as well. As it was, it would be just too hard to find Iroh among the lower rings, because with the money he gave them, even if it would put them in his debt, they could be anywhere in the Lower or Middle Rings.
And they contained over 90% of the cities over 2 million population.
"Agreed, but as unlikely as it would be to find him, the only other option I can think of is Jeong Jeong the Deserter, and from the sounds of it, he would not be a very good teacher for Aang. That boy is already far too afraid of the element as it is, and Katara and Sokka's stories of the man don't paint him in a very good light."
"No, they don't. But where does that leave us? What option can we turn to?"
"That's the thing, Toph, I don't know," Feng replied irritably before sighing, his voice turning lower into an almost whisper that Toph still heard.
"I don't know."
…
"…and once we receive our reinforcements, we can finally strike back at the city, taking it once and for all in the name of the Fire Lord!" War Minister Qin blustered in front of the bored-looking princess, Azula going so far as to spin the mask on her chair's arm around in a circle using her finger, her other hand propping her head up as she started with fierce gold eyes.
"And what will we do with these soldiers once we get them, War Minister Qin? Rush the walls in mass to try and overwhelm him, inevitably failing like every other time we tried?" Azula's voice broke through his, her words cutting straight through his confidence as the man began to squirm, a grimace gracing his lips as sweat started to bead on his forehead.
"Y-Yes, w-well…it worked for the Dragon of the West! It can work for us too!" He replied, desperately holding onto the only point he could think of.
It was a shame though, as that was not a man he should have brought up in her presence, Mai and Ty Lee at her side flinging at his mention.
"Yes, and when my dear old…uncle broke through, he did so with 10 times the number of soldiers we will have. So how about you go back to the drawing board and try to come up with an idea that won't leave us wallowing in failure, hmm? And it better be good, because otherwise, I will deal with you personally." Azula promised, making a point as she stabbed her rotating finger down, causing the red mask to screech to a halt on top of the metal in an eery sound, one that attacked the minister's psyche.
"O-of course P-princess! Right away P-princess!" He hastily shouted before turning his back and just about running out of the room with his tail between his legs, the thought of it enough to bring a glimmer of a smile to her otherwise cold expression before it disappeared, the girl slumping in her hard, metal seat in a way not dissimilar to the way Feng was in the center of the city.
"Why did Father have to send me this idiot? Couldn't he have sent one of the actually competent generals?"
"That's not a very nice thing to say, Azula," Ty Lee frowned as she leaped from her place standing beside the semi-throne, flipping through the air as she grabbed a pair of chairs by the side wall.
"Yeah, well I'm not a very nice person." Azula snarked, earning a snort from Mai as she helped Ty Lee finalize the position of their seats. "What are you laughing at?"
The way that she almost snarled the question at one of her oldest friends was unusual behavior for the girl, and one not unmissed by the two girls opposite her judging by the identical flinches they gave. Even Azula, as emotionally compromised as she was, could tell that she had overstepped her bounds.
"I apologize, that was uncalled for," Azula frowned, bringing a hand to her ribs as she grimaced. "It seems like my injuries have made me more irritable than I thought, an issue that was only exacerbated by talking to that idiot."
"It's ok," Mai said softly, still frowning as she stared at Azula.
"Yeah!" Ty Lee agreed brightly, forcefully ending the room's somber mood. "your' auras are all messed up! Don't even worry about it." She waved off as a playful smile appeared on her. "I was the same when I broke my arm in the circus, I was a really grumpy goose for weeks!"
"Yes…" Azula hesitantly nodded, "I guess I am being a bit of a…grumpy…goose, as you say."
"Maybe you wouldn't be if you could put that mask down for a second." Mai snorted as she crossed her arms, not flinching at all at the glare Azula gave her even as she realized she was doing precisely what Mai had said, still holding the Oni Mask.
To be honest, she had been playing with it far too much this past week, but she couldn't help it, whenever her mind wasn't filled with other things, her thoughts would always come back to the mask, to Feng's words on the very day he proved how vulnerable she was.
Not the invincible girl she had portrayed herself to be, not the monster that her mother had proclaimed her to be. Just a scared, little girl on her first battlefield. And not the perfect warrior she had thought herself to be.
Her current aches and pains proved that.
"I didn't even realize," Azula admitted as she moved to her feet, walking over to her desk and placing it down before returning to her seat, moving into a more proper posture.
"Anyway, as I was saying, the War Minister's Plan is doomed to fail. No matter what we try, brute force is not going to get us through those walls, not without enough men to risk the entire war effort. No…what we need is another plan, a more subtle one."
"Like…misdirection?" Ty Lee blinked cutely, earning a smirk from the princess as she nodded.
"Yes, exactly, misdirection. Like, for example, sending a wave of soldiers to one side of the wall and sneaking a few infiltrators up it on the other side, keeping the bulk of our forces in reserve as we wait for the gates to be opened."
"Sound's plausible," Mai nodded before she shifted, her body language turning serious. "But is that even necessary? Yes, we could take the city for Fire Lord Ozai if we really wanted to, but Sozin's comment will be here in only a few short months. Once it does, no one will be able to resist the Fire Nation Militaries' superior firepower."
Azula blinked as Ty Lee flinched in her seat, a flash of terror appearing in the kind girl's eyes.
Azula hadn't thought about that, about their fast-approaching victory. She'd been too focused on the now, but it was a legitimate point. If they waited for the comet to come around, there was nothing that would stop them in their path.
Even as she thought these words though, the face of a roguish, grey-eyed man flashed in her mind, making her fingers clench into fists.
No, she didn't want to do that. Yes, she could wait and take advantage of the comet's power to pull off her victory, but that wouldn't be satisfying to her. It wouldn't be the victory that she craved, not when she was borrowing power from the comet. It wouldn't prove that all her hard work had been worth it, prove that she deserved her father's love. It wouldn't prove herself against the Vengeful Oni. That's what she really wanted. To prove herself to the world around her. To show them all that they had been wrong to scorn her as they had. To show that they had been wrong.
But if she wanted to prove herself like she so desperately wanted, she would have to be swift about it. Even now plans were formed and then discarded in her mind, a whirlwind of activity going through it.
Her time would come soon, and when it did...she would be ready.
AN: And that's another bridging chapter, paving the way forward into the second phase of the story. It's going to be fun.
