It was a few days later, while the tank train was out scouting the nearby terrain, that Azula noticed a familiar clump of white fur. The way her eyes lit up at the find looked like the spark of a flame in and of itself: promising, dangerous. Beautiful. She showed her find to her friends and soldiers with hope, with confidence, though clearly the princess was too grounded to write it off as an early victory. They had long since given up on their trail of bison fur, but its sudden reappearance could not be ignored. Had the Avatar left Ba Sing Se after all? Perhaps he'd tried to shake them off his trail? Either way, Azula insisted that they follow up on this find and follow the trail to wherever it may lead. Sparing no time to waste, she took Mai and Ty Lee with her out on the mongoose lizards like predators stalking their prey.

They were gone for a few hours. A part of Suyin was beginning to worry again, but she knew better than anyone that the girls could handle themselves. And while the tank train was an impressive machine, it was best suited for continuous transport, and not the quiet stalking that was required to take its targets by surprise. She knew that this was a task best suited for the girls to do on their mongoose-lizards, but even so, the few hours were full of anxiety and Suyin's idle hands only made her mind wander more.

Maybe taking up some work would help her get her mind off of her worries. At the very least, it would be a more productive use of her time than constantly scanning the horizon for the girls' return. So Suyin gathered their dirty clothes, still stained with slurry, and attempted, for what must have been the fifth or sixth time, to scrub the dirt out of them.

Her hands were raw with effort by the time the girls came back - or no, that wasn't quite it. They didn't come back yet - it was only Mai. The sight of the lonely returnee sent her mind afresh with worries again - had something happened to the other two? Were they hurt? Were they lost? What terrible fate had befallen them, that Mai returned alone?

"Come quickly," Mai said, albeit not in a more hurried or alarmed tone than usual, "Take the tank train as close as it will allow."

"What happened?" Suyin asked.

Mai's lazy smile filled her with relief. The other two must be fine, then. They had to be, if she looked so unconcerned. So pleased.

"We're taking prisoners."

The tank had to stop when the forest became so thick that it couldn't fit through the trees anymore. But Mai waved her hand in dismissal and assured them that it was fine, that the point was to get as close as possible, and that they were almost near their destination, anyway. So together with the soldiers, Suyin left the tank and went the rest of the way on foot.

Who could they have possibly taken prisoner? Was it the Avatar? Prince Zuko? General Iroh? Suyin couldn't help it that her thoughts jumped to such conclusions; she was as invested in Azula's success as anyone. And after all these weeks of tirelessly tracking them down - she certainly deserved the victory. Had she finally achieved her goal? Would they again be returning home?

But the prisoners were entirely unfamiliar to Suyin. She tried not to let her disappointment show on her face - especially since Azula had that pleased gleam in her eye. Whoever they were, they were certainly important enough to make the princess happy, one way or another, even if Suyin didn't know them.

Six young women were lying, immobile, on the forest floor. They must be chi blocked, Suyin realised. She'd seen the skill first hand a few times, when Ty Lee practised her moves on some of the soldiers through their travels, though she'd never experienced it herself (and thank goodness for that). Azula and Ty Lee stood over girls, eyes carefully trained on them to detect any stirring of movement, any notion at all that they might be regaining their strength. That Ty Lee should chi block them again.

The young women were dressed in identical garb - heavily armoured green kimonos and metal headdresses. Similarly, their faces were painted with the same design. Entirely white, save for red and black around the eyes. Like opera performers. Like spirits.

Like Avatar Kyoshi.

Suyin had learned, mostly, about the Fire Avatars in school. After all, they were the greatest and most important Avatars, and brought along the most prosperity to their nation. But they'd learned about the other Avatars as well, albeit not in as much depth, and Avatar Kyoshi had been recent and significant enough to warrant studying her life and achievements. She didn't know much about her as a person, but Suyin was certainly familiar with her and her contributions to the world - specifically to the Fire Nation. She'd been the one to dismantle clans and implement Fire Lord Zoryu as the rightful heir to the throne - which ultimately led to Fire Lord Ozai's bloodline.

"Gentlemen," Azula addressed her men with a sort of flourish, "May I introduce to you the Kyoshi warriors?"

So Suyin had been right - they were followers of Avatar Kyoshi. Though she didn't know much about this group, she could assume, from their armour, that they were warriors. Azula's introduction confirmed it, too. What a fight it must have been! A part of Suyin almost wished she'd been there to see it. They must be an elite group, for their defeat to have pleased Azula so much. Although - the girls were young, much younger than Suyin would have expected from such a group. In fact, they looked to be about her age - some of them maybe even a little younger. It was hard to estimate how old they were with the paint obscuring their faces.

"We didn't come upon the Avatar during our search," Azula continued her explanation, "but we came upon something even better. These ladies are going to be the key to take us through Ba Sing Se's great wall."

"We're never going to allow you to use us like that!" One of the girls snapped. Judging by her headdress, Suyin thought that she might be the leader. Her headdress looked a lot more ornate than that of the others.

"Oh? But I don't need your permission for that." Azula's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Just your clothes."

Suyin was certain that they paled beneath their white makeup. Their eyes widened. She thought she saw one of the girls tremble.

"That's never going to work." The leader spat back, unafraid. "Sokka and the others will see right through you, and defeat you, just like they have before."

Suyin didn't know who this Sokka was, though she assumed she was talking about the Avatar's group. But Azula simply raised a brow and smiled, completely unperturbed by the girl's threats.

"I'll give them your regards. Is there anything you want me to pass on to them? Any final words, hm?"

"Oh, fuck off."

Her eyes widened in mock surprise, but the grin remained painted clearly on her lips, "My, I'm not normally one to use such uncouth language, but if you insist… I'll make sure they get the message."

Azula turned to her men now, "All of you, go back inside the tank and make preparations to transport the prisoners."

Prisoners? So- they weren't going to kill them? The relief was instant. Azula's quip about final words had worried Suyin - she definitely didn't want to witness the death of these young women - but apparently she'd meant something else by that. Something less final. Thankfully.

"Forgive me, princess, but is it really worth it? Transporting prisoners halfway across the world…" One of the soldiers trailed off, not finishing his sentence. It took Suyin a moment to realise that he was insinuating the same thing she'd feared was going to happen to the warriors.

Azula shot him a hard look, as if daring him to speak his mind, to take some responsibility for the idea he was suggesting. That, if he was to root for something of such calibre, that he ought to at least have the courage to put it into words. Her voice, in contrast to her steely gaze, was sweet. "Whatever do you mean?"

The man faltered, but to his credit, did not back down. "I only mean that we should consider the best use of our resources. Young girls do not make for important prisoners of war."

"Are you suggesting," Azula picked at her nails, "that I release them?"

"No, princess."

"Then what are you suggesting?" She insisted.

Suyin was certain everyone, the princess and said prisoners included, knew what the soldier was insinuating. The tension was uncomfortable - but good, Suyin thought. It was better that it be uncomfortable. Taking another's life ought to be a topic that always filled the speaker with unease. And she knew very well that Azula was not one to sugarcoat topics, to shield her eyes and take a step away and pretend she wasn't complicit in her own actions. She faced everything head on and took responsibility for every order she gave. Suyin was not surprised that she demanded the same of her men.

He bowed his head, "That we kill them instead of dragging them to prison weeks away. We need not even account for them that way; they would only be nameless casualties of war."

If his admission finally pleased Azula, she did not show it. But the sweetness dropped out her voice as it once again took on an authoritative tone. "No. I will not have them killed." Azula stated, definitively.

The man seemed to shrink beneath her icy gaze, but he nodded. He did not speak again.

"I don't care whether it's out of your way. They are to be brought to the Capital City prison unharmed and in one piece. Except," she knelt down by one of the girls now - the one who had snapped at her before - and leered at her with an almost predatory grin, "This one. She's bound for Boiling Rock."

The girl returned Azula's gaze with a hardened one of her own. She held her chin up high and for a moment, Suyin was afraid that she'd spit in the princess' face. If she knew what Boiling Rock was - she did not seem afraid, not in the slightest.

"We'll need to hand her over to an airship." One of the soldiers said.

"I'll write a letter to a commanding officer and arrange for an airship to Boiling Rock." Azula agreed. "You'll take them to meet Captain Ihn at Bhizu; he should have already arrived there. The airship will take that prisoner, and Captain Ihn will take the others to the Capital City prison. Is that understood?"

"Yes, princess."

"Good." Azula nodded. "Now, leave. I'm afraid we need some privacy."

She watched as the men filed back inside the tank train, until finally, they were all out of sight. Only then did she turn to Suyin. "Su, help them undress."

Undress? That meant- Suyin swallowed. A part of her wanted to say no - she didn't want to get involved with this war any more than she already had. It was one thing to serve the princess as she tracked down her brother, and another thing entirely to take an active part in this war and strip the clothes off of their enemies. Off of girls her age - or even younger. Even if she didn't kill someone - she would be implicit in this war. This war that had been going on for years and years and years before she was even born - she'd always thought it was something great. Something holy.

She'd never realised just how difficult it was to raise her hand to inflict pain herself. How much she dreaded doing so - even though she knew that these girls were the enemy. She would be an aggressor. She would bring them harm.

But what could she do? She couldn't say no… could she?

Azula regarded her with an even, expectant gaze, and Suyin was acutely aware of each passing second. Each second of hesitation like proof of her wavering. Like defiance. She wished she had more time, but decisions like these - well, they never came in the way one wanted them to, did they? And though she loathed to do such a thing - another part of her desperately wanted to prove herself to the princess. To prove how far she'd go - if not for the war - then for her.

So she knelt down by one of the girls on the edge of their little group. She was still immobile, but her eyes widened as Suyin approached her and reached a hand out to fumble with the shoulder clasp of her chest armour. She looked a little younger than the others. Maybe even younger than the princess.

"Don't touch me-!" Her voice trembled, though clearly, she was putting up a brave front. Trying to be angry rather than scared. "Stop! Get your hands off of me!"

Suyin faltered. She'd never had anyone speak to her like this. Yell at her in such fear. Never before had she felt so much like a- like a predator. But Azula's gaze burned hot into the back of her head, watching like a hawk. She had to do this. It was better that she undress them, at least, than the burly men awaiting them in the tank. Who knew what they would do?

"I'm sorry." Suyin whispered, and felt that even that sentiment was a betrayal to her country. There were soldiers putting their lives on the line - Azula consistently put her life on the line. Even Mai and Ty Lee fought with their entire being. And yet, here was Suyin, faltering to serve her country in even the most miniscule of ways.

Either way, her whispered apology did little to comfort the girl who was now crying beneath her fingertips. The tears left streaks in her makeup, washing the red and black and white into a mess, but it was only that and the heavy rise and fall of her chest that allowed her any movement at all. She was, completely and entirely, at Suyin's mercy. The thought came to her like an intruder that she could do - well, anything to her.

She managed, somehow, to unclasp the armour. Two gold metal fans were tucked into the obi sash, and Suyin pulled them out. Though they were closed, the sharp edge of the metal nicked her finger as she handled them, careless. Weapons? They must be. She made sure to set them aside far enough away that the girl would not be able to reach them, even if she regained control over her body.

The kimono was easier to remove, though it made the poor girl cry even harder. Layer after layer, down to the very shoes, she stripped her of her garments. Suyin did her best to block out the girl's crying and harsh words as she performed her task, until finally, the girl was left only in her undergarments. She shivered in the cool of the air - or was she just trembling from crying?

She heard Azula and Mai turn to leave - probably to write the letters to arrange for the airship, and to prepare Captain Ihn for the following mission. Clearly, Azula was pleased enough with Suyin's work to leave her to it. At least Ty Lee remained with her - surely to chi block the warriors again should it come to it. She was glad that at least one person remained with her.

But Suyin's unhappy job was not finished - there were five more girls to undress. It did get easier, though, if only a little, for with each next girl she grew more proficient with undoing the Kyoshi warrior uniform. She knew where to unclasp the armour, and where to untie the knots. And, in all honesty, it got easier to block out the girls' distress and cries the more she got used to them. Though they didn't quite become white noise, it became easier to bear. And, for the first time, she understood how it was that soldiers grew desensitised to crying. To violence. To death, maybe.

Only the leader didn't despair. She looked at Suyin with such anger in her eyes that it rivalled the heat of Azula's gaze. But whereas Azula always seemed volatile, her eyes burning with fire just like in the rest of her body, this woman was a stone, her gaze hard and impenetrable and mountainous. Her eyes didn't glaze with tears, and she held her chin high even as Suyin stripped her of her uniform. Those eyes that seemed to say do what you will, but you cannot break me.

Suyin almost wished she would have cried instead.

Finally, the unhappy deed was done and all six of them were left in only their undergarments and face paint, their clothes a messy pile beside them, and their weapons safely taken away. They were still immobile on the forest ground, and at some point - although Suyin hadn't realised when - Azula and Mai had returned, and now stood around them.

"Go bring them something to wear." Azula instructed Suyin next. "There should be prisoner's uniforms somewhere in the back."

She nodded, and was glad for the opportunity to leave the grounds, even if only for a moment. Her hands were shaking. She could, at least for the duration of this moment, let her guard down and openly regret her involvement in this mess. Those girls' crying faces… she didn't think she'd ever be able to forget them.

Just as Azula had said, the prisoner's uniforms were in the back of the storage room. They were old and ratty and smelled of mothballs, but they were clean, and would at least give the girls some decency for their transport to the prison. She took a deep breath and put on a brave face and came back out carrying six pairs of these uniforms - and then, she began to dress them.

The uniforms must have been meant for adult men, for they were far too big for these teenage girls. The shirts hung loosely on their torsos, revealing shoulders and collarbones and the hollows of their throats. The pants were huge, but were thankfully equipped with a string in the hem tight enough to tie it close against the prisoner's waist. Suyin rolled up the pant legs so that they wouldn't trip over them - once they were well enough to walk, that is. It really was the least she could do. The smallest piece of kindness she could offer in the task that was demanded of her. That, and how she averted her eyes as best as she could from their vulnerable forms, to allow the girls what little privacy she could give: safety from her own unwelcome gaze.

It was only once the girls were all dressed again that the soldiers were allowed back outside. Azula instructed them to carry them in and place them in the cells the tank train was equipped with while they were still chi blocked and unable, physically, to resist.

Suyin busied herself with folding up the Kyoshi warrior's uniforms. Their protests as the men hoisted them, limp, over their shoulders pierced her heart. She'd never seen prisoners before - much less been witness to it happening. She didn't like it one bit.

"Well, ladies, with this in our grasp I daresay we can make it into Ba Sing Se even today." Azula hummed. "We will don these disguises and surely be welcomed more warmly than we were a couple days ago."

"Ugh, I can't believe we're actually going to wear this." Mai made a face. "It's so… colourful."

"I think it's kind of cute!" Ty Lee added.

"Of course you think that."

It was strange to hear the girls quip like that, as though nothing at all had happened. As though this was going to be fun, or a bother, but either way - nothing particularly interesting. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to feel guilty over. Suyin couldn't find it in herself to join in with a remark. She knew that Mai and Ty Lee - and Azula, obviously - had already stained their hands with war, even though they hadn't killed anyone. But Suyin had only joined now, and the weight of what she'd done dragged her into an unimaginable pit. The other girls must be used to it. Desensitised. At least to some extent.

Suyin wondered if she'd eventually feel that way, too.

"We will have to be careful." Azula reminded them, or perhaps thought out loud. "There is absolutely no way we can let it slip who we truly are. We will have to leave our provisions behind as well. And, of course, approach the outer wall by foot. It would be a dead giveaway to be seen arriving in a Fire Nation tank. We will arrive a little closer, and then walk the rest of the way."

"You really think they'll let us in, just like that?" Ty Lee mused.

Azula shrugged, "It's our best chance. The Avatar and his friends are the only ones who might recognise us. Let us hope that we will be admitted inside before they see us. I'm certain we will be able to fool everyone else. And once the Avatar crosses our path - well, it'll be too late for him at that point."

"Right. Like, where else is he going to escape? Ba Sing Se was the last place he could hide from us." Mai agreed. "His luck ran out."

"Precisely. And Suyin," Azula's voice pulled her out of her muddling thoughts. The sound of her name on her tongue, rather than her nickname, filled her with a certain warmth. "I have a special task for you."

"What is it, princess?"

"Stand up. You can leave those on the ground for now." She instructed.

Suyin was only halfway done with folding the clothes. She left them be and stood, looking down at the princess.

"You will oversee the transport of the prisoners."

"Wait- what?"

"I cannot take my handmaid with me to infiltrate the city in enemy disguises."

Azula's words pierced her heart. They were, perhaps, harsh, but even so, Suyin had to admit they were truthful. She was right: she wasn't a warrior in the slightest - much less a Kyoshi warrior. She wouldn't be of any use to them on a mission like this. She felt her stomach squeeze at the thought, though. Knowing the logic behind Azula's decision didn't make it any easier - it still felt as though she was telling her, I have no need of you.

"Besides," her voice fell down an octave, "I know how prisoners are treated. Especially young women like that. I will have no power over their fate in prison, but for as long as they are under my command - I'd like them to be treated well."

A bittersweet warmth grew in her chest, though perhaps more bitter than sweet. She could imagine the sorts of terrors the girls would be faced with in prison, and the very thought made her blood run cold. But Azula's sentiment… It was something, at least. It wouldn't save them. But it was something.

"I- I agree. But princess, should such a thing happen- I don't think I'd be able to stop it." Time and again she reminded Azula that she wasn't a soldier, that she wasn't even a firebender. She'd barely be able to protect herself, much less someone else, should any of the soldiers turn on them.

Azula shook her head, "That's fine. What matters is that you'll be there as my eyes. The soldiers will know this. Should anyone act out, you will report any malicious behaviour to me, and once I return, I will punish them accordingly. Do you understand?"

Suyin nodded. So, it was less about her stopping anything herself, and more about the soldiers restricting their own actions knowing that they would not go unnoticed just because Azula wasn't around at this very moment. That the princess would find out about it, sooner or later.

"I do."

"Good. You will join Captain Ihn in the transport of the prisoners set for the Capital City prison, and then you will return to Bhizu and await our reunion." Azula instructed. "Hopefully, by that time I will be finished with my mission as well, and we will be able to return home shortly after."

Suyin nodded. It had still barely sunk in, what was about to happen, but she made sure to soak in Azula's every word. The thought that she wouldn't see her for weeks - perhaps even months - made her heart ache.

"Will you be alright, without me?" The question came out soft; more of a wish than a question. A part of Suyin wished the answer would be no.

"I'll be fine." Azula reassured her with a smile. "Ty Lee will attend to me while you are away."

"Oh? Um, sure, I can do that!" Ty Lee added with a smile. It didn't occur to Suyin that both she and Mai could hear their entire conversation until right now, and the realisation made her cheeks burn, for some reason.

"All right." Suyin agreed. She didn't really have any other choice - there was no decision for her to make. And while she was certain Azula would be in good hands with Ty Lee taking up her role - it filled her, too, with a certain bitterness. The knowledge that she could be replaced - that Azula would be just fine without her–

"Good. That's settled, then." Azula said, "Now, ladies, let's go. I don't know about you, but I'm positively bursting with excitement."

They boarded the tank train once again, only this time, they rode with purpose. The tank train would drop the "Kyoshi Warriors" off some ways away from Ba Sing Se, so that they would not be seen departing a Fire Nation tank. Even so, it would take an hour or two to arrive at that safe spot - just enough time for the girls to prepare for what was to come.

"This goes on first," Suyin mused, more to herself than anyone else, as she attempted to dress Azula in a stolen Kyoshi warrior uniform.

It wasn't particularly difficult - certainly nothing more intricate than the ceremonial robes in which she sometimes dressed the princess - but the sheer pressure of dressing the princess in a disguise was a lot to handle. Would anyone in Ba Sing Se notice if the uniform was worn incorrectly? If she'd missed some little detail about how it was supposed to be worn? She didn't think so, but then again, this was the Earth Kingdom. Surely they knew how their most recent Avatar dressed-?

But stripping the six girls of their uniform had given Suyin a pretty good idea of how it was worn. All that was left was to replicate it and dress the three girls in the uniform. Or, well, two girls, for Ty Lee was following along with Suyin as she dressed Azula, perfectly happy and capable of dressing herself. Suyin would have to attend to Mai after the princess, though.

"Is that comfortable?" She asked once she clasped on the chest armour, tightening it to securely encompass the princess' torso.

She nodded, "It's fine."

"Now the headdress… no, wait, the face paint ought to go on first." Suyin thought out loud.

She'd found a box of grease paint in the pocket of one of the uniforms. White, red, and black. Nothing more than they needed. But while Suyin remembered what their makeup looked like, more or less, she wasn't certain, and suggested that she visit the prisoners to get a good look at their faces before they washed the paint off.

"Brilliant!" Azula lit up with glee. "Let's all go and pay our new friends a visit. I'm sure they'll be pleased to see us honouring their heritage."

Suyin wasn't so sure about that, but the other two girls laughed. No one protested. In any case, now that Azula was almost dressed, she turned to help Mai with the uniform. Ty Lee was just about finished, too, and once Suyin had finished with the second disguise, she helped her tighten the straps of the armour to fit her better.

And then they were off to the cells.

Their footsteps echoed on the metal floor as they walked through the narrow corridor leading all the way through the tank train. The cells were at the back, and certainly weren't much to look at. This tank wasn't designed for the transport of prisoners, and as such was only equipped with two cells, one on either side of the corridor. The metal bars allowed them to see the prisoners with ease - and their cells weren't exactly luxurious. One metal bed, a thin blanket, a bucket… A pile of straw. Clearly, the cells were made in mind for one person. Three girls stood in one. Two in the other.

"How do you like our new outfits, ladies?" Azula said as she strolled in languidly, footsteps echoing.

"You're terrible." One of the prisoners spat.

Suyin saw the others clench their jaws. Their fists. Clearly, seeing their uniforms worn by their enemies gave rise to some strong emotions. But though the girls could move a little bit now, it was clear that they were still recovering from the effects of Ty Lee's chi block. Their movements were still stiff, still sluggish, and the exhaustion was written clearly on their faces. Even if the cell doors were wide open - surely they would not have had the strength to even think of escape.

Azula laughed, "Now, you're hurting my feelings. I even thought I looked quite good in green. Though I admit, it's not my usual choice of colour."

"Hey, where's the other one?" Ty Lee asked. "I'm sure there were six… right?"

"She's our guest of honour." Azula said, "So I had her put in a special cell of her own."

Ty Lee was right - there was someone missing. Suyin had gotten a pretty good look at each girl when, well, when she'd undressed them, and though it was a stretch to say that she knew them, she did recognise them, at least a little. She looked over them now and realised that the leader was missing - the one who was bound for Boiling Rock.

"I thought this place only had two cells." Ty Lee said.

"An empty supply closet does the job just as well. What's important is that she's kept separate from the others." Azula explained.

"What have you done to Suki?" One of the girls yelled, her voice hoarse with effort.

"Nothing," Azula shrugged, "yet."

She wouldn't do anything to her, Suyin was quite certain, apart from shipping her off to Boiling Rock. Right? It was more likely that keeping them apart was to prevent the formation of any escape plans, or to kill morale, or to stamp out the flame of a rebellion before it could ever catch, rather than to exclusively torture their leader. Or something along those lines. And that her vague, threatening answer was simply meant to toy with her enemies, rather than actually do something to this Suki. Or so Suyin hoped, at least.

Azula approached one of the cells - the one that contained within it two prisoners - and reached a hand in through the bars. She grabbed the face of the girl closest to her, tilting her face up, squeezing her cheeks, long fingernails digging into soft skin. The girl yelped. Scowled. If looks could kill, Azula would have surely dropped down dead.

"Come, Su. Take a good look at the makeup."

Suyin tried to distance herself from this moment. She knew that she would not be able to handle this if she allowed herself to be emotional. So she approached the cell, forcing herself to be impassive, and willed herself to memorise the template of the face paint. It was simple enough, and much as she remembered, although the red and black was evidently smeared from tears. She imagined how she would apply the makeup on the princess, the swift, clean strokes of black above the eyes. How far down the nasal bridge she'd apply red. How even the neck was painted white.

"That's enough. I can recreate it." Suyin said after a while.

"Are you sure?" Azula asked, and when Suyin nodded, she finally released her hold on the poor girl. The palm of her hand was dusted with white.

Azula swept her gaze over the five prisoners, and sent them a dangerous smile. "Well then, ladies, this is the last we'll be seeing of each other. Wish me luck."

The glares they sent only made the princess laugh. She turned on her heels and left the room without another glance their way, leaving Mai, Ty Lee, and Suyin to follow after her.

Applying the makeup was not difficult. Again, Ty Lee took care of herself, claiming that she'd had plenty of practice applying stage makeup back when she was in the circus, and that besides, she ought to practice some now, too, if she was going to be dressing and applying makeup for the three of them in Ba Sing Se, once Suyin was no longer with them.

She always loved the way obedience Azula showed her when she painted her face. It was- intimate, somehow. She knew the princess did not follow just anyone's orders. And yes, these were small, inconsequential instructions - look up at me and close your eyes and part your lips - but somehow, they filled Suyin with a rush, even after all these months of attending to her. Applying this face paint was no different, only that the Azula that came alive before her eyes looked entirely different than usual. She was still herself - but the resemblance with the uniform and face paint, and finally, the headdresses was so uncanny. Anyone might mistake them for real Kyoshi warriors. There was nothing that would ever suggest they weren't - that is, except for those who already knew their identity.

By the time Suyin had finished with Mai's makeup, they had just about arrived at their destination. The tank train slowed to a stop, and a soldier knocked on the door and announced that they had arrived. The rest of the way - the girls would have to go alone.

Even with the ache in her chest weighing her down, Suyin followed the princess and her friends outside of the tank. Everything had been so uncertain just a few hours ago, but now so much had changed. Detailed plans laid out the course of action for both parties, and while the sense of direction was comforting - the fact that Suyin would be, for the first time in months, away from Azula frightened her. She'd scarcely even had the time to come to terms with it, to properly savour their last moments together. To say goodbye.

Ty Lee hugged her farewell, while Mai kept her distance. In a burst of courage, Suyin turned to Azula and said the words that had been boiling on her tongue all this time, begging to be released.

"I'm going to miss you, princess."

"Me, too." Azula said.

She couldn't tell whether the words were genuine or not, but either way, they made her heart race. She opened her arms and embraced Suyin for one, two, three seconds, before pulling away, "Take care, Su."

"You, too. Please be careful."

"We will. And we will be victorious."

The confidence in her smile was contagious. In that moment - Suyin truly believed they would. She watched the girls as they turned around and began their walk to Ba Sing Se. A murmured prayer to Agni to keep them all safe. She watched them for a long, long while, until their figures grew so small that she could no longer see them, and even then she lingered for a moment longer.

The tank train was cold and uninviting. The perfect place for her to become a warden she was supposed to be.