AN: Now this story is AU because of several things, the most prominent being the fact that a certain dead Admiral lives. I've found that Zhao is perhaps the only person revealed in canon that could fit a certain position. Zhao is Bosley. Remember that. He may not act it, but hey, Ozai's no Charlie and the Angels in this story are more akin to demons. There, explanation over.
Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. Dang...
The Mission
"You know you want too."
"No I don't," snapped Azula, her ire increasing.
Ty Lee widened her already large grey eyes and pouted her lips. "Please?"
"For the last time, Ty Lee: No!" Azula shouted in exasperation.
The circus acrobat was silent for a few moments. "Pretty please?"
Azula shrieked and lit a pile of scrolls on fire just as Mai walked into the room.
The gaunt girl raised a shapely eyebrow at her companions' antics. The fire sputtered and died as Azula noticed her in the doorway. Ty Lee gave the assassin a bright smile. "Hi Mai!" Azula acknowledged her with a nod.
"Hey, Mai, do you think Azula could pull off the color blue?" Azula's stoic expression turned into a scowl.
Mai glanced from the pleasant face of the gymnast to the steaming firebender. "Well, it would contrast her eyes nicely and accent the color of her fire and lightning," she responded in her characteristic monotone.
The room was silent. Mai looked between her two friends. "I can joke too, you know," she grumbled, a hint of irritation entering her voice.
Azula gave her a bland look while Ty Lee laughed nervously.
With a roll of her wan yellow eyes, the tall assassin sauntered into the room and plopped down on the cushion next to Ty Lee. She peered out from under her black bangs at Azula. "What brought up the subject of Azula's ability to pull off Water Tribe colors, anyways?"
The acrobat turned to her happily, Azula observed them both edgeways through narrowed eyes. "Oh, it is a Water Tribe color, isn't it? I'd forgotten," she tapped her chin in thought before spinning her seat around to face the Fire Princess. "No wonder you refused to wear it; what would the nobility think?"
Sensing a chance to reassert her dominance, Azula sneered at her, "I don't know, Ty Lee. Perhaps you would, seeing as you're one and all."
Ty Lee's lips fell into an 'oh' shape before her gaze hardened slightly. "Sorry, but must you be so snippy about it?"
"I think that falls under the 'stupid question' category," Mai muttered from behind her back.
Ty Lee ignored her. "I was just kidding around and I'd really forgotten that the Water Tribes wore it."
Azula's brows rose and she contemplated her friend quietly and opened her mouth but a knock on the metal door interrupted her reply. She looked away. "Come in!"
The door opened a crack and a soldier peeked through. "Pardon me, Your Highness, but the flagship of Admiral Zhao is off our port bow. He wishes to speak with you." Seeing the impatience in her bearing, he continued quickly. "He says it's urgent business - what he has to say, I mean, but he wouldn't say what it wa-"
She cut him off, her voice sharp, "That is enough. Tell him I will be there shortly."
The man nodded and pulled the door closed. Ty Lee tore her eyes from the princess, her courteous nature overriding her surprise at Azula's cold behavior. "Thank you!"
The movement of the door ceased for an instant before shutting quickly. Azula turned to the young gymnast as the footsteps receded. "What was that?"
Ty Lee's posture slumped, she did not answer. Mai watched them both carefully.
"Come on," Azula growled, her amber eyes still focused on Ty Lee. She marched to the metallic door and wrenched it open, slipping out. Her two closest friends exchanged glances before following her.
- - -
Azula stepped elegantly off the litter. Ty Lee and Mai moved around it to flank her. "Admiral Zhao, this is a pleasure."
The aforementioned man was prostrated on the deck before her. He stood up, sweeping a graceful bow and smiling. "It is I who have the pleasure of this meeting, Your Highness." He caught her petite hand in his larger one, brushing his lips over it reverently before standing.
Spying the pair on either side of the Fire Princess, he greeted them accordingly. "Lady Mai, Lady Ty Lee," he inclined his head to them as he addressed them. "As always an honor."
Ty Lee giggled. Mai remained silent.
The admiral turned back to the young royal. "I bring word from your father, Princess." He passed her a scroll tied with a blood red ribbon.
She removed the ribbon and unrolled it. Her friends leaned forward to read it over her armored shoulders. Azula was surprised by what she saw. "It's written in his hand."
Zhao smirked.
The girls exchanged glances before reading.
Dearest Daughter,
I hope this letter finds you well. I know that you have yet to secure your brother or Iroh, (Azula grimaced.) but I ask that you discontinue that particular mission for a time. I have a new task for you.
There is a General in the Earth Kingdom's militia who goes by the name of Fong. Word has reached my spies that this Fong has either found or developed a doomsday weapon to use against the Fire Nation. I want you, Azula, to find this weapon and bring it to me so that we may use it. If you are unable to steal it, I wish for you to destroy it so that it may not be used against our nation.
May the great fire spirits bless your quest,
Fire Lord Ozai
Ty Lee was the first to speak. "A new weapon, huh? Sounds interesting." Mai nodded in agreement, her normally dull eyes glittering.
Azula rolled up the scroll, tucking it into her belt. "Is that all, Admiral?"
Zhao snapped to attention and nodded. "Very well, you are dismissed." Zhao opened his mouth as if to argue but the teenage firebender silenced him with a look. "I will send word with a messenger hawk should I require your assistance."
The man's jaw clenched and he bowed again. "Very well, Princess."
- - -
The girls put their heads together over a map of the Western Earth Kingdom.
"Ow!" All of the three reeled back, rubbing their heads.
"Alright," said Azula, massaging her temples, "General Fong was last spotted in this area, just south of an Earth Kingdom military base that is reportedly commanded by him."
Mai scrutinized the region around the base carefully. "We should be able to reach the port nearest the base within two days steady driving," she muttered.
Ty Lee fiddled with her plait absently. "You mean 'sailing.'"
Mai's eyes narrowed, "I meant what I said."
Ty Lee sat up. "You drive a carriage, Mai. You sail a boat."
The sinister young assassin rolled her eyes, "Not when the boat doesn't have sails." The acrobat cocked her head, deep in thought.
"Enough," snarled Azula. "Why does it matter?" The two nobles didn't respond.
Ty Lee sighed and balanced on her elbows, her feet resting on the top of her head. "Two days?"
"Yes," stated Mai stoically.
Ty Lee sighed again. "What're we supposed to do on this ship for two whole days?"
Azula smirked ferally, the reflection from the flames dancing in her golden eyes. "We could practice."
Mai returned the smile but it was somewhat watery.
Ty Lee blanched, "W-what?"
- - -
The ship pulled into the cove smoothly and the men hurriedly tied the ropes to the dock. Two girls appeared on the deck and treaded down the ramp, speaking to each other softly. Once off the ramp they turned to look back at the ship's deck where an elegant litter had emerged.
Mai sighed as they watched the servants maneuver the procession down the pier. "Must she not walk anywhere?"
Ty Lee shrugged then seemed to recall something and giggled. Mai gave her an inquisitive look. Still chuckling, the girl waved her off, "I was just looking at the map yesterday and well - nothing. You'll see."
Mai watched her worriedly, "What?" The acrobat shook her head, grinning.
The litter was lowered to the ground before them and the Fire Princess climbed out, looking miffed. Ty Lee gave her an innocent smile, "What's wrong, Azula?"
The firebender didn't answer and stood stiffly, flipping her bangs.
After a few moments of awkward silence she raised her head. "Well?" she asked haughtily, "Are we going or not?" She stared at them defiantly, her hands rested on her hips.
They nodded eagerly. Ty Lee hiding a smile.
Together they strode off the wharf, Azula in the lead.
- - -
"Tell me why again, Ty Lee," muttered a very irritated Azula.
Ty Lee turned to her royal companion joyously, the light brown robe of her disguise whirling with every graceful movement. "We must disguise ourselves in order to avoid being caught. We're on Earth Kingdom territory after all."
"Not for long," murmured the Princess of the Fire Nation. "When this land belongs to me I will-" It was at this point in time that her skirt got caught in the brambles that closely encroached upon the ill kept path the trio were currently walking along. Azula hissed, wresting the cloth out of the plant's grasp. "Enslave all the barbarians who wear such rags-" The branch snapped and the firebender fell backwards onto the ground. "Ahhh! And burn down this accursed forest!"
The enraged princess sprang to her feet, her hands coming alight with brilliant blue fire.
Her friends, having exploded into hysterics when Azula began her tantrum, stopped laughing. "Azula, no!" cried the pair as the they leapt forward.
"What's with the screaming? Oh." Azula's eyes widened as she took note of the closeness of the undergrowth to the flames dancing around her fists. She extinguished them quickly. Then dodged her charging companions lithely.
Mai and Ty Lee skidded to a stop and whirled around. Azula eyed them quietly, her stance one that demanded respect, but she seemed to slouch suddenly as if a great weight had settled upon her narrow shoulders. "I'm sorry."
They looked at her in shock. She had apologized to them?
Finally, Ty Lee stepped forward and embraced her firebender friend. "It's okay, Azula," she murmured gently.
Mai stood alone, observing them coolly.
When Ty Lee pulled away, Azula's demeanor was once again confident and her will brooked no disobedience. "Come along, we have a way to go before we reach Fong's stronghold."
- - -
The fort was nothing in comparison to the mighty palaces of the Fire Nation. It was tiny and insignificant compared to the dull magnitude of Omashu. But it had an imposing presence all its own. Nestled comfortably in a mountainous region in the north, the base was rather drab (colored the uniform green and brown of the Earth Kingdom) but it was rather ominous to the three Fire Nation girls - especially considering what was contained in it.
"Is that where the weapon is?" whispered Ty Lee, as if the earthbender guards prowling the walls of the looming fort could hear them. "We're going in there?"
Azula's gaze was intense and harsh, "If my father wills it we will do it."
AN: You know the drill.
