AN: Whoo! This chapter took the longest to write. I'm so glad it's done. Special thanks to ardy1 for betaing for me. And I'll give a cyber custard tart to anyone who can catch the symbolism of the trees each of the girls are presented by in the first scene. Hint: It's all about the type of the trees and the girls' individual personalities. I'd suggest looking up the trees.

Disclaimer: If it was mine we wouldn't be suffering a hiatus right now. Yeah.


The Operation

The dusk stained the fortress' bleak exterior a pale lavender that darkened into a rich navy as the sun set. From a small hollow hidden from the sentries' view by a thick copse of trees, three young Fire Nation women watched as bonfires were lit about the base's perimeter, their flickering orange light dancing across the drab earthen walls.

"So... what are we going to do?" inquired Mai. The lean and darkly clad girl lay back against a holly tree. She tilted her head slightly, watching as Ty Lee dragged her sleeping mat into the deep shade of a willow tree and plopped down on the blanket with a sigh.

The third member of the trio idly scratched at the bark of a birch tree, observing the flicker of the distant firelight on the surface of a small pond before responding. "For now, we do nothing." Azula turned to face the reclined acrobat, "Sit up, Ty Lee. You're going to do some reconnaissance for me before you are allowed to sleep."

Ty Lee didn't appear to hear her. The contortionist snuggled deeper into her blankets, muttering something about a "rock-alanche" against her mat.

Mai grimaced, her expression masked from Azula by the darkness.

The Fire Princess' face remained blank as she stalked toward her dozing friend on feet made silent by the soft sand of the hollow. She paused and gazed down at the back of Ty Lee's head (her face had been buried in the mat), and her eyes flared in the dim light of the watchtowers.

With a muffled shriek Ty Lee sprang from her bed, the tip of her long braid singed by the firebender's blast. She skidded to a stop near the pond, sending a spray of dust into the black water and spun around to face her giggling companions. "Azula!"

- - -

Ty Lee stole through the night, her lean form weaving lithely through the trees. She slowed as she reached the tree line, before her was a wide meadow, bathed in the red light of the bonfires. It was completely exposed save for a few clumps of bracken the guards had yet to uproot. Beyond, the walls of the citadel loomed, the bright fires along their peaks occasionally illuminating the figure of a passing sentry. Ty Lee gulped, all in all it was a very ominous sight to behold for an outsider such as herself.

Steeling herself, the young noblewoman crept through the meadow, making a beeline for the thickets and keeping to the shadows they provided. Her advances were hesitant and she frequently glanced up at the walls, unconsciously holding her breath every time a guard prowled along the top.

After what seemed like eternity to her she reached the relative shelter of the walls of the fortress. Now hidden from any passing sentries Ty Lee stopped to catch her breath; she turned her head, staring down the length of the walls.

Spying no gate, Ty Lee gritted her teeth. Trust the Earth Kingdom to neglect building doors in favor of bending open a gate whenever they wanted to let someone into their fort. With a sigh she pulled open the rucksack draped over her shoulder. She scowled at the sight of the grappling hook and tugged it out wearily. She had hoped to find an easier way into the fort but was now glad that Mai had insisted she bring the hook and rope with her.

She checked the rope for knots before testing the grapple's weight in her hand. Turning to face the dun surface of the wall, the acrobat scanned it carefully for any breaks in the surface near the top. There! A slight depression over a small irregular rock protuberance. After a few experimental swings she let the grapple fly. The hook caught the hanging rock and held steady while Ty Lee tugged the rope.

Planting her slippered feet firmly against the stone, Ty Lee began to climb up the wall.

- - -

Back at the girls' temporary camp Azula and Mai sat together in the darkness.

"So, Mai, how did your father respond to the Resistance's attacks?"

The gaunt assassin responded in a deadpan voice, bored with any mention of Omashu. Luckily enough for her Azula's attention was drawn elsewhere.

A small dim shape flew through the starry sky, the moon revealing it for an instant before it reversed direction and spiraled down towards the hidden encampment. Azula stood up and trotted to the center of the clearing, raising a slender arm that was soon clasped by the sharp talons of a large and elegant messenger hawk. She deftly removed the rolled up scroll from the case on its back and the raptor flapped its glossy wings once before gliding away into the night in search of prey.

Mai watched curiously as Azula paced back to sit beside her. "What does it say?" she rasped.

The firebender set the scroll on fire, the blue flames reducing it to ashes in seconds. "Nothing important. I ordered my captain to send us a hawk in a day - the estimated time it would take us to reach this spot." She paused, a long nail tapping her chin contemplatively, "Now that I think on it, it has been longer than a day hasn't it? Remind me to have him flogged for his tardiness and for sending a letter of mindless dribble along with my hawk."

A jovial voice interrupted her homicidal musings. "I'm back!"

Ty Lee wound towards them through the foliage. Mai climbed to her feet and walked over to meet her as the young contortionist entered the hollow, Azula close behind.

"Well? What did you find out?" asked the princess roughly.

Ty Lee looked at her, startled. "Huh? Oh, right! Um well..." She glanced at Azula furtively, "I wasn't able to get in, exactly."

Her friend arched an eyebrow.

"But I was able to find out some helpful information," she added hurriedly.

Azula examined her fingernails. "Oh?"

Ty Lee nodded earnestly. "Yes, I heard some of the guards talking. Fong's there, so's the weapon."

Mai smiled dreamily at the mention of the weapon.

"And I've found a way to get in and get the weapon out."

Now they both looked interested. "Fong's hosting a party in four days," a note of derision entered her voice, "an early victory party - that's how sure of his weapon's success he is. He's inviting all Earth Kingdom nobles and military officials who can provide papers testifying to their identity. If we forge the papers we can get in without trouble and Fong and his men are likely to be distracted by the party." Ty Lee's grey eyes glowed with pleasure, "It's the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the fortress and steal the weapon."

Azula smiled and nodded. "Excellent job, Ty Lee. You can go sleep now." With a playful salute the acrobat trounced over to her sleeping bag and promptly collapsed onto it. Still grinning, the princess turned to the girl beside her. "Mai?"

"I think I'll stay awake for now, Azula."

The Fire Heiress' smile widened and she held out her arm. Obediently, the messenger hawk dropped the vole it was feeding on and soared over to land on its mistress' forearm. Azula stroked the glistening black feathers on its neck. "I do believe it is time to take Admiral Zhao up on his offer," she cooed at her pet.

- - -

Admiral Zhao hunched over a map of the world spread out on his desk. His amber eyes traced the lines between various marks. Ba Sing Sai... The Northern Water Tribe... Omashu... With a smirk he etched an X over Omashu in red ink before labeling it New Ozai. Leaning back, he studied the map smugly.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter," he said offhandedly. Zhao did not look up as a corporal entered the room.

"Sir, Her Majesty, Princess Azula sends word."

The Admiral grunted. The young princess was of little mind to him.

Taking the sound as his cue, the soldier set the scroll upon the map before exiting the room. Zhao gazed at the scroll and the map in silence for several moments before reaching for Azula's message decisively.

Admiral Zhao,

I hope you have not traveled far from your last location for I require your assistance at the northwest Earth Nation base. Meet my companions and me at the crossroads half a day's journey from the fortress. You are to dress in the guise of an Earth Nation noble or military official; the fifteen men you are to bring are to disguise themselves as your Earth Kingdom military escort. I will alert you as to why upon your arrival.

Sincerely,

Fire Princess Azula, daughter of Fire Lord Ozai

Zhao's eye twitched.

- - -

A screech alerted the crewmen of the Fire Princess' ship to the return of the messenger hawk. With a wince the recently appointed captain of the vessel raised his arm. The hawk gave another scream before spiraling down to clasp the trembling limb in its powerful feet. The messenger hawk regarded the cowering man with hard golden eyes reminiscent of its master, and dug its sharp talons into his soft flesh viciously. He snatched the envelopes from its pouch quickly, grimacing when the bird nipped at his fingers.

After shooing the hawk off his forearm the captain warily observed the scrolls clutched in his hand. One message was for him (or rather, the crew as a whole), the second bore the seal of Admiral Zhao - a reply then. Knowing better than to read mail meant for the princess, he left Zhao's letter alone, opting to read the one addressed to himself only.

Captain,

You are to send three firebenders and four basilisks in the tank to meet me at the rendezvous point marked on the map accompanying this message. You were late.

Fire Princess Azula

You were late. The captain bit his lip anxiously, the scroll slipped out of his shaking hands and fell to the deck.

- - -

General Fong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his pale green eyes observing the tiny figures in the courtyard below. Caravans moved through the recently constructed gateway. Small troops of Earth Kingdom soldiers marched alongside lavish carriages drawn by ostrich horses. It looked as if over half of the nation's nobility and high ranking military officers had come.

Staring down at what would've been a very high security risk (for the guests and Fong's trump card that was presently sealed within the underground labyrinth beneath his fort) if not for the distance between his citadel and the front lines, Fong smiled.

- - -

Mai ran a comb through her dark hair, her eyes focused on her reflection in the long mirror of the guest room's vanity.

After meeting Zhao at the crossroads they had come to the fortress in the guise of a military family. Zhao, dressed in deep green armor confiscated from an Earth Kingdom general executed in the Fire Nation, was traveling as General Haruko. Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were incognito as his three daughters: Jia Li, Ha, and Kyoko, courtesy of Ty Lee's creativity. Their papers had told as much to the earthbenders guarding the gate and they had gotten in without any suspicion.

"Your hair's so beautiful... Kyoko. I'm jealous." Mai's gymnast friend threaded her fingers through the silky black strands. "If you want I can style it for you. I've seen a lot of the Earth Kingdom traveling with the circus. I remember seeing this one hair style that would look great on you."

The assassin nodded shyly, feeling her hair catch on Ty Lee's fingers with the movement. The contortionist began combing out and styling her friend's hair, gossiping happily all the while. Strange that the fingers gently fixing her hair into an elaborate bun could kill someone with a mere touch to a single nerve center.

- - -

Azula settled down into the chair and haughtily dismissed the smitten private who had pulled it out from under the massive stone table for her. The Fire Nation royal looked down her nose at the food on her plate. With a sickened expression she pushed the offending meal away. Next to her Mai stared at her untouched meal in silence, her expression inscrutable. Across from them Ty Lee brought her chopsticks to her mouth with a grimace, and beside the acrobat Zhao glared at his bowl with such ferocity that it was a wonder the food hadn't been vaporized.

With a bored expression Mai glanced down the lines of Earth Kingdom upperclass civilians and officers seated along the large table with the incognito Fire Nation quartet. She noted that they were all enjoying the slop that passed for food in their country; it was sickening.

"Esteemed ladies and gentlemen of the Earth Kingdom," Fong stood up from his seat at the head of the table, his voice echoed through the earthen hall. "I welcome you to my military base. I hope your stay here will be enjoyable and if you require anything feel free to ask me for anything. Or rather, ask your escort to ask my men to ask me for anything you need," he chuckled and many of the people along the table laughed. Azula rolled her eyes.

- - -

After the last course had been finished the festivities were moved outdoors to the courtyard. Green lanterns suspended from cords strung across the court colored the whole atmosphere in a pale luminescent light. The guests moved over the dusty ground; some taking seats at the low tables provided, others drifted towards the area sanctioned for dancing, while the rest mingled and conversed with one another.

The infiltrators gathered together near the dance floor. Azula looked briefly at each of them before muttering, "Find Fong."

The other three nodded in acquiescence before splitting up and moving off in different directions. Azula followed their progress with hooded eyes before spinning around and commencing her own search for the Earth Kingdom general.

Her delicate nose wrinkled as she walked by a cluster of earthbenders. Spirits, they stink. She roughly shouldered two noblewomen aside, her impatience making her less concerned with playing the part of her disguise. If we don't find the weapon soon we won't be able to make it out of here without revealing ourselves, she thought.

A burst of hearty laughter drew her attention to the side. Aha!

A large group had gathered around one of the tables and seated at it, barely visible through the shifting bodies of the crowd, was Fong. He was animatedly orating to the crowd, which remained mostly silent save for their laughter.

Casually, Azula sidled to join them. With a huff she began to elbow her way through, earning a number of disapproving glares from the group. She slowed and flashed them a smile upon realizing she was risking her cover by drawing so much attention.

As soon as their eyes left her she glanced about, seeking for an excuse to have come this close to Fong when she had never mede his acquaintance. To her great fortune she spotted the young private that had been so chivalrous to her earlier. She stepped to stand at his shoulder and hooked her arm through his. Startled, he turned to face her, his brown eyes inquisitive, then upon recognizing her, shy. She grinned at him coyly and he blushed. Satisfied, Azula paid him no more attention and instead focused on what the general was saying to his audience.

"I predict the Fire Nation will be defeated before summer actually, Colonel Shang," he boasted. Azula's nails dug into her palms.

Shang, a stout man in his forties, looked confused. "How is that possible, General Fong? The Fire Nation is on Ba Sing Sei's doorstep; how can we hope to defeat them so soon when they are currently pooling much of their resources into the offensive and their defensive remains as strong as ever?"

Fong smiled and tapped his nose. "Why, with my newest acquisition of course." Azula's ears perked and she scooted forward unconsciously, tugging the private along with her. Her motion went unnoticed as all of the group had moved closer to Fong's table at the mention of his mysterious weapon.

"So it's here then? What we've heard is true?" ventured a vivacious female earthbender.

The General seemed to preen under their rapt attention. "Down in the dungeons below my citadel," he said smugly. Azula's amber eyes strayed to the aforementioned building.

"What is it?" inquired an elderly nobleman with a long white beard.

Fong smiled again, "If I told you now it would ruin the surprise."

A few of the people surrounding him laughed but most looked disappointed. An earthbender stepped forward suddenly, deep green eyes flashing. "You jeopardize what may be our only chance of victory for the sake of making it a surprise! We need to and have every right to know what it is and how you intend to use it. In fact, you shouldn't even be commanding its usage at all - this is a matter for a king, not a general!"

The smile on Fong's face vanished and an emotionless mask replaced it. The crowd shifted nervously, muttering quietly amongst themselves. The earthbender who had challenged the general stood firm, boldly glaring at Fong.

When Fong responded his voice was a low, a menacing rumble, "I most certainly do not 'jeopardize' (as you said) the Earth Kingdom's victory by concealing the weapon. Use your head, boy, the Fire Lord has spies everywhere - even here." Azula flinched minutely. "If he was to find out where and what this weapon is, we would all be in grave danger and would most certainly lose." Seeing that the earthbender was relenting, he continued with a sniff, "As for not letting a king handle the matter, well, I sincerely doubt any of the kings still in control would have the gall necessary to initiate such a decisive action."

Pleased with his answer, the earthbender nodded and withdrew. The group relapsed into their friendly conversation with the general. Pulling her arm from the (now dejected) private's grip, Azula also withdrew from the company, having heard all that she needed.

- - -

Zhao leaned against the bar, flaxen eyes scanning the party over the rim of a cup of sake for its host.

"Sir?" The incognito Fire Nation admiral looked dully over his shoulder at the barman.

"Yes?"

"Do you want me to refill that for you?" asked the servant in the monotone of a person who has dealt with drunken stupidity all their life and has yet to enjoy it.

Confused by the question, Zhao crossed his eyes to gaze into the glass clutched in his hand. It was empty. "Odd, it was full a short time 'go."

The barman rolled his hazel eyes. "Yes, but you drank all of it and now it is empty. Do you want me to refill your cup for you?"

Zhao nodded. It was a good idea. "Here," he said and chucked the glass over his shoulder in the man's general direction. With a curse the servant dove out of the way while simultaneously trying to catch it.

"You too, eh?" inquired a voice that Zhao recognized but was unable to match with a face.

A tall, powerful looking earthbender in the attire of a general had joined Zhao at the bar, his warm green eyes were slightly unfocused. There you are, you slippery rat of a fish. The firebender stared at the earthbender for several moments before asking: "Fong, isn't it?"

General Fong, for it was he, nodded and leaned against the bar in an attempt to steady himself. Zhao looked around at the festivities, trying to think up a way to begin what he had labeled the 'nonviolent, spy interrogation.' "Nice party."

Fong grunted.

- - -

Ty Lee pirouetted across the dance floor, the satin skirt of her kimono painted a deep emerald in the wan light. The young man at her arm stumbled clumsily alongside her in a wasted effort to keep up. The gymnast glanced at him. He was cute in a lean and scruffy sort of way but he was little more than a tool to her, and his bony grip on her waist made her long for the firm clutch of her hunk of an ex.

With a sigh she looked over his shoulder at the mass of whirling kimonos, finely stitched skirts melded together into a churning sea of green, white, and brown. It was beautiful. When Ty Lee frequented the Fire court she would attend festivals with her father and mother. Even now, years later, she could vividly recall the smoky smell that flowed around the firebenders, the flowery scents that accompanied the pale-faced ladies, and the sensation of a wildfire of red silk before her eyes. Gazing out at the Earth Kingdom party, Ty Lee decided she didn't miss the courts at all.

Two darkly clad figures appeared at the edge of the floor at that moment. Azula and Mai. Azula's yellow eyes met Ty Lee's through the dancers. The acrobat favored her dance partner with one last tiny grin before adroitly twirling out of his embrace and skipping away across the dance floor to join her companions.

- - -

"The item is in the dungeons below the citadel. We act now," Azula hissed as the trio strode swiftly towards the tower.

"What about Admiral Zhao?" Ty Lee whispered back quizzically.

Mai snickered halfheartedly, a rare show of emotion. "The admiral has gotten himself inebriated during his impromptu interview with Fong."

On her other side, Azula smirked. "A futile action on his part, I had the information we needed long before he came upon Fong at the bar. He will be of no further use to us."

Ty Lee stopped short, startled. "So we're just going to leave him? What if he's caught?"

Azula paused and turned to look at Ty Lee over a thin shoulder. "No matter. He's expendable."

Even Mai looked shocked by this statement. "But he's Fire Nation nobility," she murmured.

Azula sighed in exasperation, "Very well. Do not worry. We will meet him and his men in our quarters before making our escape. But if they put us or the weapon in jeopardy we will leave them to whatever fate the Earth Kingdom army judges fit for them."

Ty Lee and Mai nodded, knowing Azula had extended all of the mercy she was capable of and could be asked for nothing more.

- - -

Corporeal Nam pulled his arm back slowly, his dun eyes narrowed in concentration. Three others crouched around him; amongst them was the captain of their platoon. The lieutenant clasped his gnarled hands together in prayer, his lips forming inaudible words. Nam took his time, meeting each pair of anxious eyes in turn.

His arm came down, his fingers loosening and releasing the set of items that they had clasped. The tiny objects fell to the floor and rolled along the stone with a clatter.

The men leaned forward, looking intensely at what the dice revealed. Nam and the captain jumped back, each releasing a vehement curse. The lieutenant gave a cry of joy and sprang at the pot.

And then lightning struck, literally.

- - -

Azula was dashing down the hallway before the last man had hit the ground. "Mai!" she barked as she sprinted away, "keep watch!" The assassin nodded and wrenched a dagger out of the earthen wall where it had been imbedded during the fight.

Ty Lee ran after her princess, her kimono's front torn to allow the contortionist better movement. Together they streaked down the long hall, their eyes roving over each cell door they passed. They skidded to a stop at an intersection where the hall they were in met with a corridor that ran parallel to it via a small nondescript passageway. Azula spun to face her steadfast comrade, "Wait here for me."

Ty Lee embraced her briefly, "Good luck."

Azula inclined her head with a confident smile before resuming her search.

The Fire Princess sprinted down the corridor. Where is it? Come on, where is it?

And, quite suddenly, there it was. A large wooden door, securely bolted and sealed. It looked like any other door in the hall, was nearly identical to the others she had passed. But there was a presence behind it, an ominous and enticing lure hovered around it. A mere lock stood in her way.

Azula sank into a stance, she moved her arms gracefully through the motions. Feeling the positive and negative energies shifting within her delicate frame as she created an imbalance between yin and yang. Sparks danced on her fingertips and the hall's drab walls were painted an electric blue. The sparks extended, dancing and spiking in the excited air like spider webs in the winds. Azula brought one arm before her, the other stretching out behind... and let go.

The lock was demolished and the ruined door burst out of its frame. Azula lept into the cell with the black smoke swirling around her. When it had settled, all was revealed to her.

In the center of the bare and dark room sat a young boy. His legs were folded beneath him, and his hands were tied to the post behind his back. What could be seen of the pale blue tattoos adorning his light skin testified to his identity. He had been staring at his lap but now raised his head, clear grey meeting burnished gold through twisting wisps of smoke, and Azula was entranced.