"We have been presented an extraordinary opportunity, girls,"Azula stated, walking towards the window of the large room she, Mai, and Ty Lee currently shared inside of the large house that had been gifted to them by the Earth King for the duration of their time in Ba Sing Se.
"Mai finally gets to wear makeup that's not totally depressing?"
Mai turned to Ty Lee, shooting her a glare, her running make up making it look like she was bleeding from her eyes,"Ha-ha."
"No," Azula reached the window, looking out over the city of Ba Sing Se,"I'm talking about conquering the whole Earth Kingdom."
Mai and Ty Lee looked to the girl with some surprise as she continued,"For a hundred years, the Fire Nation has hammered away at Ba Sing Se from the outside. But now we are on the inside," a devilish smile grew on Azula's face,"and we can take it by ourselves."
"Gosh, you're so confident,"Ty Lee complimented,"I really admire that about you."
"From the inside we're in perfect position to organize a coup and overthrow the Earth King. The key is the Dai Li. Whoever controls the Dai Li, controls Ba Sing Se."
"So what about Naruto? Isn't he out there somewhere?"
Azula thought about it for a moment. Naruto was definitely a powerful asset whose help would definitely make taking Ba Sing Se easier. However, finding Naruto in a city like Ba Sing Se would be difficult, what with him likely having changed his appearance to blend in with the populace better. It would be far more likely for Naruto to find them, seeing as they had begun impersonating rather important public figures.
"Naruto is a smart boy. He'll find us."
The next day, Iroh and a newly transformed Zuko stood side by side, smiling as a noble man began to enter the tea shop.
Their new shop was massive in comparison to the small room they used to preside over, with two large doors manned by dressed up women, a luxurious green carpet leading in from the entrance, and enough tables for a nice sized party (should someone reserve one).
Iroh and Zuko stood near the back.
Iroh sighed contently,"Who would have thought when we came to the city as refugees that I'd end up owning my own tea shop. Follow your passion, Zuko, and life will reward you."
"Congratulations uncle."
"I'm very grateful."
"You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city,"Zuko smiled, conviction in his voice.
"No, I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me." Iroh placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder,"It means more to me than you know."
Zuko pulled his uncle into a hug, breaking it after a moment.
"Alright alright, you love each other,"Naruto walked by, a tray of tea in his hands and a scowl on his face,"Now can we stop sucking each other off and serve some damn tea?"
The uncle-nephew pair chuckled before getting to work themselves, with Zuko focusing on serving tables while Iroh brewed tea and prepared small snacks.
Out on the floor, Naruto served tea on auto pilot as he thought about his situation. To be frank, being stuck in Ba Sing Se fucking sucked. No fire bending, no fire nation, no combat. Being stuck undercover was shredding Naruto's nerves, and every day he felt closer and closer to snapping.
Naruto was pulled out of his sulking by a conversation he heard from a nearby table.
"Yep, it's all true! Delivered 'em their mail myself."
"That's crazy! Didn't know the Kyoshi Warriors ever left their island, never dreamed they'd come all the way out to Kyoshi."
"I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen 'em myself!"
Naruto quickly glanced over to the table. Luckily for him it was on his half of the restaurant, so he was guaranteed to interact with the men, obviously mail men for the upper ring based on their uniforms, when they paid for their food.
Naruto's mind began to process the information as quickly as he could. Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee had finally made their way into the city under the guise of the Kyoshi Warriors, but that was as far as he could postulate given there had never been a formal plan on what they would do once they entered the city. Naruto also knew that Azula would likely be waiting for him to find them as opposed to coming looking for him, considering he had made up his disguise after he had separated from him.
As the men waved him over, likely to pay their tab, Naruto thought quickly, grabbing a flyer for the Jasmine Dragon (which held a picture of Iroh, Zuko, and Naruto on the front as well as information about their location and requesting deliveries) as he walked over to the table.
Naruto gave the two men a large smile,"Did you gents enjoy your tea?"
One of them, the one who had mentioned delivering mail to the Kyoshi Warriors, nodded,"Best cup I've had in years, and I've been all over the Earth Kingdom."
"Oh shoot, Tai can you get my cup, I'm running late!" The other man quickly stood up, rushing out of the tea shop.
The mail man, now known as Tai, scowled,"That swamp crawler, always sticking me with the bill."
Naruto saw an opportunity as the man reached for his coin purse, cursing as he struggled to count out the necessary change,"You know, I couldn't help but overhear your earlier conversation, about delivering mail to the Kyoshi Warriors?"
The man raised an eyebrow,"What's it to ya?"
"How would you like free tea for life?"
Later in the day, more towards the afternoon, Katara was making her way back to the Earth King's palace, Momo perched on her shoulder.
As she walked through the upper ring, she noticed a new tea shop.
'The Jasmine Dragon, huh?'
"What do you say Momo, a cup of tea before we go back to the Earth King?" Katara asked, walking towards the tea shop.
Reaching the door, Katara peered into the shop, absentmindedly greeting the door girls, but what she saw nearly gave her a heart attack.
"Uncle! I need two jasmine, one green, and one lychee."
"Hey old man, three green and one peach, and keep the buns comin'!"
"I'm brewing as fast as I can!"
Katara stared for a moment as Zuko and a mystery boy called out orders to Iroh, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head as she saw two of her worst enemies working in a tea shop in Ba Sing Se, a place that up until this point had been safe in terms of threats from the Fire Nation.
She turned away, first walking away quickly to hopefully not draw their attention, but sprinting as soon as she broke the line of sight they would have from inside the shop, a look of terror on her face.
She ran as fast as she could straight into the Earth King's palace, barely acknowledging the guards who moved to let her through as she stormed into the throne room. There, in the thrown room knelt the Kyoshi Warriors themselves, causing Katara to breath a sigh of relief.
"Suki! Thank goodness you're here. Something terrible is going on. The Fire Nation has infiltrated the city. I just saw Prince Zuko and his uncle! We have to tell the Earth King right away!"
"Suki" stood up, and Katara knew instantly something wasn't right. The look on her face, the way she stood, the way the light flashed in her sharp amber eyes. When she spoke, Katara was sure this wasn't her friend, but it was too late,"Oh, don't worry. I'll be sure to let him know."
Katara tried to take a step back and use her water bending to defend herself, but Ty Lee quickly flipped forward from her sitting position, targeting a nerve cluster on Katara's shoulder. Katara fell to the floor, unconscious.
"So, Zuzu's in the city too. I think it might be time for a family reunion."
"What are we gonna do about Naruto?"
"Ty Lee, all you ever do is ask about Naruto, just marry him already,"Mai drawled out.
"Enough,"Azula cut in, suddenly slightly irked,"we have preparations to make."
Unseen, Momo watched everything unfold, quickly flying off for help.
Later that evening, Azula found herself being dragged through the palace's dungeons by a pair of Dai Li agents. They hadn't given her a reason for arrest, nor had they told her where she was going, she had been nabbed as soon as she opened the door.
They opened a door to a cell, shoving her in and closing the door behind them. Sitting before her, his back to the wall and a small devious smile on his face, was Long Feng.
"What is this about? Your agents show up in the middle of the night and drag me down here? You will not treat a Kyoshi Warrior this way!" Azula tried to struggle against the Dai Li agents, finding it futile.
"But you're not a Kyoshi Warrior, are you, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation?"
Azula stopped struggling,"What do you want?"
"I want to make a deal. It's time that I regain control of Ba Sing Se, and you have something I need."
"Oh?"
"The Earth King's trust."
"Why should I help you?"
"Because I can get you the Avatar."
"I'm listening."
A few minutes later, the Dai Li drag/carried a resigned looking Azula away from the same cell they had just dragged her into. They didn't notice the look on her face change to one of victory.
Elsewhere in the city, around the same time, Naruto, Zuko, and Iroh were sweeping the tea shop late into the night, having had such a crowd for their grand opening that they decided to remain open until the last person left.
A man walked up, a mailman by the looks of him, handing a scroll to Iroh. "A message from the Earth King!"
Iroh took the scroll, unfurling it and reading it quickly as Naruto and Zuko walked over, curiosity making them leave their tasks behind,"What is it uncle?"
"Great news," Iroh held the scroll up like it held the secret to immortality or unlimited tea,"we have been summoned to serve tea to the Earth King!"
Zuko brightened up, embracing his uncle,"That's great news!"
"Yeah, terrific,"Naruto agreed dryly, but his mind was zooming. His mind, however, was zooming. 'The mail is only delivered in the morning here, did Tai decide to drop the flyer off early?'
"Quick, help me set out the leaves and clean the good kettles. I want this to be perfect!"
The next morning, Iroh, Zuko, and Naruto stood before the palace, with Iroh carrying a rather ornate looking white box that contained all the materials needed to make his best blend of tea. Zuko had offered to carry it, but Iroh had declined, saying that he wanted to make sure that the tea made it to the Earth King's lips himself.
Gazing upon the walls of the palace that had never accepted him during his occupation of Ba Sing Se, Iroh was moved to speak,"Many times, I imagined myself here, at the threshold of this palace. But I always thought I'd be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."
"It sure is uncle,"Zuko agreed.
"Yeah yeah, let's just get this over with,"Naruto grumbled, really not happy at having to go into the greatest enemy stronghold currently standing in the way of the Fire Nation's global conquest.
Moments later, Naruot, Zuko, and Iroh sat before a table in a large summerhouse-like structure set up within the palace walls. The guards had ushered them in and ordered them to set up and wait for the Earth King.
"What's taking so long,"asked Zuko, his mental metamorphosis doing little for his impatient streak.
"Maybe the Earth King overslept," Iroh suggested.
"Maybe he tripped down some stairs and broke is neck,"Naruto was literally steaming in anger.
Suddenly, Dai Li agents marched into the room, forming a perfect circle around the sitting trio.
"Somethings not right,"Zuko looked over his shoulder at the men surrounding them.
"It's tea time."Azula's voice was unmistakable as she stepped from behind a partition onto the raised platform usually reserved for the Earth King.
"Azula.""Princess!" Naruto and Zuko stood, though while Zuko's face held and expression of contempt, Naruto's held a look of relief.
"Have you met the Dai Li? They're earth benders, but they have a killer instinct that's so fire bender I just love it."
Iroh reached down, grabbing the cup of tea he had poured for the Earth King,"Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'the dragon of the west'?"
Azula checked her nails,"I don't really have time for a lengthy anecdote now, uncle."
"It's more of a demonstration really,"Iroh took a deep sip of the tea, and Naruto finally realized what was about to happen.
"Shit, Azula, down!" Azula, against some of her instinct to stand and wait to see what was going to happen, ducked down and behind the partition just as Iroh released a great breath of fire from his mouth as Zuko ducked behind him, turning in a circle in order to ward off the Dai Li.
Zuko bent a fireball at the wall to their side and kicked Naruto away simultaneously, sending the somewhat stunned blonde rolling into 2 Dai Li agents who he found himself entangled with.
Zuko rushed out the whole he had created into an adjacent hallway, Iroh quickly following while continuing to provide covering fire. Dai Li followed behind shortly, firing off their stone gloves with clear intent of bodily harm. The uncle-nephew duo were able to round a corner just in time to avoid being turned into spicy swis cheese, but found themselves charging toward a dead end.
Iroh, thinking quickly, generated a short burst of lightning and blew a massive chunk of the wall in front of them. Iroh proceeded to bodily throw himself out of the newly created door, but without looking where he was going and apparently forgetting that he was at least a story above ground level.
"Hoof-"Iroh crashed into a neatly manicured bush, destroying it entirely. As he laid on the ground and attempted to regain his bearings, he looked up and realized Zuko was looking down on him, having not jumped.
"Come on, you'll make it!"
"No,"Zuko shook his head, conviction lighting his eyes ablaze,"I'm tired of running, it's time I faced Azula."
Iroh slapped his forehead, running off.
Zuko found himself staring down Azula, flanked by Naruto and at least a dozen Dai Li agents.
"Always so dramatic Zuzu, what're you gonna do? Challenge me to an Agni Kai?" Azula gave a mocking smile.
"Yes, I challenge you!"
"Can I do it Azula? Please,"Naruto begged for a chance to get some action.
"No, Naruto, you may not. In fact, me and you have a lot to discuss,"Azula gave Naruto a pointed glare, the look on her face leaving naruto unsure if he should be feeling fearful or excited. "Dai Li, take him."
Zuko tried to launch a massive fire ball at his sister's now exposed back, but two Dai Li agents stepped forward, raising a section of the floor to protect their new leader. Dropping the section now that the danger was gone, the Dai Li quickly swarmed upon Zuko, restraining him in the least gentle way possible.
"I assure you Katara is perfectly fine."
Aang, Sokka, and Toph looked up at the Earth King as he sat upon the throne, a warm smile on his face.
"Are you sure? In my vision, I just felt so sure she was in trouble,"Aang explained as he stepped forward.
"Well, she met with the Council of Generals to plan the invasion. And since then she's been off with your friends, the Kyoshi warriors."
"See Aang," Sokka gained an almost comically wide smile,"she's with Suki. They're probably back at our apartment right now, talking about makeup or something."
"Okay,"Aang finally conceded,"maybe you're right."
"Believe me, if there were any danger at all, Bosco would sense it!"
Bosco sat up at having heard his name being called, but the look on his face did not inspire much confidence in Aang.
LB
Deep in the crystal catacombs in Old Ba Sing Se, Katara paced around in what was essentially a naturally formed dungeon, hoping to find either a way out or a way to call for help. What she didn't expect was for a hatch, the same one that had been used for her earlier, to be opened in the ceiling, and for the once crowned prince of the fire nation to come tumbling down.
"Zuko?!"
Zuko sat back on his knees, slightly dazed, only to meet the face of an angry Katara.
Elsewhere, the remaining three quarters of Team Avatar arrived back at there state provided house, finding it empty except for Momo.
Having extended her senses to feel for vibrations, Toph stated the obvious,"There's no one else here."
"Katara is in trouble, I knew it!"
"Oh, no."
"Wait," Toph interrupted,"there's someone outside the door." As if on que, there was a knock,"Actually, I know who it is. It's an old friend of mine!"
Toph stepped forward and opened the door, and Sokka and Aang almost had a heart attack, because there stood a stone faced Iroh.
"I need your help."
Look, I'm sorry I'm sorry, don't hurt me in the comments dawg, I've had this chapter sitting here almost complete for like a month now, but here ya go. This should be the last or second to last chapter where Naruto takes a more secondary roll/doesn't take a real active part in what's happening. Just kinda gotta get them out of Ba Sing Se. Keep the part about the mask in mind tho, it'll come in handy later.
Kishi