"Your world huh?" Taunted Avatar Aang, calmly to the criminal kingpin who introduced himself as Yakone.
"Yes, my lovely city. Perhaps, Long Feng and Kei Lo could give you a tour tomorrow," he offered, giving the woman on his knee a gentle pat on the hip to signal for her to rise. Once she moved, so did he in a slow manner.
Another woman helped him into his suit's jacket, placing a cigar between his lips and a hat upon his head with a dark blue feather and bearing the symbol of the Northern Water Tribe with a triton in the middle.
Death by Blood Gang. Aang recognized the symbol readily. The gang was known for their bloodbending techniques, now outlawed, thanks to passionate support from his ex-wife and her brother, newly appointed councilman of Republic City, Sokka. The gang sought refuge in Republic City and with its terrifying tactics, managed to avoid the city's police for the past several years.
"With their avatar missing in action, the citizens, here, have sought other means of protection". Yakone was saying to other men in the room as he blew smoke towards Aang passively from where he now stood by the mirrored window overlooking the arena of fighters below. "Though, the fire lord seems to be a bit of a nuisance, now. Sticking his nose in business that doesn't concern him along with his traitor whore".
Aang clenched his teeth together at the insult, gathering the sudden attention of all the men in the room as they encircled him, each taking a waterbending stance.
"Ah, I've struck a nerve, it seems," remarked Yakone, the sinister smirk seemingly permanent on his face. "What would the Fire Lord's sister think, I wonder?" He asked, tapping his chin. "Her lover still secretly in love with his ex?"
Chuckling the smoke from the plethora of cigars stifled the room as he continued, inching close enough to speak just to the avatar in his ear, he added. "I can understand why you would leave your little angel. I bet it's heavenly to get lost in the conqueror, hmm, Avatar? I'm sure her silver tongue is just a marvel. Drinks the life right of you, I'm sure. Inspirational and terrifying according to some old Dai Li agents. Crazy in the head has to be crazy in bed with the way she has made you forget your duties to the world".
Aang breathed outwardly, trying to keep his composure. "I can't wait to have her bent over my dining table. I'll allow her to call me your name, of course, as I fuck the lightning out of her when she comes looking for you…That is if the virus doesn't kill her first. That would be quite unfortunate".
The last statement made Aang pause from striking the kingpin. "Virus?"
"I wasn't expecting your rodent to react so soon with the small dosage given to him while you were busy procreating new airbenders and all".
Aang's eyes bulged. "Momo? W-What did you do? Speak plain!" He demanded.
"Just a bit of the crazy virus, called rabies that's been affecting the animals in the earth kingdom's forests, for your crazy princess. A thank-you intended for the fire lord and all those around him. Who would've thought she was getting split open by the avatar? Kills two birds with one stone".
Aang roared a gust of air, but was stopped instantly by Yakone's wide-eyed gaze. Twisting uncontrollably, Aang gave an agonizing cry. His back gave way, cracking from his awkward position. Yakone's smirk widened as he was twisted more, allowing for Long Feng to re-bond him with the hood and Kei Lo to re-bond his wrists and ankles in shackles.
#
"We're here," stated Princess Azula, bringing Appa to a slow descent at the front of a shady looking hostel in the slums of Republic City.
Kiyi rubbed her sleepy eyes and blinked, surveying the surroundings. "I'm scared, Azula. Don't you have friends or something in the high-class parts around here?"
Azula huffed, climbing down from Appa and giving him a bamboo branch to snack on. She grabbed their luggage as Kiyi picked up Zaheer. "I have something like friends, but they live around here," she informed her sister. "Don't drop him!" She growled as Kiyi used one hand to hop off of the giant bison.
"Oh stop, Azula, he's fine. He's a big boy now, aren't you, Avatar Baby?" She cooed tickling the child.
"His name is fine. Please call him by it," scoffed Azula. Kiyi pouted and placed Zaheer on the ground, at which Azula immediately swept him up.
"He can walk, ya' know. He will also need more than milk for food," pointed out the teenager.
"Let me worry about him. You need to be in school," said Azula waving down a nearby pedestrian. "You there, the nearest academy, where is it?"
The pedestrian, a man with a cart of cabbages, smiled brightly. "Not far. It is private and costly. But they accept students daily. Want to buy some cabbages?"
"Piss off, Peasant," sneered Azula making her half-sister groan loudly.
Azula entered the hostel without another word. The man began to hurry away when Kiyi stopped him. "She's just bitter and knocked up. Here," she said with a warm smile, giving the man a gold coin and took a cabbage.
The man thanked her and happily skipped on, yelling out "CABBAGES FOR SALE!"
Taking off behind her sister, Kiyi waited on a nearby bench as Azula negotiated prices with the attendant at the front desk.
"This is ridiculous! I am asking for a semi-permanent home! Do you know who I am?" Her sister was growling at the unconcerned woman behind the desk.
"A pregnant woman without a husband, we get those a lot," she snapped calmly, without looking up.
"You're wrong," replied Azula. "A pregnant woman recently released from the nuthouse after eating my husband's heart to break my fast".
This caught the woman's attention quickly. "Um, I'm-I'm sorry, we can't help your kind here. Maybe you could try the women's shelter?"
Kiyi stood to catch her sister before she did something horrible when a woman she recognized from Azula's old Kemurikage buddies, revealed herself from a closed door behind the front desk clerk.
"Good one, Old Friend," chuckled the woman with braids.
"Zirin, I assume my boarding is available?" Asked the princess, glaring at the clerk who excused herself to the restroom.
Zirin took her place, leaning over the desk. "You're always welcomed here. Free of charge, unfortunately not. I do have a business to run".
Azula bared her teeth, leaning in to almost touch noses with the woman. "Any business owned by you is mine as I own you, remember? Or you would still be screaming for the family you murdered in the bowels of that mental institution, hmm?"
Zirin shrugged. "Cute kid," she commented at which Zaheer smiled sweetly at the woman. "Ok, since he is so polite. I guess, you're welcomed here as a favor for a favor. But you're going to need a job, Princess".
"I don't work. That's for peasants, I commanded armies".
"I wouldn't say that too loud, Princess. The people don't take kindly to royalty around here. Plus, you're obviously not in much condition to work hard," she said, noting Azula's protruding abdomen. "I have a friend who can help you. Give me a sec".
Azula took a seat by her sister to await whomever Zirin went to fetch. "See, we'll be fine. Now to get you into school".
"I'm almost an adult," refused Kiyi, her arms crossed. "Besides, I can take care of Zaheer or work to get us money".
Azula shook her head. "Mother would want you to finish school".
"Since when did you care what Mom wanted? After you slept with her husband? Would she want that?" Asked Kiyi, still reeling from Azula's low move for money that she knew she could have gotten from her father if she had been invited on the trip at the beginning.
"Let it go, Kiyi. Your father's a pervert, something we have in common. At least your father didn't…" Her voice trailed and Kiyi wanted to ask what she was going to say when the door opened revealing a handsome, blue eyed man with Zirin, a pleasant smile across his lips.
Azula gave the baby to Kiyi and approached the two as they stepped in front of the front desk.
"Why I never would have thought I'd have the honor to meet the princess of the fire nation," said the man bending over to kiss the woman's hand. "It is quite an honor, Princess Azula. What is such a legend doing in these rough parts of the city? Such a goddess should be communing with Republic City's finest".
Azula smirked. The man obviously had manners despite being Water Tribe. "My business is my own," she answered. "Just a bit of a hiatus vacation with my sister. She needed a change from her lowly village".
The man nodded. "Of course, well, please allow me the honor to invite you to my apartments. It is more agreeable than this pit for rats my sister owns".
Zirin sucked in her teeth. "Yakone's my half-brother," she revealed. "Though his apartments are very nice and more of your style, Princess".
Hmm. Thought the princess. "Well, I am looking to enroll my sister into one of the institutions of learning, here. A private one, preferably. Your assistance is needed in that regard as well".
"Of course, anything for the woman who helped my sister out. The allegations against her were ridiculous. I can't thank you enough for your help," he said with another kiss on the woman's hand. "May a man of my status be allowed a dinner with you, Your Highness?"
Flattered, though reserved, Azula shook her head. "No thanks, just the accommodations are necessary".
Yakone's eyes narrowed, making Azula narrow her own as he looked as though he were going to strike at her. After seconds of intense stare downs, the man bowed low.
"Of course, Princess, let me lead you the way," he finally said, sweetly. "Time is precious, don't you think? And I'd hate to waste yours as it is just as precious as your little boy's smile".