A/N: Wow, didn't expect to get so many views after publishing only my first chapter. Who knows, maybe that was actually the normal amount but honestly I'll take it regardless. This is the chapter where the story really begins though, and will really ignite this story I'm prepared to tell. This one takes place after Azula injured Uncle Iroh. Enjoy!

Squirrels jumped from branch to branch, birds chirped and flapped their tiny wings, small creatures ran across the afternoon ground of the forest where Azula had split up with Ty Lee and Mai earlier whenever she pursued the Avatar. All of these little sounds usually never bothered her but following what was ultimately a waste of her time she couldn't say that she was feeling too particularly well. Then of course came the racket of a woodpecker drilling away into a tree, the little vermin going up in smoke as a quick and lethal blue flame hit it with pinpoint accuracy.

"You think Azula is going to be mad? I wouldn't want to upset her." The Princess stopped dead in her tracks as she heard the familiar voice of Ty Lee, who was unaware that she already knew of their failure. Yes, at the time of her escape she was quite furious at the fact that she had become overwhelmed but it had been a while since then. There was only agitation left now and she never had a hard time keeping that part of herself under control when in the face of her peers.

"Me neither, she's always in a mood once she's mad." What Mai just said would bother her if she didn't know the girl better. Ever since they were kids she was always one to say blunt things like that and in some ways it did make her a good friend to be around. Azula was aware that even she wasn't perfect so when someone was willing to help her focus on the few flaws she did possess she was able to squish those flaws so that she inch closer to the person she wanted to become.

"Yeah but it never lasts too long."

"Long enough."

"You only say that beca-"

"Girls," As if on cue both Mai and Ty lee quit their bickering and turned to the sound of their leader's voice as the Princess herself stepped out of the woods and before them, "I'm afraid I wasn't able to capture the Avatar."

"What? Why?" It was just like Ty Lee to get way too close when becoming curious or concerned like she was now, only inches away from Azula's face. She did appreciate the attention that the acrobat gave her but only when she genuinely wanted it. In a moment like this where her agitation was still eating away at her all she wanted to do was zap those innocent big eyes right out of her skull but obviously she couldn't.

"I'm afraid that I ran into several complications once I attempted to do so and I was forced to run." She stepped away from her over the top friend so to look off in the direction of the path that laid before them as she spoke.

"I'm sorry Azula, we had them beat it was just that big bison that got in the way."

"It doesn't matter. We walked into their trap knowing it, so we prepared for this outcome. What does matter is getting back on track. Follow me." Truth be told it did matter to her that they slipped up as they did which was why she formed the plan that she now had. After all she was the heiress to the Fire Nation throne and a failure being on her resume was not something that could be allowed. So now she would need a much bigger success so that the blemish that came from today could be wiped away and out of sight.

"What's the plan?" Mai finally chose to speak up, she must have finaly considered something worth talking about. So of course it was the one thing that would require any kind of real energy from her.

"Yeah Azula, what are we going to do?" At least Ty Lee sounded like she was still a little interested in what the rest of their day had planned for them.

"First, we'll take some supplies we'll need from a nearby town. Then we'll head to the shore so to regroup." The Princess needed more force if she was going to be successful in anything going forward and she was well aware of this. These two weren't bad assets but what she needed was the insurance that would give her the lack of doubt that she severely needed right now. So, what she really wanted was enough fire power and someone or something that she knew wouldn't hesitate in getting the job done.

"Most towns around here are apart of the Earth Kingdom." Mai did raise a good point, one that Azula had already thought about.

"Oh don't worry," a sly smile formed onto their leader's lips, "it won't be a problem."

A stench filled the air and it wasn't a stench anyone ever got used too. The smell of flesh and blood was one thing and burning flesh was another, but when put together you got a smell that kept the most violent predators away. Well… all violent predators outside of a young woman who happened to be the Fire Nation's own princess. Not that she was necessarily happy to be there in the moment.

Her, along with her two lackies, stood at the entrance of the destroyed village that they originally planned on staying at for the night. However without even stepping into the burnt and bloody area it was clear that there was no longer a place to rest any of their heads in a place such as this. They'd be lucky to even find any kind of supplies in a place as wrecked as this was. However, unfortunately for the other two girls this sort of thing intrigued Azula enough for her to want and poke her head around and see what really happened.

Not wasting anymore time she stepped into the village and approached one of the less damaged homes, stepping inside so to take a look. There wasn't anything special to see, it was just a plain home that looked a little damaged and empty. Sure there was an eerie feeling in the room but that was nothing that ever really bothered her even when she was a small child The door of the home opened behind her as Mai stepped in and looked around.

The two of them didn't share a word while they were in the home and eventually stepped back out into the ruined village. Ty Lee was moving about the village as she too looked for anything that would either be useful to them or any kind of clues so that they could find out what happened. With all of the ash and burnt rubble around them though it was pretty clear that finding either was going to become a rather impossible task. Even with the three of them and their collective knowledge and ability it wouldn't change much.

Azula and her group found their way to another village, this one being an Earth Kingdom village that was now under the control of the Fire Nation. It didn't seem that way at first glance though. Kids ran around as happy as could be and the village seemed just fine which was likely due to all the traffic that the village would get as it was a stopping point for those that wanted to get to Ba Sing Se. Sure, over half of any money the village made would likely be taken by the Fire Nation anyway but that wasn't something that someone like Azula was worried about.

"I never did understand why we would continue to let people into Ba Sing Se, why do we keep allowing this village to continue as it has?" Mai brought up a fair point as the three of them walked through the village's marketplace.

"There are reasons for such a thing, Mai. Just ones that are kept behind closed doors." It was all about surprise and Azula knew that. She was actually one of the few that suggested pretending like they actually cared about the citizens of this kingdom at all and just wanted to govern them themselves. Once you tricked them into believing that they wouldn't dare go to Ba Sing Se and try to start up trouble for the Fire Nation, which needed it's focus on something else entirely.

The three girls were brought to a stop when a little boy, who couldn't be older than seven, ran up to the princess and tugged on her pants. The other two girls watched in anticipation, knowing what could happen to the poor boy who really didn't know any better. "Hi Miss. I'm hungry, could you help me?"

As she stared down at the kid who smiled back up at her she felt relatively nothing for him, wishing only that he would let go of her and move on. But this did give her a way to keep the innocent one among them occupied while she and Mai attended to something else. So she placed her hand on the boy's head and shooed him over to Ty Lee. "Here, take him around and find food for him."

"Okay!" The more innocent of the three took the boy's hand and nodded to Azula. "I'll just be somewhere here in the market!" It wasn't another second before she had already taken the boy away to somewhere else in the marketplace. This left Mai and Azula alone with each other which was exactly what the princess wanted anyway.

"Why didn't you just run him off?"

"Because, Mai, you and I are going to do some investigating." It is was still a very curious matter in her mind about what had happened to the village that they crossed by earlier. Sure, it was possible that some of the Fire Nation's own was responsible for such a thing but still…. That didn't stop her from wanting to get to the bottom of went down there, especially since it wasn't in the Fire Nation's interest to go about attacks the way that village was.

The lighting of the large tent where the Fire Nation captain stayed in the village was not what Azula would prefer. Usually she would have it set at a more bright level so that she wouldn't have to squint to see more clearly. Distractions such as this was why this man was a captain here in this village and not in a more honorable position in their military. It probably wasn't his fault though, his family more than likely praised him for where he already got too so why should he push himself if his family settled for this kind of mediocrity.

"Oh you want information on that, huh?" Her attention was drawn from the walls of the tent back to the man sitting before her as he finally addressed her.

"That's what I just said, isn't it?" She knew that this wasn't an everyday situation for someone like him, but that didn't mean that he was allowed to waste her time by repeating himself.

"Well…" The man removed his helmet and ran a hand over his thin hair, "To be honest we don't know too much. It's hard to get information on a party as violent as this one."

"Well tell me what you do know." Her tone was more harsh this time around, it was a given that the group was mysterious and violent so there was no reason to just state the obvious, again wasting her time.

"We know where this group resides, our own intel was able to gather that much. And they seem to have a leader." A location… well that was very basic but it at least gave her something to work with.

"Any of them firebenders?"

"Firebenders?" He leaned forward a bit, holding a hand over his mouth as he let out a soft chuckle. Lucky him that Azula didn't find his current actions to be all too outlandish since it did make sense. "No, many of them seem to be earthbenders so of course not."

"Thank you," She was quick to her feet, taking a quick bow before turning to face Mai who hadn't left her side. "send one of your intel operatives to meet with me at once."

"Of course… Princess Azula."

"Still plan on going?" Mai said as she kept up with Azula's pace as the two of them exited the tent and now stood in the evening light.

"Yes, I just have this feeling." The captain may have waved it off, but something just told her that there was a firebender in this group. That village didn't have the look of one that was attacked by natural fire even if the attacks were messy. The real question she had to loom over was what she would do once she confronted this person, or people if there was more than one.

"A… feeling?"

"Yes, don't question it Mai." Azula waved off the questioning tone that came from her faithful subordinate, it wasn't the time for that. Now they needed to go find Ty Lee and meet with this operative so that they could go get to the bottom of this. After all, she couldn't just have this rogue group making a bad name for her home… her brother already did enough of that.

Azula had a bit of a disgusted feeling as she looked at the makeshift homes of this… group that she and her lackeys made their way too. If she had to even tolerate this kind of living for even a day she would lose her mind. And here were these people seemingly content or even happy from what she could see so they had to be somewhat crazy, right? Regardless she let out a deep breath before taking a step into the village.

"Can we help you?" A thin man approached the three of them, a larger man behind him as others from around them continued on with their day. The tone of the man being annoyed as he looked them over, clearly not happy that uninvited guests were here.

"Yes, can you point me in the direction of the firebender who stays with you?" There were two ways that this would go in her own mind, either she would meet this firebender or if there wasn't one here the three of them would bring this pathetic excuse of a town to the ground.

"Who's asking?" The larger man asked, his muscles clearly tensed up as he was ready for a fight, odd how quick these two were to assume that this could go there. Must have had a recent conflict to be on edge like this.

"Princess Azula, who doesn't need her time wasted." It was subtle but she slowly moved her feet to be shoulder width apart so that she would be ready for what was surely about to come.

"Princess huh? You royalty are all the same." Before the thin man could even finish his sentence the other larger one charged forward at the Princess herself. Foolish man, thinking that his size would give him the advantage in a frontal attack like this. As he went for an over the head punch she swung a fist to her right side to propel herself off the ground by blasting fire downward.

Sliding to a stop he tried to recoil but she was quicker than he likely anticipated, as she flipped through the air behind him and sent two balls of fire at the heels of the man. He had to have been stupid, grabbing at his feet as he rolled back on feet and attempted to rub the pain away from his feet. As he was on his back though she didn't let up, stomping down on his shoulder with herself posed and ready to unleash an attack. Mai and Ty Lee did their own part too, having taken down the thinner man as a small crowd now formed around them.

"I don't know what you meant by that but-" Azula was quickly cut off by what sounded like an explosion that had been set off into the air, her eyes quickly darting around to locate the source of this. It didn't take long either, as her sights set on a red haired, masked young man who had a sword in one hand and another weapon that she couldn't identify in the other. A smirk crawling onto her lips as he stepped forward, their attention clearly on the other as everyone else grew deathly quiet.

A/N: Ugh! Man this chapter took me forever to write! I apologize if some of the writing seemed a little forced because it probably was. I let this chapter get drawn out for way too long so I honestly wanted to just let it end. And hey, how was that for an end of a chapter? ;P Stay tuned for Chapter 3!