Azula Forever
Chapter 4
By: RebLaw
Note: This is an AU story. It is in the same time period about as the Avatar TV show (Ep 3 and Ep 12), with the same characters. There is only one minor change. Azula was born unable to firebend.
This chapter is dedicated to Hotspur, 'cuz it's got IrohxZuko family-love fluff in it (no, not incest, incest is BADDDDD!).
-.-.-.-.-
Zhao failed her. It seemed either her brother had gotten better at firebending, or Zhao was not as skilled as she had thought. Sure Zhao was a master, but he lacked the insight of a true warrior. Azula decided that she couldn't trust Zhao to accomplish much based on talent.
But she did learn something useful; apparently the Avatar was alive, able-bodied, and afoot. Not only that, but her brother wanted to capture him desperately. That was one of very few things Azula and Zuko had in common, both were dedicated and ambitious. Both let their passions get away from them, the great difference was, Azula was more aware of it. She knew how to use it against Zuko.
Zhao might not be able to capture the Avatar, but he could get others to do that for him. Between the two of them, Azula was certain they could pull the resources necessary to capture the foe. She was fairly certain she could count on Zhao's support, his pride had just been injured after all, and if there was one thing she learned from watching her father in court it was that honor was more important than life.
But, her plan required that she return to the Fire Nation capital, to call in some favors.
-.-.-.-.-
Iroh solemnly walked back to the ship. He had just saved Zuko's life, while he hadn't done that just to be praised by his distant nephew, he did feel a quick "thanks" was owed.
But the boy said nothing the whole way to the ship. Iroh cleared his throat when they got to the ship.
"Are you feeling ill Uncle?" Zuko asked.
"No, no, I'm fine," Iroh replied, a thin smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
-.-.-.-.-
It took much more effort than Azula had anticipated. But the princess was proud of her accomplishment. She remembered, from her history lessons, that the Fire Nation used the YuYan archers to exterminate the Air Nomads. Unfortunately, there was only a small group of the archers left, and they were all under the control of Colonel Shinu. He didn't want to share, even with the princess.
But, of course, she had ideas with how to deal with it. While her rank as "princess" held little sway with traditionalist military men such as Shinu, she knew others she could manipulate to work around him. She was confident he'd give her the archers, by hook or by crook.
-.-.-.-.-
"Hey Zuko, I've got a surpri-" Iroh said as he barged into his teenage nephew's room. His brain malfunctioned at what he saw.
"Shhh," Zuko hissed as he motioned for Iroh to enter the room.
"Zuko," Iroh began trying to be diplomatic. "I don't understand. What is going on?"
As Zuko finished putting on a dark suit, he shortly stated "Hand me the blue mask."
"Where are you going?" Iroh asked, as he handed the mask to the prince. "What are you going to be doing?"
Zuko looked his uncle in the eye. "I'm going to find out what Zhao's up to. He has more resources at his disposal, so he might have information that would be helpful."
"That sounds like a wise plan," Iroh said approvingly, he didn't really think so but he didn't want to rock the boat now that he and Zuko were getting along. "Just be sure to not get caught."
-.-.-.-.-
Zhao was pleased with himself. He had done just as Azula had instructed and was able to pull rank of Colonel Shinu and receive the YuYan archers. And true to her word, her brother had been watching as it had transpired.
Now all he had to do was capture the Avatar. It wouldn't be difficult, the grandfather's of the YuYan archers were the ones who made the airbenders extinct a hundred years ago. Surely the could capture a boy, no matter how clever the boy was.
He had had a run-in with the boy not too long ago, in a temple, but Zuko had been there and kept him from apprehending the Avatar. Zuko was too ambitious.