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chapter two: playing with fire
"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral." ~ General Iroh
Grimmjow had never liked Commander Zhao.
No matter the man's status - general, admiral, commander - the blue-haired firebender had always found Zhao to be the same power-hungry fool, who in the right light weirdly resembled a primate, he'd first met in his Fire Nation Academy days. He suspected the feeling was mutual, the other commanding officer no doubt less than fond of a man who'd never paid him any respect, risen in the military ranks far faster than he ever had, and put his firebending to shame. Zhao was every bit as proud and egotistical as Grimmjow himself and just as ambitious. They were too alike in too many ways for them to exactly see eye-to-eye, yet there had never been even the slightest argument between the two. No, since day one their disdain for each other had manifested itself in double entendres and comments only they knew to be snide and insulting.
However, Grimmjow would never let something so trivial stand in his way, never let an opportunity like the one Zhao would soon present to him pass him by.
But he was powerless to stop the irritability that consumed him more and more as he sat in the commander's quarters, waiting far past the agreed upon meeting time. If it weren't for the importance of their meeting, Grimmjow would have left the second the other party was late. He didn't twiddle his thumbs and wait patiently like a good little boy for anyone. And yet, there he was, on Zhao's ship, sitting seiza at a table between two lanterns and positioned parallel to a tapestry decorated with a massive map of the world - each of the original four nations colored accordingly.
Running a hand through his tousled azure locks, his hair free of the customary Fire Nation top knot, Grimmjow growled underneath his breath and drummed his fingers against the table surface. He attempted to remind himself that his patience would be rewarded with a chance to finally join in on the action, the mental exercise successful as he imagined future battles with an eager bloodlust that brought a manic grin to his lips. Oh, what fun he would have paving a path of destruction through the city of the Northern Water Tribe, leaving broken ice and bodies in his wake.
"Admiral Grimmjow, I'm so glad you could make it," a male voice interrupted his fantasies rather annoyingly. Turning his head toward the newcomer, he already knew it could only be the one for whose arrival he'd been anticipating.
"The same to you, Commander. I was beginning to worry you'd fallen victim to tragedy" he said, watching intently as Zhao strode across the space, fully bedecked in the Fire Nation regalia of a commander and blatantly revealing the smug self-satisfaction he felt towards his new position. The man lowered himself to sit opposite the blunette, large, uncovered hands reaching out to grasp the handle of an ornate, dragon-shaped kettle and raise it a few inches off the table.
"Tea, Admiral?" Zhao offered politely, to which Grimmjow frowned and held up a hand in refusal. He hated drinking that hot leaf juice, every flavor of the stuff an offense to his tastebuds. Zhao sighed as if greatly saddened. "Speaking of tragedies, I suppose I should be the first to inform you of our dear Crown Prince Zuko's demise."
Had Grimmjow been less a composed man he was sure his eyes would've widened and jaw dropped in utter shock at the news. Not only was the death of the teenaged prince unexpected, it felt like he'd been punched in the stomach, his throat suddenly constricting. By training and nature, the admiral gave no visible sign of being personally affected to hear of the young royal's passing.
It had been years since he'd seen either of the Fire Lord's children, but long ago, before his graduation and appointment as a captain, Grimmjow had once been very closely connected with the prince and princess. In spite of a personality ill-suited for teaching and dealing with children, they were at one point the only students in existence he'd ever instructed as a master in the art of firebending.
Again, this was all a very long time ago. He doubted his two former pupils would even remember him.
"General Iroh relayed the events to me earlier today. Pirates placed explosives on the ship. They detonated while the prince was still aboard," Zhao said, tone chock full of false sorrow.
And Grimmjow didn't believe him. Not for a second.
He didn't know whether Zhao was lying about Prince Zuko being dead, but there wasn't a bone in his body that accepted the bullshit story casting a band of pirates as the banished prince's killers. In fact, it was all too likely the commander, who'd been competing with the prince to be the one to capture the Avatar, was behind the whole thing. But Grimmjow wasn't stupid or naive enough to call Zhao out then and there, merely responding with a murmured agreement of the news' tragedy.
"And now the task of capturing the Avatar logically falls on my shoulders, Admiral," Zhao said. "Which brings me to why I've asked you to abandon your important duties in the south and meet with me." It didn't escape notice the way the word 'important' was spoken with an undertone of sarcasm that made Grimmjow grit his teeth.
"I'm sure you have plenty of orders to give out and some much needed sleep to catch up on, Commander, so let's dispense the formalities and get to the point, shall we?"
"I couldn't agree more, Admiral," Zhao said, his eyes narrowing the tiniest bit at the implication that he did nothing more than order his inferiors around whilst reclining in some comfortable, plush chair. "The point as to why I called upon you is that there is another target in the north pole aside from the Avatar, their capture a task I can only entrust to a firebender with exceptional skill."
Grimmjow knew better than to take the compliment at face value, noting the other basically referred to his firebending as 'good' and made no mention of his title of Master or his exceedingly renowned abilities. "I didn't believe there was any person of importance in the north pole other than the Avatar. Even the Tribal Chief and waterbending Master have been classified a minimal threat."
"Ah, that is the information given to all officers save me," Zhao said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "There is someone located within the city of significance, someone the Fire Lord himself told me he is personally interested in almost as much as the Avatar."
That certainly caught Grimmjow's attention. What Water Tribe man or woman could possibly garner the personal interest of Fire Lord Ozai? Even the most powerful and influential tribe members were openly considered to be of the same status as any of the other Northern Water Tribe citizens, mere pawns in the Fire Nation's conquest of the world.
"This is the person you want me to snatch for you to bring back to the Fire Lord," Grimmjow concluded, crossing his arms over his armored chest. "Obviously if I'm to take on this task, you'll have to tell me who they are."
"Obviously," the commander said, forcing a diminutive smile. "However, first let me tell you how I've incorporated your mission into my battle strategy as I'm afraid I most likely will not have another moment to spare discussing it with you from here on out."
"Please. Enlighten me, Commander."
"After we lay siege to the city and break through their outer wall, I will send you out with the third battalion - by that time the battle should be in full swing and therefore provide sufficient distraction. You will then have to separate from the other soldiers and make your way past the Water Tribe's defenses undiscovered. Your target will most likely be further into the city in a secure location, all you have to do is basic search and destroy, except 'search and subdue' may be more fitting. It is the Fire Lord's personal wish injury to the captive be kept to an absolute minimal. Following me so far, Admiral?"
"I follow you perfectly, Commander, due to your innate talent at keeping battle plans as simple as possible - an enviable quality, to be certain," Grimmjow said, mind already working through the holes in Zhao's plan and figuring his assigned target to probably be a vital part of the tribal community if the commander thought for sure the tribe's leaders would keep them away from the main battle site in a secure location. That made sense considering the Fire Nation ruler's interest in them. But he hadn't a clue as to who this mysterious desirable could possible be...
"A great strategizer knows it's best to plan so even the dimmest witted under their command understand all direction given to them," Zhao managed to say despite the way that vein in his temple seemed to be throbbing wildly. "But moving on so we can end this meeting and preparations can be made on your part, your objective will be to defeat and detain seventeen year-old Tribal Prince Ichigo."
...
"I'm I sure misheard you, Commander. Did you just now say you want me to infiltrate enemy territory and kidnap a child?"
Grimmjow was not impressed.
"Your ears are in working order, Admiral. Young as he may be, all intelligence we've gathered so far proves the Tribal Prince is no 'child'," Zhao informed monotonously, his lips curving downwards and brow furrowing into a deep frown from being questioned as if he were an inferior. "Quite to the contrary, Prince Ichigo was proclaimed a waterbending Master two years younger than when you yourself gained the title and is considered by many to be one of, if not the, best waterbender in the world. He is also the heir to the position of Tribal Chief, the successor to his adoptive father as leader of the Northern Water Tribe."
Though his expression and body language remained impassive, Grimmjow was secretly impressed by this Prince Ichigo's accomplishments in waterbending. Would he really have the opportunity to duke it out with the best living waterbender in all four nations? It was just too good to be true.
"Yet the other Master and the Chief were classified unimportant in the briefing documents sent out a fortnight ago," he said, a part of him skeptical and another wondering what Lord Ozai could want with this prince.
"I suppose as it is your mission you are privy to the discussion the Fire Lord and I had regarding the boy," Zhao admitted grudgingly, clearly unhappy to share anything of his relating to his precious Fire Lord. "However all His Majesty would say of the prince's importance was once he and the Fire Nation are victorious and the war has come to the end he will have use for subservient figureheads his subjects can look to as role models. Prince Ichigo will be an example to his fellow Water Tribe citizens to see the Fire Lord and the royal family not as enemies but the world's new guiding light."
Born into the world of Fire Nation nobility and over a decade served in its military as a high ranking officer, Grimmjow understood Lord Ozai's reasoning for collecting a select few influential Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom natives and what it would mean for those unlucky enough to be chosen. The Fire Lord had a multitude of ways to 'break' these meant to be role models, ranging from cruel to heartless to pure evil and everything in between - they would be fortunate if they were only brainwashed to personify the exemplary obedient subject. He almost felt bad for this Ichigo kid. It was a bleak fate, to say the least.
"And he shall have it. I've yet to disappoint Lord Ozai, it's why he delegated this mission as mine, because he knows I'll deliver," Grimmjow said, rising to his feet and prompting Zhao to do the same. "I believe you already know that, Commander, and therefore positive despite other contributing factors I'm the only man to get the job done. Isn't that right?"
"No one can argue with your track record, Admiral, and I sincerely hope you return successful because if you aren't... well, it's just terribly difficult to think of a new explanation every time an officer disappears," Zhao said, chuckling as if that last part really was simply an off-color joke and not the honest to the Spirit World truth.
"No need to lose any sleep over that particular dilemma; in the wake of our victory at the north pole, the Tribal Prince Ichigo," Grimmjow said with pure determination, placing the heel of his open left hand over his fisted right hand and bowing to the other's mirrored form as was their nation's custom. "You have my gratitude for summoning me from the south, Commander Zhao. As I'm sure you remember, there's nothing I love more than a good fight."
The blue-haired firebender left without another word, not allowing the other man to respond and therefore forcing him to ruminate a few choice memories of spars ending in humiliating defeat at Grimmjow's hands. Zhao had always been a mediocre bender, obsessing over expert techniques he demanded to learn when he was nowhere close to being able to attempt them, and never would be. Sparring against him all those years ago, Grimmjow an academy first year and Zhao close to graduating, had bored the admiral to tears as he found not a bit of a challenge whenever they faced off.
But Prince Ichigo - he was a waterbending Master, ever since he'd reportedly earned the title at the tender age of twelve. They said he was the best, no other waterbender better in either of the Water Tribes or anywhere between. A child of seventeen and considered more skilled, more talented, more powerful than any of the other Masters who'd spent decade upon decade honing their craft. Without having even seen the boy, Grimmjow knew the completely unaware Tribal Prince he was meant to steal from the poor kid's home and deliver to the Fire Lord would without a doubt be the most worthy, exciting, formidable and best opponent he ever had the pleasure of fighting.
It was undeniable, Grimmjow, Admiral of the Southern Fleet and Firebending Master couldn't wait for the moment he came face to face with Tribal Prince Ichigo, the best Waterbending Master in the world and of which his incredible desires centered around, the promise of the fight of a lifetime blazing through him, raging inner fire boiling his blood and sparking the electricity of the worst sea storm's lightning in his gut.
He grinned in a mentally unhinged sort of way, maniacal and so very eager. "Get ready, sweet prince," he said under his breath. " 'cause I'm comin' fer ya."
Though he was wearing his warm, fur-lined parka, Ichigo shivered violently, attempting to hide the action as much as possible since he was currently in attendance of a meeting between the Tribal Council and the Avatar and his two southern friends. However ridiculous he thought the matter at hand, the orangette couldn't afford to lose face with the rest of the council should he fail to maintain a mask of perfect seriousness - legs crossed and tucked underneath him, back straight, expression impassive, and mouth shut.
"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" his father, Chief Arnook, was currently saying to the Avatar's distraught female friend. Katara, if he remembered correctly.
"Yes - please!" the girl, Katara, said a tad sheepishly.
Ichigo wished he could interject and point out Avatar Aang's supposed crime of teaching waterbending to his friend shouldn't require punishment as it not only proved the prince's own opinion of the tribe's archaic gender-segregated teachings but also was simply an act of friendship and a demonstration the Avatar's ability to separate his morals from the law. Really, if the traveling companion of the world's savior was refused the opportunity to learn proper waterbending on the basis she was of the fairer sex than what was the fairness in allowing a boy a master's instruction merely because he was male? Bending was an art and so the chance to train in it should be available to those with true passion for learning its ways if there need be a restriction on those deemed worthy, but in all actuality true equality and justice would provide it to any capable pupil. Ichigo was already decided that if this were not the case at the time when he took his father's place as Tribal Chief, he would make it so.
"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him," Arnook said, trying to resolve the issue as peacefully as he was able. However, Ichigo watched as Katara's face morphed into a hateful scowl, the idea of apologizing to Master Pakku evidently not a favorable one. He couldn't blame her one bit, he'd had his fair share of conflict with the stodgy old waterbending teacher.
"I'm waiting, little girl," Pakku said disdainfully and Ichigo couldn't help but roll his eyes at the elder's immature behavior. Nevertheless, the one most offended was Katara whose fists balled up at her sides and glared up at the older man.
"No! No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" she declared as her latent powers cracked jagged lines in the ice under her feet, automatically earning points in Ichigo's book. Standing up to a Master, let alone in front of an entire council, took serious guts and now the Southern Water Tribe girl was in Pakku's face, pointing a finger at him accusingly.
"Uh, Katara..." Aang murmured from the side of his mouth, clearly uncomfortable with the turn this meeting was taking.
"I'll be outside - if you're man enough to fight me!"
Ichigo's eyebrows shot up and he heard Yue gasp at his right, hands clasping over her mouth in surprise. No one spoke to members of the council, especially revered Master Pakku, as Katara had and the added of shock factors of the speaker belonging to the gender from which their tribe customarily expected sweetness and unfaltering obedience and she'd just challenged the master waterbender to fight. It just wasn't done, it was scandalous and irreverent and outlandish and... awesome. Ichigo mentally noted his undeniably repressed sister could learn a thing or two from this Katara chick, who was storming away from the council to make her dramatic exit.
"I'm sure she didn't mean that," Aang tried to reassure everyone. But beside him the brother of Katara, and the Tribal Prince's new one to watch considering the relationship rapidly developing between he and Yue, whose name Ichigo believed to be Sokka didn't think so.
"Yeh, I think she did," he whispered loudly to the Avatar and everyone else in the room silently agreed yet no one spoke a word until Master Pakku moved from his seat on the lower ledge to set his feet on the floor and begin following his challenger outside.
"Pakku, surely you're not going to seriously fight the girl?" Arnook exclaimed. "She's just a child."
"A child who needs to learn a lesson and I am a teacher, am I not?" Pakku said, continuing to walk away. "No need for concern, of course I won't really fight the little girl, merely make a point is all." Then he disappeared into the bright, arctic daylight and again the hall was terribly quiet. After a moment, Aang and Sokka huffed exasperatedly and ran outside.
And, well, there was no way Ichigo was going to miss this showdown.
But as he moved to rise and follow the others through the doorway and down the steps, his father grasped his upper arm in one hand and stilled him. "This meeting is dismissed and the issue to be resolved at a later time. You all may take your leave now and we thank you for your attendance," Arnook announced, all of the tribal elders knowing it wasn't an option whether or not to leave and quickly making themselves scarce to leave the tribe's royal family to their privacy. "While it is a good idea to not become a spectator to the spectacle Pakku and our guest are sure to make in order to appear as neutral as we are, I need to speak with you and your sister."
Ichigo inwardly deflated, his recent history of family meetings not exactly positive and therefore dreading whatever it is the chief had to say to both he and Yue. He desperately pleaded with any of the spirits that may be listening that Arnook didn't want to talk about -
"Ichigo, I was hoping you could give me an update on how your search for a bride is going so far."
Never mind.
"Um, well I... I've been trying to narrow it down to the girls I like best," the orange-haired waterbender lied. He hadn't so much as directly looked at a female over twelve and under fifty years of age ever since his father told him a betrothal was required of him within the span of six weeks. He'd spent most of that time bemoaning his cowardice and how he was too afraid to admit to a single soul he was and always had been attracted to men and couldn't even imagine a relationship or intimacy with a woman.
"That's a good start but remember the perfect wife for you may not be the girl you think you like best at this time. Youth has a funny effect on the mind that way, it might lead you to believe the girl you're most... physically in tune with is the One to soon realize the two of you have nothing else in common," Arnook said and Ichigo was so mortified at the older man's hints to the teenage libido and physical acts of love his face burned a bright red, eyes firmly set on the ground for he couldn't even look at his father. "And you have to keep the good of our tribe in mind. Your wife will be as much of a leader as any council member, she needs to possess the qualities that make a woman truly extraordinary - as your mother did." Arnook's voice softened as he made mention of his late wife and the image of the woman who'd cared and loved Ichigo just as if he actually was the fruit of her womb flickering into his mind, embarrassment fading and replaced by a strange pleasant sorrow - the memory warming his heart even whilst he felt the painful ache of loss.
"And as Yue does," the chief added on, looking from his son to the white-haired princess with a small smile and Ichigo saw her blue eyes shimmer in flattered pleasure. "Ah, if you could be so fortunate to find a girl like your sister, Ichigo, you would know the joy I felt with your mother."
"I don't think I'll be that lucky," the orangette said, sighing. "I don't know if I'll be able to find anyone at all, actually. Six weeks is rather brief to make one of the biggest decisions of my life." He hoped Arnook caught on to the 'unintended' meaning behind what he was saying. His father was a kind and generous man, if not a bit stuck in his ways. Perhaps he would prolong Ichigo's grace period, or eliminate the necessity the boy secure a bride to marry in under two months' time altogether. But that was too much to wish for and not in the cards for the tribal heir.
"Well you won't with that attitude, son! Chin up, now. Confidence attracts the ladies, which you would know if you spent all the time you use to practice waterbending socializing with kids your age," the chief exclaimed in good humor, ruffling his son's head of tangerine hair so it was messier than ever. He gave the princess a kiss on the forehead and then slid from the ledge to the floor, saluting his children with two fingers before exiting through a side door and leaving in a rus to attend to chiefly duties in need of his attention. Having a Tribal Chief for a father meant a pretty small amount of familial quality time and any talks they had were fleeting and brief.
"Don't listen to him, Ichigo. I think it's amazing you dedicate so much of yourself to your waterbending, which I know rivals Tui and La themselves, even if no one's seen you bend in years," Yue said, laughing as she spoke the last part as she attempted to comfort her brother and succeeded. "If anything, the one you're meant to be with will love you for it - maybe even fall for you somewhat because of your passion and incredible gift for the art of waterbending. They would have to, now that I think about it; it's part of who you are."
"Great Spirits, Yue, you always sound like one of those wisewomen up in the healing huts. How did you get so smart about love, anyway?" Ichigo said, chuckling and shaking his head. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be off cavorting with that boomerang guy?" He knew the boy's name, of course, but refused to give someone who'd so easily stolen his sister's affections the courtesy of referring to them by name. The faraway look in Yue's eyes and flushed cheeks told him all he needed to know and he sighed dramatically. "Go," he said, the word drawn out in playful exasperation.
"You're the best brother ever," Yue said, hugging him tightly for a few seconds and then rushing from the hall to wherever she'd agreed to meet a boy Ichigo would secretly admit an astronomically better match for her than dimwitted, narcissistic Kahn.
If the spirit of love were to do her job correctly, Princess Yue would never have to marry that boorish pig and Ichigo would never know wedded bliss, not ever. And yet, he supposed it was hard for her to work when Fate and Destiny were eternally screwing things up.
Ichigo was in his favored place of the Spirit Oasis when he first saw the falling snow black as night, its appearance doubtlessly a terrible omen. The moment the ebony snowflake in his hand melted, he ran from the sacred ground all the way to the center of city of ice, arriving in the entryway of the meeting hall panting and sweating due to the exertion of sprinting such a long distance.
Startlingly, it seemed he was far behind the rest of the tribe for Chief Arnook had already gathered his people in the space and was projecting his voice in a commanding way as he spoke to the crowd. Behind him sat Yue and Master Pakku, the empty spot between them making the prince's absence glaringly obvious, but Ichigo decided to stay in the back, leaning his back against the wall made of ice.
"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!" Arnook proclaimed emphatically, raising his arms to the heavens whilst the effects of his rousing speech made themselves known within Ichigo, heart beating like one of their tribal drums and making his ears and throat throb almost painfully as the anxious knots in his stomach unraveled to cause his gut to clench in thrilling, restless anticipation bordering on dread. His body responded even as his mind refused to believe it. The invasion of his home by Fire Nation soldiers and their war machines the stuff of his worst nightmares, something he never expected though in the deepest recesses of his mind accepted as inevitable.
And it was happening right now. Metal ships of death were sailing toward their city in the surrounding waters, ruining the pristine arctic landscape with toxic, mechanical soot and grime. The Fire Nation wanted to destroy or claim the Northern Water Tribe, maybe even both, and Ichigo was consumed by the desire, the need, to protect the only home he'd ever known. And in all honesty he could hold his ground against a fleet of Fire Nation ships, and he would.
"I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission," Arnook cut through the orangette's thoughts and Ichigo barely understood what it was his father had said until the determined voice of Sokka reverberated throughout the hall.
"Count me in."
The boy's sister cried his name while other men followed his example, rising to their feet, and from across the room Ichigo could make out his own sister's fear and despair cross her beautiful features. Yue had fallen hard and fast for the Southern Water Tribe boy, nearly impossibly so, and the tribal prince was reminded of his earlier ponderings on the spirits of love and Fate and how one always conflicted with the other creating chaos and strife and unfathomable sorrow.
"Be warned: many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task."
When Chief Arnook painted the three red lines of a warrior upon Sokka's forehead, Ichigo did not miss the look the boy gave Yue, who turned her head away from that searching gaze as tears trailed down her face. The orangette knew they were only the first to be shed in the trying times ahead.
Feeling he needed a brief moment of quiet solitude to collect his thoughts, he slipped outside unnoticed and experienced one of life's bitter ironies as his attempt at a sliver of peace met a violent end. He hadn't even reached the steps before a thunderous boom pierced through the once still air, his eyes snapping up to witness a massive ball of fire crash into the city's outer wall, its destructive power immense as it tore a gaping wound into the fortified structure. He was frozen in horrified shock for what seemed like an eternity, people rushing out from the meeting hall past his paralyzed form, their screams sounding full of fear and very far away.
An hour later found Ichigo in the tribe's warrior barracks and armory, currently in a side room Chief Arnook had pulled him into so they could speak in private. Well, he wasn't speaking as much as he was shouting in outrage and indignation - emotions he felt were totally justified considering what his father had just told him.
"You can't be serious! Tell me you're only making some sort of awful joke!" he was saying, pacing back and forth.
"Ichigo, please calm yourself," the chief said. "This is the worst possible situation for you to be irrational."
"You think I don't know that?" Ichigo snapped, his tone not one he ever used with his father. "But how can I be calm after you just now said I'm supposed to twiddle my thumbs and do nothing while my home is under attack? I came of age over a year ago yet you're still treating me like a child!"
"You will cease speaking to me with such disrespect at once," Arnook commanded in his deep, authoritative voice, dark brown brows furrowing in a slight frown that held more impact than the fiercest glare. Ichigo immediately paused mid-step, facing the older man with a bowed head, properly chastised like the child he claimed not to be. "I do not recall ever telling you anything of the sort and it offends me you could think I would ever demand that of you."
"But... you said-"
"I said that you will not join the warriors when they infiltrate the Fire Nation army and neither will you stand among the defence's forces. Had you not jumped to the absurd conclusion I planned to have you do nothing you would already know your place during this battle is not with either of those is because I need you elsewhere," the chief said, placing his hands on Ichigo's shoulders and directing a steely gaze down at the younger man. "For reasons you've chosen not to share, from the moment you were declared a Master you have only practiced waterbending in secrecy. For half a decade despite the council's concern and my own I have kept silent on the subject, but now our people are in grave danger and dire need of your help - can I trust you to give it to them? "
"The Spirits themselves couldn't stop me," Ichigo said. Rather than feeling insulted by his father's uncertainty of whether or not he would rise to the occasion, the lingering doubt that the chief and the rest of the tribe had in the back of their minds only served to strengthen his determination. He would prove himself to the entire Northern Water Tribe deserving to hold the title of Master, and someday in the far off future - Tribal Chief.
Not to mention his reasons for isolating himself would now be in his favor.
"That's what I thought," Arnook said, frown lifting into a sad, barely there smile. "That's why I've chosen you for what may be considered the most important role of them all, something befitting of the future Chief."
"And that is...?" Ichigo trailed off, mentally running through a list of possibilities, unable to pinpoint a specific one as the most likely, as his father removed the hands from his shoulders and ambled over to the room's single window boasting a magnificent view of the sprawling city and its canals. After arching a tangerine brow, the orangette joined Arnook by the window.
"For the duration of the battle we will be relocating women, children, and the elderly to a secure location - our own home to be exact. I've already stationed guards to stand watch but a handful of warriors could never hope to hold their ground should the Fire Nation's troops advance that far and find the stronghold where those unable to fight are being kept, the Spirits forbid it ever happen. The majority of our people will end up at the mercy of the enemy, unless there is one last line of defense capable of protecting them." Arnook sighed, resting an elbow at eye-level on the side of the window. "Not a single soul in the entire tribe would have a prayer. Save for you, Ichigo."
A large part of the Tribal Prince was underwhelmed by the nature of the task, disappointed he wouldn't be on the front lines where all of the action would take place and his opportunity to finally utilize the numerous waterbending moves he'd invented to make those Fire Nation scum regret the day they lay siege to his home. A bitter voice in his head snarled the position was no more than a glorified babysitter and forced him to stand around waiting for something that might happen while every other capable man clashed with the enemy.
However, another part of him cast the assignment in a better light. His whole life had been dedicated to serving his tribe who one day would become his subjects; he should be honored to defend the defenseless and take on the task for which he and he alone had the potential to succeed.
"I suppose it goes without saying there's a great chance this battle could end with you seceding me as Tribal Chief earlier than expected," Arnook murmured, an unusual behavior for a man normally strikingly composed and imposing.
"That won't happen," Ichigo stated resolutely, unwilling to imagine let alone plan for a future so awful.
"I hope so, son, but war is an expert in changing lives in phenomenal, ever lasting ways. There is no telling what we'll see when the smoke clears, only that it will be different. Yet we still send prayers to the Spirits for the world to be as it was, even when we feel the winds of change on our face."
And right then, a draft of cold air blew through the window, ruffling Ichigo's hair and carrying a scent of burning fumes and arctic waters that made his eyes and throat sting. These winds definitely carried with them a promise of change he couldn't determine as bad or good, just so incredible nothing would ever again be the same.
This was the single most boring act of war Grimmjow had ever participated in.
Their fleet had dealt the first blow around midday and it was now hours past sunset and all he'd done was witness the battle from afar as a spectator. It was absolutely infuriating to watch everyone else have all the fun, his skin practically itching with desire to get in on the action when he knew he couldn't as doing so would ruin his plans for his personal mission. Restraint was a trouble spot for him, especially when tested by the lure of the fight.
Grimmjow had wished the skiffs full of waterbenders or even the Avatar and his sky bison would attack his ship, or just move within range so he could engage them himself. Alas, they hadn't come remotely close enough, the front lines of the Fire Nation's massive navy proving too much of a challenge for them to make their way to where his ship sailed in the center of the fleet, next to Commander Zhao's. Oh, what torture he'd suffered that day.
But it was easier on him now that combat had ceased for the evening due to a strategic retreat until daybreak suggested by General Iroh since waterbenders drew their strength from the moon and would inevitably grow more powerful at night. Surprisingly, Commander Zhao had listened to the man's advice and ordered for all advances to desist immediately and resume at sunrise. This left the area eerily quiet and deceptively peaceful, Grimmjow hearing not a sound at his position leaning on the iron rail on the bow of his ship. All of the crew members were below deck in his vessel as well as those surrounding it.
Now that explosions weren't clouding the air in thick, gray smoke the blue-haired admiral could clearly see the arctic landscape of the Northern Water Tribe. About as different from its sister tribe in the south pole as black and white, the city carved entirely from ice made for an impressive sight - or at least the part that was visible through the damaged remains of the outer wall did. To Grimmjow's slight misfortune he wasn't able to make out enough of the city to begin speculating on where they might be hiding his target.
Speaking of which, the day before the firebender had been able to acquire some more information on the Tribal Prince thanks to classified documents delivered by messenger hawk from the Fire Lord himself. Apparently Prince Ichigo's capture really was of great importance to Lord Ozai, more so than Grimmjow had originally believed.
From the new intelligence, he learned a good deal more about the royal waterbending prodigy, some facts proving to be quite interesting. For example, the prince wasn't even of noble blood, his real parents the last two waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe wiped out by the Fire Nation raid and somehow their infant son had been adopted by Chief Arnook and his wife at the other end of the world. Also, at the age of twelve when the Tribal Prince was declared a Master was allegedly the last time he was seen waterbending in public - something that made Grimmjow even more eager to duel the boy out of sheer curiosity. Lastly there was a little tidbit he thought amusing; the Water Tribe icon's natural hair color was a bright orange, quoted to resemble the rising sun. It was good to know he wasn't the only person out there cursed with features the color of their opposite element.
A snort of amusement left him right before a blur of movement to his left caught his attention. Casually rolling his head over to apprehend the source, he certainly didn't expect it to turn out as a figure in plain, gray clothes preparing to lower a lifeboat from Zhao's ship to the water. Grimmjow, as swiftly and quietly as possible, slid down the railing to get a better view of this mystery person and what they were doing this late at night sans any kind of uniform or armor.
The person stilled and the admiral immediately did the same, wondering if they'd seen him, but then another figure appeared in the ship's opening, so recognizable their identity was deciphered in an instant. Just as that information led to the suspicion who the first could be they were embraced by the other and then let go in order to jump into the lifeboat, moving directly into the light and confirming Grimmjow's suspicions. The man who still stood in the portal watching the other descend to the ocean surface was General Iroh and there was no mistaking the tragically scarred face of the youth leaving his uncle behind, someone that was supposed to be dead.
But with his own eyes Grimmjow was looking at a very much alive Prince Zuko.
Grimmjow hadn't believed Zhao's story of pirates murdering the banished prince of the Fire Nation from the second it left those lying lips, yet the commander had appeared truthful when he'd given the announcement even though his sorrow had been a transparent veil for how pleased he was at the news. That could only be if Zhao honestly trusted his adversary in the capture of the Avatar was no longer but Zuko had been right on his own ship.
Then Grimmjow realized that the prince and his uncle were perpetrating a ruse to allow Commander Zhao think the teenager really was dead while Prince Zuko lived on right under his nose like the fool he was. That way the prince could sail along with the man to the Northern Water Tribe and straight to the Avatar, who Zuko was most likely on his way in the ship's lifeboat to apprehend singlehandedly. The blunette felt a surge of pride for his former pupil. That was the kind of cunning and ambition of a future Fire Lord. He followed the lifeboat's route through the maze of metal vessels until the prince vanished into the darkness surrounding the frozen shores of the Northern Water Tribe, wondering if the infamously ornery youth would be successful this time after three years of failure and if things would be different had he not been forced to abruptly leave his position as tutor for one as a captain.
Despite being wrapped up in his own thoughts, Grimmjow's keen ears detected the noise of footsteps on the stairs leading up to the deck. He glanced over his shoulder to assess the newcomer, recognizing it as one of his lieutenants, and then fully turned around to face the man who knew from experience to spit out whatever he had to say to the impatient admiral instead of waiting to be addressed.
"I procured the items you asked for, Admiral sir," the lieutenant said, holding out a lumpy parcel wrapped in brown paper and string.
Grimmjow stalked forward and grabbed the thing from the other's hands, swiftly tearing its covering off to reveal a folded pile of navy blue fabric and white Arctic wolf fur. Smirking in approval, he dismissed his lieutenant with a wave of his hand and returned to his position leaning against the deck's railing. His gaze traveled back to the city under siege, thinking both that he needed to be patient just for a little while longer and that he would look good in blue and white.
Ichigo had never loved the sight of sunset so much.
However, this was because he mistakenly believed the Fire Nation troops would once again retreat until morning to avoid fighting against waterbenders under a full moon, the night they were their most powerful. He thought perhaps now he could find it in him to sleep or eat since the first night he'd refused both, too wired with restless energy for either. At the very least he could have a bit of reprieve from the agony of watching and listening to the tribe's warriors and benders fight against the onslaught of Fire Nation soldiers and somehow resisting the almost uncontrollable urge to rush to their defense, emotion violently wrestling with logic. It turned out this was not the case. Rather than falling back, the enemy's forces advanced even farther into the city, their benders, komodo rhinos, and weaponized machines all wreaking destruction everywhere they went.
From where he was located in the third story balcony of his palacial home near the opposite end of the outer wall Ichigo had witnessed just about everything that had occurred the past two days, including the single positive sight of his sister riding the Avatar's sky bison far above the dangers below. He commanded himself to remember every other minute his house was shelter to the majority of his tribe, the first floor now a makeshift infirmary for the wounded in addition to those incapable of defending themselves, and it was his duty as Tribal Prince and natural instinct to protect them.
So in his worst nightmares he never imagined being unable to even save himself that night.
"Prince Ichigo!"
The orangette whipped around from the edge of the balcony as he heard someone calling his name and was met with the breathless form of one of the warriors assigned to guard the safehouse. He'd obviously just sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him all the way to where Ichigo stood on the balcony. "What is it? Have any more men been injured?" the teenager accosted the guard, inwardly begging for the news not to be a report of harm to his father or especially his sister.
"Five of them; four warriors, one bender. The men here including myself have been called to join the others at the outer wall," the guard said between breathless pants.
"Then what are you still doing here?" Ichigo said, scowling in disapproval of the man leaving his comrades to the flames of the enemy for even longer to deliver a message the prince would've easily surmised on his own when those in the guard hurried to their tribe's aid. Luckily, the warrior understood the question was rhetorical and immediately raced from the balcony to reappear not a minute later on the ground below leading a dozen other warriors to battle.
Running a hand through his hair, Ichigo made himself take a deep breath, the sensation of bitterly cold air being pulled into his lungs welcomingly invigorating after a sleepless night. With he the last capable protector left guarding those inside the royals' home he needed the potential to strike assailants the instant they appeared, and if things kept going the way they were that was all too likely. He had a good view from where he stood on the tall balcony but when he did spy a spot of red and black closing in on them he would have too short a time to make his way to the ground. It was decided, then.
Ichigo ensured none inside the icy structure noticed him secretly descending from the third story balcony to the first floor, something made easier by how their attention was directed towards each other and the wounded and he slipped outside with no one the wiser. He crossed the twenty foot spanse of ice between the building and a four way intersection of canals, the unofficial royal palace unique in its construction since it was angled to face the center of said intersection. While this quality was to his disadvantage in that enemy troops could readily find him and the rest of the Water Tribe it also rendered it impossible for anyone to sneak up and surprise him in an ambush. He brought his gaze to sweep the surrounding area and awed at how awfully bizarre it was to see not another living soul anywhere near while listening to the hellish, discordant melody of war. And thus began the wait.
The Tribal Prince didn't have to wait for very long to find out his belief no one could surprise him couldn't have been more wrong.
Ichigo swore he glanced to the sky for sign of the Avatar's bison for a few seconds when he lowered his stare back to the earth to see him standing on the corner directly opposite the orangette. If man could materialize from thin air Ichigo would insist the one he was facing had done it, but it wasn't and fleetingly he wondered whether the other was mortal and not of the Spirit World.
The figure across the canal intersection was clearly male, their height of six feet and some inches and broad-shouldered shape a dead giveaway, and they were dressed in a navy blue parka and pants, a hood trimmed in ivory fur pulled so far over their head shadows hid their entire face. Noting this strange man carried no weapon and appeared to be alone promptly sent alarm bells ringing in Ichigo's head, primal intuition taking over as it sensed threat. Intending to call from the corner of his street to its mirror a demand this person identify themselves right away and should they refuse he'd attack regardless of their true allegiance, the words died in his throat the moment a hand pulled the hood away to reveal the stranger's face.
Somehow the vision froze him to the spot, unable to move an inch from laying eyes upon something so terribly stunning it was like staring straight into the sun, so supernaturally out of this world beautiful it hurt, and again Ichigo thought it possible this entity he faced wasn't a mere mortal. In fact, this man with his head of radiant morning sky blue hair and electrically azure orbs of storm lightning for eyes looked very much like La, the ocean spirit, himself had taken the shape of a man and now stood right there in front of him.
However, Ichigo's mind was affected in a contrasting manner and it started to move at incredible speed, reasoning even though this man wore the traditional attire of the Northern Water Tribe he couldn't possibly be a fellow tribe member. Ichigo wouldn't forget a face like that, not ever. No one would forget such a portrait of masculine loveliness, the image of that divinely handsome face seared into the conscience for an eternity.
"You have no idea how pleased I am to have finally found you, Your Highness."
Of course the first man Ichigo considered remotely attractive turned out to be firebending, arrogant, bloodthirsty, repulsive Fire Nation scum.
Grimmjow was ecstatic to at long last face the elusive, highly desired young royal, on the precipice of perhaps the fight of a lifetime and more excited than he had been in years.
It hadn't proved easy to clandestinely enter the Water Tribe city's walls and travel through the streets disguised as one of their own in search of the place they'd stashed Tribal Prince Ichigo to keep the boy hidden and safe from people like him. The massive labyrinth of canals and identical buildings had been a herculean challenge to navigate and the admiral had spent nearly an hour hunting his prey until he'd come to the corner of where four canals crossed paths, the glimpse of brilliant orange in the endlessly pale landscape like an electric shock in the best way.
But of all the things Grimmjow had thought about what Tribal Prince Ichigo could be he never considered nor expected his bounty to be downright gorgeous.
That head of hair that really did match the radiance of the rays of the setting sun and its shade of golden tangerine perfectly complemented tawny, flawless skin and luminescent dark amber eyes more expressive than any other pair he'd seen framed with thick, lush lashes. The only part of his body visible was the younger male's exquisite face surely a piece of art created by the spirit of beauty during an inspired frenzy of creativity. And yet from what the firebender could tell all that prince's heavy parka and other warm clothing shielded from Grimmjow's hungry gaze was every bit as delectable.
Nevertheless, it seemed the poor thing wasn't quite as gifted in other respects. Almost a whole minute had passed since Grimmjow had spoken and still Prince Ichigo merely stared at him, completely motionless. "Not much of a talker, are you?" he said to break the silence, arching an eyebrow. "That's a bit of a disappointment. I like a little trash talk before a fight."
"And who the hell are you, again?" the prince snapped in a pleasant baritone easily heard in spite of the distance, casually sliding his left foot back into a defensive stance. "I mean, you obviously know who I am, returning the favor is good sportsmanship, but taken that only a coward would disguise himself in stolen clothes I guess I can't expect much of you."
The devious grin that appeared whilst Grimmjow watched Prince Ichigo shake off the temporary paralysis and fall back into his natural demeanor, confident and displaying the signs of a trained fighter - deep, calming breaths, relaxed but strong stance, eyes bright and alert, threatened to eat Grimmjow's entire face, the effect feral and reminiscent of that of a man gone stark raving mad. The admiral played along willingly. There was an undeniable surge of pleasure derived from the thought of revealing his identity, the boy knowing the rest of his life who bested him, and of any his past opponents, Grimmjow thought the teen foremost deserved the pinch of respect. But he liked to keep things exciting.
"Oh, to the contrary, Your Highness, you can expect a lot of me," the blue-haired man said smugly, upper lip curling even further. "And you can have my name if you accept my challenge: a fight in Agni Kai style. A match between you and me using nothing beside our bending abilities, one on one, your water against my fire, whoever surrenders or can no longer bend is the loser and the victor decides their fate."
The orange-haired male frowned deeply, evidently detecting the oddity of an enemy proposing something so structured in the midst of an army's siege of an entire nation. Grimmjow definitely wouldn't be too thrilled if Prince Ichigo declined his offer; their duel promised to be one for the books even if the younger of the two didn't realize it yet.
"Bad move on your part but honestly I want to kick some Fire Nation ass too much to spare any of you bastards," the waterbender said, huffing in resignation as he gave in to the battlelust he spoke of and unknowingly delighting his challenger to no ends - repressed anger and violence always made for powerful displays of element bending. "I accept."
"Good choice." Grimmjow widened his own stance, already beginning to summon the flames he would manipulate to do his bidding from deep within.
"Now you give me your name, remember?" His Highness pressed as if he truly cared about obtaining that particular piece of information, which was really very flattering and yet a little curious. "You said I could have it if I accepted your offer to fight against each other."
"I lied," the admiral said. "Traditionally since I challenged you, you're allowed the first move so whenever you're ready give me your best shot."
"Why did I know a firebender like you wouldn't keep your word?" Ichigo said, eyes narrowing but not making any other bit of movement lest taking the opportunity to attack his opponent.
"Probably because you have a vendetta against firebenders, just like the other million people who do," Grimmjow said, scoffing as the self-righteous kid started down the path to the same thing the admiral had heard over and over and over again, interwoven with a sob story of how the Hundred Year War had personally affected them, and ranted on until he nearly died of boredom. He couldn't allow the orange-haired brat to go any farther. "Can we start, now? I'm not exactly a patient man."
The words had barely left Grimmjow's lips when the ice beneath his feet cracked menacingly, his eyes widening in realization as the sound of rushing water reached his ears. Acting on pure reflexes alone, he dived to the left and landed crouched low to the ground on the edge as a column of water surged up from where he'd been standing thirty feet into the air. Quickly over his initial shock at the speed of Ichigo's attack - he hadn't seen the waterbender move a finger - Grimmjow's grin was unstoppable, his gaze flicking back to the orangette whose expression betrayed the smallest hint of self-satisfaction.
Finally.
Using a technique few knew of to bend flames from his feet to strengthen his motions as well as add mobility, Grimmjow rose several feet in the air and glided across the canal, narrowly avoiding a torrential wave that would have been devastating had he been struck. His fists burst into flames, his upper arms engulfed in red hot flames he still didn't unleash upon his enemy. Ichigo's first two attacks had been strong but nowhere near where the blunette wanted them to be. He knew the kid could do better than that and he outright refused to settle for mediocre after he came all the way to the godforsaken north pole for the best.
Even now Ichigo was simply standing there, waiting to defend against his counterattack - unacceptable. It was plain bad manners to withhold from using the full strength of his abilities on the admiral who'd so graciously extended the invitation he'd accepted. However, Grimmjow's brutal nature swiftly stepped in to offer a suggestion for a way he could force the waterbender into kicking it up a notch and really putting his back into it.
A surefire plan in mind, the blue-haired man descending to stand on the ice below him, bring him the closest to the prince he'd been so far. His keen eyes swept over Ichigo's stiff form, recognizing the familiar signs of the boy's inner struggle with two sides of himself, the one telling him to maintain absolute control over his power and the other urging him to give in to his desire to let go, he was merely in need of a good shove in the right direction.
"Come on, it's not the time to be shy!" Grimmjow yelled, his demeanor one of a manic, sadistic glee revelling in the thrill of the moment during which he led by example and through seconds of meditation allowed something in the farthest recesses of himself free. His right hand shot out in front of him, palm open and fingers halfway extended, and through it propelled a monstrous explosion of blinding flames wider and taller than the building behind Ichigo full of innocent citizens it was headed straight for.
Grimmjow almost believed for a second that the orangette had fallen victim and the building had caught fire, but before any such doubt could manifest completely the inferno was torn in half. The parting then showed Ichigo riding the curve of a full on tsunami higher than any of the surrounding structures and rendering every last lick of flame to steam. Then in a magnificent display of waterbending the great tsunami suddenly froze altogether, the orange-haired youth responsible sliding down sideways on a ramp made of ice and coming to a stop to face his opponent with a ferocious glare of anger-driven determination Grimmjow thought may be the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
"Now we're talking!" the firebender exclaimed, his enthusiasm blatantly apparent. He wasted no time leaning forward slightly and kicking off, fire once more boosting him from the soles of his feet and looking as if he were ice skating in midair. Ichigo raised both of his arms out to the side, pillars of ice mimicking their motion, and then with a mystifyingly basic gesture sliced both of them into a number of thin discs that flew through the air toward their intended target of blue-haired firebender. Grimmjow maneuvered to dodge them all and touched down on the same block of ice the other stood on, immediately defending against a barrage of crystal daggers with an expertly executed fan kick that drew an impressive arch of fire.
He returned with a series of lightning fast punches that produced a torrent of fire blasts distracting Ichigo enough for him to advance closer. Firebending was ideal for close combat whereas waterbending was more suited for long range attacks. Once the boy was within reach, Grimmjow jumped to spin kick a blast of flames, landing on one foot so he could automatically push off with the next and never had to stop moving. Closing in on his target again, he saw Ichigo had protected himself right in time by bending water in between him and the flames, freezing it into a solid shield strong enough to withstand the heat.
The youth's retaliation was two strategically aimed water whips, snapping out to seize Grimmjow's wrist and ankle and throw him to the ground. He hit the slick surface hard, sliding a few feet on his side. This was the first time in a long while he could remember another bender landing a successful attack on him and after the older man rid himself of shock he began laughing in utter delight. Rising from the ground with vigor, he took one look at the expression on Ichigo's face and knew his good mood confused His Highness.
"What? You're not having fun, too?" Grimmjow called out playfully, bringing hands closed save for his pointer and middle fingers over his head down in a circle to the center of his chest and then straight out to the side. Blazing jets of the destructive element streaked from his fingertips, seemingly endless as they created a towering ring of fire around the two benders, cutting them off from everything else. "Don't lie to me, I know you are; your eyes give you away. You love finally not having to hold back, a real challenge."
Ichigo said nothing to that, which Grimmjow considered as good as a confession that he spoke the truth. They were both relishing in the rarity of the freedom to lose complete and total control, a rush so addictive there was a danger they wouldn't ever regain it but that just made it all the more exhilarating. Then something strange happened, followed by something even stranger.
Grimmjow felt the ground beneath him begin to quake and rumble and the ice crack as they had done in the very beginning of their fight. But he was staring straight at Ichigo and the boy was standing absolutely still, his brows drawn together tightly as if he were... concentrating. Suddenly, the curtain of fire behind Ichigo was eaten by the dark blue maw of a surge water swelling bigger and higher with every second the passed by, looming threateningly over that head of orange hair.
The unshakable Fire Nation admiral was now left speechless, unsure whether or not to believe what he was seeing to be reality. Was it somehow in some way possible that the man before him was bending water using only his mind?
However, his query was soon forgotten as a bloody reddish glow fell over the whole city and the mass of water dropped from the sky to disappear back down into the canals in great splashes that soared stories high. Grimmjow glanced all around yet saw nothing to which he could accredit the series of events, looking back to his opponent to find Ichigo list to the side and stumble to regain his footing, confused brown eyes searching above. Following the orangette's line of vision, the firebender saw that the round moon wasn't its usual shade of ivory but rather a bizarre crimson.
When he brought his gaze back to earth, he instinctually growled under his breath at seeing the retreating back of his bounty. If Ichigo thought he could run away from him the royal brat was sorely mistaken. Grimmjow broke into a run, grudgingly chasing after the prince, and after a couple of steps understandings slammed into him like a komodo rhino: if waterbenders draw their power from the moon so if anything happened to the celestial body they would also be affected - when the immense wave had so suddenly plummeted downward had been the moment Ichigo lost his ability to waterbend.
Hence why the blue-haired man was now tearing through the city after the kid, attempting to follow that spot of orange among the sea of pale bluish architecture. Unfortunately, Ichigo was faster than he looked and he also had the advantage of knowing the city like the back of his hand whereas Grimmjow could very easily lose his way within the endless mass of streets that all looked exactly the same and not too much later he must have taken a wrong somewhere for there was no sign of the Tribal Prince anywhere.
That was when the moon went black, plunging the entire Northern Water Tribe into darkness. Though he realized there was definitely something otherworldly behind the current unnatural events, he couldn't afford to stop and assess the situation when meanwhile his main objective for being there put even more distance between them. And yet, the moment a brilliant azure light appeared at the very edge of the city the instinctive and sometimes smarter part of him took over, forcing him to stop right then and there.
As if there hadn't been enough of the supernatural for one night, Grimmjow helplessly stared in an open awe he hadn't known since he was a child as the glowing mass amplified to a staggering height far, far above the buildings below and molded itself into the shape of some sort of creature resembling a fish bearing arms rather than fins and its center there formed a bubble where the figure of the Avatar was suspended. Then this creature made of ethereal light embarked on a descent from the top of the city.
For some inexplicable reason, Grimmjow didn't feel any enmity from this creature made of ethereal light and so when it passed where he was standing witness he never sensed it as a threat. He held its gaze without fear, those gleaming eyes seeing right into his soul, before it moved on. The blunette required a moment or two until he recovered from the uncanny experience, remembering the pressing matter at hand and instantly picking up where he'd left off hunting the waterbending prince down.
He ended up at the very end of the city limits, signified by an ornately carved wall equipped with what appeared to be a small, round portal, and it was then that he finally again caught sight of Prince Ichigo, who was rushing toward said wall as if his life depended on it. Grimmjow snarled in vexation, tired of playing a game of cat and mouse he hadn't started in the first place, and tore across the snow-covered ground. So fixated on finishing his mission, the admiral didn't notice the return of the moon to the night sky. Nevertheless, he did notice Ichigo stopping dead in his tracks, then falling to his knees right in front of the wall's portal.
Grimmjow slowed his pace to edge his way closer to where the orange-haired youth knelt in a position of utter defeat, hands before him in the snow and head bowed. He had no idea what the boy was in such visible agony over but he figured it had to be something of grave importance. A few feet away from Ichigo's kneeling form the older man barely heard the other's choked whisper.
"I didn't even get to say goodbye."
Jabbing his thumb into the youth's pressure point was likely an act of mercy, the admiral catching Ichigo's unconscious body as it fell forward and hoisting it over his shoulder. Though it probably wouldn't seem that way to the Tribal Prince when he woke up aboard a Fire Nation ship.
A/N: Forgive me, but I'm just totally into this story right now. The past two days I spent re-watching season two of Avatar and I fell back in love with the series, and Zuko, of course. I do so have a thing for handsome, obsessive antagonists turned antihero turned protagonist with scars and uncontrollable bouts of rage. ;P
Okay, action scenes including element bending? Possibly the hardest thing I've ever had to write, and this is the only the beginning...
Coming up in the next chapter we'll probably be entering the Earth Kingdom and since so many of you asked, almost all of the major characters will make an appearance at some point so whoever it is you want to see you most likely will.