Asuni browsed through the market, a shopping basket hanging over her forearm. A few soldiers followed after her to take any large purchases back to the ship. A pair had already been sent off, loaded down with flour, oil, and other basic necessities. She directed another pair to head back to the ship, leading a few animals to be used for meat later on.
She bought only very few vegetables. They wouldn't stay fresh for very long, so there was no reason to buy them in bulk just to have them rot in the hold. However, she had a few last things to get. She wanted to make some fish for dinner that night, and Iroh had asked her to find him some kind of exotic tea.
"You guys can go on back, I've got the rest from here," Asuni told the soldiers.
"You sure?" Kang asked, squinting up at the sun. "We're pulling out soon…"
"I only have two more stops, and one of them's right down there," Asuni said, pointing to the little tea shop down the road.
"Alright, if you're sure," Zhu submitted.
"I'll be fine, you guys," Asuni insisted. "Go on, you're needed back on the ship."
"Alright," Kang said, nudging Zhu and gesturing for her to follow him. Asuni watched as the pair of them tried to surreptitiously slip into a bar for a quick drink before they hit the seas again. She chuckled to herself before striding down the street towards the tea shop, a basket tucked under her arms and a heavy coin purse at her side.
"How can I help you?" asked the proprietor as Asuni stepped inside. She was immediately hit with the scent of various kinds of teas, fruity, floral, and musky assailing her nose.
Asuni dipped her head and adopted the attitude of a servant. "My lord sent me to find him some tea," she said softly. The proprietor nodded.
"What kind?"
"Ah… he told me to surprise him," Asuni said, shifting uncomfortably. "Something he'd never had, something exotic?" she said uncertainly.
"Ah!" the shopkeeper said, moving from behind the counter. His eyes gleamed in interest, intrigued by the challenge. "Is your master a connoisseur then?"
"Oh yes," Asuni nodded.
"Then perhaps something from the Earth Nation?" he suggested, pointing to a small pouch of tea leaves.
Asuni shook her head. "He's spent a lot of time in the Earth Kingdom, sir, I don't think…"
"That's fine, that's fine!" he said, nodding. "A Water Tribe brew, perhaps? Hale and hearty?" He produced a bag of tea leaves from places unknown in the depths of his apron.
"I-I've made him Water Tribe teas before, sir," Asuni stammered.
"Alright then!" the proprietor said, swooping along the wall of small drawers neatly labeled with the different kinds of tea. Asuni watched him with amusement. He'd completely bought her demure servant act and was swept up in his craft. He clearly enjoyed tea, almost as much as Iroh did.
Scratch that, no one loved tea that much.
"How about this?" the owner said, spinning around to face her and dramatically producing a small cake of tea leaves. Asuni cocked her head.
"What's that?"
"A rich pu-erh tea!" he said with a flourish. "It has a deep, rich body. Airbender tea," he explained with a wink.
Asuni had to admit that Iroh would probably not have had that before.
"Where did you get it?" she asked curiously.
"Oh, the Airbenders were never very stingy with their tea-making," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Their baking skills, on the other hand…"
"That sounds good," Asuni nodded. "How much?"
He gave a price, Asuni paid it, and took the cake of tea leaves, tucking it into the small bag he provided her with and sliding it into her basket.
Asuni left the store and swung back around towards the docks. The fishmongers would all be set up along the seafront. It was easier to transport the fish short distances, and kept it fresher. Also, there was less damage to the fish.
Asuni walked along the lines of stalls by the water. There were several people selling imports interspersed with fishmongers. Asuni lingered curiously by a stall selling Water Tribe artifacts, and looked with interest as some of the Fire Nation jewelry, but she never tarried for too long. She knew if she didn't get back to the ship in time Zuko might make good on his promise to leave her behind.
"Fish fresh from Kiyoshi!" called a merchant, and Asuni moved towards his stall. Kiyoshi fish was considered to be very good. The Unagi kept away anyone who didn't know how handle the waters around the island, and Kiyoshi's inhabitants guarded their secrets. Because of that, only a certain supply made it out to other towns, and the limited fishing meant that the fish could grow to large sizes.
"From Kiyoshi?" she asked, stepping up to examine his wares. Her nose wrinkled a bit at the strong scent of fish, but she forced herself to ignore it.
"Yes ma'am!" the fishmonger boasted. "Straight from the island!"
"I see," she nodded, and began looking through the fish for the ones in the best shape. She selected five and quickly paid the man for them. He obligingly wrapped them in paper, chatting as he did so.
"Have you heard the rumors coming out of Kiyoshi?" he asked.
Asuni raised her eyebrows. "No, what's going on there?"
"The Avatar's there," the man said, shaking his head in amazement. Asuni stiffened.
"Really?" she asked with forced disinterest. In reality, her mind was spinning. "How sure are you of that? I heard down the street that he was on his way to the Fire Nation to have it out with the Fire Lord."
"No, no!" he protested. "The man I got these from, he gets his fish directly from the island. They're all in an uproar, and nothing's getting done. The Avatar's there, and they've got a project going, fixing up some old statue of Kiyoshi in his honor."
"Really?" Asuni said, now allowing herself to sound a bit intrigued. "I wonder what he's doing there?"
"No idea," the fishmonger shrugged. He looked off wistfully. "I wonder what he's like? Probably a wise old sage."
Asuni shook her head. "No, he's just a kid."
"A kid?" the man repeated incredulously.
Asuni nodded and looked around suspiciously, before leaning forwards as if she was telling a secret. This was how gaining information worked. You gave a little and got some back. "I've a friend who works on the banished prince's ship, you see."
"Prince Zuko?" the fishmonger asked, leaning forwards interestedly.
"Uh huh!" Asuni nodded. "And she told me that the prince had him, but he got away. She saw him with her own eyes. Barely twelve, but definitely the Avatar. He was an Airbender, she saw his tattoos."
"Well, doesn't that beat all?" the fishmonger said, eyes wide with wonder.
"Have you heard how long the Avatar's going to be on Kiyoshi?" Asuni asked casually as she began sliding the wrapped fish neatly into the basket over her arm.
"Nothing definite, but my supplier said that the island was pulling out all the stops to make him feel welcome, and he was definitely enjoying it." The fishmonger chuckled. "A kid."
The man was still shaking his head and chuckling about it as Asuni made her escape, hustling back to the ship. She hastened to her little kitchen and began the preparation for dinner, readying herself for a long mental debate. She did some of her best thinking while she was cooking.
The question on her mind was what to do about the information. She should, by all rights, run to the prince and tell him what she'd heard. It was her duty to protect and help him in any way she could. Telling him the Avatar's location would be the first lead they'd had since they lost him down at the South Pole, and she knew Zuko was desperate for a lead.
Now that he'd had confirmation that the Avatar was alive, the intensity he'd had at the beginning of his exile was returning with a vengeance. He snapped at the slightest thing, and it wasn't surprising really. Now he knew that his goal was solidly achievable. It wasn't just a pipe dream. He'd nearly done it once, and he was desperate to really do it the next time he got near the Avatar.
On the other hand, she also had another duty. The Avatar was a huge player in the Fire Nation's war, the only thing that could stop them from winning at this point, really. And if the fighting continued, it would be ugly. They would lose hundreds and thousands more soldiers before they finally claimed victory. The war needed to end now, and the Avatar could do it.
But she'd done her part for the Avatar when he was on the ship. Having his glider, being able to fly, was a large trick to have up his sleeve. Because o the glider she'd directed him too, he had access to a greater range of abilities that would help him in the future.
In the end, Asuni came up with a simple, if somewhat childish and basic, solution to her problem. She'd take turns. Last time the Avatar's interested ran counter to Zuko's, she'd helped the Avatar. This time, she'd help Zuko. If she was ever in a situation like this again, she'd favor the Avatar, so long as it didn't bring her into conflict with the prince. If it risked the security of her position, then she'd side with the prince.
She wasn't entirely sure of her decision. She was sure there was a better action. She couldn't help but think that Eiji would have done a better job, or maybe his half-sister Kaieda, who spent most of her time on assignment in the Earth Kingdom. She was more experienced with undercover work and making snap decisions.
So when Asuni picked up the evening meal for the royals - rice and one of the fish she'd brought seared with lemon and spices – she did so while worrying her lip and frowning.
Asuni balanced the tray against her hip and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Iroh called. Asuni made her entrance and found Zuko and Iroh ready and waiting at their table. Zuko was clad in his casual clothes and an open robe, his usual scowl on his face. Asuni thought, not for the first time, that he was almost comically serious next to the jovial Iroh.
The familiarity of the situation made her more comfortable, and Asuni was able to relax and she bent down and placed the tray on the table, laying out the fish in the middle before placing the plates, cups, and chopsticks in front of the two men. Asuni lifted the teapot and tucked the empty tray under her arm as she poured Iroh a cup.
Iroh tasted it as she poured one for Zuko and Asuni paused to see what he thought.
"Delicious!" he announced. "I sent you out for something new and excitingly different, and you didn't disappoint, Asuni. Tell me, what is this called?"
"The man in the shop said it was called pu-erh, some kind of Airbender blend," Asuni explained.
"It's wonderful," Iroh said, taking another sip happily.
Zuko took a large gulp of his tea, and privately Asuni thought it would be impressive if he'd even tasted it. The tea was hot enough that he'd probably scalded his taste buds.
"It's just tea," Zuko grunted, before taking a bite of his rice. Iroh shook his head despairingly.
"My prince," Asuni began, pulling the tray from under her arm and holding it in both hands against her thighs. She gripped it so tightly her knuckles turned white, steeling herself. "I heard something while I was in the marketplace today."
"Why would I care about marketplace gossip?" the prince demanded.
"I heard that the Avatar is on Kiyoshi."
Zuko choked on his rice. "The Avatar is on Kiyoshi?" he repeated. Asuni nodded.
"The man I bought the fish from heard it from his supplier, who came from Kiyoshi Island."
"Uncle, ready the rhinos," Zuko barked, standing up and striding from the room.
"I'll save the fish for him," Asuni said, picking it back up and leaving a pouting Iroh behind her as she left the room.
The problem with this was that she had no excuse to go ashore. She'd proven herself as useful in a fight, but there was no real need for her to go to Kiyoshi. At the South Pole, there had been a reasonable excuse for her request. She wanted to see her culture. But there was no reason why a cook would be interested in going to Kiyoshi Island on a search mission.
Asuni smiled to herself slightly. It was time to start sneaking.
They arrived on Kyoshi at sunset. The rhinos were already waiting in the loading bay, ready for the gangplank to be lowered so they could go ashore and search the island. Asuni waved goodbye as the soldiers mounted up, and then returned to the kitchen to ready herself.
Asuni immediately made for the cubby in her room. She used her necklace to open it. Asuni ignored the Royal Guard uniform in favor of the loose black pants and a hooded shirt. She deftly bound her chest flat and whisked her hair up, tucking it under the hood to hide the length. She reached back and fastened the theater mask to her face before tugging on her gloves. Everything distinctive about her, even her gender, was now concealed.
Then she started on her armor. It was simple molded leather, but it was better than nothing. It consisted of almost a tunic of the leather as the main body, the leather ridged to help deflect weapons. A thick pad of leather over her shoulders held the armor in place. Black boots covered her feet, specially made to fit to the contours of her feet so that she could move soundlessly. They were made without soles so as not to sacrifice any flexibility.
Finally, Asuni began arming herself. First was the three-clawed chain whip, which was expertly tucked up her sleeve, ready to be thrown at a moment's notice. Two leather bands criss-crossed her chest holding a dagger each. Asuni left her sword in place. It any other time, she would have brought it with her, but this mission was about stealth, and the sword would be bulky.
When the ship dropped anchor in the bay, Asuni was ready and waiting, crouched in the shadow of the cabin by the railing. She had to wait for Zuko's squad to get ashore first though, or risk being seen by them as she made shore.
Asuni watched, and when the prince's group had disappeared through the trees, she slipped soundlessly over the side of the boat and into the water with barely a splash. The water arced up and over her, sealing her into a bubble of air. Asuni thrust her hands back and shot towards the shore in her bubble. She emerged perfectly dry and slipped ashore, in a fraction of the time Zuko's group had taken.
Asuni ran along the road leading from the beach into the village with light steps, moving on the balls of her feet. She reveled in the exertion as she fought to catch up with the komodo rhinos, just concealed by the tree line.
It was clear the village knew they were coming when they arrived. Everyone was inside, barring a few curious heads peeking out of doors covered by screens. Anyone with shutters had barricaded them shut or pushed furniture in front of them.
Asuni kept to the trees. She picked one of average height and pulled her chain free. With a practiced throw, she launched the claws up like a grappling hook. The tips bit into the wood. Asuni gave a tug to make sure it was in place before scaling up and perching lightly on the limb. She quickly pulled the hook from the wood and tucked it back up her sleeve.
"Come out Avatar!" Zuko roared as he and his soldiers advanced down the main street. "You can't hide from me forever!" He turned to his soldiers and growled, "Find him!"
Asuni, with her birds-eye view, saw the Kyoshi Warriors before the soldiers did. They were crouched behind buildings or just behind the ridges of roofs. Asuni watched as they readied their signature fans for a fight. She was a bit jealous, she'd never been particularly good with fans.
One girl flicked her wrist and three warriors lunged at precisely the same time, racing along rooftops and leaping towards the mounted soldiers, unseating three riders. With the roofs vacated, Asuni crouched and then leapt, landing on top of the nearest house.
A fourth girl moved at the same time as the three others. She headed directly for Zuko. Asuni ran along the rooftops after her. The chain flew from her sleeve and arced around, the claw grabbing the fourth girl by the ankle. The tips of the claws sank into her skin and she let out a small whimper as she was knocked onto her stomach. Asuni was on her in a flash, knocking her out with a hit to the back of the neck.
Asuni yanked the weapon free of the girl's ankle and held it ready in her hand, sinking into a concealed position just behind the eaves and watching for anyone who might come at Zuko.
She didn't have to wait long. The warrior who had given the signal, the leader, rushed at him. Zuko sent two fire blasts at her, trying to drive her back, but she dodged them easily. She jumped, aiming to come down on Zuko and tear him from his seat. Asuni's claw darted out once more, grabbing the girl by the collar and ripping her back. She disengaged with a flick of her wrist and yanked the weapon back.
Zuko looked in surprise as he saw the girl who attacked him suddenly go flying and slam into the ground. He couldn't see anything that would have pulled her back. He thought he saw a flash of metal somewhere by a rooftop, but he disregarded it, punching fire at the fallen Kyoshi Warrior. Another moved forwards, blocking it on a fan. Zuko did a double take as he realized it was the peasant boy who traveled with the Avatar.
Asuni growled in anger as one of the Kyoshi Warriors succeeded in taking Zuko off his mount. She hadn't seen the girl coming, as she'd darted from the deck right below Asuni. Zuko rolled and landed on the deck of the house opposite, propping himself up on his elbows. The three closest warriors surrounded him.
Asuni lunged over the rooftop, rolling across the street. She kicked out, her feet catching the first warrior who attacked in the backs of her knees. She hit the ground as Asuni rotated on her back, her claw flying out. It hooked around the boy's ankle and she tugged, taking him to the ground as well. She popped up and slammed her fist into the nose of the last girl, sending her head snapping back into the wood of the house. She hit the ground, unconscious.
Asuni rotated to look at Zuko, who was staring at her in surprise. She bowed with military efficiency, dropping to one knee with one arm bent behind her back, the other resting on her knee. She snapped upright again, flicking her claw up over the porch onto the gutter. She ran and swung up onto it, disappearing behind the roof.
Zuko ran out into the street, looking up after the mysterious girl, but she was already gone.
"Nice try Avatar, but these little girls can't save you!" he shouted to the town.
"Hey!"
Asuni watched from behind the roof as Zuko and the Avatar began to fight. For a moment, the prince was holding his own, but she knew as soon as the Avatar got his hands on a pair of fans Zuko was in trouble. She sprinted across the top of the roofs and dropped down to the ground, planting herself behind Zuko. The Avatar swung the fans and the prince went flying. Asuni wrapped her arms under his as he came back towards her, spinning on the balls of her feet and slowly lowering to one knee to absorb the impact. She lowered his shoulders to the ground and then she was gone again, Zuko blinking after her.
Zuko got to his feet, looking up as he saw the Avatar's bison soaring overhead.
"Back to the ship!" he shouted to his remaining troops. "Don't lose sight of them!"
Asuni took that as her cue to leave, turning and sprinting into the trees. She had to sneak along a rocky outcropping to make it into the water out of eyesight of Zuko and his group, but she managed it. Asuni reformed her bubble and shot herself back toward the ship, rising up on a column of water and dropping herself back onto the deck.
Asuni was about to sneak back to the kitchen, when a shape looming out of the water stopped her. She gasped at the sight of the Unagi. It was a sea serpent, with rubbery black skin and an eel-like body. Long barbels trailed from its face, and the Avatar was perched on top of its head, holding the barbels like reins.
At the Avatar's urging, the Unagi sprayed water from its mouth, barraging the flaming houses of the village. When the blast stopped, nothing was left but sopping, steaming houses and a sopping, steaming Fire Prince.
The Avatar shot back into the sky and the Unagi crashed back into the water. Satisfied that the fight was really over, Asuni crept back through the halls of the ship to her room. Moving as fast as possible, Asuni stripped off her clothes and redressed in her usual slit skirt and one-shouldered midriff. She rushed to the deck to await the search party's return, trying to control her expression and breathing despite the adrenaline pounding.
It was such a relief to let loose and actually fight again. These days her exercise was limited to what she could do in her room at night without drawing attention, and while she was still in much better physical shape than almost all girls her age, it didn't substitute for a real challenge. Only occasionally did Zuko allow her to spar with him.
Speaking of the prince, Zuko came back enraged and dripping. Asuni had to restrain her giggles as she assisted the soldiers, siphoning the water from their clothes and tossing it back into the sea.
"It's a bit late for a swim, my prince," Asuni said, her voice shaking with repressed laughter as she sucked the water from the prince. He gave her a chilling look as she threw the water overboard with a flick of her wrist.
"Not. Funny."
"Was the Avatar there?" she asked innocently, as if she wasn't aware of what happened on the island.
"Yes," Zuko bit out furiously. "But he got away. Again."
"I'm sure you'll get him next time!" Asuni said brightly as she turned to pull the water from Kang's clothes. Zuko moved off to speak with his uncle. Asuni listened carefully.
"I take it you didn't get him," Iroh said bluntly, and Zuko ground his teeth.
"No, he got away," he said shortly.
"Ah well, it can't be helped," the elder sighed. "You were surrounded by enemies, and the Kiyoshi Warriors are nothing to sneeze at," Iroh reminded him.
"I wasn't."
"Pardon?"
"I wasn't completely surrounded by enemies," Zuko said shortly. Iroh blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
"Thanks Asuni," Kang said, distracting her for a moment.
"No problem," she muttered hastily, before moving to another soldier closer to Zuko.
"There was a… well, I think it was a girl," Zuko said slowly. "The mask they wore was female, at least."
"A masked girl?" Iroh said in surprise. His eyes flicked towards Asuni, who hastily turned her eyes to her task. "What did she do?"
"She fought for me," Zuko said slowly, as if he couldn't quite believe it.
"Did she now?" Iroh asked interestedly. "And was she any good?"
"She was… definitely well-trained."
Iroh looked at his nephew in amusement. That was definitely a compliment, in Zuko terms at least. "Really? Was there anything distinctive about her?"
"No, she was entirely covered," Zuko said, shaking his head. "But… she did make an odd sort of bow."
"How did she bow?"
"She dropped to one knee and folded both arms at the elbow. The left one she held behind her back and the right one she rested on her knee," Zuko explained, miming with his arms. "I've never seen anyone bow like that."
Iroh nodded slowly. "I'm not surprised. It was far before you're time."
"You know about it?" Zuko asked, surprised, although of the life of him he wasn't sure why. Iroh seemed to know everything.
"Yes," Iroh nodded. "It was only ever used by one group."
"What group?" Zuko pressed. "Is it from the Earth Kingdom?"
"No, it's a Fire Nation group," Iroh corrected. "The Royal Guards bowed like that."
Asuni sent a dark look at Iroh, who beamed back innocently.
Zuko snorted. "The Royal Guards disbanded centuries ago. They're just a kid's story these days."
Asuni's fists clenched and the water pulled from the soldier's clothes jetted over the side of the ship instead of gently sloshing. He edged away from her nervously.
Iroh shrugged. "I'm just telling you what I know."