I want to thank, as usual, A711owner and Kelev for their input into last chapter. Frankly speaking, ever since the incident regarding my editors occurred, I've been trying to find a new editor. Currently, a person has taken on that role on an interim/unofficial basis, and that person is DJNS. Much thanks for your help, and now we're moving onto the next person.
I've decided to split Mai into two parts: Part 1 will focus on events before her official relationship with Zuko, Part 2 on events with Zuko. I think the way she was contrasted between the two times is really interesting, so let's see what you guys think of this style.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
The shadow of the large tree I sat under hovered over me, keeping me out of the scorching summer sun as I watched my two lifelong friends. The taller of the two was the Fire Nation Princess Azula, and the cheerful, chipper and acrobatic one was Ty Lee. Just like me, Ty Lee was the daughter of a Fire Nation nobleman. The ever competitive Azula was following Ty Lee's lead in learning acrobatics, and was having some difficulty with it. Compared to Ty Lee, who was a complete natural, Azula was downright clumsy.
But the Fire Nation princess wasn't one who fancied people that showed her up, as she sneaked up on Ty Lee while the cheerful one was finishing her back flips. Just as she landed perfectly, Azula planted a two-handed shove onto Ty Lee's back, sending her face-first to the grass. As Azula laughed and taunted Ty Lee, I couldn't help but think about how I met two people with such different personalities. Originally, the three of us attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, and often ran into each other. Since we were in so many classes together, it was natural that we bonded and hung out together.
But things would take a change, as Ty Lee and I were merely nobles and had to worry about our families' political careers. That meant always getting on the good side of the Fire Lord Azulon, Azula's grandfather and namesake, and we were taught to behave properly throughout our lives. Recently, my father received a promotion and had to move into the Fire Nation capital. While my parents dealt with our new house, I went over to the Fire Nation palace with Ty Lee and met up with Azula. I wasn't really into their games, preferring to remain quiet and polite. It was a staple in my family, where I would receive whatever I wished as long as I behaved, so being silent as the grave was nothing new to me. However, there was something in the palace that interested me.
I turned my head to the side, just in time to see my object of interest. It was a boy, about a year older than me, strolling past the garden with her mother. He was Azula's brother Zuko, a Fire Prince and the only son of Ozai and Ursa. While I wasn't one to display emotion publicly, I had to admit that he was kind of cute. Just like a royal family member, he had to walk straight and proud and remain calm and collected, not showing any fear in the face of danger. But yet, the fact that he was still so attached to his mother made me feel there were still some childlike tendencies in him. I felt my cheeks heat up like the fire bending techniques being practiced back at the academy, my face probably flushed redder than Zuko's clothing. So was it wrong for me to have a crush on him?
Apparently, I wasn't subtle enough, as Azula and Ty Lee noticed my predicament at the tree. Azula whispered something into Ty Lee's ear, causing the acrobat to giggle nonstop as the Fire Princess rushed off. I didn't bother looking, but I had an idea what she was up to. I only heard Zuko's vehement opposition to Azula's proposal as she tried to convince him to join us. Only after Ursa's urging did Zuko relent and entered the garden, his face pressed into a hard fume. Getting up, I wondered what they were up to.
Azula grabbed my arms and pulled me out of the tree shade. The bright sun slashed into my eyes, causing me to squint as Azula reached above me to the branches above. She plucked out an apple and balanced it on my head. I could only cock one of my eyebrows as Azula strutted over to Zuko and Ty Lee, her chest puffed out and her arms half-flexed as she described the game. "Try to knock the apple off the other person's head like this," she stated, getting into her position between the others.
Before I could prepare, Azula thrust her arm forward, a line of flames shooting out of her index and middle fingers and straight at my face. I could barely holler as the fire zinged my head, barely missing my hair and lighting the apple on fire. I wasn't really a fire bending prodigy like Azula, so to see that trick was surprising and shocking. But I never expected the target would be me, and I was seconds away from lighting my hair up.
But before I could even show any sign of worry, Zuko lunged towards me. My eyes grew larger than the sun as the boy reached for the object on my head, trying to prevent an accident. The actions slowed down entirely as I opened my mouth, letting out a long scream as Zuko's face dominated my entire line of sight. My muscles tensed up as I felt our bodies collide, my ribcage taking the brunt of Zuko's hit as we were sent into the air. In total panic, I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping I would land on something soft.
Wait, wasn't there a fountain behind me? So that meant I would be royally soaked then, right? By the time I realized it, it was too late, as our bodies crashed into the pool with ferocious velocity. All I could feel around me was water soaking through my clothes and hair, plus an additional numbness on my legs as Zuko's body became entangled with mine. I spat out some water, not even caring if Zuko got hit, and shook my head hard to wring the water out of my hair. As I opened my eyes again, I could see Azula and Ty Lee laughing at us. "They're so cute together." Ty Lee commented, pointing at us.
Zuko, feeling the humiliation, left in a huff, letting me field the majority of the embarrassing remarks. Turning to Azula and Ty Lee, I felt my fists clench up, my back and shoulders tightening as I glared at them. "You two are such…ugh!" I spat.
That only caused more laughter as I stormed out of the fountain, ripping through the grass and returning to the safety of my tree. The last thing I wanted was to be shown up like that, especially in front of Zuko. So I had a crush on him, but did that mean they had to expose me like that in public? As I crossed my arms and pursed my lips, I could feel the water still dripping from my clothes. Still, Zuko was kind enough to "rescue" me from that situation, so I should give him credit. "Let's hope I see him again," I muttered.
"Please tell me you're here to kill me." I greeted Azula in an unorthodox but absolutely realistic way. It had only been a few days since my family moved to the city of Omashu, which was conquered by the Earth Kingdom. Their king Bumi gave up almost without a fight and the governorship was handed to my father. Despite coming to this new place, I was honestly bored to tears regarding what it had to offer. So, to see Azula and Ty Lee drop by for a visit, I was more than relieved.
My response got a kick out of the two, who giddily pulled me into an embrace. I honestly thought Ty Lee ran off to join the circus, as years in the Fire Nation capital with so many things to conform to made it difficult for her to stand. But Ty Lee explained that despite it was her calling, Azula called louder, gesturing to the Fire Nation princess right beside her. "I have a mission," Azula offered, "and I need you both."
We entered the former Omashu royal residence, which had been turned into my father's home for the time being. Summoning the servants, we had my parents come to the main meeting room to hear out Azula's proposal. My father's patronage to the Fire Lord finally paid off with this appointment. But given that Fire Princess Azula was to tour the newly conquered area personally, he couldn't afford to mess up. I rolled my eyes as my parents, a set of pathetically helpless faces, got on their knees before Azula, apologizing for a billion things. "You've come at a difficult time. At noon, we're making a trade with the resistance to get Tom Tom back." My father stuttered.
I cocked an eyebrow, as finally something interesting was about to happen. A few years back, my parents decided to have another child, ending my fourteen-year run as the only child in the family. Two years ago, Tom Tom, my little brother, officially came into the world, and had moved to Omashu with us. The citizens were evacuated yesterday with some sort of pandemic, which officially removed the resistance movement from our city. But word got out that my brother Tom Tom left with them, making us believe that the movement kidnapped him. To get him back, we offered to trade them their former king. Knowing Azula wouldn't be pleased, I would love to hear her response here.
Indeed, to my expectation, Azula chewed my father out, calling him out for the mess he created. "Mai will handle the hostage trade so you don't have a chance to mess things up," Azula decided, getting onto her feet. Her every step strong and authoritative as she marched out, signalling to Ty Lee and me and asked me where Bumi was kept.
I led them to the top of Omashu, or as Azula now dubbed it, New Ozai. Being on a mountain, the governor residence was at the top, and currently there was a new statue of Fire Lord Ozai being built. Fire Lord Azulon passed away a few years ago, and Azula's father succeeded his father as the new Fire Lord. With the new government in place, she ordered that the new statue be built and the entire city be reorganized. We kept Bumi in a large metal coffin-like container, suspended in the air and away from all soil and rocks, as not to allow an escape via earth bending. As we made our way to the top platform, we could see the metal coffin being lowered from behind the statue. We stared forward and got a glimpse of our opponents: it was a set of water benders and a boy dressed in orange. Tom Tom was in the hands of the male water bender, oblivious to what was going on.
But before anyone could move, Azula interrupted. "A thought just occurred to me," she called from my left, "we're trading a two-year-old for a powerful earth bending king. It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Sensing Azula's idea, I immediately agreed. Knowing that we could take the other side, maybe we could get Tom Tom back and defeat the threesome. Boldly stepping up, I announced with as much energy as I could muster, "The deal's off!" With that, the crane operator lifted Bumi back into the air, much to the surprise of our opponents.
The boy in the orange and yellow robe immediately gave chase, prompting Azula to whip around and shoot a blast of fire at him. In some miraculous move, the boy evaded the blue flames from the Fire Nation princess, leaping high into the air and opening his staff into a glider. I watched with amusement as his orange cap fell off, revealing a large blue arrow. "It's the Avatar," Azula declared, "my lucky day." As the boy flew higher into the air, Azula approached the compound and gave chase.
Ty Lee and I took on the two water benders, charging them head-on as they prepared their weapons. From our analysis before, it seemed like the girl was an actual water bender. The boy, despite lacking bending, was knowledgeable in using different weapons, making them dangerous in their own ways. Based on our fighting styles, it was decided that Ty Lee went after the male, as her close-range chi-blocking attacks were better suited to fighting a non-bender. But for me, I would take on the water bending girl, finally putting my years of self-taught skill to good use.
The girl took a stand against us while the boy, holding Tom Tom, tried rushing to safety. It wasn't going to be easy, as Ty Lee ducked under the construction boards and negotiated her way through them with ease. Her years of acrobatic training allowed her to be even faster than a runner when swinging through bars. That in turn allowed her to ambush the opponent as she punched out his foot from under him. The Water Tribe boy flopped to the ground, skidding along before halting just before the edge, with Tom Tom still in his hands. Ty Lee then reappeared from underneath the boards, rushing for the baby and creating just enough of a distraction to the female water bender.
I whipped out a series of knives from under my sleeve and brandished them in the air. I flung them at the girl, who witnessed it at the last second. Using her water whip, she slashed at the wooden boards, sending several into the air and blocking my blades. In one smooth motion, she hurled the boards at me, hoping to throw me off track while she went back to dealing with the running Ty Lee. As the boards became bigger and bigger, I bent my back over in the nick of time, letting the wooden pieces fly over me. The wood bits sailed over my head in slow motion, letting me see exactly where my blades imbedded into. For something I developed over my years of boredom, I say that was pretty good.
By the time I regained balance, I could see the Water Tribe girl send a stream of water onto Ty Lee, tripping her up as the male warrior escaped with Tom Tom. Sensing an opportunity, I immediately pulled out more daggers from my clothes. I usually wore robes with extra long sleeves, which was suitable for my fighting style, as I could hide many projectiles inside them. Seeing the Water Tribe girl juggle between Ty Lee and me, it was the perfect time to strike. Taking a deep breath, I hurled the knives at her.
My opponent's reflexes were just as quick as my blades, as she froze her water into ice and blocked the projectiles in midair. Trying to feel her movements, I decided to get into a better position, taking a wide turn before rushing in on her. But in the midst of my turn, I became too predictable as the water bender shot out a line of water and froze it on my right arm, preventing anything from being hurled out. Frantically, I chopped at the ice block with my left hand, but to not avail. Gritting my teeth, I could only look across at the girl, who glared at me with eyes colder than the ice around my arm.
Luckily, Ty Lee managed to get back onto the platform. There was no sign of the male warrior or Tom Tom in sight, but it didn't matter as the key thing at hand was to free me first. With a few jabs to the water bender's body, Ty Lee blocked the attacker's chi, paralyzing her completely. Her line of water splashed pathetically to the ground in a long puddle. Tried as she might, but she couldn't manipulate the water again. With my arm still free, I whipped out another blade, the largest and sharpest one of them yet. "How are you going to fight without your bending?" I taunted her.
We soon found out the hard way, as a huge gust of wind rumbled our direction. There was nothing but sand and wood shavings covering our faces as we were lifted into the air, over the platform and down the stairs. Had it not been our training in aerial moves we would have suffered serious injuries for sure. As we struggled back onto our feet, we could see a huge white animal lifting into the air and flying to the city below. The Avatar had taken Bumi's coffin, and Azula was giving chase. Given the aerial power they had, it was difficult for us to chase, meaning there wasn't much we could do for now.
It would be evening by the time we met up with Azula again. While Tom Tom was still in the resistance's hands, we realized that there wasn't much they could do, with the Avatar's identity now revealed and all. It was decided that my parents and the Fire Nation guards at New Ozai would continue negotiations while we pursued the Avatar and his friends. While I gathered my belongings, Azula also informed us that General Iroh and Prince Zuko were now fugitives of the Fire Nation. They were currently on the run from Fire Nation troops, hiding somewhere within the vast Earth Kingdom. "So we're tracking down your brother and uncle, huh?" I asked Azula as we prepared to depart.
"It'll be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it, Mai?" Ty Lee chimed in slyly, a wide grin on her face. I couldn't help but turn to the side, my face flushing red as I went back to my childhood days. I did have a crush on him, but now I had to arrest him and bring him back to the Fire Nation to face justice. I wonder what would happen then?
As we went into the sunset, going to the military group preparing to meet Azula, I thought about the past few years. So much had changed, as I went from an ordinary girl from a nobleman's family to some type of special law enforcer with Azula. We were on the verge of winning a war, and Zuko somehow turned into a fugitive. What role would I play in these upcoming events? Would they be drastic enough to change the world? And would Zuko still feel the same way I did about him knowing we were now on opposite sides? With intrigue hovering in my mind, I was set on finding out.
"This drill is a feat of scientific ingenuity and raw destructive power. Once it tunnels through the wall, our troops will storm their city. The Earth Kingdom will finally fall, and you can claim Ba Sing Se in the name of your father." War Minister Qin told us as we rode this large, lumbering metallic machine across the dusty plains before reaching the Earth Kingdom capital. Our pursuit of the Avatar's group, along with Zuko and Iroh, had to come to a halt as Azula ordered the Fire Nation to put its latest invention to work.
That was where Ty Lee and I found ourselves, sitting in the main control room of this hunk of metal, slowly creeping its way towards the walled city. I was bored to tears, as there was only sand and dust around us. This beast just couldn't move any faster, and quite frankly the hot, humid atmosphere in the interior was making me sweat, so much so that my hidden blades were starting to stick onto my skin. Even as Ty Lee reported earth benders approaching our drill, speaking excitedly as she scanned the outside with the periscope, War Minister Qin kept things dull. "The metal shell is impervious to any earth bending attacks," he snorted, knocking on the periscope and sending Ty Lee reeling back.
Nonetheless, Azula decided to send Ty Lee and me outside to dispatch the earth benders. "Finally, something to do," I muttered, slowly getting out of my chair. A few days back, we managed to chase down the Avatar with another Fire Nation machine, with Ty Lee and me pursuing the two water benders on Basilisks while Azula went after the Avatar. While we were blown away by the Sky Bison again, Azula cornered the Avatar in an abandoned town, where, as luck would have it, Zuko also showed up. Although we didn't witness the details, Azula told us that Iroh appeared, and she used him to distract Zuko and the Avatar's group to make an escape. We were gathered at the nearby Fire Nation military bases ever since, waiting for this gargantuan drill to be completed.
By the time Ty Lee and I slid down from the top, the earth bending teams already created buttresses on the sides of our drill. However, their rocks were no match against the sheer power of our machine, which kept moving like nothing had happened. Sensing the urgency in them, as our drill's continuous movement required them to regroup again and again, it was the perfect time for us to strike. In their confusion, I launched a series of blades at them, paving the way for Ty Lee advance on them to block their chi.
As I stayed near the drill, orchestrating a torrential downpour of knives, my friend in the pink belly shirt was nothing but a blur. She raced around the earth bending teams with unbelievable velocity, her arms jabbing out in various directions. I could see a literal wave of earth benders falling, one group after another as they lost their ability to move, let alone bend. By the time Ty Lee hoped back onto the drill, there was nothing but paralyzed bodies around us. "It's not too exciting." I commented, helping her back in.
"Yeah, but it does make for a good workout, doesn't it?" Ty Lee replied. There was a layer of perspiration on her bare belly, the liquid causing her midsection to glisten slightly. She had a huge grin on her face as she brushed it off, her fingers dancing on her abdominal muscles and around her navel. I could only roll my eyes, wondering how something as simple and ordinary as wiping sweat could cause that much giddiness. It wasn't a secret that Ty Lee and I were polar opposites, but we got along nonetheless.
No sooner had we gotten back to the control room did we get another message from the War Minister. "Congratulations, crew. The drill has contacted the wall of Ba Sing Se. Start the countdown to victory!" He announced with pride, amidst the cheers echoing in the control room. We took our positions to Azula's either side, trying to gauge her reaction. Despite the milestone, she was a bust of concentration, her eyes narrowing to darts as she glared at the wall ahead, determined to win it all today.
The drill shook and rumbled violently, a cloud of debris blasting out from the wall as the front imbedded itself into the stones. We all got to our feet, edging forward from our positions just to get a better look. Just as Qin smirked confidently, two messages were sent through the intercom system declaring that there was a sabotage attempt, with a brace being cut clean through and an engineer being attacked. I glanced forward and saw Qin's shoulders shake slightly, and even with his back towards us, I could imagine the nervous expression on his face. Sensing that we must take action again, Azula asked us to follow her down to the areas of interest. "Let's go, ladies." She declared.
The scene at the machinery level wasn't surprising at all, as the Avatar and his two water bending friends were at work slicing another brace with some water. Without another word spoken, Azula unleashed a line of fire straight for the bald boy. Azula's fire was blue, indicating a higher skill level than regular benders. With this ability, she could probably do a lot of nasty things to me, or anyone else, should they ever disobey her. But right now, I was certain that the blue flames would be unleashed should we fail. Observing the Avatar the entire way, we saw them duck into another passageway, and we promptly gave chase. "Don't let them out of our sights!" Azula ordered.
We raced through the narrow passage, which was a jungle of tubes hanging over a small catwalk. It led us to an intersection, where we saw the siblings split up with the Avatar, the water benders going left while the boy with the arrow going right. "You two follow them," Azula instructed, pointing down the left hall, "the Avatar is mine!"
Ty Lee and I raced through the hall, knowing that they couldn't have gotten far. We finally caught up with them at a dead end, with the two figures clad in blue jumping into an open hatch. Whipping out two blades, I hurled them at the intruders, who ducked just in time and fell into the hatch. If they disappeared, then it could very well be the end of the chase, given that we had no idea where it led to. Bravely, I edged my head forward.
The scene below was a revolting one, with rocks and water all mixed together into a gooey paste. The viscous liquid steadily flowed out the back of the machine, and its smell was anything but pleasant. "Ugh, it's disgusting." I complained, scrunching up my face and holding my nose. Whoever that created this drill obviously didn't consider how bad this slurry was, and to have me jump in after them was out of the question.
Ty Lee, ever the chipper one, tried convincing me to go with her, insisting that Azula would be disappointed at us if we didn't catch the intruders. Even so, I wasn't about to budge. "She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me, but I am not going into that wall sludge juice." I insisted, crossing my arms and pursing my lips. Part of Azula's advanced fire bending skills allowed her to generate lightning, and although I had never seen it being demonstrated, I heard about its destructiveness. Knowing that a direct hit could cause death, I would be crazy to let her unleash something like that on me. So, for the longest time, I just did what she was told, hoping she would give me credit each time.
But this time, there was no way I would stand for it. This slurry was the most sickening thing in the world, and I would rather face lightning than swim in it. Ty Lee obviously didn't view it the same way, diving headfirst into the material. As she landed into the pipe, it created a huge splash that almost hit my face. Shivering involuntarily, I closed the hatch and marched off, hoping everything would be taken care of.
For the next few moments, there wasn't much that I could do. I loitered around the catwalk, trying to keep an eye on everything. It gave me some time to think, as I realized that for all these years, Azula kept a lid on Ty Lee and me via mainly fear. While we were somewhat friends, it was evident that should there be any important decisions to be made between us three, Azula usually got her way. With the Fire Nation currently the way it was, Azula had much control over everything, including military affairs and the war effort. With that much power saturated into her hands, and such destructive skill with her fire bending, it was clear that whatever Azula wanted, she was likely to get. It made me consider what would happen if Ty Lee and I ever disagreed with her in the future.
Suddenly, a roaring sound echoed through the machine. I glanced up nervously, trying to locate the source. The ground shook nonstop, throwing me about as steam shot in from the surrounding pipes while slurry blasted up from the hatch. From my position, each section of the drill slowly cracked apart as the pressure from the drill's front rushed through the interior, slicing through the cut braces and knocking down each support structure. I held on to the nearest pipe for dear life as the rocking continued through.
By the time I regained balance, I could hear groaning coming from the metals, the drill falling apart as the soft humming below my feet stopped. Letting out one final breath of steam, our machine finally ended its run, our mission a failure as I heard from the top that we couldn't penetrate the final wall. Getting up slowly, I strolled to the nearest hatch that led to the outside, opening it up and taking a good long look. There was slurry all over the back, covering the ground in thick brown goo. Ty Lee and Azula were below, trying to figure out what happened. In one monotonous line, I stated, "We lost."
Our return to the military base was done in complete silence. Ty Lee and I kept glancing over at Azula, wondering if she would unleash her anger at us or Qin for this failure. To be honest, Ty Lee and I actually weren't too fond of Azula always bossing us around, and many times we privately disagreed with her actions. But given her power and status, there wasn't much we could do, as our families' occupations depended on her mood, so to speak. Any attempts for us to speak out were blocked by our fear for her, to the point where we would silently proceed along with her without question. Perhaps it wasn't the best way to go, but for now we really had no other choice.
Surprisingly, Azula was quite muted, her expression neutral as we trudged along. Maybe she had another plan in mind that worked better, as she always claimed her ideas were superior. But until then, I was content to get back into my tent and wash myself of the slurry memories. If succeeding in a mission meant being near something that gross, then I would much rather lose this battle and concocted another plan for another day.
"The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng." Azula announced to the group of agents dressed in dark robes, standing in order before us in this large, cavernous chamber. After the last defeat with the drill, Azula came up with another plan to infiltrate the Earth Kingdom, this time trying to pose as traditional Earth Kingdom allies and slipping into the palace. Luckily, the Kyoshi Warriors were patrolling the nearby region, giving us the perfect undercover outfits. Despite being outnumbered, we took them down relatively quickly, sending them all back to the Fire Nation as prisoners while taking their costumers for our personal use.
And the plan worked to perfection, as we managed to fool the royal guards and even the Earth King himself. Although given the total dolt that the Earth King was, I felt it was expected. Azula explained that the Dai Li, Ba Sing Se's secret police, would be a crucial part to our operations. She revealed our plans aloud in hopes of getting a meeting with their leader Long Feng. It was found that Long Feng was imprisoned by the Earth King, and Azula made a deal to give him power over Ba Sing Se should Long Feng get Azula the Avatar. It seemed to gain Long Feng's trust, as it allowed us to proceed.
But knowing Azula, she had other plans as well. Immediately, she called this meeting of the Dai Li, claiming to have news for them from Long Feng. But really, it was her attempt to gain their trust instead, hoping to use them to her advantage. "This coup must be swift and decisive," Azula continued, marching down from her podium. She had a straight posture, her every step taken with confidence as she observed the troops. "Long Feng has placed you in my command as we overthrow the government. If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all, I will smell it out." She finished in a low, sinister tone, glaring right into the eyes of the agent directly before her.
As she dismissed the Dai Li, Ty Lee and I invited her back to the podium where we served her a cup of tea. Part of Azula's ability to install fear into people was that she gave them very little wiggle room when her mind was set. "I thought you were going to make that one guy pee in his pants," I commented, pointing to the Dai Li agent she shot daggers into prior to their dismissal. I had to admit it was fun watching Azula intimidate people, seeing their faces twist up in horror. I had never wished for Azula turning that face on me; that was why I remained loyal for all this time.
But Azula soon snapped me back into reality as she asked us to prepare. Ty Lee and I were assigned to observe the Earth King all day, never letting him out of our sights. It meant being cooped up into these nauseating Kyoshi costumes, but if it meant making our mission a success, then maybe it was worth it. "My brother and uncle will be showing up at the palace today, and I want to personally greet them." Azula stated as we headed back to the throne room. Whatever was about to happen, it would be making history.
The rest of the day went peacefully as Ty Lee and I parked ourselves next to the Earth King's throne, barely saying a word as we awaited further orders. The bespectacled doofus spent more time talking to his pet bear than worrying about his country's current situation, which made me wonder what made him king in the first place. "At least Zuko works to regain his honour, even though he's now branded as a traitor," I muttered to myself, "what has this guy done to gain anybody's respect?"
With that thought, it really brought my mind back to Zuko. Ever since he spoke out of turn at his father's war meeting three years ago, I hadn't seen him at all. The word was that Zuko was forced to fight an Agni Kai against his father, leading to him getting the scar at his eye. His punishment was to capture the Avatar, as that was the only way to restore his honour to the Fire Nation. Part of me truly sympathized with him, as the burns he suffered to his face and his heart must be really deep. While I understood the decision Fire Lord Ozai made, I couldn't help but wonder what this put Zuko through. Perhaps, if we managed to reunite with him, he would be a changed person. And if he could defeat the Avatar or the Earth Kingdom, then certainly it would score him some points, right?
My concentration was soon shattered as two people barged into the throne room. From battles past, I recognized them as the male warrior from the Southern Water Tribe and his blind earth bender friend. As usual, Ty Lee had to go flirt with the Water Tribe boy. It was no secret that she had a crush on him, mentioning him every single time we met up. But the reunion was short-lived, as the earth bender realized our plan and shot a slab of rock at Ty Lee. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" She shouted.
The rock blast sent Ty Lee flying into the air, doing several somersaults before landing on a ledge above the throne. Sensing that there was finally a chance for me to take action, I hurled a series of blades at the earth bender. She neatly shot up another slab of rock, blocking my projectiles before sending the entire block at me. I leaped over the piece with ease, as years of academy training made me quite agile, which complemented my knife-throwing abilities very well. As I landed, I searched for the next set of blades.
But there would be no need, as Azula held the Earth King hostage. "This fight is over," she declared, waving her fingers at the king's head. There was the ominous blue flame again, ready to spear in the simpleton's brain as our two opponents surrendered. Ty Lee did a series of jabs at the Water Tribe boy and the earth bender, paralyzing them as Azula pushed the Earth King down from his throne. "Get them all out of my sight."
As the Dai Li agents pulled our opponents, along with the Earth King and his pet bear, away from the throne room, a squat, balding man appeared before us. He was in an Earth Kingdom suit, similar to the one Azula had on, and had a fume on his face. Behind him were a squadron of Dai Li agents, lined up in formation and glaring gat the front emotionlessly. "Now comes the part where I double-cross you," Long Feng told Azula in a slightly mocking tone, "Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess." He ordered, his eyes aimed smugly right at Azula as he closed in on his prize: the Earth Kingdom throne.
Oddly enough, nobody moved. Ty Lee and I were at the side, glancing at each other in slight confusion as we wondered what was going on. Azula told us how she had plans to deal with Long Feng a while back, but now we weren't sure what would happen. Long Feng ordered his agents to attack again, and the response was the same silence. When Azula responded that the Dai Li agents were unsure of how the battle would end, Ty Lee and I knew on the spot that Long Feng had lost.
We turned to Azula as she pulled off the total reversal on Long Feng. Staring down the former Dai Li leader, Azula taunted him with his history. "You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle and connive and claw your way to power," she sneered at Long Feng, whose expression turned from frustration to shock, "but true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with. The fact is the Dai Li don't know which one of us will be sitting on that throne, and which one is going to be bowing down. But I know, and you know." Azula concluded, plopping into the Earth King's old seat.
As Azula glanced nonchalantly at Long Feng, we couldn't help but get a kick out of his reaction. His mouth was dropped to the ground, his arms shaking, and beads of sweat rolled down from his face. The golden moment came when he got to his knees and bowed before Azula. "You've beaten me at my own game," he stated, conceding totally.
Azula smirked, watching the pathetic scene before her. "Don't flatter yourself," she replied arrogantly, "you were never even a player." With a wave of her hand, the Dai Li agents behind Long Feng stepped up and arrested their former leader. That act alone showed us that from this moment on, Azula would be in charge. "I still have to get my brother, so just stay here and make sure nothing happens." She instructed to us.
As she marched off, Ty Lee and I returned to the front, sitting on the steps before the throne. Azula's words truly got me thinking, as she had a way with people that no one else could possibly imagine. Was this truly why Ty Lee and I stayed with her for so long? Because we feared her so much? How many mind games had Azula truly played on us for the past years? And if she managed to get Zuko back to the Fire Nation, what else would she do to cement her place in the Fire Nation? All these thoughts intrigued me as I thought about how to go about adjusting to a new lifestyle after conquering Ba Sing Se.
"Where's that bear the Earth King has? He's kind of fun," Ty Lee quipped, cutting into my concentration, "why don't we bring him back and see what we can get him to do?" she suggested, marching off. I could only shake my head at the ever cheerful one, wondering if she realized that the world was about the change. She was always in her pink world, always seeing life through the same set of eyes. Would there ever be a time when she approached an issue differently, and actually saw some things for what they were rather than through pink-tinted shades? I guessed only time would tell.
"It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se!" Azula announced, sitting comfortably at the throne. We were told when she went to the catacombs below the palace, Azula wanted to see Zuko. The Dai Li imprisoned him there, along with that Water Tribe girl that we captured when we sneaked in as the Kyoshi Warriors. We were given the task of guarding the throne room while Azula dealt with Zuko, and Ty Lee and I merely loitered around taught the bear new tricks.
And was it ever boring sitting there watching Ty Lee speak to the bear like he was my baby brother Tom Tom. The only interruption we had was when the Water Tribe boy and his earth bender friend charged back in, pulling Ty Lee down from her handstand with earth bending while they took the bear. Even when the Avatar's group supposedly got away, Azula seemed like she was in relatively good spirits. She sang Zuko's praises as she invited him into the throne room, briefing him on our supposed return home.
But Zuko was anything but chipper, as he was downcast, and his eyes never left the floor. I had to admit that he was even more attractive now that he grew up, his stature taller and more muscular than the fairly scrawny little boy I saw those years back. Still, I truly wondered what was going through Zuko's mind. As Azula congratulated her brother on his ferocious battle, saying how she would have never defeated the Avatar without his assistance, Zuko merely murmured, "I betrayed Uncle."
I cocked an eyebrow, not realizing that Iroh was siding against us. From the day Zuko was banished, I knew that Iroh had become Zuko's surrogate father, and throughout the three years they were wandering the world, Zuko and Iroh had grown quite close. It was obvious in many respects, as Zuko had never been close to his father Ozai, and Iroh lost his own son, Lu Ten, here in Ba Sing Se. I understood that Zuko must have been very conflicted regarding what to do, as helping Azula meant fighting the man he loved and respected. I could imagine the pain he had when he made that choice, releasing that first fist of fire as he turned against his uncle in the catacombs below.
But Azula was quick to dismiss Zuko's doubts, claiming that it was Iroh who betrayed him by asking Zuko to turn on the Fire Nation and had him run away from his responsibilities. "When you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero." Azula declared, getting up from her throne and staring at the standing figure to her left.
Even from my position in the corner, I could sense Zuko's apprehensiveness. "But I don't have the Avatar," he muttered, his tone weak and quiet, "what if Father doesn't restore my honour?" he asked, more to himself than to Azula. Whatever doubts about Zuko's sincerity I still had inside me melted away in an instant thanks to that line. I knew that, after the Agni Kai incident, Zuko had wanted his father to recognize him again. So, to see Zuko choose his country and, should the time come, his throne, I couldn't help but respect him even more. If someone could convince him to return to the Fire Nation and embrace those who used to support him, it would be great for his morale.
Azula, however, beat me to the punch again. Placing a hand on her brother's shoulder, she stated boldly, "Today, you restored your own honour." The two siblings at the Earth Kingdom throne couldn't be more opposite, with Azula being assertive while Zuko passive. This was the story of their lives, with Azula being the favoured child and Zuko the neglected one. Add the past few years of wandering the world into the fray and it was evident that Zuko required some time to recover from the ordeal.
Deciding that I heard enough, I decided to retire to my room. There were so many things to still figure out, but for now, I was eager to just rest. The Fire Nation won a huge battle at Ba Sing Se today, meaning it had most of the Earth Kingdom territory occupied. Of course, my role in it was small, being an undercover Kyoshi Warrior, and it wasn't even that enjoyable. As I said before, victory was boring, but if it meant keeping Azula relatively satisfied, I was willing to pay the price. I just hoped my parents and Tom Tom were enjoying their time at the even duller city of New Ozai better than I was.
Speaking of family, maybe this was one reason why, even as the Fire Nation got its biggest victory in history, I didn't feel any jubilance. Sure I was happy that we won, and somewhat relieved that Zuko rejoined us rather than continue running like a fugitive. But whenever I felt something, I had an equally great urge to suppress it. Even when I heard from my parents that Tom Tom was returned to them shortly after I left New Ozai, I didn't feel the urge to celebrate his safe return. It felt somewhat awkward, as it was like I had all the rewards in the world, but couldn't touch a single one.
Sighing, I entered my chamber and changed out of my Kyoshi Warrior uniform. I guessed Azula might still choose to stay in Ba Sing Se for the next few days, sorting out the bureaucratic mess now at hand with a leadership change. With our return to the Fire Nation eminent, I could only wonder what the next possible step for me would be.
And I'll end it right there. I'm going to be out of town for the next two weeks, so I'll have limited internet access. There's no guarantee that I can reply to emails, so don't be surprised if I don't contact you. I'll work on the second part of Mai once I return. Thanks for dropping by!