I want to thank Kimjuni2, Memory Storm, Kelev, and A711owner for reviewing the last chapter. My life is unbelievably hectic right now, to the point where I barely got the time to write. I haven't really touched the website unless it was something important, such as when a friend or a fic I liked a lot got an update. So after being absent for a month, here is the next chapter, starring everyone's favourite cruel and sadistical Fire Nation princess, Azula.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
The chamber was as dim as it was wide, with only a single row of flames shining and flickering before me. I stood confidently at the front, my back straight and my arms stretched out to either side as my father looked on in pride. He was the only reason I came to this meeting with my grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, who sat above me at his throne on the altar. Father had asked me to perform my latest fire bending techniques before the Fire Lord, and given my superior skills, I was happy to oblige.
And Fire Lord Azulon watched intently as I got into my stance, my arms swept across the air and repositioned at my waist. Grandfather used to be a powerful man, with fearsome fire bending skills and an iron-fisted authority, but personally I felt he was over the hill. With someone this elderly still on the throne, how was it that the Fire Nation could incorporate new ideas into the war effort, finally finishing all the good work started by Great-Grandfather Sozin? Dad would make a much better Fire Lord, I thought.
Before long, my punches and kicks sliced through the air, with flames emitting from my every move. The flames danced along with me as I sailed around the room, the raw power of fire on full display as I jumped, flipped, weaved and twisted throughout. It was all easy for me, as I had always been deemed the fire bending prodigy. But for my doofus brother Zuko, who joined us for this meeting, this was something he shouldn't even think of attempting. Seriously, how could anyone that incompetent be even showing up to this important meeting with the Fire Lord?
Now, with all the fire surrounding my body, it was time to finish it off with a flourish. Gathering my momentum, I raced towards Fire Lord Azulon, feeding off of the wall of fire he had before him. I was taught that aggression and fieriness were crucial to fire bending, and what better way to show that than with this new move I developed. The whole world seemed to slow down as I propelled into the air, leading with my shoulder as fire burned out from my right foot. My eyes stayed on Grandfather, his emotionless mug emerging from behind his flickering flames like an apparition as I twisted my body around. Letting the right leg fly, I unleashed a kick into the air, sending fire to the skies.
The roar of that shot echoed throughout the chamber even as I landed perfectly on the ground, the fire most likely hitting the roof. I could only smirk as my father showered me with compliments. "She's a true prodigy, just like her grandfather, after whom she's named." Try beating that one now, Zuzu. There was no way you could match me.
But knowing my stubborn brother, he had to use every attempt to take the stage. "I'd like to demonstrate what I've been learning," he declared, stepping up to the Fire Lord just as I took a seat next to my father. I could only roll my eyes as Zuko copied my stances completely. Let's see how he would make a fool out of himself this time.
It didn't take long to find out, as by the first manoeuvre, Zuko landed square on his back, the collision so hard that I could feel the tremors all the way from my seat. I could only snicker as Zuko tried again, and fell again. The clumsy oaf just didn't know when to quit, did he? And to no one's surprise, Grandfather didn't seem impressed at all as he gazed down at Zuko with disappointed eyes, wondering why his time was wasted.
As expected, my mother, Fire Lady Ursa, had to approach Zuko and tell him how proud she was of him, and how he kept fighting no matter how hard it was. It nearly made me gag watching the scene, but momma's boy had to have his gross moments, and it sickened me. It took Fire Lord Azulon to cut into the scene and state exactly what was on my mind regarding Zuko. "Prince Ozai, just tell me what you want. Everyone else, go!" He ordered, waving his hand at us to direct us to the door.
My fussbudget mother led the way as Zuko and I followed her out, Zuko's eyes never leaving the ground as he trudged out in shame. But knowing that my father was here to deal with serious matters, I couldn't help but stay behind. So, just as the Fire Lady stepped out from the chamber, I grabbed Zuko by the sleeve and sneaked us behind the back curtain, covering ourselves up but leaving room for us to hear what was going on.
We slipped our faces out just in time to here our father address the Fire Lord. "Father, you must have realized, as have I, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned his siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he'll return home," he described the case of Uncle Iroh, my tea-obsessed fuddy-duddy uncle who was the general leading the greatest invasion of the Earth Kingdom in history. He had those inferior dirt-loving pigs on the run until his son, our cousin Lu Ten, died, making him so choked with grief that he couldn't continue the war.
Just then, Dad stood up and faced Grandfather. "But I am here, Father, and my children are alive," he continued, his tone filled with strength. If anyone wondered where I got my speech from, this was it. The pose and posture my father took was the perfect example of what a Fire Lord should be, unlike his royal kookiness who seemed more fascinated with enjoying himself. It truly made me wonder how the laziest man in the Fire Nation became its top general. "Revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me!" he suggested, getting on his knees again.
Apparently, that touched a nerve with my grandfather, who refused to shift the position of heir from Uncle Iroh to my father. "You dare suggest I betray Iroh, my firstborn, directly after the death of his beloved son?" he roared, the flames around the throne becoming hotter and brighter, to the point where inside the curtain, Zuko and I had sweat dripping down our faces. "I think Iroh has suffered enough, but your punishment has scarcely begun!" Grandfather ranted, his voice echoing throughout the chamber.
With that, the flames around Fire Lord Azulon shot into the air, engulfing all that before us in a fiery ball of orange. Being the sissy he was, Zuko shot out from the curtain and raced straight for the door, not even waiting for what was about to come. But I knew better than that, as I stayed and heard out the so-called punishment for my dad. If the Fire Lord felt he could bully through someone as smart as Dad, he was out of his mind.
"Your punishment should fit your crime," the Fire Lord growled, the flames still burning brightly, "you must know the pain of losing a firstborn son by sacrificing your own." With that, he dismissed the meeting, refusing to hear another word from Dad's mouth. It was evident that there was no backing down from the Fire Lord, and I was convinced that my father had to figure a way out. Still, it was fun to torment Zuko with this information. Sneaking from the curtains, I stepped out of the chamber and headed straight for Zuko's bedroom, wondering what his reaction would be should I tell him.
"Dad's going to kill you," I taunted in a sing-song voice. I leaned casually against Zuko's door frame, glancing in at the now awoken individual who clutched his blankets and shaded his eyes in irritation. "Really, he will." I re-enacted the scene before Zuko, telling him how Fire Lord Azulon wasn't compromising on his verdict. "I'm only telling you for your own good. Why don't you find a nice Earth Kingdom family who will adopt you?" I sneered as I sat on the edge of his bed, trying to gauge his expression. It was so obvious that Zuko was scared, but did everything in his power to hide it.
And as Zuko's luck would have it, Mom had to barge in and shooed me out. Demanding a talk with me, she dragged me to the hallway, a fume etched permanently onto her face. To me, I didn't care, as the sounds of Zuko pathetically reassuring himself by claiming that I always lied was all worth it. Besides, even when Mom favoured Zuko all the time, I had Dad's respect, and a future Fire Lord was way more important than some prissy lady who claimed to know everything about proper behaviour.
But my dear mother barely got a word off before Dad intervened, demanding he had a word with her. This time, I obeyed orders to leave, as it was Dad who ordered me to go. Even then, I walked extra slowly, hoping to hear as much of the conversation as possible. Despite the murmurs, I clearly heard my father state authoritatively, "After today, the Fire Nation, as well as the world, will be in for a change."
"I come with a message from home. Father has changed his mind, and family is now very important to him." I stated, keeping my posture and tone as serious as possible. It had been years since the event at the throne room, and Fire Lord Azulon soon gave way to my father, Fire Lord Ozai. Apparently, the plot to kill Zuko never hatched out, as our grandfather passed away the very night it was supposed to happen. Father never revealed the details, but I suspected it had something to do with Mom, as she disappeared from the palace ever since. With Uncle Iroh still too traumatized by Lu Ten's death, nobody was there to challenge for the throne, leaving my father succeeding as the new Fire Lord.
And recalling when my father told my mother that change was about to happen, he wasn't kidding, as every aspect of Fire Nation life was dedicated to the warfront. We had everything planned out for several strategic battlegrounds, and to no one's surprise, my incompetent brother had to speak out and challenge those plans. That was why Father didn't even hesitate in teaching him a lesson by challenging him to an Agni Kai, which the coward tried to avoid, even as they approached the arena. Even when Zuko begged for forgiveness, I felt Father did the entire world a favour by flaming him across the face, declaring that he dishonoured the country and banishing him.
And here he was, three years later, the scarred tissue around his left eye prominent as ever. Zuko's lone goal on this banishment was to capture the log-lost Avatar from the Air Nomads. Without Mom around, Zuko had no one left to lean on for support, which was all the better for the Fire Nation, as we couldn't possibly keep weaklings like these around to slow down our progress. Either way, things were about to take another drastic change, as I continued my explanation. "He's heard rumours of plans to overthrow him. Family are the only ones we can really trust. He wants you home." I concluded.
An ominous silence descended upon the lodge, as even the sounds of birds chirping in this resort town dying down as I felt Zuko mull my words over. I knew home was very important to him, as his three years of drifting across the world hardened his resolve to regain his honour. That was why, with this move, it was perfect to get him to come back. "You should be happy," I pointed out, tilting my head to better gauge Zuko's expression. Zuko now had his face looking out the window, leaving only his side turned to me. "I just brought you great news!" I added, hoping to hear him react.
Just then, Uncle Iroh had to cut in, insisting that Zuko merely needed time to mull things over. That was when I had to raise my voice to keep him in line, as any little move by this oversized hunk of lard would ruin my plans. For the last three years, the only one who accompanied Zuko on his journey was Uncle Iroh, as he effectively retired from the Fire Nation military after Father ascended the throne. Despite his hedonistic attitude, I actually suspected that Zuko had gotten along quite well with Uncle, meaning his every word might change Zuko's mind. Had that happened, my plan would fall to pieces.
Turning back to Zuko, I told him I would give him some time to take it in. "I'll come and call on you tomorrow. Have a good evening." With that, I strolled out of the hut and back to the harbour, where my escort ship was waiting. I boarded the vessel and headed straight for my room, where I would spend the rest of the night.
As I closed the door behind me, I realized what a great job I did in getting Zuko to think my way. Really, the story about Father wanting him to come home was all a lie, as he never wished to see Zuko again. The main thing was to capture Zuko and Uncle, who were branded as traitors to the Fire Nation. But knowing that Uncle was a skilled fire bender, capable of taking out even the strongest battalion, a different tactic was required, hence the story. For something I completely fabricated, I believed I did quite well.
I quickly changed out of my Fire Nation military uniform and into something more comfortable as I pondered Zuko's next move. I realized that to get someone with as stubborn a mind as Zuko to change, the best way was to attack his wants, and that must include family. In my view, everyone in the world was like this, including our enemies from the Earth Kingdom. No matter how stubborn they were, no matter how much they resisted, our military would defeat them once and for all, as all we needed to do was to hit their needs the hardest. After all, Great-Grandfather Sozin started this not as a war, but as a way to share our technology and culture with the rest of the world. Why would these inferior beings even want to reject something advanced that could better their world?
By the time morning arrived, I had received the news: Zuko and Uncle Iroh were to board our ship for the Fire Nation. That meant everything had to be prepared to look like an official welcoming party. I immediately got changed and summoned the guards, having them stand on guard along the pier leading to the boarding ramp. I dispatched the captain of this ship, a loyal servant but a bumbling idiot, to greet the two as they arrived. When things were under my control, inefficiency was out of the question, especially when dealing with my tricky uncle who always had something up his sleeve.
Soon, the two figures, one lean and tall while the other stout and wide, made their way to the ship. "I'm so glad you decided to come," I greeted them as they reached the ramp. The soldiers behind them fell in formation, ready to board with them as I called to the captain, "Set our course for home." There was no way I could fail now.
But then, I realized I spoke too soon, as the knucklehead of a captain declared that the boat be readied to take the prisoners home. I could only stutter in frustration as sheer pandemonium took over at the pier. Fire Nation guards tried pouncing on my uncle, but to no avail as the plump man fended off all attackers with using a single bit of fire. Zuko, however, was more livid as he scaled the ramp, shoving the captain into the water below. That was the only thing I enjoyed the entire time as Zuko roared, "You lied to me."
I smirked, turning my back on him as I strolled nonchalantly to the other side of the ship. "Like I've never done that before," I scoffed. By the time my vision was on the ocean, I could hear the sounds of fire blasting out of fists as Zuko took on the remaining guards standing in his way. Even if he resorted to using force, I was ready for him, given my superior skills in fire bending and the development of new techniques.
Zuko was predictable as ever, emitting two fire blades from his hands and swung them furiously at me. There was almost no challenge to this as I dodged his every move with ease. "You know, Father blames Uncle for the loss at the North Pole," I sneered, referring to a second military defeat by the Fire Nation. Hundreds of ships from the Fire Nation fleet laid siege at the North Pole, with Uncle Iroh as the admiral's head advisor, and we still lost. That was unforgiveable. "And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar!" I taunted Zuko, pointing to his fruitless search, "Why would he want you back home except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him!"
That only got Zuko in a bigger rage as he came with me with intense heat shooting from his hands. His grunts of frustration echoed off the ship as he tried to slash at me, each time ending with a near miss. Unfortunately, our mother wasn't here to give him consolation for trying and failing, and I was getting kind of tired of his pathetically disorganized flailing. Deciding it was time to end the fight, I grabbed one of his arms as he parried, whipping it circularly and locking it in a downward position. With his body exposed in an open pose, it was time for me to show him what true fire bending was like.
My free hand shot forward, sending a blue fire blast into the air. Because of my higher skills in fire bending, my fire burned stronger and hotter than those from a regular fire bender, hence the different colour. It was inches away from Zuko's face, nearly giving him another scar as I blew him back. We were currently halfway up another ramp going to the control deck, and I ended up shoving Zuko down the steps and back onto the main deck. Thuds and bangs sounded from the metallic haul as Zuko landed in the middle of the ship, with nothing around him. It was perfect for testing out my newest technique.
Waving my hands around, I gathered all the energy within me, ready to unleash it in one shot. This was one of the most advanced skills in fire bending called lightning bending. I picked it up from my father, who told me that it would be fatal should it strike its target. But given who my latest target was, it only gave me more incentive to use it. Feeling immense electrical power surging through my body, the static sizzling from my hand, I pointed my finger at Zuko and prepared to let loose the attack.
But before I could reach the final stage, I felt a tight grip around my hand. A soft, muffled hissing sound emanated from the source as I glanced up to see Uncle Iroh right next to me, his rough hand absorbing the energy away from mine. It was like a leech stuck on an animal in the swamp as Uncle squeezed the lightning out of me, sucking it all in before letting it loose. From his finger, the electricity blasted into the skies, slamming into the cliffs above the resort they stayed in earlier. The unbelievable power created a mini avalanche as rocks and other debris crumbled into the water. Sure it was a sight to marvel at, but now my chance at defeating my brother was lost.
As if that embarrassment wasn't enough, Uncle Iroh then had to throw me into the water. While I was a superior fighter in speed and strength, I had to admit I was no match to Uncle in size. With his weight, even a small attack could quickly gather momentum as he sent me into the cold liquid below. By the time I resurfaced, they were already gone. "No one gets away with it like that," I snarled, swimming my way to shore. From now on, I decided that these two would become fugitives, and anyone harbouring those two traitors would be punished severely. The hunt was about to begin.
I could feel the setting sun beat its rays onto my back as I rode my Basilisk into this abandoned town somewhere in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. Ever since Zuko and Uncle Iroh became enemies of the Fire Nation, I had spent most of my energy and time crisscrossing the Earth Kingdom, hoping to hunt them down. A few days ago, I visited the recently conquered city of Omashu, now renamed New Ozai, where the new governor's daughter, Mai, was an old classmate of mine. Along with Ty Lee, another former classmate who had joined the circus, the three of us decided to go on this mission together. I figured that there was no way we could lose, with our fighting skills.
But at Omashu, a little incident happened that allowed me to set my eyes on a new target. Mai's infant little brother Tom Tom, for some strange reason, fell into the hands of the residents, who departed the city en mass. While we originally offered them a trade, with us giving up Omashu's former king Bumi, it was discovered that the long-lost Avatar was with them. While the young boy tried to escape with Bumi, we managed to catch him in the act and chased them out of town. But that meant there was another fish to fry, and if I could catch the Avatar alongside Zuko, then the honour doubled for me.
I finally saw the young Avatar, seated on the ground in the middle of the ghost town. Using a new piece of Fire Nation technology, we pursued and attacked their group all night, to the point where fatigue would supposedly sink them. Sizing my foe up, I could see he was about twelve years old, completely bald, and had an arrow leading to his forehead. Smirking, I stood confidently next to my lizard as the Avatar squinted at me, the dark bags under his eyes sagging like bricks as he demanded, "Alright, you caught up with me. Now who are you and what do you want?"
I snickered, figuring that this battle would end real soon. Trying to sap as much of his energy as possible, I taunted him by making him guess. "Here's a hint," I replied, lifting a hand to cover my left eye, "I'm chasing the Avatar to restore my honour!" I declared, doing my best impersonation of my traitorous brother.
The Avatar barely moved, his eyes barely able to stay open as he glanced at me helplessly. "Now it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run, but I'll catch you." With that, I got into a battle stance, ready to spring onto my prey.
To my amusement, the Avatar got onto his feet, his hand gripped tightly around his staff as he declared that he would not run away. Knowing our conditions, there was almost no chance he could win. "Do you really want to fight me?" I retorted.
Then, from out of nowhere, an Ostrich Horse bounded into the ghost town, its rider leaping off and landing right between the Avatar and me. The hat lifted off of the rider's head, revealing that all-to-familiar scarred face. "Back off, Azula," the gruff tone of Zuko growled at me, "he's mine." He had one hand stretched out to his either side, ready to shoot fire at both the Avatar and me.
My eyes tilted back and forth between Zuko and the Avatar. I had to admit that I was in somewhat of an awkward position, as I had to go offensive against the Avatar but play defence against Zuko. But if I could take them both down at the same time, it would be a great day for me. Besides, knowing how superior my skills were compared to these two amateurs, losing was near impossible. I kept my eyes on mainly Zuko, as I planned to take him out and used that momentum to propel myself towards the Avatar. Any slight movement by my brother and it was the perfect time to attack.
That perfect moment came when Zuko tilted his head slightly towards the Avatar, who seemed like he was trying to find an escape route. It gave me just enough time to create a fire blast as I twisted my body around, feeling the flames surge through my arm and out my finger. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the blue fire slammed into Zuko, sending him straight into a wooden pillar. The thin wood snapped like a twig, causing parts of a roof to collapse and tumble onto Zuko. Good riddance, I thought. Now, I could turn my focus straight on the Avatar, the final prize of the day.
I lifted my head to see the bald boy racing off, lifting open his staff and turning it into a glider. Typical Air Nomad cowardice, as they never dared to face their battles head-on. No wonder Great-Grandfather Sozin was able to ambush their troops with such ease, as they probably didn't bother to practice their techniques at all. Just as he took to the skies, I showed him what a true battle was about. Whipping together even more fire, I slashed my arm down vertically, creating a huge fire scythe that sliced through the air. The boy's glider took the brunt of the hit, twisting out of control before slamming down. As the ground shook, I could see him in his defenceless pose.
I took advantage of his position by leaping onto a nearby building and raced to the Avatar via rooftops. As I pounced down onto him, there was nowhere for him to go. This was where the merciless power of fire bending came in handy, as I did a perfect leg whip, scorching the earth as he tried to crawl away. But to no one's surprise, Zuko had to get between us and interrupt the fight. While Mom would be proud of his tireless efforts to keep fighting, now was not the time to interrupt, as the Avatar was the most important thing here. As I dodged his fire balls all the while keeping an eye on the Avatar, I could only wonder where Mai and Ty Lee were. They were supposedly chasing the Avatar's group members, which shouldn't be hard to defeat. So what was taking them so long?
I let my guard down for just a moment, and Zuko nearly tackled me. His body sailed through the air, eclipsing the sun and placing his face in silhouette as I ducked out of the way. This distraction wasn't about to do me any good, as it meant the Avatar could run off the other way. Realizing a new possibility, I stretched my arms out in opposite directions and blasted fire to my either side, sending Zuko to the ground again and the Avatar running up a flight of stairs. Without Mom to console him, I didn't even turn to Zuko as I chased the Avatar, who disappeared through a hole in the wall. Confounding he might be, but this young boy was no match to someone with my skills.
But I spoke too soon, as my blazing speed nearly took me off the ledge. In the midst of the chase, I didn't realize that the Avatar escaped into an emptied-out building, with only a thin ledge overlooking at least a two-storey drop. The Avatar was on the other side, hovering in the air on a spinning air ball, waving at me tauntingly as I tiptoed my way back to safety. How dare he be this treacherous and pull off a dirty trick like this, I thought. Should I get back on balance, he would be burned to a crisp.
Again, it had to be Zuko who ruined my chances, as the big oaf followed me into the building and made the same mistake I almost made. I had no idea how he got back to his feet, or how he could make it up here this quickly. But here was my bumbling brother lumbering into the building and, believe it or not, falling into the hole below. Had it not been for the chase, I would have found that hilarious. And because of that fall, it took my eyes off the Avatar, who managed to get back onto the ledge. The sneaky little wretch took another side-shot at me as he hurried past, sticking one hand out and shoved me. Even with my excellent balance, the surprise attack got me reeling back and falling over.
But there would be no embarrassment of joining Zuko in the mud for me, as I twisted my body in the air and managed to land on my feet. Zuko was just stirring when I could hear the Avatar sneak back into the open area of the ghost town. I could feel my frustration level rising as this chase had gone on for long enough, and Zuko had done enough to delay their inevitable capture. Banished prince or Avatar, they were both my enemies, and it was time I treated them both as such. Letting my anger feed the flames, I sent a fist at Zuko, shooting the fire bomb straight at his body.
The explosion rocked the entire building, causing it to weaken even more than its current state. Zuko was sent flying out to the open, his body's landing on the ground blew up more dust. I used this as covering for me to escape, jumping back out and sending yet another round of fire at the Avatar, who tried to scale another building. I seethed with anger at another one of his attempts to escape. Even if he weren't going to fight back, the least he could do was face me with honour and courage. But to run off every time there was a battle was the lowest of the low, and in my mind he shouldn't even call himself the Avatar if he were to behave like this. Clutching my fist, I sent the biggest fire ball yet his way, slamming it into the building and tearing the wall to bits.
That did the trick as the Avatar collapsed into the building, his body covered by debris as I marched up to him. There was no way he could escape now, not with depleted energy and multiple injuries. As he glanced up, struggling hard to escape, I set the entire room on fire, making sure there was no way out. His grunts of agony were music to my ears, as I finally had the greatest obstacle to the Fire Nation's success in my grasp.
But a violent tug on my arm caused me to reel back, the sudden jerk sending me hurtling to the side. I turned around to see a teenage girl dressed in blue holding a water whip, cracking the debris around the Avatar and freeing him. I stepped out of the house in pursuit of the Water Tribe girl when a teenage boy clad in blue swung at me with a club. Gritting my teeth, I parried against the two Water Tribe siblings and the Avatar, a three-on-one battle that placed me on the defensive. While I remained calm, my mind was seething as I wondered how these two pathetic Water Tribe peasants bested Mai and Ty Lee. Did they even want to fight or did they let the water benders go?
As I eyed my three enemies, I was met with another surprise as some rocks shot up from the ground and tripped me up. "I thought you guys could use a little help," a young girl's voice announced from behind me. I could only grit my teeth as a fourth member of the Avatar's group zoomed in on me. So now they also have an earth bender on their team? This would only make my job more difficult. Perhaps I should retreat now and bide some time before thinking up of another plan? There were some new pieces of technology being developed by our military, so maybe those should be considered?
But I barely took three steps before an oversized body got in my way, the large abdomen shoving into me and bouncing me back. I looked around and saw myself surrounded, not only by the Avatar's group, but also by Zuko and Uncle Iroh. Never in my life had I envisioned a six-on-one situation, let alone one where my own brother and uncle were playing for the other team. "Look at this," I commented, "enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done, I know when I'm beaten," I told them, raising my hands.
That seemed to have taken them by surprise, as none of them expected to see me surrender. But that all played into my hands, as I picked the oldest and the most skilled to attack. Aiming right at Uncle Iroh, I shot a blue flame straight into his chest. The older man twirled around in slow-motion, clutching his sternum in pain as he collapsed onto the ground. Knowing Zuko, he was definitely going to turn to Uncle Iroh, leaving me with the Water Tribe weaklings, the shrimpy earth bender, and the goofy baldy, hardly enough ammunition to keep me in one spot. As Zuko hollered in shock, I leapt away from the group, just in time to avoid all four elements being shot at me at once. There was a spectacular explosion, but too bad I couldn't stay to see it, as I had better things to do.
As I rushed back to my Basilisk and hurried away from here, I could only think about Mai and Ty Lee, and how incompetent they must be to let those two water benders escape. Not only that, Zuko had to continue with his obsessive hunt for the Avatar, with total neglect for the bigger goal of aiding our great nation. How could I even deal with imbeciles like these? Grimacing, it was time I showed the world what true power was all about, and I was intent on getting contacts with the nearest Fire Nation technology base.
"You're so dramatic. What, are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?" I sneered at Zuko, standing at a broken wall in the vast Earth Kingdom palace. After a couple more failures with externally attacking the Earth kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se, I decided to change tactics and collapse the city from within. Mai, Ty Lee and I managed to sneak into the capital disguised as the Kyoshi Warriors, who we ran into and defeated on our way here. Now, with the Ba Sing Se secret police, the Dai Li, under my control thanks to the capture of their leader Long Feng, I had all the power I needed.
"Yes, I challenge you!" Zuko roared, getting into a fighting stance. Thanks to our disguises, the Avatar's group, who were staying in the city to plan for an invasion of the Fire Nation, couldn't distinguish us from the real Kyoshi Warriors. It was through the water bending girl Katara that we discovered Uncle Iroh and Zuko also settled here, and had opened up a tea shop. Realizing a good chance to capture both Zuko and the Avatar, I purposely faked a letter to them, claiming that the Earth King had invited them over for morning tea. It led to Uncle doing his fire-breathing technique, which caught some of us off guard, letting the oversized lard ball escape. But Zuko had to listen to his mommy and chose to keep fighting, leading to what would be a very painful lesson.
Smirking nonchalantly, I flatly refused him. "No thanks," I stated, letting the Dai Li agents around me to the work. As I observed before, they might be earth benders, but their killer instinct rivalled those from the Fire Nation, as shown by how quickly they subdued Zuko. Two agents lifted a huge block of earth, blocking the fire blast launched by my brother before forming earthen fists and shooting them at Zuko. They managed to grip his feet and one hand, effectively neutralizing his powers.
With a couple more fists, Zuko was all tied up. "We'll be taking him to the catacombs below the palace," the lead Dai Li agent informed me with a bow. I especially told them to not harm Zuko, keeping him as alive as possible so I could enact my future plans on him. Whatever decision he made, I knew I would win out.
I was in no hurry to return to the throne room, where I told Ty Lee and Mai to wait while observing the Earth King. The fact that the Earth Kingdom had a bumbling idiot for a leader only made things easier for me to handle. In my mind, a leader must be decisive, iron-willed, and be able to install fear into others. The fact that the Fire Nation had grown so strong was because Fire Lords Sozin and Azulon were capable of doing that, and my father Ozai was currently employing the same methods. I had made it clear to the Dai Li that anyone showing any hesitation to my commands would be punished for it, and that was why I wasn't surprised at how smoothly the capture of Zuko went.
As I strolled back to the others, I mulled over how I would present my case to Zuko. Although my idea that people would respond to threats against their safety with obedience, in exchange that I didn't cause them bodily harm, I realized that my brother was a more difficult case. Even before being banished, Zuko tended to create bonds with people, to the point where he would act almost irrationally. I recalled the morning after Fire Lord Azulon declared that Dad must kill him, Zuko didn't even bother asking why he was spared; rather, he ran off to the garden demanding to know where Mom went. Even when I recruited Mai to help our quest, I knew that Zuko had bonded with her before, and he might probably refuse to fight Mai. Given how strong his bonds were and how stubbornly he clung to them, he might be a more difficult nut to crack.
By the time I reached the throne room, there was sheer pandemonium. Mai was in a fierce deadlock with Toph, the petite earth bender from the Avatar's group, while Ty Lee was in some weird dance with Katara's brother Sokka, trying to stab at his chi points while he bobbed and weaved frantically. The increasingly pathetic scene had me shaking my head, as clearly Mai and Ty Lee didn't have what it took to get things done. Showing them what it was all about, I marched up to the Earth King and lit a fire on my finger. Not a single person moved as I shouted over the crowd, "This fight is over."
My opponents promptly raised their hands in surrender, letting Ty Lee disable them by blocking their chi. As the Dai Li agents dragged their crumpled bodies out of the room, I plopped myself into the Earth King's throne. Knowing that within days, this seat would officially belong to the Fire Nation, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Not only would I have succeeded where my uncle and many others had failed, I also did it with almost no military power. Uncle and others might have plenty of military muscle to flex, but nothing could beat a good dose of strategizing and back-room deals.
Speaking of back-room deals, here was the man I supposedly made an alliance with, released from his prison cell. Before the beginning of the coup, Long Feng had promised me to give me the Avatar in exchange for having me release him from his cell. But knowing this old fool, he was bound to have more up his sleeve. "Now comes the part where I double-cross you," he stated, gesturing at the Dai Li agents lined up behind him, "Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess!" he declared.
I cocked an eyebrow, mockingly staring at Long Feng as none of the Dai Li agents moved. Long Feng tried again, pathetically ordering his team to attack me, all to no avail. It almost seemed comical as the former fearsome head of the secret police now ranted until his voice became hoarse, demanding that the agents obeyed him. The perfect way to end this show was if Long Feng got on his knees and begged.
But I also knew Long Feng wasn't the type to plead, at least voluntarily. That was why I had to give him a bit of coaxing. "I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power," I stated firmly, casting a downward gaze at the balding man, "but true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with." Gesturing at the robed figures behind him, I pointed at the throne emphatically as I continued, "they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne. But I know, and you know."
The golden moment came as Long Feng got to his knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness. Beads of sweat glistened off his hairless head as his forehead touched the ground, not daring to lift even a bit. Conceding that I beat him at his own game, I could only smirk in delight. But then again, knowing our statuses, it wasn't much of a contest, now was it? "Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player!" I sneered, setting the old fool in his place again. Waving to the Dai Li, I instructed them to take their former leader back into his cell, where I would deal with him later on.
As Long Feng was re-arrested, I reflected upon the events of the past few days. Indeed, my superior planning skills and details in execution proved to be peerless. Even that pretender Long Feng fell prey to me, so what other challenge was there? But given the great disparity in skills, I was convinced that it proved my point: some people got to lead because they were fitter to, and some were merely followers because they did not have what it took. Such as how Mai and Ty Lee were always my followers, so should Long Feng. Now, all it took was to sway Zuko to my side, and my plan was complete.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko." I stated as I barged into the catacombs. True to my expectations, Uncle Iroh did manage to find Zuko, filling my brother's mind with all sorts of nonsense about how free he would be. Sensing a threat to our plans, the Dai Li agents I brought with me instinctively locked my uncle in a position where he couldn't move. With green crystals disabling Uncle, I was left alone with my brother as I talked some sense into him. "Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you? It's not too late for you, you can still redeem yourself."
Even from his fixed position, Uncle Iroh continued his gibberish, declaring that the type of redemption I was offering to Zuko wasn't fit for him. Sneering at the pathetic old man, I taunted him by demanding that he let Zuko decide. "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is by fighting together. At the end of this day, you will have your honour back. You'll have Father's love. You'll have everything you want!" I concluded emphatically.
Again, more sappy language from Uncle, begging Zuko to look inside his heart to see what he truly wanted, making me that much closer to gagging. But it didn't matter to me, as I had already plotted my next move. With the Fire Nation troops on their way here and the Avatar still within reach, there was still a chance that I could capture my targets. Turning to the other aisle of this vast cavern, I told Zuko, "You're free to choose."
The only light that shone was the reflections of the sunlight seeping through the cracks and bouncing off the crystals. I had some idea what the Avatar and the water bending girl Katara were headed to, as they probably wanted to get to their allies before the Dai Li found out about their escape. Earlier, I had already sent the two Dai Li agents who accompanied me back to the palace, and they probably already warned their team of the events. According to my calculations, it wouldn't be long before Dai Li agents filled up the catacombs and blocked off their every escape route. All I had to do was stall for time, even though I was confident I could take them both down.
I finally reached the opening of the next room, and saw the familiar figures of a boy in orange and a girl in blue rushing away from me. Summoning up some flames, I launched a huge fire bomb at them. I could see the Avatar turning around, lifting up a block of earth to stop my blast. I could only chuckle at his futile attempt as the shot sent the rocks flying and the young boy hurtling back. What kind of attack did he think this was, the weak shots sent out by my wishy-washy brother?
Before I could even admire the shot, the water bender sent a series of waves at me, whipped up from water in a nearby sewer. It didn't matter for me, as my fire could burn so hot that it would evaporate any water thrown at me in seconds. Just before I got the drenching of a lifetime, I lifted a wall of blue fire, heating the water and turning it into a steam cloud. A genius move, if I say so myself, as not only did I block the shot, but I created enough a smokescreen for me to ambush them. Their game was about to be over.
Leaping through the smoke, I sent myself hurtling through the air, laying a barrage of fire onto the ground below. All my enemies could do was to bring up a water shield to cover their heads, and even that barely lasted for a few more seconds. I kicked off a nearby pillar, just before the Avatar collapsed it with earth bending, and landed right between the two, with one hand pointed at each person. Not a sound could be made as my eyes tilted back and forth between the two, my mind racing at breakneck speed. With the presence of water and earth, it might be difficult to attack just one, as they could defend and attack simultaneously. Was there a way to hit them both at once and separated them?
But that question was soon answered as a huge red blast landed right between us. I looked up just in time to see Zuko standing there in a fighter pose, his eyes mirroring mind as he alternated looks between the enemies and me. Uncle was nowhere to be seen, and I wasn't sure if Zuko was on my side or theirs. I glared at Zuko, hoping to shoot down whatever thoughts he had of defecting to the other group. There was no way he could reject my offer, especially when I would give him everything he longed for.
My doubts were finally eased as Zuko turned to the Avatar and fired away. The boy was surprised at this move as he was knocked across the labyrinth. I could only smirk as the room heated up, with Zuko sending fiery blast after fiery blast at Aang, which left me with the girl. I might have more difficulty handling a two-on-one, but when it was one-on-one for both of us, fire bending would have the upper hand.
I made my charge at Katara, who sent a thin but sharp wall of water at me. I knew it was risky going head on, so I side-stepped the attack, the liquid seemingly slowing down as it whizzed by me. Even with my athleticism, I couldn't dodge completely, as the water managed to nick off some of my hair. By the time the water passed, I had barely regained my balance. That was when my opponent had coated her whole body with water and created two long water arms. For once, I was actually caught off guard, as I had no idea how this attack worked, and what defences I could come up with against it.
I soon figured it out the hard way, as the long water arms were for disabling foes. Even before I got one fire blast out, I had water wrapped around one arm and one leg, making for an awkward position. I couldn't neither pull nor push, stuck in a pose where the water bender was in control of me. Gritting my teeth, there was no where I could lose when I came this far, especially to this inferior peasant from some run-down tribe.
As suddenly as I was caught in the trap, I was released, sending my body reeling back as the water bonds broke loose. I turned to see Zuko standing there, flames burning ferociously from his hands as the Avatar tried hard to disentangle himself from the rubble in the back. Switching tactics, I decided to switch positions with Zuko and went after the Avatar, all the while Zuko kept water girl here in check.
Staring down the bald boy, I powered myself up with flames at me feet, propelling myself towards Aang. As the surroundings around me blew past in a blur, I saw the Avatar summon a series of crystals around his body, creating some sort of green armour around him. What a fool, I thought, did he really think that could protect him?
I showed him the true power of fire bending as I slammed into the Avatar with full force. The crystals shattered within contact, sending the boy sailing through the air and slamming back-first onto a stalactite. I squinted through the debris, trying not to breathe in the dust as I made sure there was no more movement. If he wasn't dead, then he was bound to be unconscious, given the force of that impact. With one target still immobile, I could turn my attention to Zuko, who had Katara on the defensive.
Zuko and I moved synchronously, our bodies attacking as one as dual blasts of orange and blue hurtled at the Water Tribe peasant. No amount of water shielding could block the shots of two powerful fire benders, and it showed when our enemy crashed through a sea of crystals and crumpled to the ground. At the same time, reinforcements had arrived as Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling, making sure the Avatar had no place to go. I had no idea how this kid regained consciousness so quickly, but either way, today was the day when the so-called saviour of the world tasted defeat.
I could see the worry in Aang's eyes, his back hunched, his eyebrows curled, and his lips quivering as the Dai Li surrounded him. He glanced around helplessly, almost like when Zuko tried showing off before Grandfather Azulon and failed miserably, before turning his back to us. Sitting himself to the ground, he created a crystal tent, covering his entire body. I could feel the entire Dai Li battalion freeze behind me, some muttering to each other in confusion. What was the Avatar trying to pull here?
Before long, a bright pillar of light shot up from the tent, causing all those around me to duck and shield their bodies. I was the only one who still had my attention on the Avatar, who now floated ominously above the crowd, his body glowing unusually. With my eyes squinted, I could tell that his body was static, with no chance of attacking at all. This was a perfect time to strike, as I harnessed the energy within me. Feeling the surge of power, I whipped around and blasted s bolt of lightning straight through his body.
That woke everyone up as the Avatar's body grew limp and dropped from the top of the cavern, with his consciousness really knocked out this time. It also meant we all were unaware of Katara riding on her wave to the rescue as everyone leapt out of the way to avoid getting washed away. The Water Tribe girl held tightly to the Avatar, his lifeless body completely wilted. Now it was her turn to look helpless as we regained our formation, ready to attack once again. There was no escape for either one of them.
Before Zuko and I could even make a move, another fire bender entered the fray. Uncle Iroh jumped in out of nowhere and blocked off our path. "You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can!" He called to the water bender. Zuko and I were in shock, as Uncle's actions only proved my point that he did indeed betray us. As Uncle sent fire blasts at us, we could see from the corner of our eyes that Katara had taken Aang to a nearby waterfall and shot out of the labyrinth. It was too late for us to pursue, even as the Dai Li contained Uncle in another crystal tent, officially placing him under arrest.
But I wasn't worried, as I realized this move created another opportunity for a new contingency measure. Bringing Zuko back to the throne room, I told him that the bigger goal was nonetheless complete. "It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se!" I beamed, sitting on the throne while Zuko stood beside me.
Zuko was in anything but good spirits, claiming that he betrayed Uncle. Sensing that was a problem, I had to set the record straight. "No, he betrayed you," I corrected him, "when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero. Today, you restored your own honour!" I reiterated, trying to remind him what his goal was.
Zuko dipped his head slightly, but I knew even the most complex person couldn't be pried from his own self-interests. Even with someone as stubborn and sentimental as Zuko, there were ways to get inside his head, and constantly bombarding him with home, family, and his honour was the most effective way to achieving this goal. As long as he got what he wanted, who cared that he threw Uncle Iroh aside? And even with the Avatar still missing, raising the possibility that questions might be issued at our conquest, what better way than to find a scapegoat to turn all my troubles on?
I had to admit that this chapter was more difficult to write, as Azula went through very little change when we first saw her. As I mentioned to someone, Azula had a sense of entitlement and wasn't afraid to use fear to keep people loyal. With Mai and Ty Lee still relatively loyal to her, everything would seem like a bore to her, as she deemed everyone around her inferior anyway. So please give me your most honest reviews and I'll try to consider them when I start Part 2 of her story. Thank you for reading!