A/N: Sorry. That's all I can really say about my big delays in updates but I promise (And I mean it this time) that I will start updating more often.
The sun began to sink below the horizon again, and with a new task in mind, the firebender decided his best bet for finding the Princess was to find a high vantage point and look for the trail of dark smoke that was sure to be the Fire Nations newest technology. After finding a mountain peak that seemed promising, he began the long hike up. He began to consider a question that's been nagging at him since he first laid eyes on the Princess yesterday.
Why was she in the Earth Kingdom? Had Ozai thought him to be as useless as Zuko? No. That couldn't be it. Even he knew Zuko was no match for him. Perhaps out of her own will? Had she wanted to show him up by capturing the Avatar before him? Convincing her Father that Kai was not valuable as a suitor for his daughter? Not that he cared of course. Or so he kept telling himself.
He was so caught up in the turmoil of his own mind that he nearly fell into the small body sized hole that was right in front of him. This was one of the weirdest things he had ever seen. The hole was about the size of his waist and surrounded by footprints and the tracks of a saber-tooth moose lion? Obvious signs of earthbending scattered the landscape. The footprints were small as well. Not child small but they definitely did not belong to a full grown adult. And then he realized the odd wind worn patterns in the rocks. What was going on here?
He nearly spit flames when he realized it. The Avatar had been here! He missed them! If he had been a little faster he would have run right into their hiding spot.
Perhaps they were still here.
He took off running to get to the top of the mountain. If they were still here they would surely have a campfire, and with darkness fast approaching they would stick out very well. He was nearly at the top when he heard voices.
"I saw him. He is here and if we find him he could be very useful for our plans in Ba Sing Se."
He listened closer.
"What are our plans in Ba Sing Se, anyway Azula?"
Azula! She was here, right in front of him. He was about to make his appearance known when she spoke up again.
"Not now Ty Lee, we are not alone." She spun around and sent a whirl of fire at Kai. Who ducked out of the way just in time.
"Stop!" He yelled "It's Kai!"
Almost immediately the attacks stopped. He walked out into the open space where the three girls were at. Illuminated only by the single ball of fire in the princess's left hand.
"I know." Azula stated "I was making sure you hadn't lost your edge out here amidst the savagery."
"Yes, well I hope I've been tested enough. Now what were you saying about Ba Sing Se?"
"Were gonna take it down in flames and send the Earth King crying home to his mommy." Ty Lee happily parroted whilst hanging upside down from a fairly large cactus.
"Specifically?" Kai asked still a bit confused.
"I'm not exactly sure but Admiral Qin has a machine he says is capable of getting us and the rest of the Fire Nation army through the wall and straight into the city."
The name Qin brought back a few last memories of Kai's father, none happy.
Azula paused and looked out over the now blackened landscape of the Si Wong dessert. Only a short distance away from where they were now.
"And my father wants me to personally head the operation." The proud smile that was her trademark had crept onto her face as she realized that she was the only one of her fathers subsidiaries that could be trusted to oversee such an important operation. Failure was never an option, especially now though.
"So is that why you're here? In the Earth Kingdom?" Kai stammered out.
"No, after you left my father received word that my fat uncle Iroh betray the Fire Nation at the North Pole and turned on Zhao. I was sent after Zuko and Iroh by my father." Her eyes made contact with his. "The Avatar and his cronies became a secondary objective for us. And with Ba Sing Se now within sight, our visit to the Earth Kingdom will be a short but glorious term."
"Ba Sing Se, the Avatar and the fallen Prince all at once!" Ty Lee was now doing cartwheels around the others. "We'll be heroes back home! The group of teenagers that ended Sozins war!"
"Hmph, when we win can you assign my dad to the South Pole?" Mai giggled at the idea of her parents freezing in the cold winter of the South.
"That can be arranged." Azula chimed in. The group shared a good laugh at the governors expense.
"Well? Are you going to help us conquer 'The Impenetrable City'?" Azula asked.
"The Avatar is probably on his way their now. Seeing as it's the Earth Kingdom's last stronghold. He would be safe their. For now. Once Ba Sing Se has been captured, he will have to run or fight. And if he chooses to fight it will be his last. I'm in."
"Good." She looked into the darkness for a minute. "Only one thing though. We only brought three mongoose lizards so.."
"He can ride with me!" Ty Lee screams could be heard from a great distance.
"Uhh i don't know..."
"That sounds great! Let's get moving. We have to be to the rendezvous point by tomorrow night or we'll have to ride these things all the way to Ba Sing Se." Mai cut Azula off before she could finish.
It was a short, if somewhat uncomfortable ride to the rendezvous point. The speed of the lizards was leagues above that of the ostrich horse he had been riding previously. Once the group was at the point, they had a short time before their ride would be there. As they waited they began to each input there ideas as to how they were going to go about running the last Earth Kingdom city standing.
"I say we burn everything." Kai said "It's the only way to really break the earth benders, take away everything they have." He paused "Not to metion it'll really taunt the Avatar's cronies, that is assuming I don't get to them first." The shaded smile that Azula secretly liked, though she would never admit it, reared itself on Kai's dirt covered pale face.
"If we destroy everything, there won't be anything left to rule over." Mai was once again being skeptical.
"Not to mention you and 'Zula are the only fire benders in the gro..." She was now chuckling and trying to cover it up but failing. "Oh, I see, you two lovebirds have fun with that then." Even Mai was now chuckling with her. Azula was trying to hold her evil glare but the red spanning her face was ruining the effect.
"N-not like that!" Kai was himself trying to hold back his blush.
The sound of roaring metal promptly ended the conversation. Three armed men were aboard the land tank. While smaller than the previous it was faster, which would suit the groups interests well. They boarded the armored vehicle with Ba Sing Se in their sights, particularly the Fire Nation base near the edge of Lake Laogai.
The monotonous pace kept on for the uneventful three days of travel that followed. As they neared their destination they could hear the chatter of Fire soldiers and the pounding of metal on metal. Climbing out of the armored transport, Kai could see the soldiers moving around carrying around large pieces of what Kai could only assume was the drill. Other Fire Nation tanks were scattered about being tuned up. The standard quarter inch thick steel plating was being revamped to three quarter inch. Obviously to be used for the invasion. It would have to hold back the Earth Kingdoms most skilled fighters of course.
"Ah. Princess, I see that your group made it here! With little difficulties along the way?" War Minister Qin seemingly appeared out of nowhere, walking past Kai, Ty Lee and Mai. Kai wanted to wipe his face in the dirt for laying a finger on his person, but he decided against it.
"We have made arrangements for all of you to stay, the drill is not quite finished. In a weeks time the siege will begin and you and your father will have the greatest city under your thumbs..." Qin was saying as he led the group away to their next temporary home. That was one thing Kai missed about the Fire Nation. He always knew he had a place to lay his head at night that didn't change from night to night.
Authors Note: Wow. Really guys I am so sorry. I try to update when I can but with 3 jobs, school and chores I really have no time at all. Next chapter will be up within the month. Thank you for your continued support and staying with me.