Parallels and Perpendiculars, Part 2

Meisai kept her voice low as the Earthbender-powered train ushered them into the Upper Ring. "I just can't believe that General Iroh- the Dragon of the West- lives here. I always assumed that his nephew had him quietly stashed away somewhere like Ember Island."

Beside her, the quiet Rough Rhino called Yeh-Lu nodded. "He and the Fire Lord came here to escape Princess Azula after the debacle at the North Pole. They posed as tea-makers, and General Iroh's skill eventually won him a business up in the Upper Ring. The Princess tracked them down and arrested them when she conquered the city, but General Iroh escaped the Capital Prison on the Day of Black Sun. The Rough Rhinos were among the groups briefed on his recent history in case he came back to the Earth Kingdom. He slipped by us, of course, and liberated the city with the power of Sozin's Comet. We were too busy with all the Freedom Fighter rebellions to make a real job of hunting him down."

"No wonder Fire Lord Zuko was so quick to make peace." Meisai shook her head. "Sheltering the General was probably part of the deal. He sold us out."

Yeh-Lu shrugged. "I've never been one for politics."

They passed the rest of the trip in silence, and Meisai took the opportunity to look out at the Upper Ring as it passed below the train. It amazed her that such a place could survive the war more or less unscathed, especially since the Fire Nation had successfully conquered the place during the last months of the war, and one of the final battles of the conflict was fought in its streets. It just went to show, both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom must have valued it greatly, and now Ba Sing Se continued to thrive while the former colonies struggled against the parasitic cast-offs of both nations, and agents of both countries hunted down their once-loyal servants.

Yes, his murder was probably wrong, but Meisai would shed no tears for the Earth King.

The train eventually pulled into a station, and just as their written directions has promised, Meisai and Yeh-Lu found it a short walk from there to the Jasmine Dragon teashop. The cafe was fairly busy, filled with men and women in intricately decorated robes who chattered on about the subtle flavors in their teacups, but a hostess gave the two sailors immediate attention with a smile. "Table for two?"

Yeh-Lu flashed one of the papers that he had gotten from his street-kitchen contact. "We're here to meet with Proprietor Mushi about a business matter. He should be expecting us."

The hostess bowed. "Please come with me. A private room has been reserved for your meeting."

"The Rough Rhinos?" Azula swung the cloak her Uncle had given her over her shoulders. "Sounds familiar, but I don't recall meeting any such people."

"Perhaps Sokka told you about them. I understand that Avatar Aang and his friends encountered them at one point." Uncle Iroh's delivery was nonchalant, but Azula's stomach tightened in response. The last thing she wanted to be relying on were stories from the least trustworthy people she knew. (The first things she wanted was to get out of this city.) Uncle Iroh continued, "They tried to capture me and Zuko when we were fugitives from... well, you... but I haven't heard of them since then, aside from hearing that they deserted when Zuko took power. I don't know what they seek now, but the message said they know of my current 'troubles.' I'm sorry to say, but right now you're my biggest trouble."

"Yes." Azula flipped the cloak's hood up to cover her face. She couldn't have one of the Jasmine Dragon's innocent employees or patrons spotting her; they might force her to make a mess of her uncle's teashop, and it had so far been a very comfortable prison. "Let's go see what kind of trouble we might be in."

The room Uncle Iroh had set aside for the meeting was on the first floor, but he had done a good job arranging for his staff to be elsewhere as he and Azula made the short trip downstairs. Azula entered the room first, and as her uncle closed the door behind them, she set her gaze on the occupants and readied herself for a fight of words, if not actual combat.

And so she was taken completely by surprise when the first person she saw was Meisai of the Hidden Gem. "You're alive!" She flicked her hood off and rushed over to her short-haired Firebending tutor, who was smiling at her reaction, but then Azula stopped short when she realized the implications of the other woman's presence here. "Wait, how did you find me? Did Long Feng-"

"Long Feng?" Meisai frowned at the name. "He was the one who kidnapped us? I don't know why, but his people let me and my father go. Dumped us near a village and got on with their lives, from what I can tell."

That didn't sound like Long Feng to Azula. He was the type who didn't like loose ends, as her formerly traitorous arm evidenced. "And how did you find me? Or, rather, how do you think you found me?"

Meisai blinked with apparent confusion. "Long Feng was trying to get you to go to Ba Sing Se. I was there when you two were arguing about it, remember? After we were let go, Father and I sailed over here to try to help you. Yeh-Lu here knew about your uncle and figured he would be a good starting point for our search."

Yeh-Lu nodded. "General."

Uncle Iroh gave a short bow. "Tea?"

"Sure."

Azula kept her eyes on Meisai. "And you remember everything? No blank spots, no odd compulsions to come and find me, no confusion about any of it?"

"No! I came because you lost that fight against Long Feng because of us! I know what it's like to be-"

"In a difficult situation, yes, I remember," Azula cut the other off quickly. She glanced meaningfully over at her uncle, hoping that Meisai would take the hint that he was not to be fully trusted. Meisai stared for a moment, and then nodded, so Azula let herself relax a bit. For now, at least, it seemed that this wasn't another of Long Feng's traps, but a simply a friend who wanted to help her. "Thank you for coming." She walked over to Meisai and rested a hand on the other woman's shoulder. "You know who I really am? And you're aware of the current situation?" It was almost too much to hope for, that there was someone out in the war who didn't hate her on sight, but Meisai was here, and…

Yeh-Lu sat down at the room's only table and watched as Uncle Iroh poured him a cup of tea. "You mean how you assassinated the Earth King? Yeah, word has been getting around, just a bit."

Meisai's eyebrows rose. "Did you really do it? You regret Kyoshi Island, I could tell, but this..."

"I did it, but not by choice," Azula said. She realized she still had her hand on the other woman, and reluctantly removed it. "That's what this man Long Feng does. He has ways of making people do what he wants, against their will. That's why I asked you those questions. When I came here, I couldn't remember anything, almost going back to when I got off the... what was it, the Hidden Gem? I just knew I had to see the Earth King. And when I did, my body went ahead and killed him without my permission."

Meisai just stared, while Yeh-Lu laughed into his teacup and said, "Gee, I wonder if Fire Lord Zuko would believe that if I told him it's why I deserted. Not my fault, honest, my body did it on its own!"

Azula was all set to retort with something perfectly devastating when Uncle Iroh cleared his throat. "I can vouch for Azula's story. Long Feng's methods are well known to me, as well as any resident of this city from before the war ended, and I can confirm that this is all well within his abilities and desires. Too, I saw Azula in the grip of the brainwashing. That could not be faked."

Azula nodded her thanks. "So now, the only question is how I get out of the city so that I can go stop Long Feng once and for all."

"Niece-"

"No, Uncle!" She whirled on him, and felt her Inner Fire surge with the heat of her anger. She wanted to scream and insult him for his stubbornness, but a part of her recognized the damage that could do her cause and what relationship she had with him. She could use her anger to fuel her passion, her strength, but she had to remain in control. Surrendering to her impulses would be like surrendering to Long Feng's brainwashing all over again. She had to remember Meisai's teachings, all that time ago. "Sorry, I shouldn't have shouted." Taking a calming breath, Azula continued, "I know you think I can't be trusted to take care of this. I understand, and I admit that I have accumulated my share of failures since my return.

"But, Uncle, I need this chance, and the world needs me. The damage Long Feng has done in the colonies might never be repaired, and he's done it all using my face as a cover for it. Zuko isn't going to be able to calm people down. Long Feng might have made the situation worse, but the colonies are a mess because he didn't have the ability to find a future for them. If I surrender to him, I'll waste away in a cell until Long Feng finally gets his hands back on me, and the whole time Zuko and Aang and everyone will be futilely trying to fight my ghost."

Uncle Iroh shook his head. "I've heard your reasons, and as ever, you can twist logic to your ends. But if you give yourself over to revenge, if you act without a pure heart, you will hurt more than you save. I… just don't know how to trust you."

Azula motioned to Meisai and Yeh-Lu. "So trust them! Yes, I want revenge. But my first concern is making sure that he can't win, even in death. And to do that, I need to save the colonies from him. That's my cause. I want to do for others what Meisai is doing for me. I don't know that girl you used to clash with, but as for me, I can learn. I want to do better. I need to."

Uncle Iroh stared at her for an eternity. Finally, with the all the ponderous weight of an ancient dragon, he squared his shoulders and said, "You are not my niece."

"Uncle-"

"No, you're right. My niece was a cruel person. Yes, she might have had little choice in the matter, but she grew up into an enemy of life. You, on the other hand, apologize for your actions. You thank people for their kindness." He looked to where Meisai stood at rapt attention. "You have earned friendship, rather than servile fear." He looked back at Azula. "I am worried that you will give in to your darker instincts, as you have already. But you don't want to, and that deserves a chance. It is the same chance I gave Zuko. I owe it to you, I suppose, to offer the same thing."

The burning in Azula's heart had settled into warmth that reached throughout her whole body. She bowed with respect to her uncle, and said, "Thank you. Had I not come to you, I would not have been able to save myself, or now find the friends who will help me get out of the city. Even if I fail, at least remember that it is because of you that there's even a chance." Then, giving in to an impulse, she walked over and gave her uncle a hug.

It was not a strong hug, nor a clumsy one, and Uncle Iroh's arms hugged her back with less than their full strength.

But it was a nice hug.

When they parted, Azula looked over to Meisai and Yeh-Lu. "Now, we need a plan. What kind of security do we have to pass through to get to your ship?"

"There's the checkpoints between each of the city's Rings," Meisai said. "Then there are local guards on watch at the dock. They said they'd have to inspect all cargo we take on, and we were forbidden from accepting passengers."

Azula thought about that. "What kind of guards? Armored?"

"No, just the local City Watch. Uniforms, armed with dao blades."

Azula smiled. "I can accommodate that. Uncle..."

He was right with her. With a smile, he said, "I've been thinking that it's time the Jasmine Dragon exported some of its unique blends. I can have some crates ready to go within an hour, and it won't be hard for me to purchase more cargo besides. Will you need any materials or tools?"

"No, I know a very good choke hold."

Meisai was glancing back and forth between them before finally shrugging. "I have no idea what you two are talking about. They'll search the crates."

Yeh-Lu finished his tea and stood up. "Kid, that's the Dragon of the West and Princess Azula. Even if we don't get it, they have a good plan. For my part, I'm just waiting for the show."

The crates came from the Upper Ring, of course, and had all the proper paperwork to prove the business agreement between Citizen Mushi and Captain Toru of the Hidden Gem (as represented and signed by his First Mate and Purchasing Agent). Another important point was that the Jasmine Dragon was all paid up on its taxes and bribes, so its continued financial success was known to be in the city's best interest. The crates were loaded onto one of the special trains designated for business cargo (runs three times a day, fees always reasonable) by employees of the Jasmine Dragon, and then ferried all the way to the Lower Ring.

The crates were not yet inspected, of course. Weapons were not allowed to be carried from the Lower Ring to the other two rings, but there was no restriction on what could be sent back 'downstream.' First Mate Meisai and Purchasing Agent Yeh-Lu had to show their documentation again, but no trouble resulted from that.

In the Lower Ring, Meisai hired some of the locals to carry the crates to the docks. She could have hired a cart or two, but that would have been more expensive. On the pier where the Hidden Gem was moored, the crates were all spread out for inspection by the guards. The porters were all given another coin each to compensate them for the delay that left them standing around; that kept moods good, and no one noticed that there was one more porter than had been hired at the train station, but the auburn-haired young lady did nothing to draw attention to herself. The guards were surprised by the number of crates, but they had all the man-power they needed for this, so they spread everything out and conducted their searches all at once. It was a fairly chaotic atmosphere, with the porters milling around and talking, the various guards popping open crates and examining the contents- tea leaves carefully packed up, racks of tea bags, equipment for easy brewing of large amounts of strained tea, assorted spare parts for a steam engine, and other delights of Ba Sing Se.

One of the crates was fairly empty, containing only a single rack of tea bags and enough free space for a human body, but Meisai had simply shrugged at the guard who opened it and said something about "cheapskate Upper Ringers" that no one argued with. The tea bags were packed up again in another crate, and the original was broken down. Better safe than sorry, after all.

Throughout the process, the crew of the Hidden Gem moved about and assisted where they could, unpacking some of the crates, and identifying their contents. With so many people moving about, it was easy to miss when one of the porters- the young lady with the auburn hair- wandered past one of the guards on the periphery of the group, and very suddenly grabbed him and wrapped an arm around his neck for a chokehold that cut off both air and bloodflow. She dragged him around a corner to another section of the docks without anyone seeing.

With all of cargo checked, the porters were allowed to bring the crates aboard, each one escorted by a guard. None of the porters, of course, had paid enough attention to note that one of the guards had spontaneously developed auburn hair. Once that was completed, the porters were each given another coin, and the guards all conducted one last inspection of the ship while their commander gave his goodbyes Captain Toru. "Well, that went relatively painlessly," he said. "Once again, we thank you for your cooperation. You are model of what we wish all visitors to Ba Sing Se could be, but usually aren't."

Toru just gave a small, almost sad smile. "That's unfortunate, sir."

The Hidden Gem no longer had Ba Sing Se in sight when Azula emerged from the captain's cabin in her stolen guard uniform. She looked around the deck and noted, without surprise, that the Rough Rhinos had all paused in their work to stare at her. "Well, that worked out rather smoothly."

One of the Rhinos, a man with a feather in his topknot who Meisai had said was named Mongke, had an expression of undisguised surprise, like he had just found a weevil in his breakfast. "By the Agni Warrior, it is you. I didn't quite believe it 'til now."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

"Fah. I'm not making any problems." Mongke's face settled again into an easy scowl that seemed quite at home on his features. "Just do me a favor: if you get yourself caught by that idiot brother of yours, forget you ever saw me. The Rough Rhinos are going back to being a steamer crew soon enough."

Showtime. The whole time Azula had been lying in that empty crate, on the long trip from her uncle's teahouse to loading bay in the Lower Ring, she had been making plans and taking stock of her resources. An elite unit of former Fire Army warriors, owing no allegiance to the Fire Lord, was too valuable to let slip away. "And I suppose you're going back to a life of labor, then? A shadowy existence on the edge of society? How the mighty have fallen."

His eyes sharpened, and he took a step towards Azula. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Azula smiled and took her own step forward. "I'll be honest with you, Mongke. I have plans. I'm going after the person who turned me into an unwilling assassin, and to do that, I'm doing something that might benefit you. I'm hoping that I can count on the Rough Rhinos' support, since you're such a capable group of individuals. I need good people, good warriors from the Fire Nation, for my plans."

"What plans?"

Azula turned to face the ships wheel, where Toru and Meisai were stationed. "Meisai, what did I tell my uncle I was going to do?"

"Kill Long Feng and save the colonies."

"Precisely. Thank you." She glanced back to Mongke. "Specifically, I am going to unite the colonies under my rule, and turn them into the greatest nation on the planet. A mix of Earth and Fire, a haven for everyone who can't live in the old nations."

All the Rough Rhinos were staring again. Mongke practically had smoke coming out of his ears as he tried to process that, and managed to gasp out, "What?"

"Yes. I admit, it's not an original plan. In fact, it's exactly what the ex-Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se is trying to do, himself. But he's a smart man, and it's a good idea. I'm just going to steal his plan, turn the people's hearts against him and under my control, and then kill him as an example of what happens when people cross me. No longer will deserters from the Fire Nation have to hide and deny their heritage. No longer will people with Earth Kingdom in their blood have to worry about being exploited or robbed. I will oversee a new vision for the world, one that the Avatar and the Fire Lord won't be able to stand against. How could they, after they abandoned the colonies once already?"

Azula looked around, and saw that she had everyone's undivided attention. Time to seal the deal. "Mongke, I need the Rough Rhinos for this. Long Feng has a massive organization, and has been priming the colonies for this for years, but I know this man, and I know how he works. He's made a major mistake- he's already using me as a figurehead for his plan. With your help, we can strike strategically, make a show of strength that we don't yet have, and steal Long Feng's entire support structure out from under him. And, in return, you would be well rewarded." She crossed her arms over her chest, and added, "And you could leave any time. If things are going badly, I'll hardly be in a position to worry about you. If you'd rather go back to crewing your own ship, wasting away on the seas until a stupid young bounty hunter recognizes you in a filthy dockside tavern and gets a lucky shot in… well, that's your business. But I'm not going down quietly. I'm going out like a bonfire."

Azula summoned a torch of blue fire in each of her hands, and smiled dangerously at the Rough Rhinos. "Gentlemen, Princess Azula is back, and the world will soon know what that really means. Like the nation I'm going to build, I'm more than I once was. The time is now, to decide what you really believe in? Surviving... or conquering?" She could see it in their eyes: she had them.

Before Mongke could answer, Azula dismissed the flames and turned again to Meisai and her father. "I could use your help, too. I understand if you don't want to. You've already nearly lost everything, and done more than I ever could have hoped for, just to help me. No matter what, I will always... I mean, I hope it's okay, but I... I consider you a friend."

Meisai glanced at her Father, then looked back to Azula and nodded heavily. "I'd like to be your friend. And I don't care if they let us go, or paid our ship's docking fees while we were gone, those guys kidnapped me and held me in a cell where I couldn't see the sun. I'll see them stopped or dead. I only ever wanted to save the colonies. I'd be happy to do it at your side."

Azula barely heard her. Long Feng had arranged for the Hidden Gem's docking fees? Why would he waste his time and resources with that? Then she looked over at Captain Toru, saw his uncomfortable expression, and her mind began listing and linking facts.

Toru had been there on Kyoshi Island when Ozai had found her.

He knew where and when she arrived in the colonies.

Long Feng and Shingyung had admitted that they laid out a net of contacts for Azula to stumble into, against all odds.

Toru and Meisai had been Long Feng's captives when Shingyung had brought her to the mountain base.

Toru and Meisai had been released unharmed, with their ship and way of life taken care of for them.

Toru was here now in Ba Sing Se, where Azula had been sent by Long Feng.

Toru was working for Long Feng.

She didn't even have to work to come up with the conclusion; it was as plain as day when she looked dispassionately at the entire situation. There was no certain proof, but Azula's instincts were united on this point, and ever since she had emerged from her own mind with her body and memories once more under control, she was content to trust her instincts.

And if Toru really was a traitor, and she knew about it… that could be useful.

Putting that all aside for the moment, Azula smiled at Meisai and drew the other woman into a hug. "Thank you," she said. Then she stepped back and looked once more upon the Rough Rhinos.

They were bowing.

Mongke looked up, and gave her a smirk. "We are loyal servants, Your Highness. Surviving is something the Rough Rhinos are good at, but conquering is what we do. Let's see how these plans of yours work out, eh?"

Azula looked around at her new army, and nodded. "Yes. Let's see."

Shingyung swayed her way into Long Feng's office, and graced him with one of her hideously false smiles. "You wished to see us?" Dong Min shuffled into the room behind her, and as usual moved immediately to put as much distance between himself and the Waterbender as possible.

Long Feng silently slid the decoded copy of the note over his desk for the pair to see. Shingyung leaned right above it, while Dong Min edged up behind her. It didn't take either one of them long to read, of course, and Dong Min reacted first, stumbling backward until he came up against one of the stone walls. "She survived?"

Shingyung didn't move, but for once her posture and expression were completely and naturally blank. "Can we be sure of this? Our expert Mindbender's work has otherwise been so reliable."

Long Feng nodded. "This missive was the result of multiple independent sources confirming the news. Somehow, Azula defeated the programming we gave her and both survived and escaped the palace against all odds. We need to start trying to salvage as much of our plans as we can, and we'll have to move fast."

Shingyung brought her features back under control, looked over at where Dong Min was still being held up by the wall behind him, then turned back to Long Feng and tilted her head to the side. "Surely, we need not overreact, hm? She's still trapped in Ba Sing Se, and every day that she's not found just means that the locals are closing in on her. We call her 'Azula,' but as delicious and exquisite as she is, she's still just a pale shadow of what she used to be. You, of all people, should know that."

Long Feng shook his head look up at her. "I, of all people. And yet you question my opinion? Trust me, she'll get out. And do stop trembling," he said to Dong Min. "Even if she defeated all our hypnosis, she still thinks you're dead. You're safe enough, and she'll never find this base without one of us to guide her."

Dong Min shook himself, and straightened up with some effort. "Yes, you're right. It's perfectly logical. But surely it would be better to just stop, now? If she gets the news to the Avatar or the Fire Lord..."

Shingyung gave a liquid shrug. "Very well. Let us plan for the worst, as the good Dong Min wants. We've already pulled all the duplicates back from their stations, but we haven't killed them yet. That was well planned. We can redeploy them in waves, if we need to, but they'll need new programming. We never expected another phase of action for them."

"True. We'll have to send one of our programmers." Long Feng stood up and stalked around to the front of his desk. "We'll also send out all new duplicates here that can pass well enough as Azula. Dong Min, you'll give them their orders, and then you'll have to go out into the field to handle the redeployment of the others."

"Me?"

"We have to have the duplicates at the top of their game. They need Azula's full flair, and a strong desire to spread the most severe pain and suffering as far across the colonies as they can, without any concern for their own lives. And they must not allow themselves to be captured. I'm not leaving this to chance now, I need the best on the job." Long Feng turned to look over at his long-time, not always willing partner. "You will, of course, have a full escort of guards. Your safety is important to me, after all."

Long Feng ignored the other man's groan and turned to find Shingyung regarding him with a raised eyebrow. She said, "And I suppose you want me to go work my magic and spread your gold to our allies? That would be the natural consequence of accelerating our plans, yes?"

Long Feng nodded. "We're pushing forward into the endgame." Long Feng clasped his hands behind his back and paced around the room. "If Azula defeated our programming, then she likely knows that I'm involved. It's time to call in our allies, and either bully them or buy them into assembling the conclave. But I'll handle that part, and then head straight for Yu Dao with the first of the Governors. The Avatar and the Fire Lord will have to put in an appearance, once they receive our invitations, but I want them as distracted as possible, hence the need for the duplicates. However, I have another job for you."

Shingyung motioned for him to continue, and so Long Feng said, "We need Azula dead as soon as possible. I don't care if we have a body, so long as we know she's dead. We can always produce the corpse of one of the duplicates. Your job is to go out and kill the Fire Princess."

Shingyung gave a little laugh. "Aha, here I thought I was getting a job, but really you give me a treat! Holding her corpse will be a fulfillment I have long awaited. But how am I to find our exquisite little toy? Shall I go to Ba Sing Se? Or await her in Yu Dao?"

Long Feng spun to face her. "No! She's to get nowhere near that city! You can use the shirshu we have in the stable cavern and get on Azula's trail directly. We need her dead, Shingyung. Find something with her scent, and sniff her out. Kill her. You're one of the only people I can trust to make that happen. Do you understand?"

She gave a snort and shifted her hips. "The shirshu? Ugh, what a foul-tempered monstrosity. He snaps whenever I go near him. Perhaps he recognizes me as his master's killer? Regardless, I'll do my best to catch up to Azula-"

"No! No talk of 'your best,' or trying to do anything." The walls rattled with the force of his voice. "Her death is the most necessary part of the entire plan! You will find her, and you will kill her." Long Feng resisted the urge to start flinging around threats. He would not start insulting a valuable ally. But why didn't Shingyung realize what they were dealing with?

The Waterbender blinked at him repeatedly, and then dipped into a low bow. "It will be as you say, then. I will hunt Azula down, and end the threat she represents to the balance of you and our plans." She twirled and slunk out of the room, and Dong Min followed after her.

Long Feng gave a heavy sigh. The final gamble for the fate of the world was about to begin.

TO BE CONTINUED