Morality Chain

Given my reviews, a few people have been wondering how the Azula from my story will interact with people who aren't Zuko or Ozai. Well, there's more of it in this chapter, and I hope I live up to your expectations.

Also, there will be slight timeline fudging here, wherein I cut and paste events and gloss over how long things take to occur. I justify this by the fact that even in original ATLA they were never very consistent about that sort of thing. So yeah.

Disclaimer: I own the DVDs.

"He certainly wasted no time in setting out the bounty." Azula sighed as she held out and stared at the wanted poster for her Uncle. Silently, she wondered if Uncle and Zuko already knew about the price on their heads, but she quickly dismissed the notion – the posters wouldn't have had time to get to where they were. Where exactly that was, Azula was still working on pinpointing, but so far she'd narrowed the possibilities to the a series of villages on the northern coast of the Earth Kingdom – not a particularly difficult deduction to make, given that the two of them had set out from the Northern Water Tribe.

She'd make her way there soon enough, but first… her gaze shifted to another poster lying by the corner of her desk. In contrast to the wanted poster for her relatives, this flyer was splashed with bright colours, large words loudly proclaiming their welcome to anyone and everyone who wished to enter.

How utterly tacky. Azula sighed as she looked down at the advertisement that proudly proclaimed the arrival of the circus to some town whose name she couldn't be bothered to remember. Still, it had served its purpose well enough – it had given Azula had next destination.

She was under no illusions – the Avatar was a bender of the highest calibre, and she had to assume he had already mastered both airbending and waterbending, which would make him a truly dangerous foe. She was entirely confident in her abilities as a master Firebender, but it certainly never hurt to give oneself a little edge over the opponent.

The ability to remove a person's bending would definitely be very useful for any upcoming fights. And of course, Azula admitted silently. I do want to see her again. I wonder how she's doing. Probably not too bad, all things considered. She had always liked being the centre of attention and the circus seemed a good place for that, so Azula had to conclude that she would be reasonably happy there, even if the princess couldn't see any draw in it herself.

What should I even say to her when I see her? I know how she'll greet me, of course – one of her bonecrushing hugs as usual.

Standing up from her desk, Azula glanced out the window. The journey from the Fire Nation capital to this sleepy port had taken over two weeks, and Azula was starting to feel a little antsy. Leaving her cabin, she strode purposefully out onto the deck, taking in a breath of the salty ocean air as she looked out over the Fire Nation troops she'd brought along with her as they went through their training.

It seems such a waste, really. Azula continued to watch them, and not for the first time she wondered how men twice her age could still be so… amateurish in their Firebending techniques. Especially when this lot were supposed to be Elite Firebenders.

Agni, some of them are painful to watch. She almost groaned out loud as she spotted one of the men leaving himself wide open to an assault from the left – and had it been her standing in his opponent's place, she would have fully exploited by now.

She was suddenly aware of the ship's captain – a thoroughly colourless individual if there ever was one – coming up behind her. "Excuse me, your highness, but –"

"I presume you have a reason for why we're behind schedule." She cut him off without bothering to turn around and look him in the eye. Truth be told, she didn't really care all that much – her target would apparently staying in that single location for the better part of a month. But if he was going to approach her… well, it wouldn't do to let them think she would tolerate lax standards, would it?

"Well, yes, about that, your highness…" he was visibly nervous around her. "The, um, the tides will not allow us to make port now."

"The tides." She repeated softly as she turned to look him in the eye. "I was not aware, captain, that the will of the tides outranked a command from a princess of the Fire Nation. Perhaps I missed a memorandum?"

The captain blanched visibly. 'Well, no, of course not, your highness, but-"

"You'll bring us in, captain, uncooperative tides or no." She offered a frosty smile. "Don't worry. I have faith in your abilities."

As the captain hurried off, Azula sighed and rubbed her forehead. Was this really the best the Navy could dredge up on short notice when she'd departed the country? Her musings were interrupted by an errant ball of fireball zipping past her left cheek to smash into the reinforced hull of the ship, leaving a soot-black stain. It had come close enough for her to feel the heat radiating from the poorly aimed shot.

All at once, the entire deck had fallen silent.

Slowly, she turned around, noting the two soldiers closest to her whose expressions were strongly reminiscent of a kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar. The others were glancing nervously at each other and backing off ever so slightly.

Well then.

With measured, deliberate steps, Azula moved closer to the both of them, one hand reaching up to rub at her cheek – a useless gesture, aside from reinforcing the knowledge in the two soldier's minds that they had seriously messed up.

"You." She said with deliberate calm as she lifted to point at the one on the right. "And you," she shifted her finger to the one on the left. "Will be my sparring partners for the next hour." Of course the term might as well have been synonymous with 'punching bag' as long as Azula was involved, and everyone knew it. Finding volunteers was difficult enough at the best of times, hence why it was a rather satisfying moment when she could face someone who could still end up grateful after getting knocked around like a kuai ball for any extended period of time.

Shrugging off her cloak, she let it crumple silently to the floor as she shifted into a Firebending stance, noting the expressions on their faces – relief mixed with uncertainty and apprehension – with wry amusement.

A long, timeless moment passed – and then Azula began.

(X)

Today was going to be a good day. She had gotten an unshakeable feeling from the moment she had woken up that today was going to bring nothing but delight and wonder.

Of course, she'd gotten that feeling every single day for as long as she could remember, but since they had almost always proven to be correct in the end, Ty Lee had absolutely no problems with following her feelings.

From her position in the middle of the grassy field where the circus had set up camp, she could see her friends and colleagues as they continued to bustle about, preparing themselves for tonight's show. Maybe that was where all the day's goodness was going to be stored up – tonight was going to be the best show ever! She'd been practising her new routines for the longest time, and she was going to steal tonight's performance – she just knew it.

Suddenly, she became aware that a person was standing in front of her and looking down at her.

It took her a moment to recognize her – even for someone like Ty Lee, being upside down tended to mess with your perception, if ever so slightly, but once she did, she quickly flipped herself upright, a huge grin spreading over her face. She almost forgot to bow, but after a swift bending of her knees and lowering her face to the ground, she leapt forward to envelop her friend in a hug.

"Azula! It's so good to see you again!"

"It's been nearly three years, hasn't it?" The princess of the Fire Nation replied. "How have you been?"

"I've been just great! Everyone here's really kind and caring and they don't even care that I'm from a noble family – they just treat me the same as everyone else!" She could see one of Azula's eyebrow rise.

"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" She finally ventured, but before she could say any more Ty Lee gasped and pointed at her friend's arm.

"Azula! Your sleeve… is that a burn mark?"

The princess fingered the scorched material with an air of distaste. "This? Oh, it's nothing. Just a training session that was a little more intense than normal." She then shook her head, shutting down that line of talk. "Anyway, Ty Lee, it's nice to see you again, but this isn't really a social visit."

"Oh." Ty Lee settled her torso onto the ground, arcing her legs back until the toes were touching her head. If Azula was disconcerted by her behaviour she gave absolutely no sign of it – she'd done it often enough back in the Royal Academy for the princess to be used to it by now. "Okay. Shoot." She didn't know much about what was going on back in the Fire Nation capital, but she knew if Azula was out here, it had to be pretty important.

"Have you heard about the Avatar?"

"The Avatar? Oh yeah! Him! There were posters and stuff everywhere in the last few tones we visited." With a quick flip, she was on her feet again. "He looks like a cute kid, huh? And that arrow tattoo on his head's a really neat idea too! Maybe I should get one for myself!"

"Yes, well," Azula coughed once, apparently feeling that the conversation was in danger of going off the rails. "I've been charged by my father with the hunting down of the Avatar, and I would be honoured if you'd join me on my mission."

"Oh." Ty Lee's own voice was softer now. "Well, that's – I mean, I'd love to help you, Azula, but…" She glanced around at the brightly coloured tents and the people bustling about. "I'm really happy here. I mean, my aura's never been pinker!" She tensed slightly as she spoke, waiting for Azula's anger.

Instead, the princess appeared to visibly deflate before her eyes. "Oh. Well, I… I suppose I couldn't have expected you to give up so much just for me." She gave Ty Lee a rueful smile. "It's just that the Avatar is supposed to be one of most powerful benders ever, and I thought that, well, with your chi-blocking abilities, you'd be a great help to me. You're the only one I know who has that skill, after all…"

"Uh… well, that's true, but –"

"No, never mind. I guess I'll manage somehow. You just go back and enjoy… uh, whatever it is that circus people do." Azula waved slightly and turned away. "Good bye, Ty Lee. And good luck."

As she watched Azula's retreating figure, Ty Lee felt a something deep in her stomach seizing up, and her throat suddenly felt very, very dry. She knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she wanted to remain here in the circus, the first place where she had been truly valued for her uniqueness and abilities. But there was a second tugging in her heart too, one that quietly but insistently pulled her after her friend that she hadn't seen in three years.

Azula values my abilities too, doesn't she? She swallowed. And the reason why she would do that – Azula had told her that she was hunting the Avatar, and he was supposed to be extremely powerful – one of most powerful beings alive, really. And it all came down to his incredible bending ability. Which Ty Lee knew how to nullify.

If Azula got hurt during her mission and I could have been there and done something to prevent it… The knot of dread that had welled up in her gut tightened. Unconsciously, she clenched her fists. No. No. She was about to run away again, to leave her friend in the lurch when she needed her. Just like she had done three years ago…

(X)

"Azula! Wait!"

The princess smiled to herself as she slowed her place. Like putty in my hands. She hadn't seen Ty Lee in three years, but she knew enough of her friend's soft-hearted personality and she could tell that it hadn't changed much at all. It had been easy to guide the conversation along so that Ty Lee would be guilted into coming along with her.

Coming to a halt, she turned to look at the acrobat as she ran up.

"Yes?" She questioned – she could already see her friend opening her mouth and agreeing to accompany her on her trip-

"Let's make a deal."

Azula blinked. Not what she had anticipated, to say the least.

"... What about?" She ventured.

"I'll agree to come with you to hunt the Avatar," she was grinning so wide it was a miracle her face didn't split in two. "But! You have to do something for me first!"

"And that is?" She was getting an unmistakably and uncomfortably bad feeling about this.

"You have to come watch me in tonight's show!" The acrobat burst out exuberantly, and then a moment later her cheerful face collapsed into a mask of fretfulness Azula would have found comical in most any other situation. "I mean, that's okay, right? You're not in that much of a hurry, are you? You can stay one night?"

Azula fought to keep the dismay from her face. That's definitely not what I had in mind. I mean, the part where she agrees to come with me, yes, but… She glanced at the chaotic revelry around her, wondering for the hundredth time how anyone could find this a fulfilling lifestyle. All right. I can handle this. Just… just keep her happy. Somehow, she managed to dig deep down and find a smile to plaster onto her face.

"No, it's fine. And I guess I'm interested to see how your little routine goes. All right, Ty Lee," she nodded once. "You have a deal." The perky acrobat responded to this in her usual manner, which meant a hug so tight it squeezed most of the air out of the princess' lungs and a cartwheel off to continue preparations for the performance.

Rubbing her forehead, Azula turned to the soldiers who had come down with her and had been waiting at the perimeter of the encampment, telling them to return to the ship first and that she would be along the next morning. As they departed, she turned to gaze at the central tent in which the performance would be held. With a shake of her head, she started walking towards it.

Oh, well. It can't possibly be that bad, can it?

(X)

As it turned out, yes. Yes, it very well could.

(X)

Today was going to be a good day. She had gotten an unshakeable feeling from the moment she had woken up that today was going to bring nothing but delight and wonder.

It probably wasn't to be good in the way Ty Lee expected, though – after all, one day prior she'd expected that today she'd be preparing herself for another performance instead of following Azula to a massive Fire Nation ship, flanked on both sides by soldiers of the Fire Nation.

But that was okay – just because it was different and unexpected didn't mean that it stopped being good. In some ways it had the potential to be even better, because this goodness would carry with it the element of surprise, so you weren't just happy but delighted.

"Wow, this is a nice ship!" She said as she finally made her way onto the deck. "It's so… open!"

"Glad you like it." Azula said in a distracted tone as she walked over to talk to the captain, probably to discuss logistics and supplies and other boring stuff like that – meanwhile, Ty Lee contented herself by running around and greeting most of the crew. She'd just finished with a few of the Royal Firebenders (and she couldn't help but note that one of them looked rather beat up), when she heard Azula coming up behind her.

"Ty Lee, can we talk?"

"Sure, just hang on a sec. Bye, cutie!" She waved cheerily to the soldier, who waved back with a rather soppy expression. As she turned around to regard the princess, she could see a frown on her friend's face. "What is it?"

"I advise you not to get too attached to any of the people on this ship."

"Huh? But –"

"Look, an explanation right now will take too long, but just trust me on this, okay? We won't be sticking with them for much longer."

"Oh. Okay. Where are we heading next, then?'

At this, Azula paused. "To the northern coast of the Earth Kingdom. One of the villages there, anyway – I've narrowed it down to about five of them or so."

"Oh, we're looking for someone else?"

"Yes, we are."

"Who –"

"You're asking far too many questions, Ty Lee." Azula said in a tone of voice that made it clear she wanted the conversation to end immediately.

Same old Azula. Ty Lee thought as she watched her friend stalk off. Still, there hadn't been any anger in her friend's voice – more like she just didn't want that information to come out.

Huh. This mission might be more intriguing than she'd thought.

(X)

A resort. Of all the places Uncle and Zuko would end up in after the Siege of the North Pole, a resort. She looked up the stone cliff at the building, surrounded on all sides by boughs of cherry blossoms – a rather aesthetically pleasing sight, she had to admit. I'll bet any amount of money that this was Uncle's idea.

"Are we going up there?" Ty Lee questioned from beside her. Azula nodded once in reply.

"The people I'm looking for will be here. I'm sure of it." Shouldering her pack, she gazed over at her friend. "You brought along everything you need?"

"Uh-huh. Ready to go!" Another boisterous smile.

Turning slightly, Azula regarded the captain. "Let the men out on shore leave for the day and keep the ship idle. I'll be back soon."

"Of course, your majesty." The men bowed and scurried off. With a gesture of her head, the princess and the acrobat both started up the steps that led to the resort.

Several minutes later, she was in the doorway, and she could faintly hear the excited tones of her Uncle excitedly proclaiming the beauty and grace of several seashells he'd picked up recently. She rolled her eyes.

"Ty Lee, would you mind waiting outside a bit? I'll call you in if I need you."

"No problem. Why don't you leave your packs with me? I can take care of them."

Azula acquiesced to that request, except for one that she kept slung across her back. And then she took a deep breath, and stepped towards the doorway.

(X)

"Look at these magnificent shells! I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come!"

Zuko kept silent as he stared forward at the ground. While his Uncle continued to prattle on about the 'delicate curvature of this one's inner rib', he was lost within the furious storm of his own mind.

The first, most obvious emotion he felt was anger. Anger borne of frustration. He'd had the Avatar in his grasp and at his mercy. And if he'd managed to best that stupid Waterbending girl, then he would've succeeded in ferrying him away once the blizzard subsided. But he had lost. He had lost at possibly the single most critical battle he'd been in so far, and he had barely been able to put up a fight.

So now they were back at square one. No, worse than that. The last time he'd hunted down the Avatar he'd had a ship crewed by capable (if somewhat resentful) men. Now it was just him and his Uncle – he didn't even know if Lt. Jee and the others had survived the battle or not. They didn't have any idea where the Avatar was going, where he was right now, or what his plans were.

Which led to the second emotion – despair. The first time he'd realized the Avatar was truly still in the world, hope had flared in him so strongly that it had almost been a physical sensation. He'd finally seen his chance – right in front of him. And that hope had sustained him through the next few months, as he clashed with the Avatar time and time again.

But it hadn't lasted. Slowly, but surely, it had become apparent that the Avatar was too good to be defeated by him at his current level of skill – and worse yet, his companions had been getting better too, to the extent that any one of them – okay, maybe not the Water boy – could face him down in single combat. The only reason he'd gotten as far as he did at the North Pole was because the Avatar had been in some strange trance – and what were the odds he'd be lucky enough to stumble on something like that a second time?

What was he supposed to do? What could he do?

And the third emotion – longing. Pure, violent, uncontrolled longing for the Fire Nation. He wanted to see his home again. He wanted to sit by the garden and feed the turtle-ducks and wander through the halls of the palace and talk with his sister. He wanted to show his father, show everyone that he was worthy enough to be the crown prince. He wanted the honour that had been stripped from him three years ago in a single disastrous moment. And he wanted the Avatar, the one thing that would allow him access to everything else he dreamed off.

He closed his eyes, trying to quiet his heart. He almost wished aloud for the spirits to open up their bounties and drop a solution onto his lap, but pride kept him from doing something so ridiculous. Besides, what were the odds of that actually happening-

"Well, it looks like both of you are enjoying yourselves." The voice was clipped and precise, couched in slight mocking undertones, and so familiar that Zuko's head shot up instinctively and he stared at the doorway. For a long moment his mind did not process what he was seeing. He couldn't be absolutely sure – it had been three years since he'd last seen her, but everything about the person in the doorway looked right – the golden eyes, the bangs framing her face, the sharp, calculating features, the smirk that he'd come to know so well…

"Az?" Without thinking, he reverted to the pet name he'd always called her as a kid and one that he'd never really outgrown, and in return she smiled as Uncle turned around to face her as well.

"Long time no see, brother."

(X)

As she looked into the room, she could feel a surge of emotions that she wasn't quite familiar with – it wasn't exactly an unpleasant feeling, really, but she'd never been one for big emotional breakdowns, and so she kept her face passive, Mostly passive – she let a smile come out as she looked at her brother.

The years had changed him, certainly. Her face looked more weathered – and it wasn't just the angry scar that covered a fourth of it. He could see signs of stress and anger on them clearly, and his eyes… once those eyes had been wide and innocent and she had mocked him relentlessly for his simple idealism. Now the left eye was sealed into a permanent glare, while his right simply looked tired and – and haunted. Haunted, that was the word. Suddenly she found herself missing the wide-eyed innocence.

And sitting off to his left, one hand still clutching a seashell, was her Uncle. Azula felt another pulse of irritation sweep through her at the mere sight of him. She'd never understood her Uncle – oh, she knew what he liked to do as hobbies, but trying to discern his motivations and goals had left her coming up with a big fat blank far more often that not. As a rule Azula did not like anything she did not understand, and given that her Uncle was sitting surrounded by seashells that he had been toying with a moment ago, she suspected that he could be considered as big an enigma as ever.

There was a shocked silence in the room for a long moment, broken when she stepped deeper into the place, glancing around. "May I come in?" She asked rhetorically.

Finally Zuko did react, pulling himself to his feet. "Az…" He began - Agni, three years on and he was still using that stupid nickname? – haltingly. "How did – I mean, when did you – what are you doing here?"

Settling herself down on a chair that creaked under her, she steepled her fingers and looked over at him. "What? Can't a sister pay a visit to her dear brother to check up on how he's doing?"

"She can," Iroh said. His voice was now grave, and instantly Azula felt herself on edge. Her Uncle had never really liked her for some reason she hadn't been able to figure out, but seeing as the feeling was mutual she'd decided that the both of them simply keeping out of each other's way would be to their mutual benefit. Now though, she was going to have to deal with him one way or another. "But to take a several week trip to the Northern Earth Kingdom implies a little more than a courtesy call."

"You're right, of course," she nodded agreeably. "I've come bearing news – a little good, and a lot of it bad."

She sighed and reached into the pack. "I suppose I might as well get the worst bit out of the way." Taking out the scroll, she quickly unfurled it to a cry of outrage from her brother and a sharp intake of air from her Uncle. "Father – Fire Lord Ozai has declared both of you criminals. Uncle… he claims that your betrayal at the North Pole cost the Fire Nation their victory there."

"Uncle didn't betray anyone, Az!" Zuko declared hotly. "He just-"

"What happened isn't really the issue here. It's what father has proclaimed did happen." She replied as she took a glance down at the wanted poster. "We can just consider ourselves lucky I was able to get here faster than the official couriers. And Zuko… father has also decided that your constant failure to capture the Avatar is an embarrassment to the Fire Nation and the throne. He wants you somewhere where he won't need to worry about you any longer." Which means jail. Or worse. She left that last part unsaid – he'd already figured it out anyway.

For the first time since her arrival, Zuko looked utterly crushed. He slumped backwards in his seat, gazing forlornly down at the wanted poster.

Iroh, meanwhile, simply stared down at the poster with an unreadable expression on his face. Finally, he sighed and looked at here. "You said something about good news?"

"Well, I suppose that depends on your point of view." Azula shrugged elaborately. "But father has apparently seen fit to assign me the task of capturing the Avatar." And you wouldn't believe how much work I had to do to nudge him into a position where he'd agree to that.

Zuko looked up at her. "You?' He said, as if the connection was refusing to form in his mind.

"Yes, me." She glanced up at him. "And as to why I'm here… well, I've decided I'll need some able assistants in my little hunt, and what better than someone who's faced off against the Avatar several times already?"

Zuko's right eye widened. "That's…"

She sighed and rolled the scroll up again. "Let's say we find the Avatar, and we fight the Avatar, and we beat the Avatar. Well, most people aren't going to have a very clear idea of what exactly happened during the fighting, are they? It'd be easy enough for anyone to claim the credit for the finishing blow – if the glory couldn't be split amongst all the participants, anyway." She sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again she found herself looking at her brother, her expression open and earnest. That had always been rare for her, and rarer still after her brother had departed. But now… "It's not a perfect solution, I know. There are so many ways that this could go wrong," not least of which is we have no idea how father will react once he finds out. "But right now, this is the best shot we have at helping you capture the Avatar and letting you home again."

Zuko still seemed in shock. "You did all this, you came out here… to help me?"

Actually I did a great deal more. "Well, yes." She shrugged. "Why are you so surprised?"

"It's just…" he looked conflicted, his eyes open and searching as he stared at her. "Just… why?'

"Why?" she repeated. "You're my brother. That counts for something. Right, Zuzu?"

"Well," Uncle had finally spoken up again. "Given you intend to pursue the Avatar, we should-" Azula slashed the air, cutting him off midsentence. This isn't going to be pleasant, so I should just get this over with quickly.

"No 'we'." She said softly, and Zuko's face grew confused again. She ignored him for now and stood to face her Uncle.

He was frowning as he looked back at her, as if already knowing what she was going to say.

"My brother's fault was that of simple ability," she said as she began to pace the room. "He tried his hardest to capture the Avatar time and time again – but the Avatar simply proved too good for him. Well, there's nothing to be done about that except to assault the Avatar again, this time with superior forces. But you, Uncle? You turned against the Fire Nation, you assaulted the Imperial Guard, and you led to our defeat at the Siege of the North Pole-"

"Az, I told you Uncle didn't do anything of that sort!"

"And I told you that that's not what's important," She said, her voice calm and betraying no trace of the anxiety and frustration she felt. "It's what father has said he did." She gathered herself and turned to regard the both of them. "If Zuko captures or defeats the Avatar, all the shame and embarrassment goes away, just like that. That, I can help him with. But as for you, Uncle… I can't erase what happened at the North Pole. I can't help you." She shrugged. "No matter what happens, you'll always be branded a traitor."

There was silence in the room as Zuko looked helplessly back and forth between his Uncle and his sister. Azula stood by the window, her face passive, while Uncle simply looked at the ground. Finally, she sighed and spoke up again.

"In the pack I brought with me… there is enough food to last you two or three weeks, and enough Earth Kingdom currency for several months." She closed her eyes and turned to look out the window. "I'm sorry, Uncle, but this is all I can do for you now."

"I understand. And thank you." Her Uncle's voice was soft. Zuko, however, was still indignant.

"Come on, Az, think! You're supposed to be the smart one, surely you can –"

"Prince Zuko." Iroh's voice cut through his tirade before it could really build up. "That's enough. Sometimes you must simply let go of what you'd want and let the river of life carry you where it will. This, I suspect, is one of those times."

"But…"

"I will be fine. And you should go with your sister. It will do you good." Somehow Azula could tell he was looking at her. "It will do both of you good."

There was silence, and the soft rustling of cloth. Finally, her uncle spoke up again, this time with more than a hint of amusement in his voice. "I see you neglected to mention the sachets of tea leaves you so thoughtfully included."

At this Azula did turn around, her smile sardonic. "White Dragon leaves." She raised and lifted a shoulder. "Your favourite."

"Once again, thank you."

I didn't do it for you, Uncle. I did it for Zuko – he'd never be able to stop worrying about you, otherwise. Not a word escaped her lips, although as her uncle looked her, she got the feeling he knew what she was thinking anyway.

"I'll leave you two to say your goodbyes, then." She continued as she stepped out of the house and down the path where Ty Lee was waiting. As she approached, she saw the acrobat giving her a questioning look and she merely shook her head once.

Several minutes later, Zuko joined them, eyes still downcast, but bearing something that Azula hadn't seen when she'd first went into the house – burning determination and fiery hope.

"So where's the ship?" He finally asked.

"Down there – not that it matters, since we're not going back by that route."

"What? But –"

"Once you capture the Avatar, your honour will be restored, but until then you're still wanted as long as you're in the Fire Nation territories. Even if I cowed the crew into letting you on board with no questions asked, it would only take one soldier who's too brave or too stupid for his own good to send out a messenger hawk, and we're sunk." Azula drew in a deep breath. "No, from now on, we travel overland, and by ourselves."

"Okay!" Ty Lee perked up. "So where to?"

"Huh? Ty – you're here too?"

"Uh huh." She nodded energetically. "Azula asked for my help, and well, I couldn't really say no."

"And as for your question, Ty Lee." Azula smiled. "We're headed to Omashu, and we're going to pick up someone else that both of you probably want to see again."

The two of them turned to her, question marks written on their faces, but Azula pretended not to notice and hefted her own pack.

"Well then, shall we be on our way?"

Chapter End

I tried to communicate the idea that Azula is just as manipulative as ever, but this time she understands the value of positive reinforcement and how bonds of trust and camaraderie can be used to get someone to do things for you. I hope it came across clearly enough.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Please review.