I don't own Avatar The Last Airbender
Chapter 13
Toph walked into the office of her "boss". In the last weeks she has gone from one mission to another, each time she was tasked to be the muscle of some kind. Her targets ranged from run in the mill guards of some hamlet to the personal of a military outpost, both earth kingdom of fire nation. Each and every time she tried to save as many people as possible, with varied successes.
Other times, she had gone to the "Catastrophe Coliseum". Some kind of a tournament that resembled "Earth Rumble" very much but was way bigger. It had more audience, so much that her earth bending sense gave her nausea if she didn't actively filter them out. It had a greater variety of opponents as well, benders of every kind, weapon masters, material artists, you name it. she would be lying if she said that she didn't find that fun.
The only downside was that unlike "Earth Rumble" the "Catastrophe Coliseum" had a very strict rule that blood must be shed. An unforeseen accident or sometimes a death sentence to the loser were not uncommon. They even had beasts unleashed upon the participants to ensure that no quarter would be given.
And so, after a tiring day, she went back to report to her "boss". Why did he bother, she didn't understand, he probably already knew what she did a minute after she did it. she noticed the spying network he had over the entire city. Whatever the case, she better just get over with it.
When she stepped inside a voice that had recently become familiar to her greeted her.
"Hello Toph, how was your day?"
"Ah, the usual. He had me fighting in the arena the entire day, I think that he's still mad about me not killing those people the other day. How are you, Kia?"
Kia was a kindred spirit in a sense, they both were rooted out of their home and ended up in the service of a man they both despised. Toph was at the start colt to her, but slowly opened up as her earth bending told her that the woman was sincere. Quite frankly, she needed another soul to interact with as a human being and not just a tool.
From what Kia told her, she was a from the Wolf Cove settlement of the southern water tribe. She was married to the chief, Hakoda, and had two children, the first a boy named Sokka and the second a girl named Katara. Her home suffered constant fire nation raids and gradually, the already decaying city became a cluster of tents and igloos (which Kia explained to Toph what an igloo was and how it worked).
She was kidnapped in a raid that happened around five to six years ago by the fire nation, and somehow gotten here. From what she explained, a fire nation noble owned a lot of money to him. From what he told Kia, he oh so graciously saved her from imprisonment. Garbage, he probably orchestrated the whole thing, she could have bet her bending on it.
"You know, same as usual. A meeting here and there, keeping lord Mi-Sha company."
She tried to move but winced and decided to stay sitting, Toph could feel the soreness of the entire body under the waist of the older woman. Whatever job she did must have required a lot of walking, Toph decided.
"Oh! You would probably love to hear this, apparently lord Mi-Sha is very angry about the fire prince. He lost the entire southern west side, including the monopole he had on everything from Kyoshi island to the prince."
"Damn, no wonder he was so grumpy in the last few days. So what's he gonna do?"
Toph knew that something like this couldn't go without retaliation, her own dad wouldn't stay silent for that, so she wondered what someone like him had in mind. It seems like Kia thought in that direction as well, because she winced for a moment before replaying.
"You didn't hear it from me, but apparently he summoned every bounty hunter of higher standing. I think he's going to declare a head hunt on the prince, it would be hundreds hunting for his head."
"Oh… I still hope this prince comes on top, he beat him every time until now, didn't he?"
"One can always hope. La and Tui, I can't believe I'm rooting to the fire nation…"
Kia massaged her temples.
Toph suddenly felt a familiar and hated person approaching with her earth bending. She turned around to the door and Kia immediately understood and went quiet.
He entered the room and immediately noticed her.
"You're here, good. Follow me."
Silently, Toph followed the crime lord, leaving Kia alone once more.
He decided to debrief her once they were on their way.
"In the last few weeks, some upstart prince caused me much complication. To get rid of this nuisance, I decided to act through a third party by making a competition to get rid of the prince. We are going to a gathering of bounty hunters that I summoned. Your job is to make sure that everyone plays nice."
She stayed silent, the faster this is over the better.
"Don't worry, your job is mainly decoration. Those guys are professionals, they know better than to trash the employer's house."
He smiled at her cruelly.
"Wonder if someone will be going for your head…"
She couldn't help but utter.
"Ha! They sure tried in the past, but in the end, they seen my point."
He chuckled at some private joke.
"Besides, bounties are useless if the people who supposed to pay for them are no longer… available."
"Wonder why you don't do your own dirty work than."
Toph mumbled, apparently she wasn't as quiet as she thought, because he answered anyway.
"I could have sent a hit squad after him easily enough. While he did make a number on that enforcer, a squad would have done the trick. The complications with daddy fire lord, however, are a different story when he finds out. Therefore, a third party is the safest choice."
Together they entered the stage in a big room with all kinds of characters. She sensed with her earth bending men and women who seemingly had nothing in common, some were more plane looking while others were much more noticeable. A few of the noticeable ones she sensed were a woman on a huge beast thar reminded her of a budgermole that sniffed with its strange nose every second and a well-built man with an extremely dense arm that Toph figured was made of metal.
Everyone became quiet when he entered.
"Ladies, gentleman and killers of all kinds, thank you for coming here. You are all here because you are the best in your line of work, professional killers and marauders that know the weight of silence."
The crime lord made a move with his hands and Toph felt a gale of wind from the curtains that were behind them, revealing the many riches to the audience.
"Your prize, if you accept the job. A competition of sorts between you for the prize."
She could practically feel the gaze of the bounty hunters on the loot, their mistrust for each other, as well as fear of him were mostly the only things keeping them in line.
"This is the last chance for anyone here to back down. If leave now, nothing will happen. You are free to reject the offer. But if you stay, you are accepting this little hunt and are sworn for silence."
The "or else" was left unsaid but very present in the air.
Some of the bounty hunters left, but the majority stayed.
"Very well, your target is the fire prince Zuko. The only thing you need to know is that he disrespected me and caused me strife thrice. Find him and bring me his head, whether the body attached to it matters little. You may form any group you'd like, but the prize stays the same. Of course, discretion is chief value in the hunt, no connection with me will be revealed. The squealer will be found, and we don't like squealer, do we?"
The bounty hunters gave each their own affirmation.
"Good, so let the hunt begin!"
"So… why are we going to the island we first met again?"
Mi-Dved asked Zuko.
The three of them were on a cruiser from the mainland to the island where Zuko first met Mi-Dved and now built there a factory.
"I got a letter from Loban that the factory I wanted is complete. Now I need to make an inspection to make sure everything is up to standard, as well as filling my end of the burgeon.
"Your end? You're already paying for everything, aren't you? Besides, you are the prince, can't you just ordered them to do whatever you want?"
Jasmine added her thoughts as she lay on the sofa in the room they had. She probably didn't understand it, but the way she sat there was very… inspiring. Yes, let's go for inspiring. He did a rather good job to keep his head to the documents in front of him, his honor was bigger than that… the big earth bender brother who was sitting in the other side of the room grinding his axes made things easy as well.
"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. I was banished, so my political power was greatly diminished. Besides, I would have to answer to father if things come to his notice, something I don't want."
Zuko inwardly smile, not so long ago he would do just that and expect the world to fall in line because he was the prince. How arrogant he was, no wonder nobody gave him respect.
"Besides, I promised him some blueprints for his hard work, and so far he didn't disappoint. My demands were, and are, very high. A positive reward is needed sometimes for the people to do their work."
"Huh, so when are we getting there?"
Jasmine asked again.
"In a day, if there the spirits agree with us. At least that's what the captain told me."
"So what are we supposed to do meanwhile? Oh, I know! Will you tell us about yourself? Life as a prince must have been an experience, my prince ~"
"Well… It had its ups and downs. I had the best that can be offered, but I also had just as many expectations to meet."
"I heard that the fire nation is the most powerful, as well as the most beautiful nation. I would like to visit it one day."
The girl continued speaking. Zuko decided to answer her.
"Of course, it is. Fire represents passion and drive, the want to be better. The fire islands can be a hard place to live on, monsoons, volcanoes and other natural disasters often strike. And unlike the water tribe, we can't transform the entire terrain at our will."
"All those together, along with a treacherous but resource rich environment, built a harden, ever innovative society. We actually create, unlike the slow and stubborn earth kingdom or the divided and old-fashioned water tribes."
"This constant strive to be better is what makes the fire nation the greatest nation in the world."
"Ooh, sounds exciting~ do you think that we will get to visit?"
"I don't see why not, after I finish my mission and restore my honor and birthright I promise you that you'd be able to live and visit anywhere in the fire nation you'd like."
"What is this entire deal, my lord? My brother explained some of it, but I couldn't completely understand."
Zuko sighed, they deserve to know at least this much if they are planning to stay with him.
"I disrespect my the fire lord, first when I spoke out of turn in a war meeting and then in cowardness at an Agni Kai in front of court. He than striped me of my crown and banished me from the nation until I learn respect and regain my honor by catching the Avatar, the only thing that may stop the fire nation from world domination."
The siblings went silent for a minute. It was Mi-Dved who broke the silence.
"Was it when you got the scar?"
"I… yes, how did you know?"
"I saw enough Agni Kai battles in my career as a pit fighter to know that they almost always end with at least one person burnt. The rest were guessing. So the other person is dead then, shame, I would have happily helped you to whack them."
Zuko felt a sudden rush of emotions. Gratefulness and happiness that his friend would stick with him so much, but also anger and applaud of the blunted threat against his father.
"It's… I'm happy to hear that but he is still alive and unharmed. Also, please don't say things like that or I would be forced to put you down for this blunted act of treason."
"What? Why?"
The other male in the room was confused. Jasmine was much smarter than her brother apparently, because she apparently figured it out after a few seconds.
"Spirits, that messed up."
"What? Why?"
The earth bender was still confused.
"Because, dear brother, what person can scar the crown prince with impunity, and in the fire lord's presence?"
"Well, no one. Only the fire lord is more important… damn, this is messed up."
There was silence once again, before Jasmine broke it.
"Well, this is getting awkward again. You say that if you find and catch this Avatar figure all your old life will be restored, right?"
"Yes, with the Avatar in chains I will regain all that I lost."
"Well, so as I see it you already marked off the air nomad territories and the fire nation is obviously out. As it is, you already searched half of the civilizations in what, a year?"
"Well if you phrase it like that-"
"So by that logic we will be done in next year, two at most!"
"Can't argue with that."
Her brother helpfully added.
"See? Even this stick in the mud agrees."
"Hey!"
"So I think we should go to the canteen to celebrate our progress! I don't know about you, but I'm starving!"
She then got up with the grace of a princess and an alure of an exotic dancer, Tai Lee would have approved, and went to get food.
"Well, can't let her take all the good food again."
Mi-Dved followed suit.
Zuko smiled. For the first time in his life, he actually had true friends that will stick with him.
Their arrival on the island was on time, Zuko could already see the factory from his ship. It was a gigantic thing really, big enough to house an emperor class battleship. He wondered how it could be built so fast, but then he remembered that he paid Loban a few times his weight in diamonds.
"That is one ugly building."
Mi-Dved commented.
"Come now, I'm sure it's better once we get inside… probably…"
Jasmine tried to be optimistic as usual.
"No, no, it probably just as ugly inside. But it's fine, it's a factory to build things, not a palace, so it matters little if it's pretty. There are neighboring islands for that. Now let's go, they are waiting for us."
Zuko finally said.
His crew, as well as Loban and his men, were waiting for him at the docks. He noticed that his uncle was in the front, greeting him was inevitable.
He wasn't exactly as pissed off as he was before at his uncle, but things were still very much awkward. While he trusted his uncle to not cause a scene, he didn't trust himself to not do something stupid. The businessman would eat him alive for any sign of weakness he thinks he can exploit.
"I'm with you, don't worry."
'Thanks.'
It was Loban himself that greeted him first, thank Agni for that.
"Your highness, we are honored to receive you here."
"Thank you, Loban. I apologize for the delay, but I had a few things that required my attention."
"Oh, we heard, your highness. Word of your exploits at Kyoshi island reached even here. I must congratulate you for ridding the southern seas from the pirate menace, a truly admirable feet that can't be ignored."
"Please, I merely did my duty as a prince. It's the men and women who fought besides me who deserve the praise, nothing would have been able to come to be without their hard work and dedication."
"Rightly so, your highness. I must congratulate you on your cunning plan with Kyoshi island, truly a strategic victory for the nation. One that I myself benefit from greatly."
"Oh?"
'What in Agni's name is he talking about?'
"A possibility I considered on the trip. I'm interested in what he may say though, ask him about his opinion about it. Sometimes it's better to let people think you had a plan and than take credit for it."
"And what are your thoughts?"
"Why it's simply brilliant, your highness. Not only did you rid organized piracy that would have used natural ground as a shield, but you also managed to do it without wasting any resources of the fire nation and avoiding completely international incidents. In fact, you only strengthen them."
"But not only that, if your far sight you managed to secure nearly the entire elephant-koi industry for the fire nation. The conquest of the Gaoling sea strip denied access for about eighty percent of the earth kingdom trading ships to Kyoshi island. Making the trip, and the price of the meat in earth kingdom markets, jump ten times higher."
"Meanwhile, the fire nation has an easy access to a natural trading spot that gives them much bigger discount then before. Both as gratitude for your actions and the lack of protection money to worry about. And you can be sure that our great nation has a vast interest, the army is walking on his stomach after all."
"In the course of less than a month you transformed completely the supply balance in the entire southern continent. Even ignoring the financial side, which I assure you the people of the fire nation will feel, this is a double victory. The fire army will eat, while the earth soldier will not."
"Truly a masterful plan."
'Wow, did I really make that much of an impact?'
"Yes, but for now lets return the favor to our sociopath backer."
"Thank you, Loban, your careful dissection only heightens your intellect and talent as a businessman. I am assured more than ever that you are the right man for the position. But we talked about my deeds long enough. It's your achievements that are the main focus, I'm excited to see your progress."
"Why your highness honors me. Please, let me be your guide. Would you or any of your companions would like to eat, drink?"
Zuko looked at his companions, both of them nodded their heads in denial. He looked at his crew, they all looked like they already stood there enough. He decided that they should get going.
"It's fine Loban, but I think it would be for the best if we start the tour right away. Thank you for your kind offer in any case."
"Quite so, your highness. Please follow me."
The trip itself was rather uneventful, no surprise explosions, no unfortunate accidents, but he already learned not to tempt fate. He had a notebook at hand, writing any point Sai deemed important enough.
Zuko had to admit he was rather happy with the factory, sure it was a monstrous eyesore, but it was well built and could produce almost everything Sai said they needed (which is a lot). Why it was big enough to even build a cruiser!"
He had to admit that the looks of the siblings were priceless as well. As they never saw something more advanced than a cruiser, they were in complete shock from the factory. The assembly lines of the various products that are already implemented were a major attraction for the duo.
Mi-Dved was rightly impressed by the weaponry than was produced, what with the ease of creating a thousand swords in minutes. Zuko even took a page from the enforcer he fought on this very island and ordered a line specifically for explosives like the bombs the enforcer had. Mi-Dved commented that he was glad he chose the right side to join.
His sister, however, was disappointingly more interested in useless things like perfume, clothes and accessories. She was delighted by the speed and quality the machines could produce. Why would someone be more interested in that than weapons? He would never understand.
She was, however, showing her practical thinking and shroud cunning when she suggested taking samples of the stuff that caught her eye and wearing it as an example for the products. According to her, if someone close to the prince used them, then others would be interested and would want to buy them as well.
That got a laugh from Loban as he agreed with a smile to her request. In the end, the crew and her poor brother left with mountains of products as Jasmine had a smile that reminded Zuko that one time his mother bought every sweet from that one shop he liked… maybe he should forget about mother for now, the swamp was still fresh in his mind.
Anyway, the day was over and so was the tour. Zuko sent his men and the siblings away for a rest, undoubtedly, Mi-Dved would use this opportunity to visit the local tavern and spread another dose of farfetched rumors about their time in Kyoshi island.
Once it was only him and Loban, the real meeting could begin. The businessman led him to a room with metal walls and doors which he promised was soundproof. Inside the room there were a few men (and women) that Zuko guessed were engineers and board directors.
Loban greeted the people present.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry for the delay. Now then, with the prince here we can begin this meeting. Have all of you looked at the sheets you were handed and wrote your notes?"
There was a choir of "yes".
"Good, so let's start with the raw materials, both the natural once and this 'plastic' substance."
A man in the left answered.
"Sir, the oar and the sulfur mines are already operational and are expected to give the amount of material we need for the desired product output for the next two decades. Search for other potential mines is commencing as we speak in the neighboring islands, results should come next week."
The woman next to him continued.
"The 'plastic' material was already been evaluated and implemented as a replacement for wooden and metal counterparts. The versatility of the new material and the freedom of control of its strength and weight, as well as the ease of forcing a steady shape, cut the creation costs by half. Search department will give a status about farther study and development."
"Good, good, it went faster than I expected. I must congratulate you on your hard work."
Loban answered.
The woman nodded a thank you as Loban continued.
"What about the sales of the factory, do they stand to our expectations?"
Another man answered that.
"Sales are beyond expectations, 'plastic' based day to day products became a hit among the medium and lower classes. There had been a great interest in the plastic-based dolls that were dubbed as 'action figures', their realistic properties and ability to move make them attractive to both kids and adults alike. There are talks in progress with the ministry of war and propaganda about a special line of 'action figures' based on real life soldiery, another talk is to produce a line about the royal family. Present company included."
The man nodded respectfully to Zuko, which Zuko returned in kind. The man continued.
"There is total growth of 150 percent in the profits from the last month."
"Magnificent!"
Loban exclaimed.
"In this temp we'll be the richest company in the entire world! We must however maintain our monopoly, how much until others will try to copy us?"
A woman answered.
"There have been proclamations of other companies of developing their own plastic, but so far their attempts aren't even close. By their current progress it would take them decades to develop a finished product. We have been really blessed by Agni with your finds, your highness."
"That fat sack of gas had nothing to do with this."
The rest of this part of the meeting continued with the regular talks of busyness which quite frankly bored Zuko. After what felt like hours, finally came the thing he was needed for.
"Now then with the usual stuff out of the way, I would ask the people with clearance above one to leave please."
All the people but four (not including Loban and Zuko) left the room at Loban's order.
"The stage is yours, your highness."
"Thank you, I will keep this brief. In my journey across the world, I have unearthed many things. Some of them you already use, most of them still not. We will now discuss about the new classified things."
This got the attention of the engineering personnel.
"What will be spoken next is classified, you will not speak of it even to yourself in the mirror. Is it clear?"
The choir of "yes, your highness" was repeated.
"Good."
Now was the fun part. Zuko discussed it with Sai, and they agreed to use what Sai called "holograms" to make an impression. It would be a show of force as well as a bait for the men and women present to keep silence.
With a look at the table, Sai made those three-dimensional images of blue light. The first one was that of an upgraded cannon.
Zuko waited patiently for the people in the room to calm down. When they finally did, after some muttering about spiritual work, he finally continued his speech while gazing upon their awe-struck eyes.
"What you see before you is a result of an artifact that predates the four nations, more than that will not be said upon fear of death."
All the room's occupants nodded their heads fearfully as Sai decided to have some fun and change the hologram to many, many ways of execution, each more disturbing than the last.
At their agreement, Sai returned the hologram to its original image.
"The invention in front of you is a type of a cannon used before recorded history by a civilization long lost. The earth kingdom is starting to implement its own cruisers against us, this will not stand. Those cannons are capable to tear a hole through an armored cruiser with ease, as well as reach a range of miles."
There was muttering of excitement in the crowd, all but one man in the left corner. Zuko decided to address the matter.
"Yes, you. Do you have something to add?"
All eyes were on the now stuttering man.
"I-I well… n-no-"
"A ask your opinion, I even pay you for it. If you have something to say speak up."
"W-well there were already attempts at such canons in the past, but they all proved inaffective. The last try of a non-bending cannon was the hand cannons in Kyoshi's area. While they could do much damage, they were clumsy and were destroyed after one shot. I hardly think that this is a feasible answer."
Zuko nodded.
"Your point is received and under consideration. But unlike former attempts, this cannon was made from an enhanced steel. It would be more than strong enough to hold the blast trauma. Equations about the process are in this book under the fitting label, you of course will recheck it and bring your own opinion."
"Very well, your highness…"
"Good, now let's continue."
The meeting went on as Zuko introduced them to various machinations. Many of them were for military use to raise the army he needed to fight the Avatar, but there were even more machines for civilian use. Drilling machines and other constructions to reduce the needed manpower, and therefore the cost, an enhancement of the exciting seeding and reaping machines for the fields and so on.
The last thing he wanted to talk about was for military use only.
"Now what I will show you is called project SADARA."
Sai showed the holographic image of what Sai described as their "trump card".
The owed looks and the muttering weren't late to arrive.
"By Agni, what is that?"
"Look at the size of that thing…"
"A beast made of steel…"
Zuko decided that it was enough muttering.
"This…. is a project of the highest classified order, as in you and anyone you know will disappear kind of classified. There will be no interrogation about who squalled, each and every one of you and yours will be put down immediately if someone will even have an inking about this conversation. Is that clear?"
He surrounded his right hand in lightning to make a point.
All of them quickly nodded in acceptance, faces a few shades whiter than before.
"Project SADARA designed to be the next step in the evolution of war and is an integral part for the northern campaign. As this project is extremely secret, father does not trust the bureaucrats with this, so you all are reporting directly to me."
The last part was a bit of a lie, but with the letter father sent him that proclaimed his approval of Zuko's deeds to root corruption as well as ownership on the island… Well, let's just say that the stamp of the fire lord is a very convincing argument.
"Now let's start with…"
When the meeting ended, it was already well past midnight, and everybody went to his bad, Zuko included.
On his way he had a silent conversion with Sai.
'So how do you think it went?'
"Good enough, I would say that the silence about your dealings is as high as it can be. The threat at the end will make even a lotus member go silent, an admirable execution I must say."
'I had a good teacher.'
"Flattery will get you far. By my calculations, we will have a decent force in a year's time. The SADARA project will be operational in two years I'm afraid."
'That long?'
Zuko really wanted that project.
"You try to build a weapon of mass destruction in less time, see how you manage."
'Fine, fine… Why Sadara though?'
"What a better name for the bane of the north then the overlord that tyrannized it?"
When Zuko opened the door to his room, he was assaulted by Xing. The hellhound puppy threw itself at its master with great force, for its size at least.
"Oof… I'm happy to see you too Xing. Did you grow heavier by any chance?"
Xing indeed was now twice the size he was when Zuko first found him at the swamp, it seems that the diet Sai ordered and the exercises Zuko had with Xing were paying off greatly.
"By years end he should be the size of a platypus-bear."
"Sit."
"Sit."
The hound immediately sat at its master's command. Zuko (with Sai's instructions) started to train the puppy to do many tricks, by now Xing new how to sit, spin, shake hand, play dead, fetch and bark. Sai promised him that the hellhound will be capable for much more in the future.
"Good boy~"
Zuko patted Xing on the head while the hellhound's tail wiggled.
"How was your day? I'm sorry that I couldn't be with you today."
"Bark!"
Xing went to one corner of the room and searched for something.
"Oh? What do you have there boy?"
The hellhound brought back his loot of the day. In his mouth there was a parrot-monkeys hybrid that he probably hunted today, not unlike the creature pirates used as pets and massagers.
"How cute, it's already hunting. Show him some affection."
'But I don't want it to bring any more stinking corpses!'
"It doesn't matter, it only wants to make you proud. Besides a hunter will hunt, it's in its nature. Just burn the corpse and feed it to Xing; he would devour it whole, trust me. Just try to make it look like you eat some of it."
'Fine…'
Zuko did as he was told and burnt the meat. It wasn't well done or anything, but when he tore off a leg and gave it to Xing, the hellhound ate it, bone and all, in such vigor that Zuko was glad he wore his armor at all times less he loses a finger or two.
He tore another leg and made it as if he was eating it as he bent the helmet back a little. With his mouth hiding the leg from Xing, he burnt the thing into ashes.
"Mmm… very tasty. Thank you for bringing this, you're such a good boy~"
The puppy seems to literally shine with praise as it made all the things a happy cub do, including barking, chasing its tail and licking Zuko.
After they (meaning Xing) finished the meal, Zuko started to prepare for bad. As he did, Xing puffed as if it was trying to get something out.
'Agni no, it isn't going to puke, is it?"
"No, no. If I'm current, he's trying to breathe fire. It should have already managed a few smoking shots by now, it's probably a late bloomer. Or perhaps its time before meeting you maimed it."
'Late bloomer…'
This hit too close to home. Zuko remembered how his fire bending came late, especially compared to his sister, and how disappointed his father was back then. The anger and disgust of his father was clear even for a young boy like him to see. He remembered his parents having a fight about it, but he never knew what exactly was being said.
As if his body was moving on its own, he walked to Xing. The puppy looked at the looming figure of the being it adored the most and barked and shook its tail in happiness, as if it was proud to show him that disgrace and mockery of fire bend- of fire breath that should have been much better by now.
Like his father before him, Zuko looked down at what he raised and gave his final judgment that will forever be imprinted in the heart (do hellhounds even have a heart) of his target.
Zuko kneeled to reach the puppy and patted it on the head with affection.
"Good boy, I'm sure you will breath fire like a dragon in no time."
Xing barked happily.
After disregarding his armor, Zuko went to bed. When he lay down, he noticed that Xing found its own bed at Zuko's side with his armpit as a pillow.
That night he slept well past dawn.
Huf… that was some training, wasn't it girls?"
"Tell me about it, my legs are killing me!"
"Yeah, Lyn is more mean then usual!"
"Girls, girls, Lyn is only trying to make us our best."
Suki calmed down her sisters.
"Everything that happened really took a toll on her, you know."
It seemed to work on her fellow sisters.
"Yeah, I suppose you're correct. I wonder how Jasmine is doing. Do you think she already wrapped Zuko around her finger?"
"She'll sure try, that vixen. At least she wouldn't steal att- the innocence of the boys."
"What?! Why are you saying that?!"
Suki suddenly proclaimed, much to the confusion of her sisters.
"Hm? Well, I mean she did do similar things here with all the boys. Do you remember that one time with Musho?"
Suki remembered it well, somehow Jasmine convinced Musho, the son of the local seamstress, to make her some very expensive and beautiful dresses. The worst part was that she didn't even tell him to do it, she just described the dresses, and the idiot was convinced it would let her see his "undying passion".
"Well, he's a fire nation soldier of higher ranking, isn't he? I think that she may have swallowed a bit more than she could chew this time. What stops him from just doing what he wants to her? Not to offend our boys, but they aren't exactly… 'alpha male' material."
A sad truth about the Kyoshi island's male population was that under the shadow of strong women like Kyoshi and the culture of the Kyoshi warriors, the majority grew rather… delicate to say the least.
Of course, there were exceptions. But hundreds of years made the situation as it is, even if it was in no way intended. In this case, Zuko proved himself exotic and extraordinary compared to the local flock. Something that with the helmet on, succeeded in erasing the hideous scar in the mind of the girls.
The words did rubbed Suki the wrong way, and it had nothing to do with the offence on half of Kyoshi island population.
"Zuko isn't like that!"
The other looks at her in surprise.
"Wow, were did that come from, Suki?"
"Yeah, I expected you to be mad about the 'alpa male' comment, not about the outsider."
"Wait… can it be? Suki, so you have a crush him?"
"What?! No!"
Suki denied vigorously.
"Oh Kyoshi, she totally does!"
"They did spent awfully lot of time with him together in their lonesome at that storage."
"Do you think they did something?"
"Look at her, she's all red. Obviously something happened."
"Do you think they kissed?"
"We didn't kiss!"
Suki yelled.
"Nothing happened there! We only talked and that's it."
She said while crossing her hands.
The interrogation however wasn't over.
"Really? Because I saw you two after the trails, and that you were all red afterwards."
"I just said to him goodbye! He did do us a huge favor after all."
Suki deflected. However, one sister wouldn't have any of it.
"Sure, it had nothing to do with the fact thar you wanted to snag a prince. You can tell how it was, you know."
"Prince? What are you talking about Jie?"
Suki herself was confused as well.
"Yeah Jie, I'm sure there are many teenagers in the fire nation that are named Zuko who have a burn scar across their eye and are master fire benders… Spirits, he was totally the prince, wasn't he."
As Suki was in shock that She indeed had her first kiss (even if it was on the cheek) with a prince, the girls buried her in questions.
"No way!"
"How was it?"
"Did he taste like spicy food?"
"Does that make you a potential fire lade? I'm so jealous!"
"No, he was banished, wasn't he?"
"Oo! So a bad boy rough prince material."
"Was it like the stories with the conquering warlord/general/prince that Lyn doesn't know we take from her stash?"
A gong was heard, it signaled the start of another training session.
Suki never thought that she would be saved by the call of the cruel torture of her sadistic superior.
"Come on girls, we better not be late for lesson! Besides, it's not like I think about him at night."
In the ruins of a village, the same village that was destroyed and its occupants had scattered across the world, stood a gigantic beast thar sniffed the surrounding. Its mole like nose worked no stop and processed the information of all the smells of the place, not even a grain of dust escaped its notice.
"Come on girl, our target was here. Can you smell someone different? Someone that smells like fire?"
The woman on the creature said. She was a young woman with raven long hair a pale skin with tattoos on the shoulders of each arm. She had fingerless dark brown gloves that nearly reached to her shoulders and matching vast, boors and pants.
At its master's command, the animal noticed two human smells that didn't belong to the area that smelled like fire. One old and one young, from the master's description it desired the younger prey, so it focused on the younger one.
With another several sniffs it caught the sent and let a growl of confirmation.
"Good girl~"
It suddenly smelt a familiar sent of danger and let a unique growl of warning.
"Oh, so tall muscular and silent is after us? Well, at least it wouldn't be a boring hunt. Come on girl, we have a competition to win!"
With a snap of her whip the beast sprinted after the smell.
At the little hours of the of the night in Kyoshi island a single girl lay awake in her bed.
"Shi-"
AN
And this is the end of chapter 13
We have a window to what's happening at Amora, as well as the surprise (let's be frank, I think we all knew it was Katara's mom). Some explanation about how she got there was given, more will be found in later chapters.
And so, the hunt begins! we already have a few of our favorite bounty hunters. Zuko is going to have a good time...
The siblings learn new things about Zuko (and Jasmine certainly not trying to clow her way to empress of the world.)
Some important things were spoken at the factory as well as some unforeseen consequences that surly wouldn't effect the war. Wonder what this "trump card" is...
Xing is a sweetheart! We also see the vast difference between Zuko and his father, as well as who is the better man.
It seems that Suki is having her own problems, wonder how it will affect cannon.
Now for the reviews:
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deniswanheda:
I'm happy you liked the name!
Also, sorry if I wrote it wrong, but I meant for Lyn to be surprised for a second with eyebrows barely raised. She was more surprised at the age of Zuko combined with the nasty scar.
Iroh will have to take some thinking time indeed. His canon unhelpfulness will cost him dearly here, Sai will take every opportunity to make sure no one could influence his pup-pupal, his pupal.
brenne:
It helped that Zuko was prepared for that and knew in advance, even then signs were starting to show. You can be sure that this problem will be a
important in future arcs.
We shall wait and see what plans the old dragon has.
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deniswanheda:
Glad you liked the omake!
Zuko is too 'honorable' to join Jasmine in making her brother bald, it obviously has nothing to do with the fact thar Mi-Dved is grinding his axes right behind Zuko's shoulder, no sir!
I can assure you that there will be a lot of drama in the future, nothing is set in stone.
I'm glad you liked how I handled the Kyoshi arc, it will be interesting to see the future interaction with the gaang as a result.
brenne:
You bet there will be!
Dimihd:
Those were some very good sentences for future content, do you mind if I use some of the in the story for later chapters?
Anyway, be sure to write what you think about the chapter and the story. Don't be afraid to share what you think could and should happen.
By the way, my birthday is on 30 June. So for the eastern side of the world, consider this as a gift to you all!