Though there were many reasons Iroh ought to visit the Admiral, the most pressing was to try and stop him from doing something reckless; he liked Jeong Jeong well enough, and found him a good match in Pai Sho, as well as a source of frank and considered counsel. He appreciated his help in battle, and on the planning table, and now, the Crown Prince couldn't stomach the thought of just letting him throw his life away, for his pride, or whatever had pushed him to say the things he had in that meeting. The Admiral was just lucky the Fire Lord himself hadn't heard of what he had said yet, so he might have some chance to dissuade his fellow officers from ratting him out; he was respected well enough to be owed that, but even then, Iroh wasn't sure he even wanted them to lie.
He was back at the Admiral's tent, where he had been staying while the ships were being loaded and armed for their latest campaign; that was what had brought out Jeong Jeong's rage, after all. They were going to assault an isolated territory north of Ba Sing Se, presently independent from the rule of the Earth Kingdom proper. The region had been controlled by a number of local lords which aligned themselves to form some little coalition, first against the Earth Kingdom Army, whose overburdening of taxes had led to their declarations of independence in the first place, and now hoping to ward off the threat of a Fire Nation attack. However, that was to no avail; their land was necessary for any future assault on Ba Sing Se itself, and Fire Lord Azulon commanded so personally that they destroy the lords and their armies to ensure no resistance could rise from the region ever again.
The Admiral's guards were speaking amongst themselves, and immediately tensed up upon seeing the Prince arrive; they didn't want to be caught gossiping by a superior, let alone by a prince of their nation. Jeong Jeong himself wasn't at his desk, plotting out the plans for the invasion, as he'd expected, not being a surprise after his prior outburst. He didn't want to send his men to subjugate those people who didn't really stand in the way of their goals, and Iroh sympathised with his perspective, but he knew that going against his father's wishes was something that even he wouldn't want to try.
"He's in his sleeping area, correct?" he asked the guards, who both nodded, and he glanced behind himself, deciding he ought to allow a bit of privacy for the conversation that was about to occur, "Could you give me and the Admiral some privacy. I would like to speak with him privately."
"Of course, your majesty." one of the guards addressed him as the two of them bowed, before pacing out of the tent, leaving him to await Jeong Jeong.
"I know you're not asleep." he spoke up, not wanting to mix his words or be polite; Jeong Jeong was putting himself in a tough spot by speaking against the Fire Lord as he had, and Iroh knew that he wasn't just going to take the punishment, or worse, just fall in line- Jeong Jeong never backed down when push came to shove.
"I'm not going to apologise, if that's what you crawled here for." he snapped back at him; even if he couldn't see the Admiral's face, he knew that he was snarling.
"I don't seek an apology. Your counsel is appreciated... but, I don't believe my father will see it that way, if and when he hears of this." he warned him, saying more bluntly what he already had before Jeong Jeong had left their meeting.
His friend slowly pushed the fabric out of the way, eyeing him with a frustrated glare; he'd taken his topknot out, and his hair fell over his face, but he didn't seem any less intimidating with that long scar over his face, "Then why don't you refuse his order, my Prince? Tell him that this campaign is wholly unnecessary."
"He'll refuse." Iroh bluntly admitted what he knew to be true, "My father doesn't take insubordination lightly."
"You're his firstborn son, the greatest General in a generation. If you can't make him see reason, then who can?" he asked him, obviously knowing the answer himself; the Dragon of the West put his hands behind him, and sighed, straightening his face- he had to be frank, otherwise, the Admiral would just take his words for nothing.
"This campaign will allow us to achieve victory... it is the next step in a long line between those first colonies and our victory. The Fire Nation will win this war, my friend."
"You think I don't know that?" he scoffed at his declaration, clearly agreeing with his point, even if the two of them saw different implications, "I don't want to fight against people who don't have any ill-will with our nation. These aren't Earth Kingdom Army garrisons, ready to rush forward and attack us the moment we try to lay siege to the capital... these are just fed up people who have had enough of the same thing we're trying to get rid of."
"The rot." Iroh referred back to the cause of all that lay before them, "And I applaud them for seeing past the lies fed to them by the Dai Li and their ilk. These people have every right to determine their own fates, that is true... but we have objectives, and they lay in the way. If they peacefully-" he tried to explain his point of view, Jeong Jeong raising a hand as he stepped out towards the desk which lay between them.
"Peacefully? Peacefully what? Surrender to us? Surrender their rights and ability to protect themselves for the privilege of serving us? You do realise none of this will help them, right? Not in the slightest."
"For now." he conceded, knowing that at least in the short term, Jeong Jeong was certainly correct; the Earth Kingdom was in shambles, and much of it was occupied by the Fire Nation, stifling trade routes across the continent- it was no better for the region to be occupied by the Fire Nation than be independent from Earth Kingdom authority and the investment Ba Sing Se might otherwise provide, "Soon enough, Ba Sing Se will be ours, and those people will see the fruits of our labour. Trade and propserity will have a chance to blossom across the world, and we will build this country back to its former glory; we can't do any of that while we're still at war."
"No, we can't." his friend conceded, before sighing, "You know the other option, right?"
"Leaving them to their own devices? Yes, we could, and I wish I had that option. What do you think the Earth Kingdom will do if we withdraw? You don't think they will come back and attack our lands? Destroy everything we've built?"
"They could, or maybe, you're just being pessimistic." he acknowledged, "It's not my problem, anyway."
"And neither is the protection of every person in the Earth Kingdom. There's countless innocents, and I have never tried to harm them on purpose, and I know you haven't either. This war was never about killing and destroying their homes and lives... but maybe it has become that." he acknowledged the truth they both knew, "But that... You don't have to give up on this, Jeong Jeong."
"And just hope you become the Fire Lord soon... and trust you to do all the things you claim you can't do now?" he asked, his attitude not having shifted an inch; he wasn't going to change his mind- he didn't believe they could fix themselves, so he had to act by himself.
"What will you do? Run away? Fire on my army, and become a rebel? Take your fleet and try and do what Chin did in the Earth Kingdom?"
"I could try." he admitted, smiling at him for a moment, "But we both know I don't have the stomach for a civil war."
"Neither do I." he assured him of his own stance, "So, you'll leave then." he concluded, knowing Jeong Jeong had little other choice, unless he wanted to face down Azulon's fury- that would be throwing away his life, no matter the sense of dignity he'd have by remaining by his men and nation.
"I don't have much choice." he admitted, before he turned his gaze back to his sleeping area, "I was packing my things."
"Is there anything you need?" he asked, knowing that even if he wasn't willing to desert his country, he at least respected the drive and guts it took Jeong Jeong to take that great leap, "I can help you."
"Not in the way I want you to." he narrowed his eyes at him, his expression becoming almost sad, "I would fight for you, Iroh. Truly, for you." he stressed, pointing a finger at his chest, "You told me what you did with the last dragons. I haven't forgotten who you really are. You are a man of honour."
"I am a coward." he retorted, knowing that he was giving him too much credit, "I just want to make a world that I can give to the next generation, so that we won't be right back where we started. We need to move forward, and all I can see now is my father's path."
"You know that's not true." he snapped back at him, "Lies will not help you be a better Fire Lord."
"I know." he conceded, "I try not to be that man for my son's sake. I want to be a better man for my nation... I can't lie to them forever."
"And I certainly hope you won't." he scoffed, "I can't believe you won't just stomach it and take it to the chamber."
"I won't do that... not to him." he mumbled, realising long ago that his love and respect for his father was getting in the way of Iroh achieving his own aspirations.
"And we're all suffering because of it." he sighed, "Well, I'm not suffering, not yet." he corrected himself, "The people of the world, however, they are."
"I want to stop all of that. You see that, right? I'm going to build the Four Nations back up, and fix the mistakes my father and grandfather have already made. I just need time."
"Oh, time to find a way to take your precious city?" he asked him, referring back to his 'destiny', as Iroh called it; he wouldn't deny it, because he had known it his whole life.
"Ba Sing Se is my destiny, Jeong Jeong. Ending this war, once and for all. That is what I was born to do... and I will do it."
"And what will you say when you see it burn? That it was worth it? All the blood, and all the carnage? Could you take that throne feeling content with your actions?" the Admiral asked him, making the Prince sigh; he might have been determined to end the war, but Jeong Jeong was right- he didn't have the stomach for the crimes that would inevitably be committed in his name.
"I don't know." he admitted, turning his eyes to the ground as he looked at his palms, "I haven't... I haven't done it yet. I haven't even gazed upon the walls."
"And I haven't seen a good man in the mirror for twenty six years." he acknowledged, before clenching his fists, "I will not stand for this any longer."
"You are doing right by yourself, and that is all I can ask of you." he smiled at him, "I will miss our talks."
"And I will... or maybe I won't. Maybe I'll meet some nicer people for a change."
"Hey, I've bought you too many drinks, I can't even count how much." he pointed a finger at him with a smirk, making his friend roll his eyes.
"Drunken fools aren't too good at counting, Iroh." he reminded him, before sighing as he pulled his armour plates off of his chest, placing them down on the desk, "We can't have it look like you let me desert. It won't look good, will it?" he asked the Prince, seeming almost amused by the potential of Iroh being publicly shamed for allowing Jeong Jeong to desert and leave the Fire Nation.
"Oh, well, I guess we haven't had a spar in a while, old friend." he conceded, turning himself around, allowing his friend to pack up the rest of his things before their inevitable clash.
He could hear him shuffling around, dropping bits of his armour off, and the shaking of his bag as he hoisted it over his shoulder; when Iroh turned around, he just smiled at him one last time, "Are you ready?"
"As much as I can be. For what it's worth... I'm not sorry." he warned him, "You had your chance to stop all this, and you didn't."
"Are you talking about the Open Eyes again?" he scoffed, recalling when that group had had the gusto to invade the palace itself and try to kill his father; Iroh had been in their way, and stopped them from doing so, when he could have just as easily helped the servants and Imperial Firebenders evacuate and leave his father to his devices- he never would have done it, but Jeong Jeong thought otherwise.
"You might have a second chance to fix things, and I hope you take it." he simply warned him, before he shot out a fire blast, which Iroh refused to block, allowing it to strike his chest and throw him back out of the tent.
When he hit the ground, he was a little surprised, but more amused that the Admiral had gotten the jump on him; the man's guards looked at him with shock, and turned to face the flaps of the tent, taking firebending forms, "Stand down, whoever you are!" the guards unwittingly warned their superior.
"It's Admiral Jeong Jeong." he warned them, putting on a shaky voice as he pretended to be far more afraid than he actually was; the guards stepped back, and shot fire blasts into the tent, which must have been deflected away, as the canvas was then set alight.
A few moments later, Jeong Jeong stepped out, now with a cloak hung over his robes, standing in fighting form, "I wish I didn't have to do this, but you've left me with no other choice." he admitted with a cold, spiteful voice, before throwing a volley of fireballs at the Prince and the two guards, who moved into defensive positions; Iroh dispersed the flames with relative ease, despite his awkward position,
He then took a deep breath, gathering two fireballs in each his palms, which grew brighter by the second. Although he wouldn't admit it, he was really just stalling so Jeong Jeong could make his move and escape; being as renowned a fighter as he was, he at least had to make it look like he was putting in some effort, so he did, creating two fire streams which he shot out one after the other, forcing his opponent to deflect each of the attacks. He bent the flames around himself, creating an impressive flame tornado, forcing the three of them to step away from the Admiral.
In quick succession, fireballs were shot from inside the tornado right at the guards, striking them to the ground, before a final flurry was aimed at Iroh. He was able to duck out of the way in time, before he thrust his arms forward, bending the fire tornado apart, however, when it dissipated, all he could see was the burning remains of Jeong Jeong's tent, with the man himself nowhere to be seen.
He pursed his lips, glad that he'd actually made a break for it, eyeing the area behind the tent, where the main encampment for Iroh's own army sat; he was probably trying to sneak through that area, or at the very least, run fast enough that nobody could try and stop him. Again, with little choice but to play along, he turned to help the guards up.
"What is- why would the Admiral attack us?"
"He has lost faith in the Fire Nation, and in me." he declared what had actually occurred, but decided to try and feign anger, "He has betrayed us, and there is only one fate for traitors."
"Capital punishment." the other guard noted with a remorseful look on his face; he must have respected his superior greatly, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to follow orders.
"He cannot escape." Iroh decided, before running off towards the encampment, knowing that he had to get some men ready to pursue Jeong Jeong, at least until he was out in the wilds, where it would be impractical to search for him personally- the campaign still had to be completed, after all, no matter if Jeong Jeong deserted, "On me!" he ordered the guards, and they followed after him; not long after he entered the camp, he was stopped by some soldiers, clearly surprised to see their Prince arrive in such a hurry.
"What's going on, General?" an officer asked him, glancing back towards Jeong Jeong's burning tent, "Has there been an attempt on Admiral Jeong Jeong's life?" he gave his first conclusion, and Iroh shook his head; he had to be frank, even if he couldn't disclose everything he knew about Jeong Jeong's reasons for leaving.
"No, he has deserted and attempted to kill me." he retorted, "Get as many men as you can spare. He is trying to flee the camp as we speak."
"That's- that's unthinkable. No Admiral has ever deserted."
"And none shall again, once he is caught." Iroh assured him, knowing full well he had no intention to let his friend be caught; he did have to make that one lie, for the sake of the Admiral's life- he would honour the times Jeong Jeong had saved him, and play his game for long enough to allow him to receive that freedom he so desired.
The coast of the Fire Nation was always littered with activity, full of fishing vessels and cargo ships travelling from island to island, bringing goods and commodities to be processed, bought, sold, and exchanged; Azula knew the risks in sailing her steamer towards the coast, despite the small size of the craft. She could see sailboats in the distance, and on the opposite side, the usual line up of ships entering and leaving the capital; whether anyone would think anything of the small vessel wasn't something she could be certain of, but it was certainly suspicious in her eyes.
The Fire Navy had small coast guard units, protecting the littoral from smugglers and their ilk, but to her luck, being inside of the Gates of Azulon afforded her some liberty and a lack of attention. The Fire Navy's efforts were concentrated around the main deployment zones, where most of her father's supporters would be gathering to establish their blockade. Thus, she wasn't surprised when they weren't tailed or hailed upon as they approached a small inlet, which suited their aim of making an unnoticed landing.
The sandy inlet that the steamer had landed in was quiet and isolated, at least compared to an actual port; there was a village nearby, made clear by the smokestacks coming from it, but that was not what concerned Azula. Commoners wouldn't be any wiser when she walked by in civilian garbs with sortie of Imperial Firebenders, who might have just seemed like an odd mix of men.
If she really had to try and ward them off, then she could just claim they were a band of criminals, which would certainly intimidate them, given how physically imposing her guards were. They had to be if they were protecting the Royal Family; only the best of the best made the cut, and she was relieved to be accompanied by them with the threat of assassins looming over.
The steamer would have to be left where it was, and they didn't bring anything unnecessary with them; just their clothes, some water and packaged food, and some forged papers in case they had to move through checkpoints. With her official documentation and scribes on the ship, it was barely an issue to forge her some new documents, giving her, Ty Lee and the guards all fake identities. Now, as she climbed up the slope away from the water, she felt uneasy, unsure where her father's agents might be hiding.
She knew for certain that they were around, given what her uncle's letter told her; the danger she would face just landing at the Capital's grand port was too great for her to dare try it. She had to return to the palace, to ensure her uncle's safety and begin working upon their plans to defeat her father, sooner rather than later. If they wasted even a day just sitting out in the bay, that could be a day lost on the hunt for Ozai.
Though she no longer supported her father's ambitions, she would never doubt his tenacity and ability to connive a plot that even she couldn't unravel; however, that did not mean she wouldn't try, and they would need as much time as they could spare to do that, before she inevitably faced what her brother and uncle had. It was just in their luck that Sanyan had been felled by her uncle's hands, and no longer roamed the land and sea, hunting the Fire Lord down; if he had not, she would be furious for her uncle even considering to return to the palace, as it would only make him an easy target for an assassin with such explosive power.
She was leading the small group past the thickets and small trees that lined the edge of the beach, making their way up the slope, between the two hills that lined the inlet, which led them up to wide open fields, separated only by rickety cobble fences, which surrounded the small village that sat by what must have been a small creek, running off towards the shoreline, away from the caldera itself, which towered off in the distance, reminding her that she was so close to her home, even if she was returning in such an unconventional manner. She considered if taking a path through the coastal woods would be a smarter move, but she knew that the most direct route would likely save her time, and seem less suspicious, at least until she actually reached the caldera rim.
"Well, it doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary's happened here, Zula." Ty Lee gave her own observations, before smiling at her, "So, we're going into the village?"
"Yes. What, did you think we were going to stop?"
"Uh... yes, I thought you wanted to find out more about these insurgents your uncle mentioned." she reminded her of their conversation on the steamer, and the Princess furrowed a brow, before she paced ahead.
"No, that's right. But we can't waste too much time... I want to be in the palace by twilight." she declared, her friend peering behind them, towards the sun which hung low in the sky, right by the horizon.
"Oh, that's... soon."
"Exactly. So, get a move on." she ordered her, before raising her voice, "That's for all of you. We can't waste any time. My father's agents may find the steamer quicker than any of us might like, and we must be ready to fight, if we can't return to the palace fast enough." she warned them all, reminding them of the potential danger they were in, now walking in the homeland, dressed as commoners with no back-up.
The group then continued their trek, following the dirt track that ran between the fenced off pastures towards the village itself; she recalled its name from the map she had brought with her- Densong. It wasn't on any of the main roads leading out of the capital, and housed little industry, which made her hope that her father's agents wouldn't bother spying around there. It didn't benefit them to find out what the local peasants were up to, only to hide, and if they were hiding around, then there was at least a chance they were too afraid to make a move.
The peasants she saw on the walk in looked as she expected them to; tanned from a life of outdoor work, with simple beige and pink robes, only lightly dyed, unlike the more vibrant reds worn by herself and the nation's elite. She couldn't help but wonder if any of them were even aware, or concerned about the events that had been going on.
Densong couldn't be so isolated that they didn't even know about what was going on up the road in the caldera, or in the region as a whole. Some of them were chatting amongst themselves, but most she saw were working in the fields, tending to crops and livestock, which meant she couldn't glean much information from them; from what she could tell, they were just gossiping and chatting about local things, the kind she had no care for.
The Princess' attention was drawn once she entered the village proper, where she found something she hadn't seen thus far on her journeys; a splattering of what looked like official government posters, warning against the aiding and abetting of treason, all with printed images of her father's face, as well as smaller images of high ranking officials that had left the capital in the wake of his treachery. It was clear that the Ministry of Propaganda was working hard to remind the public of what exactly was going on; there was as much an information war as there was an actual conflict of armies and fleets.
She then came across what had to be the local tavern, where a few commoners were standing chatting amongst themselves, alongside a pair of Home Guardsmen, a man and a woman, who despite being armed and equipped for a fight, certainly didn't seem prepared for one. She was certain they were intoxicated and relaxing when they ought to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, but that did advantage her personally; they weren't going to take much interest to her group's arrival, just as she wanted.
Frustratingly, they were approached by a peasant man, who perhaps was interested by their arrival as they passed by the tavern, "Good day." he addressed them with a tip of his straw hat, "What are you fellas doing in Densong?"
"Just passing through." one of her Imperial Firebenders responded curtly, stepping closer to the man to impose on him just enough so he got the message.
"Oh, uh, alright." he awkwardly responded, "Not in need of a place to stay?" he asked, earning Azula a look from Ty Lee; it might be an opportune time to get something out of somebody, before they inevitably had to continue on towards the caldera.
"I would be worrying about your own home with those terrorists about." Azula warned him, hoping that he'd give an interesting response.
"I- uh, I heard something happened in Kakouko." he clarified his own understanding of the events, which didn't appear to be much, at least compared to herself, "There's been a few Home Guard soldiers coming through here today." he added, "I think they've got things handled." he assured her, "I'd say you're heading for the capital, right?"
"Correct." she confirmed, "Is the road clear?"
"There's checkpoints all over the province, that's what I've heard. I don't really go out, so... good luck." he farewelled the group, as he made his way into the tavern, the Princess narrowing her eyes, before turning to face her guards.
"Check around the village, in case you can find anyone or anything suspicious. Meet at the east end of the village in five minutes." she gave her orders, the guards immediately moving away, ready to follow her order to the key; Ty Lee just stood beside her however, and cautiously glanced back at the tavern, eyeing the patrons.
"We have no idea who's a spy, do we?"
"No." she conceded, "That's why we can't reveal our intentions." she stressed, before pacing ahead, making her way down one of the haphazard streets that winded through the village, her friend not far behind.
She eyed the few houses and workshops she could see around, and tried to look for any unusual people; everyone she could see was just the expected peasant, and nothing out of the ordinary came of her walk through the village, where she crossed over the small creek, and up the slope on the other side. There wasn't anything that seemed out of place, other than herself, despite her disguise; Ty Lee's far more laidback and upbeat attitude made her seem more 'normal', if Azula could ever call her that. She was odd, but the Princess wouldn't deny she wasn't either; that was what came with being raised a Princess and being born a prodigy.
They didn't get too many odd looks, other than some from teenage common boys, which really didn't surprise her, given how Ty Lee loved to play them like a fiddle. She gave them a wave, and they immediately began chattering amongst themselves eagerly, all while Azula just ignored them. She had no time or care for something like flirting, and besides that, she had no experience or understanding of it.
She might have been embarrassed by that if it weren't for her overwhelming pride in the things she'd learnt instead; she was certainly no ordinary teenage girl- she might have looked like an exceptionally pretty and fair looking young lady to those peasant boys, but she was a warrior, through and through. She had trained her whole life to be ready to fight for her country, doing something that even they couldn't dream of, even as enlistees. She expected now with the cat out of the bag, her uncle would give her command of a sizeable force, and she would be sent to hunt down her father and any other traitors. She wouldn't expect any less for someone of her skill-set and high rank, despite his insistence that she train the Avatar; no matter the prestige associated with training such an important person, she knew that she was better for things beside helping others unlock their firebending potential.
"Uh... are you distracted, Zula?" her friend whispered to her as she continued keeping her pace; the Princess just turned her head slowly, unsure if she ought to be honest, before she came up with a quip, giving her the signature smirk.
"Oh, while you're distracted by stupid boys, I'm distracted by the duties I have yet to perform." she declared with a point of a finger to her chest.
"Like... what though?" she asked, seeming unsure about what she was referring to; Azula thought it would be rather obvious, so she decided to just clear up the misunderstanding.
"To lead our nation's forces to victory... to stop the traitors and reunite the Fire Nation." she stressed, though quietly, not wanting to accidentally reveal her identity to the peasants they were walking past.
"You still want to be a soldier, huh." she observed, seeming surprised; it didn't take Azula long to figure out what she was implying, and she narrowed her eyes at her, remembering how she felt that day, when she ought to have been celebrating her nation's great victory over the Earth Kingdom.
"I never gave up on my dream." she stressed with a glare, now not feeling confident, but frustrated, knowing that if her cousin was still around, he could have helped her, Zuko and Uncle stop her father's machinations before they even got as far as they had, "Things are never as simple as one would like. This needless conflict is going to cost us all... dearly." she warned her friend, whose eyes flickered with fear for a moment as she glanced behind them.
"I've already had my fair share of... stuff." she conceded quietly, before she began to hasten her pace, "This village doesn't feel safe."
"That's what being me feels like." she assured her, before shaking her head, "Whoever might be here, I am sure you can defeat them. Do you forget your skills?"
"Nuh-uh." she shook her head, "I just don't like the idea of people wanting us dead." she whispered as she leaned closer, "I just wanted to go to the circus, Zula."
"I know, Ty." she sighed, feeling regret in allowing Ty Lee to even get involved; though Mai might have made the right choice entrusting her with the intelligence she had, it only put their friend in danger, "If only she trusted me to keep my mouth shut."
"I'm sure Mai trusts you." her friend smiled back at her, "She was probably worried one of your-" she began, before her eyes widened, remembering what had happened in Tetsuwan; she was a moment off saying the one thing that would have reminded Azula of her own incompetence- she had let a rat linger among her guards, and he had only made their struggle to stop her father harder.
"She had more foresight than I did... or maybe it was Zuko." she mumbled to herself, unsure if her brother was strategic enough to even consider such a possibility; Azula might have made better use of the information he had about Ozai's treachery, but she was a target herself, after all, and Lo and Li obviously weren't the only ones keeping an eye on her, "I doubt he even wanted me to have the letters."
Ty Lee's expression softened, and she must have realised what she was referring to; her brother and her had a strong rivalry, and it had soured their relationship to the point of complete distrust on Zuko's behalf. Azula didn't exactly care to trust him, but she understood that her brother was at the very least principled, and to the end, unlike her father, who despite espousing claims about strength and honour, never even tried to challenge his brother for the throne, like a real warrior would have. Her brother was far more straight-forward, and she appreciated that, if only because it made dealing with his attitude all the more easier.
"You guys really should try and get along. I mean, I can get along with my sisters, and they're like being stuck with a bunch of myself; it can't be that hard to... bridge that gap." her friend suggested with a hopeful smile, "Right?"
"I don't care to make amends." she snapped back at her, "He's the one who despises me, anyway."
"S-sorry." she mumbled, clearly taken aback by her harsh response, before she glanced ahead, gesturing to something on a wall; Azula narrowed her eyes, noticing a poster- bringing awareness to a missing person case.
She stepped closer to it, and quickly scanned its contents; it was referring to some public servant, an inspector for the pipes and mains of the various settlements across the province. However, the appearance of the person didn't line up with the description that was given. They were a thirty-something-aged man, with a trim beard, well-managed long hair, and a rather savage burn across his cheek and brow; he looked more like a veteran of the war than an actual inspector. Of course, he could have been both, but that seemed unlikely.
"What do you think a former soldier would be doing inspecting pipes?" Azula asked her friend, who snickered at her question.
"I didn't mean it like that." she retorted, not approving of her crude suggestion, "I'm serious." she stressed, and Ty Lee tapped a finger on her chin.
"Uh, well, he might've been a military engineer or something. They build pipes and bridges- all that stuff in the colonies, right?"
"They do." she confirmed, appreciating that she actually had an idea, and a reasonable one at that, "And what do you think he could have really been doing?"
"Checking pipes and tunnels for... oh." her eyes widened, realising what Azula was getting at, "Here?" she asked her, and the Princess momentarily glanced back to the poster, which clarified that the man went missing just east of the port town of the capital, which would situate him around one of the various runoff channels leaving the caldera.
"No. Close by." she conceded, "Perhaps that's something to discuss with my uncle and brother... but we have to get to the palace first." she gave her thoughts, not too sure if anything could come of this information, but it indicated that there certainly were disappearances in the area; her father's agents were close by, and if they knew who she was, she wouldn't be safe for long.
Zuko had received enough beatings as of late, so he didn't feel that winded after being thrown around by another explosion; the mysterious old man who had saved their hides ran off, and his Imperial Firebenders were unable to find him. He was frustrated by the turn of events, wishing that he'd called the so-called 'Kuraiken', certain that man was one of his father's more important agents if he was going around killing his own men just to cover their tracks. He and Mai trudged back to the tank train in pain, given a few salutes by Major Kenzai and his men, congratulated for his efforts in freeing the hostages, before they got to his vehicle.
With the Imperial Firebenders and Mai, he had to recover after the fighting, at least with the safety of numbers, unlike back in the town. Zuko had still had to ward off the insurgents once they'd been saved, and was more exhausted than he had been after being nearly killed by an explosion the first time. To his luck, this time was more of a scraping blow, and he wasn't going to need as long a time to recover. Perhaps he was concussed, but he couldn't be sure of that until he met with an actual physician, back at the palace.
His home, where he'd have to explain his failure to his uncle; though he knew Iroh was a forgiving and kind man, Zuko had let one of the men that would have been of use die, and the other ran away after killing the former. The only good he got out of the operation was actually freeing the town, and learning why the whole ordeal had begun in the first place; that thing, more so than his failure, was why he was livid, the rage that had been in the back of his mind for five whole years finally coming to roost.
"The Dai Li." he snarled under his breath, barely containing his rage as one of his Imperial Firebenders was bandaging his burnt arm. "The fucking Dai Li." he repeated himself as he eyed Mai, whose expression told him that she was at the very least a little afraid, but not by the situation; they were safe- it was his enemies that were not.
"Zuko, I know-" she began, before cutting herself off, turning away as she tried to think of something to say, "No, I don't." she bluntly admitted, "I don't know, but at the very least, we know what was going on here."
"I... I don't even think we do." he conceded, unsure if the Dai Li was the whole reason for what had unfolded in Kakouko; the Dai Li were obviously in the capital, and they must have been working with his father on a plan, but he couldn't ascertain what, "The Dai Li have to be conspiring with my father. There's no other explanation." he told her what he could be certain of, "For what end... I have no idea."
"They're powerless without a sponsor." Mai suggested a cold glare, "Without the Earth King's authority, what are they?"
"A bunch of thugs." the Imperial Firebender who had been bandaging his arm spoke up, earning a look from the Prince; he seemed uneasy from receiving that glare, but swallowed before continuing, "I know you have your reasons to despise them, your highness."
"It's not because they're our enemies, it's because of how dangerous they are." he responded, clenching his fist as his mind turned back to his uncle's sordid tale about the palace, where his cousin had met his end, "We cannot allow them to seize on any opportunities my father might provide." he declared, rising to his feet as he wrapped the bandage under itself, "All that effort... all of that suffering, it will have been for nothing."
"Not for nothing. It's worse than that." he heard a new voice, and his eyes turned around to see that Taki had arrived at the tank-train, with her own injuries bandaged and some new clothes to replace her tattered, blood-stained ones.
"I see you're back on your feet already." he noted, "Will you be reporting your findings to the Director?"
"I must." she confirmed with a nod, "I am glad you came here, your highness. It was... it was already ugly enough. My comrades and I could have been beaten to death by that bastard."
"Kuraiken?" he asked her, unsure if that was the man the old stranger was referring to, or if they were somebody else entirely.
"Is that his name? I never got one. He just called himself 'the one who solves problems'." she explained, with an understandable amount of contempt in her voice, "I'm disappointed I didn't get to kill him myself after what he did to my friends." she admitted, clenching her fist as if she was readying herself to go into a fight, "The Home Guard haven't caught him yet, but thanks to you... at least some of them are going to jail."
"Maybe that's where they'd prefer to be." Mai suggested, "Failure would be unacceptable for a job like that." she morbidly added, implying his father would have the fleeing men killed for their failure.
"Maybe." Taki agreed with her, before she turned back towards Zuko, "Prince Zuko, do you have any intel that might help us track them down?"
"I grabbed some papers off of the body of their dead superior." he clarified, pulling them out of his belt, before unravelling the parchment, which just had some instructions scribbled on them, "It's directions out of the town. I already told the Home Guard where to go, so, we can hope that they've cornered the rest of them. That Kuraiken, if that's who he was, is long gone now."
"What about that old man? Do you know who he is?" she asked, and he grimaced; he couldn't reveal his potential relationship with the Order of the White Lotus, as his uncle's own participation in the group had yet to become public- they still had to hold those pieces close to their chest, in case it would come in handy later.
"No idea. He obviously knows who I am. Maybe he has a vendetta against these people." he clarified, before eyeing the paper once more, "Did you know who the one killed in the blast was? Their boss?"
"Colonel Tawara. That's what he said his name was. From his way of speaking, I'd say he was Military Intelligence." she clarified, and Zuko furrowed a brow.
"Well, I haven't heard of him." he admitted, before glancing back towards the town, eyeing the smokestacks that were coming out of the burning town hall, "But he and his men have made a mess."
"All to stop me... I'm flattered, honestly." she admitted with a momentary smirk, before turning her gaze up the road, "Are you going to leave, your highness?"
"As soon as I receive a report from Major Kenzai on the results of their sweep into Kakouko." he replied, glancing back at his Imperial Firebenders, "One of you, get my armour, and the rest of you, get into yours. We can't just sit here and expect they won't try and kill me. They've already tried it."
"Yes sir!" they chanted in response, and all of them made their way into the tank train, or over to where some of the uniforms had been piled, and began to put their armour back on.
"The Fire Lord is going to want to hear about this." Taki admitted, and the Prince's straight face faltered for just a moment as he imagined how Iroh might react.
He knew that externally his uncle wouldn't dare to let out his frustration, but he was certain that internally, it would infuriate the Fire Lord to no end; he wasn't one to become overcome with his emotions, especially rage, but he knew that it was possible, and the Dai Li were one pressure point Zuko never wanted to push.
"Yes, he will." he agreed, before sighing, "I'm sure this will only further complicate things."
"It is only as complicated as much as we lack knowledge on our foes, your highness." she argued, her analysis surprisingly confident given what she'd just been through.
"And you didn't know that you were going to get caught, did you?" he asked her, and she grimaced slightly, before turning her gaze away from his own.
"I didn't care if I did." she admitted, her voice low and lips formed into a snarl, "It was worth the risk, even if I never got my eyes on one of those snakes."
"Why?" he stepped closer to her, now feeling suspect about her own motivations; she seemed too bureaucratic and serious to actually be that invested in Iroh's position as the Fire Lord, so there had to be something deeper, "Why would you risk your own life for this? You could have gotten more men, or waited around for a better opportunity."
"There wasn't any time." she retorted, her tone not the kind he'd expect from somebody who was well aware of his royal status, "I knew they were going to evacuate the agents. Everyone's been on edge since what happened at the palace... it was only a matter of time before the Home Guard or some commoners caught onto their identities. I was lucky enough to be following some leads already."
"You're saying this could have been worse?" Mai asked her, and Taki nodded.
"Imagine what they would have done to some innocent commoners if they'd identified them as Dai Li agents. There was enough propaganda after the siege... everyone's seen the plays by now." she argued, and Zuko sighed, recalling that specific piece of theatre that had sprung up in the year after his uncle's victory; a playwright had mashed together eyewitness reports and rumours into a piece of Fire Lord approved propaganda, to express their nation's great triumph over the Earth Kingdom on stage.
He remembered his sister furiously telling Ty Lee that she couldn't watch it, and Zuko had never had to ask why; their cousin's death was the climax of the play, according to somebody he'd talked to about it at school. All the noble boys had gone to see it with their parents, thinking it would be a cool story about soldiers and heroism; even if it was portrayed that way, the way his uncle spoke about the siege told him it was anything but that, even before they broke through the walls.
"I remember." he mumbled, before narrowing his eyes at her, "So, you might have saved a few commoners from getting murdered by the Dai Li or my father's men." he observed what had occurred, "But, you didn't answer my question."
"They..." she began, holding her tongue before she let out a sigh, "They killed one of my friends." she admitted, "He died with your cousin, the Prince."
"Oh." Zuko's eyes widened, realising that he and Taki had more in common than he would have thought; their anger towards the Dai Li was for the same reason, and now, he couldn't help but realise how out of line his questioning was, "I apologise."
"You don't need to." she assured him, though her tone sounded pained, "My father isn't working with them." she added, reminding him once more of that fact.
"I will make sure he knows that his treachery cannot be ignored." he assured her, his tone growing angrier as he struggled to keep his emotions contained, "I will remind him of what our nation fought for."
"He's a bit of a hypocrite, isn't he, Zuko?" Mai observed, not even sounding humoured in the slightest; she was just as annoyed as he was, after all they'd been through- his father's justifications were seeming weaker every time they learned more about his plans.
"If he wasn't one, he might have taken out his anger on Grandfather instead of me." he bluntly agreed with her, before clearing his throat, realising that he probably shouldn't have said that in front of Taki; she seemed almost impressed by his retort, before she bowed towards him.
"Thank you for your assistance, your highness. I will make sure to find a way to repay you... and bring justice to this land."
"I wouldn't ask any less." he turned back to her, pursing his lips into a smile, if only for a moment, just to reassure her; his questioning had brought up bad memories for her, just as the Dai Li had for him.
She nodded, her expression seeming sad, though she forced a straight face before bowing to him, "Good luck, to all of you... I better check and make sure my friends are getting treated properly."
"Of course. You aren't used to solving problems with violence, are you?" he asked her sarcastically, knowing that what she had told him back at that lecture all those years ago was a farce; it was clear to him for quite some time that the Intelligence Service used violent means to protect their nation, even if it was outside the public eye.
She held back a laugh, and just nodded, before pacing back down the road towards the Home Guard's encampment; Zuko just sat there, his gaze turning to the horizon as he watched the clouds pass the hills and mountains in the distance. Before long, the Imperial Firebender returned with his armour, and the Prince sighed; Mai turned to face him, her expression seeming slightly confused, and she glanced back towards Kakouko.
"You didn't need your armour back there. Why do you need it now?"
"It's not because I need the protection." he clarified, standing up as he took off the outer robes, which covered the padding he had underneath, "I have this." he pointed to the padding before dispensing off it, unlatching each of the sections and putting it down with his robes.
The Imperial Firebender approached, and placed the armour down on the ground; the Prince nodded, before snapping a finger, the servants who had been waiting to attend to him approaching.
"Thank you." he acknowledged the guard, before the servants picked up the armour pieces, placing the chest piece around his chest before tying the bindings.
"Then why?" Mai asked, prodding him once more.
"Because I can't go and tell my uncle that his brother might be responsible for Lu Ten's death looking like a dirty assassin. I have standards." he gestured to his clothes, his blunt tone seeming to unnerve the servants; he cleared his throat, and clarified his wishes, "Continue, please."
They picked up the epaulettes, and placed them over his shoulders, before they tightened the armour in place, leaving him with at least the top section of his armour on. He still needed his boots, which were also placed down with the armour; he slid his dirty, soot covered boots off, and replaced them with his steel plated ones, and once they were on, he strode back over to Mai.
"So, did you need some new robes?" he asked, and she glanced at her own apparel, which despite being in better condition than his own, was still clearly burnt and ripped up, especially at the extremities.
"I can wait until we get home." she admitted her feelings, "It's not as if you haven't got the most comfortable means of transport for us to take." she gestured back behind herself, reminding him that they had taken the tank-train; it would be a quick trip back to the caldera, and from there, to reach the palace.
"I am glad that I took this instead of mongoose lizards. It might have been faster that way, but... I don't imagine we could have returned looking like this." he noted, eyeing his own tattered sleeves, "It would have raised questions, and concerns from the public. We don't want a panic."
"It's not like they tried to assassinate you again." she acknowledged, "You got us into danger on purpose this time."
"Uh..." he mumbled, scratching the back of his scalp as he realised the events that had unfolded were his responsibility; he had chosen to go out of the way when the Intelligence Service could have sent a team in to free Taki and her men, "Yeah, I did... and I don't regret it."
"We didn't really get what you wanted, did we?" she asked, seeming annoyed, though not as much as he was.
"No." he narrowed his glare, frustrated that he hadn't got a good lead on his father's whereabouts, or his overarching plan, "We found out something I might have preferred not to... but at least there's one less thing I don't know about."
"When Azula talked about your father's weird meetings, I didn't think he was holding this many secrets. Just the kind of drama I'd expect from a royal family... not this."
"Yes, I didn't think that either." he sighed, "My father really just finds new lows and strives for them."
"Your highness." he heard a voice addressing him in the distance, and the Prince turned around to see Major Kenzai approaching him, flanked by some Home Guard soldiers, "We've secured the perimeter and apprehended everyone in the town. There was... quite a lot of them." he admitted, and the Prince narrowed his eyes.
"Did anyone find that old guy?" he asked, and the Major shook his head.
"No, we didn't." he clarified, "I have no clue what happened there. We didn't catch anyone sneaking into Kakouko. We certainly should have."
"I don't think this was any ordinary spy or the likes." he stressed, before raising a finger to his chin, "I believe this wasn't just about those Dai Li agents the Intelligence Service spoke of. I think this was on purpose."
"What... causing a massive fuss and getting the Home Guard to lock down a whole town?" Kenzai asked in disbelief, Zuko raising a finger to his nose bridge.
"Yes, that's what I mean. There's been other incidents, from what I've heard, and maybe... this was just the distraction the Home Guard needed. I think General Hikari should be alerted at once- all the Home Guard in the region needs to be on high alert. Anyone who could have been sent to deal with this, they'll be in danger now."
"Most of these men came from the capital itself, your highness." Kenzai informed him, and Zuko's eyes widened, before he turned back to Mai; he didn't want to believe it, but if it really was a ploy, then he had played right into his father's hands, taking good Imperial Firebenders away from the palace, probably messing up their schedules and leaving gaps for his father's agents to exploit, if they knew where to find them.
"We need to send a messenger hawk to Uncle right now. They might be aiming for him already." he spoke his worst fears, and she nodded, dashing inside of the tank train to retrieve the required materials.
"How much danger could the Fire Lord be in, your highness? He has dozens of Imperial Firebenders protecting the palace at any moment." Kenzai asked, seeming sceptical of his concerns.
"He might be safer than me, but he is a far more important target for my father's agents, who mightn't even know I'm here, other than those I fought directly." he argued, before narrowing his eyes, "But there are spies everywhere. Liars and cheats who will set our country aflame when it suits them." he warned the Major, pointing a finger at his chest, "You understand that, don't you?"
He nodded profusely, and bowed to the Prince, seeming afraid by the implicit threat he had just made, "Of course, Prince Zuko. We cannot let them have another victory."
"Victories are in short supply for my father. He has just been stalling us all... but for what, I am uncertain. That is why I am so concerned for the Fire Lord's safety." he stressed, "It is what we don't know that should keep us awake at night, Major."
"Do... do you believe you will find him?"
"Before he has ruined everything our nation has worked towards... I don't know." he admitted the honest truth, "You have done a good service to your country today, Major. You and all of your men. I will make sure the Fire Lord hears of the dutiful actions of the Home Guard."
"Th-thank you. How could I ever repay you for such an honour?"
"You shouldn't. The honour is the reward... nobody gains it without action." he assured him, before smiling, feeling that at the very least, he was beginning to prove his worth to his uncle; not as a nephew, but as a Prince, which was what he had always wanted.
He turned around, hearing Mai's footsteps as she returned from inside the tank-train, offering him a piece of parchment, some ink, and a brush, "Here." she gave it to him, and the Prince laid it all out down on the table that had already been set out for him by his guards so he could eat after his mission; now, he couldn't stomach a meal, but he could stomach writing a letter to his uncle, and he had no desire to mince his words.
He began the letter with none of the formality that would be expected of a letter to the Fire Lord himself, "Uncle, there is danger facing you; the attack here may have been a ploy to draw the Home Guard away from the capital. We have defeated the insurgents here, but they were not and cannot be the only ones near the capital. The palace may be under threat, as will Azula, if she is to arrive. I recommend you gather the Home Guard and Imperial Firebenders to protect the caldera." he explained the situation as it was, but he knew that he had to tell him the other thing he had learned, "Uncle, I know you never wanted to hear this, but I must tell you the truth of what I have learned in Kakouko. The Intelligence Service was tracking down the..." he wrote, until he stopped himself, unable to put ink to paper; Mai noticed this, and looked down, checking the parchment.
"Zuko." she addressed him calmly, her tone softer than usual, but not rosy or warm in any sense, "Do you need someone else to write it?"
"No." he assured her, before brushing the characters for Dai Li down, before following it with the first thing that came to mind, "If what the agents and I believe is true, then father has been working with them." he wrote another line, gritting his teeth as he was reminded of the words as they left his grandfather's mouth, and the following grovelling that came from his uncaring father, "He called it tragic." he quoted what he had said, the brush smudging the paper as he struggled to retain his composure, "He is a liar. It was his doing. His crime." he wrote, growing angrier as he reached down to grab his dagger, pulling it from his belt, before he offered the blade to Mai.
"What... what are you giving me this for?"
"I cannot stand for this... any of it." he told her with gritted teeth, before hammering his fist into the desk, making a loud thump, the bamboo cracking under the force of his strike, before raising his chin, eyeing her coldly, "Cut off my phoenix tail."
"Zuko, I wasn't serious about the-" she began, Zuko raising a hand.
"I will no longer be attached to that bastard's honour." he declared, and she eyed him, her expression showing the slightest bit of nervousness; he didn't mean to get angry, especially given she wasn't the target of his fury- it was his father, who he hadn't seen in months, only the memories of him lingering in the back of his head, reminding him of what was, before he tried to have him killed.
"Your highness, I... uh." Kenzai mumbled, having watched all of that unfold, "Should I leave you to do this?"
"This is a rare sight, Major." he warned him, "You wouldn't like to miss history, would you?" he asked him sarcastically, though he didn't care if the man stayed or went; he only cared that the moment was done with.
In his eyes, it should have happened weeks ago, but Zuko had been holding himself back, hoping that his father wasn't completely lost, even if he disdained him for all he had done thus far. Those of his Imperial Firebenders that were present were taken aback by his words, and watched as she stepped closer, standing behind him with the blade. She placed one hand on his shoulder, her firm grip reminding him that she wasn't like anyone else around him; she wasn't afraid, or dismissive of him, she was just there, and that was enough.
"Are you sure about this?"
"I have never been more certain about anything in my life." he declared with unwavering confidence, and she grasped his phoenix tail; Zuko closed his eyes, and felt the sharp tug as she sliced it off, Zuko no longer feeling the weight of it hanging above his head.
"Did you cut it at the base?" he asked, turning back to face her, only to see that she had done just that, now holding the phoenix tail by the tight red fabric that held it together.
He touched his scalp, and noticed his hair drooped down over his face as bangs; it was an odd feeling, but he tried to ignore that, and return to the matter at hand. He picked the brush back up, and continued writing, "Take this as a sign of my dedication. I hereby renounce Ozai, his authority over me, and any and all duties I may hold to him. The dishonour he has brought to our family and nation shall be corrected, I promise you, Uncle, on the honour of Lu Ten." he wrote authoritatively, before signing his name, "Your nephew and loyal subject, Prince Zuko."
He then wrapped the paper up, and slid the phoenix tail in, before tying it together with fabric; an Imperial Firebender already stood ready with the messenger hawk, and the Prince rose to his feet, placing it into the carrier, before locking it. He nodded at the guard, who turned around, before waving the bird off. It quickly flapped its wings, ascending into the sky above, following up the slope to cross the hill, and fly back towards the capital. He let out a sigh of relief, before turning to face Mai again.
"It looks better." she casually commented, making Zuko blush, turning his face away as he realised that; he didn't really care much for his hair, only that he wanted to remove the part of it that connected him with Ozai.
"I wish you luck, Prince Zuko." Kenzai spoke up once more, "Your will is admirable."
"Any virtue is only as admirable as it brings results." he retorted, before sighing, "I failed today. Had that Kuraiken and his associate been captured, then we might have actually learned something useful. All I know is that my father was even more of a snake than I feared."
"Nobody would betray the Fire Lord without the resources to survive, your highness. The blame does not fall to you... this was more complex than any of us could have imagined." the Major warned, and he narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists as he imagined what kind of fancy recluse his father might be hiding in, ordering attacks on innocents, plotting to end his uncle's life.
"There's an end to every maze." he declared, "And my sister and I, I believe we could cut it short..." he assured him, clenching his fist as he imagined what would become of his father's rebellion, "Very quickly."
The rim of the caldera towered above Azula and the others as they followed a winding, rock-strewn path beside a stream; she remembered it like it was yesterday the last time she'd been down it. Back then, it was just for the fun of it, to go and look around the countryside, and see if there was anything worth her time. The stream coursed from a set of hot springs that lay ahead, though they weren't her destination; the catacombs that underlay the capital had a number of hidden entrances, and Azula knew where all of them were, at least those documented on the Fire Lord's personal maps.
Trusting that her late grandfather wouldn't have faulty maps in his own study, she was confident she wouldn't run into anything unexpected; her father could have agents around, but they could be dealt with. She knew of the traps that could be activated to block the entrance, and cause devastation around the path, which she hoped she wouldn't have to use. It was bad enough that her father had been able to flee the capital, but now, she was unsure if she would even be able to figure out his plan before someone like Sanyan happened by the palace, aiming for her uncle's head.
All of that was ahead of her, beyond that entrance that still eluded her gaze; it was purposefully obscured by rocks and blended in well with the landscape, so she had to keep a keen eye out for the firebending lock that would allow her to enter. Ty Lee remained right behind her, her own gaze darting around the rocks and towards the hot springs, clearly afraid they might be attacked at any moment.
She shot her friend a glance, keeping her serious expression to try and reassure her; she didn't know if that would do much good, given Ty Lee's well-founded concerns, but she smiled back at her, whether reflexively or because she was just happy to be home. She didn't smile back, given that they were surrounded by her Imperial Firebenders; she was still trying to act formal and professional, despite her attire.
"Are we getting close, Zula?" Ty Lee asked her, and the Princess nodded, keeping her eye on the path.
"Yes. As soon as we reach the entrance, I will locate the lock." she assured her, before she eyed behind herself once more, not focusing on her friend, or the Imperial Firebenders beyond, but the path itself.
She was unsure if they were being followed, and though they had made a great effort to avoid that when leaving the village by taking a slightly less direct route, where they moved through a grove to reach the path they were presently following. Unless they were being followed by somebody who knew exactly where they were intending to enter the catacombs, she was sure they ought to be safe as long as they kept up their pace.
She had the other option of going into port city instead, finding the local guard barracks, and assembling the city guard to protect her. Even if they had no right to refuse her, identifying her as Princess Azula was more than a challenge for whoever they encountered when she'd gone out of the way to look like a peasant. She had decided against it because of how public opinion might have been affected by seeing their potential future Fire Lord massacring a dozen assassins right in front of them; even if she didn't care much for how 'friendly' she seemed to the people, she did not want them thinking she was just like her father, willing to slaughter others mercilessly for her own aims. She knew she was better than him when it came to that, as at the very least, she had the willingness to dirty her own hands, instead of having underlings do all the fighting and killing for her.
"Are we going to fan out to look for the entrance, your highness?" one of her guards asked her, and the Princess nodded, pointing around as the rim grew ever nearer.
"It's located on a sheer rock face. The lock is a small hole, you should be able to spot it, but it is secluded." she warned them, "It was put here for a reason... nobody should be able to remember the location easily." she stressed, before she strode ahead, eyeing around as she wondered if she would find it first; the Imperial Firebenders were trained to remember the escape routes from the palace, of obvious reasons, and she was sure that they would be able to find the entrance quickly enough.
Ty Lee was another question entirely, and she looked around with a confused look on her face, which somehow still fit in a smile, "Remember the hot springs?" she asked, referring to those that lined the calderas edge; they'd go and explore it with Mai when they were younger, preferably without the Imperial Firebenders breathing down their necks- though she appreciated them now, back then they were just a hassle when she wanted to have fun.
"Of course I do. It isn't going to be any fun around here this time." she warned her.
Back in the day, for Azula and Ty Lee, fun was running around on steep edges and narrow paths to try and race each other to some imagined finish line; it wasn't exactly the kind of thing the guards would approve of, given they were there to prevent her from having an early death by accident, or perhaps worse, getting kidnapped or assassinated. Not for them, though, as they'd likely be executed for their failure; that was part in parcel with their job, after all.
When she spotted the lock, she raised a hand, and glanced around, eyeing for the commander of her guard; he gestured towards the lock, and she nodded, allowing him to approach. Everyone remained silent as he stepped over towards the sheer rock face, which was only indented by a few marks, chips, and the single hole that formed the mechanism. He moved to firebend into it, the blast splashing around the lock as she heard a mechanical crank inside. However, nothing happened; no door was revealed, and she knew that something was up.
"Identify yourself!" a voice shouted from inside the rockface, clearly muffled by the stone between him and the group.
Azula dropped her hand, permitting the guard to speak, and he cleared his throat, "Captain Kan." he identified himself, "Commanding officer of the Imperial Firebender unit aboard Princess Azula's royal barge."
A few moments later, a part of the stone rockface opened up, parting to reveal a doorway, and in it, an Imperial Firebender stood. He glanced at her group for a moment, before bowing towards her, obviously identifying her as the Princess, instead of Ty Lee, who certainly looked nothing like her, even in disguise.
"Princess Azula, it is an honour to receive you. We were not expecting you." he admitted, and she raised a brow.
"My uncle knows that my ship is heading to the capital." she retorted, reminding him that the Imperial Firebenders already ought to be aware of her impending arrival, "I elected not to take my ship into port... with myself onboard, that is."
"Might I ask why?" the guard asked her, and she pursed her lips, imagining what her father's agents had planned.
"Because the enemy will be waiting for me. I decided I could not wait for the situation to resolve itself in the capital." she declared her reasoning, before turning to face her guards, "Enter, and prepare to march back to the palace." she ordered the group, who saluted her at once.
"Are we taking the catacombs the whole way?" Ty Lee asked, and the Princess nodded.
"Certainly. I can't have any of my father's agents learning of our presence here. That might make them reconsider whatever plans they have in mind."
"You want them to attack?" Kan questioned her, seeming nervous, "What about everyone on the ship?"
"You do not need to concern yourself with their safety. The vessel is armed well enough, and the remaining Imperial Firebenders aboard will protect it. It is the threat of assassins that I am concerned about." she stressed, before she stepped out of the way, "Go on." she ordered the men, and they did so, filing in through the door while Ty Lee and Azula remained outside; once all of them had entered, the Princess glanced around, wondering if she ought to set off the traps and block the entrance, but she elected against that.
"What now?" her friend asked her, tugging her sleeve, "Are we going?"
"Yes." she confirmed, striding through the doorway into the dimly lit catacombs; they usually wouldn't be lined with torches, but it seemed that her uncle must have ordered they be thoroughly checked and patrolled after he returned.
She turned to face the guards who were operating the entrance, and gestured to the mechanism they were operating; that directed them to close the entrance behind her. As they were moving to pull the door shut, they all were stopped in their tracks by a loud, unmistakable explosion that must have occurred far off in the distance. It was the kind of explosion that immediately struck fear into her gut. She dashed out the entrance, eyeing around to select a path to a vantage point; she chose to head away from the rim and hope to be able to see the city from there.
So with that plan in mind, Azula rushed to climb over the rocks, so she could get a look of the port district, which sat to the east, by the coast. Ty Lee followed after her, and the two of them scaled up the rocks, making their way to a portion that was mostly covered with soil and grass. She then zigzagged up the slope, avoiding taking the sharp ascent to conserve energy. Once she reached the top, which was a flat stone outcrop, she could finally make sight of the port.
Smoke was billowing out from the area around the shoreline, meaning that it had come from the port itself; the smoke obscured whatever was there, but she could see fires already burning around on rooftops, probably caused by embers from the explosion. She knew that it was only a matter of time before something worse happened, but she could barely even comprehend what she was looking at; it was the kind of devastation she expected at the front line in the Earth Kingdom, not right in front of her home.
"What kind of-" Ty Lee began, before another explosion went off, the bright flash forcing her to close her eyes; it was as if the setting sun had just peered out from some clouds, but it wasn't orange or red, just blindingly white.
As she opened her eyes Azula now had a very clear idea of the kind of power being put on display; a blast of flames, smoke, and ash, which looked as big as the moon would in the sky, lit up the whole city. She watched the smokestacks grew, and clenched her fists, realising that her ship must have just been entering the port at that time.
"I knew it." she declared, before grasping her friend by the wrist, "We need to get inside, now!" she shouted back down at the guards, who were now standing outside, clearly confused by the turn of events, but in fighting form, expecting that they might be in danger.
The two of them skidded down the slope, Azula running her hand on the ground to make sure she could slow her descent, before she jumped down right back onto the path. Her men had stepped back out, clearly looking confused, but as aware as she was of what was going on.
"Was it the port?" one of them asked, and she lit a fireball in her hand.
"Yes. We're blocking this entrance. Nobody gets into the caldera this way, or out." she declared, before shoving at Ty Lee, forcing her to move inside.
The Princess stood in front of the entrance, eyeing up to some boulders that sat up the rim from them, their purpose finally about to be fulfilled; she shot the charged bolt of fire out, smacking the boulders back hard enough that they then rolled, and proceeded to hit the other rocks, starting a chain reaction. She dashed inside the entrance, before it was shut behind her, the loud thump and crash that followed assuring her that the entrance wouldn't be opened any time soon.
"Now what?" her friend asked her, the Princess cringing, where she felt, once again, the only thing that was certain for her was her uncertainty.
"Let's hope that the palace doesn't explode before we get there."
