With the urgency of his departure in mind, Prince Lu Ten made sure his bag was packed and ready; he wasn't bringing all too much with him on campaign, but the bag was full nonetheless. He had some training garbs, nightwear, and a full change of clothes, along with some basic necessities, like a razor for shaving, and a writing kit.
He would need that to issue orders on the field, given he expected to be commanding a detachment of soldiers, and he could also use that kit to write letters home. He had friends he would want to tell about his adventures overseas, but also his young cousins, who would clearly want to hear about it. Azula especially, given her avid interest in fighting, strategy, and the war.
He picked up the bag and handed it to his father's personal servant, Kang, who had served them dutifully for many years; he would make sure all their belongings got on the ship they'd be taking to the front, and that all their needs were met. He bowed to Lu Ten, and gestured to his desk, where he had a few books, sitting covered with a light layering of dust.
"Will you be taking anything to read, my Prince?" he asked, and he shook his head.
"No, Father already has gotten me some strategy manuals. He'll probably want to spend all our spare time playing Pai Sho, knowing him." he acknowledged, Kang smiling.
"Ah, that is true, my Prince. The Dragon of the West cannot resist a game, especially against an adept opponent." he commented on his father's desire to play the game, with his son and anyone else who could muster the skill to try and beat him.
"I'm nowhere near as good as him, not yet." he admitted, before glancing past Kang, "I will head off to see my father now. I imagine we'll be getting some farewells from my cousins and uncle." he guessed what would likely follow before he left the palace.
"I will make sure everything is handled, your highness. Please, enjoy your remaining time here." he reassured him, the Prince giving him a smile in return, and then paced past him, making his way down the hallway; the first place he'd look for his father would be his grandfather's office, as he guessed he would be seeking some final advice from the Fire Lord before his departure.
He could also bid farewell to his grandfather, though he had already formally done so when he gave them orders and permission to go to Ba Sing Se a day prior; the plan had been decided upon months prior, before he'd even graduated from the academy, but the Fire Lord, being the head of the household and his supreme commander, had to give permission for their departure, and confirm their roles for when they went to the frontlines.
Lu Ten made his way out into the main hallway, and turned left to head towards his grandfather's office. He made his way past a few guards, who saluted the Prince, and he acknowledged them with a nod; past them, he made another turn, making his way past the great hall of the palace, where they'd have feasts with high officials, prominent nobles, and other notables. Past that was the section of the palace solely dedicated to the Fire Lord's personal area, which had its own kitchens, dining area, and rest areas for the various servants and guards. There were also a few large bedrooms there that remained unoccupied, which he believed had been his father and uncle's before both of them married.
He scrunched his lips, realising that once his father became Fire Lord, he'd have to move into one of those rooms. He knew that it would be weird to move to a new room, but he was about to travel to the other side of the world, which he felt would be a lot stranger and more exciting than just moving to another part of the palace. His future status as Crown Prince was something that came to mind every once and in a while, and his grandfather, not his father, was the one who brought it up with him. Azulon was concerned with the future of their household and the Fire Nation, because he had spent most his life governing the Fire Nation, and knew who would succeed him.
As he reached the Fire Lord's personal area, the Imperial Firebenders stood ready to guard it, and opened the doors for him, revealing someone he hadn't been expecting; his uncle stood, speaking with some servants. They were cleaners from what he could tell, and when he saw Lu Ten, he quickly dismissed them, though without the usual gruffness he'd expect. He guessed that his uncle was just in a good mood.
"Nephew." he addressed him, "You are about to leave for your first campaign." he observed the situation with a pleased look on his face, "I am sure the Fire Lord will be pleased to know you'll be by your father's side."
He nodded, unsure what to say to that, "How are you, Uncle?" he asked, knowing that would be an easy question to answer.
"Well." he gave the briefest possible answer, though not because he was annoyed and needed to lie to save face; he could see from Ozai's relaxed posture that he was actually being truthful, "Father has told me that I will be appointed Head of the Intelligence Service."
Lu Ten's eyes widened, realising that was quite a big responsibility; although he wouldn't be in as much danger as him or his father, his uncle's duties would ensure peace within their country.
"I am sure you will do a fine job, Uncle." he gave his best wishes, "How... uh, is your training?"
"I am less concerned about mine, but my children's." he admitted, "I have learned from every training manual and scroll I could gather, but they have much to learn. Zuko has yet to master breath, and Azula still trains herself with basic forms." he explained his thoughts, he scrunched his lips, seeming like he had something else to say, but decided against it, "How about yours, Nephew?"
He crossed his arms, feeling quite confident that he had trained enough to be ready for the front; he might have been far more powerful and learned more forms than the average firebending soldier, but those other men made up for that with experience, which he sorely lacked.
"I have never gone to war, but I know my strength. My firebending is as strong as ever." he acknowledged, creating some flames in his palm, before he extinguished them by clenching his fist shut.
"The Earth Kingdom has its best soldiers on the walls." Ozai acknowledged, sounding slightly concerned; whether it was because he doubted their ability to win, or simply feared the strength of their enemies, was unclear, "You will have a real challenge ahead of you."
"We have the biggest Fire Nation Army in history marching on the walls as we speak." he reminded him, "They can only fight for so long... the enemy, that is." he argued, and his uncle nodded.
"That they can." he acknowledged, before crossing his arms, "When you return, might I ask something of you?"
Lu Ten raised a brow, surprised he was asking something of him; usually his uncle was rather distant, and didn't take too much interest in him beyond the common ground of firebending training.
"What is it, Uncle?"
"Zuko." he clarified, "His firebending tutors have been unable to... well, make him improve faster. It would be an embarrassment if he couldn't at least win a competition at his school." he explained, his eyes narrowing, "Though, my son has decided he will not undertake higher education, but receive instruction from tutors here."
"I heard." Lu Ten nodded, recalling that Zuko had told him that; he believed it had something to do with his desire to learn more independently, which made sense.
Zuko was more restless than Lu Ten had been at his age, and likely wanted to focus on a diversity of things rather than simply whatever his teachers instructed him on.
"Sorry, what did you want me to do, Uncle?" he asked, and Ozai blinked a few times, only then realising he hadn't actually made his request.
"Oh, I want you to personally train him. I expect he will request to go to the academy once he is old enough, so by the time he does, I want to make sure he is beyond the top of his class." he explained his intentions, and Lu Ten nodded, still surprised he was being asked to help; his uncle seemed rather possessive of his children, and usually wanted personal control over their training, and to give it to Lu Ten seemed a bit odd.
"I am... I am sure I could do that, Uncle." he agreed to the proposition; he could presumably take some time off after the siege, anyway, so he could stay in the palace to help train his cousin.
"Good. Father said you would." he commented, making it clear why he'd asked in the first place; Azulon must have picked up on the gap between Azula and Zuko, and suggested that Lu Ten solve the problem for them.
He didn't like being pressured into doing something his uncle could do himself, however, he was already willing to do so. He had been under the impression Ozai hadn't wanted him or Iroh training the siblings, because it would interfere with the training regimes set up by their respective tutors. The idea that wouldn't be an issue anymore pleased him; he'd always enjoyed showing his cousins firebending forms and techniques, and actually having a reason to do it would be a nice way to waste away his afternoons meditating, practising forms, and probably drinking lots of tea, as his father would when he supervised his training.
"I'm... happy Grandfather agrees." he admitted, before glancing ahead down the hallway, "I'm just going to see him and Father." he explained what he was doing, and Ozai nodded.
"Yes, Iroh was at his office just as I was leaving." he confirmed his suspicions, and Lu Ten nodded, before stepping past his uncle.
"Well, I better get going. Good luck with the Intelligence Service. I wouldn't want this place getting bombed again while I'm away."
Ozai's expression hardened, and he nodded, "No, you wouldn't."
With that awkward response, the Prince began to step away, unsure what else to say to his uncle, just giving a wave before he turned around, striding down the hallway. Lu Ten wasn't far from the office, and quickly reached the door, where two Imperial Firebenders stood, as would be expected; one knocked on the door, and he heard his father's voice.
"Yes?"
"Prince Lu Ten is here." he told him, and Iroh opened the door for him.
"Son." he addressed him with a smile, "Please, come in." he gestured into the room.
He heeded his father's words, following him back into his grandfather's office; before him, sat the Fire Lord, in more casual robes that he would usually be wearing than when seated on the throne. That suggested some informality to their meeting, which made sense, as Iroh and Lu Ten had been given their official orders a day prior, and would no longer need any ceremonious farewell.
"Lu Ten." Azulon addressed him, "Are you ready to depart?"
"Yes, I am, Grandfather." he confirmed with a curt bow, before taking a seat beside his father.
"We have just been discussing your father's plans for the siege." he explained what they had been discussing, "But also you. Your future, specifically."
"Yes, Father has told me he thinks you ought to take up more duties once you return. I will only be Crown Prince for so much longer."
"Hopefully a while, Father." he acknowledged, not wanting to wish ill health upon his already aged grandfather; he was just shy of ninety-four, but seemed to be a beacon of health, "I only wish good health for Grandfather."
Iroh had told him that he felt especially imbued with vigour, despite his age, due to being born around the time of Sozin Comet's previous passing. Whether it was due to being an auspicious occasion, or because the comet itself actually could give an infant firebender power, was unclear, but intrigued him; given Lu Ten had just reached majority, and would likely be betrothed, presumably after their victory, he might expect to have his own firstborn child within the next six years, which could mean they could be born around the comet as well.
"Thank you, Grandson, but I do not need it. This war will be finished while I still bear breath."
"If all goes to plan, it will be done by year's end." Iroh argued, and the Fire Lord just sighed.
"We can only hope. The Earth Kingdom has held strong for decades. They will not fall easily." he reminded him, before turning his gaze to Lu Ten, "But yes, I thought that it would be prudent to discuss this with you, as you may be gone for years."
"I am listening, Grandfather." he assured him, and Azulon placed his hands down in front of himself, clasping them together.
"You will be expected to go on tours and progresses around the country, as your father did at your age. There are many people you need to meet, and ingratiate yourself with; it is part and parcel of the job. Furthermore, you will be expected to be seated on both the war council and in ministerial meetings." he explained, before raising a hand, "While you are on duty, you obviously will not have time for this, but otherwise, I expect you to sit in, and learn what is necessary to rule. Your academic results are indicative you have what it takes, and you are a well-spoken boy. You will be beloved by the people, and that is exactly what we need."
"Thank you, Grandfather. I will make sure to serve the Fire Nation with distinction and honour." he assured him, though he realised the response was perhaps a bit too tacked on; it was the kind of thing any soldier might say to his superior, no matter if he truly intended to be honourable and hard-working.
"That is not what I meant." Azulon clarified, his tone cold, "You are well suited to ensure that our bloodline remains on the throne. You and your father are both quite personable; though I will not say I have ruled unwisely, I will never say dealing with people was my strong suit. I trust that the people will be more than willing to serve you and your father, and you will lead our nation into a new age of peace and prosperity. The war is coming to a close, whether the Earth Kingdom likes it or not."
"I understand, Grandfather." he confirmed, knowing that Azulon wanted the two of them to succeed him, with their own people skills and knowledge about the Fire Nation; even if Lu Ten didn't know all his father did, he knew that he would have the time and opportunities to learn.
"Good." he nodded, "I expect you will find yourself ingratiating with the troops soon enough. That is but the first step. The young men out there, including yourself, are the future of the Fire Nation."
"But what about my cousins?" he decided to ask, knowing that they would likely take up public roles once they reached majority; it would be expected of them, like it was of his uncle Ozai.
"Their skills and usefulness remain unclear." Azulon admitted, which was a bit of an unfair assessment; both of his cousins were quite intelligent, and both had a knack for politics, history, and firebending, even if Azula would claim she was far superior in that category, "Bending does not make one the Fire Lord." he argued, "Nor does it make them worthy to represent our nation."
"I think they will be able to go out and serve... in their own ways. I know Azula wants to serve in the army, as father has." he acknowledged what he already knew, and the Fire Lord scrunched up his lips.
"It would be the first time in generations since a Princess would have gone to the front lines... if that's what she would desire." he acknowledged the oddity of it, "If she tones down the arrogance, then perhaps she will be useful there. Against rebels, or the Water Tribes, whoever decides to resist us more."
"Well, that will be many years away." Iroh reminded them, "We will have to wait to see if that is truly what Azula desires. Zuko seems quite interested in the functionings of our nation's industry. Perhaps he might be suited to assist the public service."
"Perhaps." the Fire Lord acknowledged, "The boy does seem more knowledgeable about history and technology than about warfare." he noted, before furrowing a brow, "He is much like his father."
"What, was Uncle interested in those things too?"
"No, in character." he clarified, before raising a brow, "Did you happen by him on your way here?"
He nodded, and Azulon raised a hand to stroke his goatee, "Hm, was he still seeming in a good mood?"
"Uh yes." he confirmed, and Azulon huffed, seeming amused.
"That boy will never fail to surprise me." he mumbled, and Iroh chuckled.
"Well, at least he isn't brooding, Father. That wouldn't be better, would it?" he asked, and Azulon shook his head.
"No, it wouldn't." he agreed, "Ozai will be taking on more duties as well, as you might have heard from him yourself." he addressed Lu Ten, who recalled what his uncle had said.
"Yes, he's going to run the Intelligence Service."
"I believe that our greatest threats, once Ba Sing Se has been vanquished, will be internal. I expect his mindful watch will be vital to keep those threats at bay. He has the ruthlessness I require." he explained his reasoning for giving Ozai the job, which made a lot of sense for Lu Ten.
Unlike his relatively kind-hearted, charismatic father, his uncle was more than willing to be blunt, ruthless, and to the point with his actions. He was hence far better suited to lead the most important internal organisation within the government.
The Intelligence Service, though it mightn't have been as flashy as the military, as publicly obvious as the treasury, or as economically important as the colonial ventures, it played a vital role in ensuring the government remained that. The Fire Nation was a centralised state, and with that came the threat of seditionists and revolutionaries trying to take control of that power structure for themselves. He'd learned about it well enough from his tutors, and from his own experience all those years ago with the Open Eyes.
"Yes, I think he'll keep us safe." Lu Ten agreed, knowing his uncle might have not been the kindest man, but he was reliable; he would take his duties with the utmost seriousness and caution.
"If he could not, then he would not be receiving such a responsibility."
Mai could not say she liked the plan the siblings had made, but she would go along with it nonetheless. They knew where Ozai was hiding, or at least, had been hiding recently; that was good enough a reason to go out and raid the place. Both siblings agreed that they shouldn't openly attack the estate, as it would give their father the opportunity to escape during the chaos. She, Ty Lee, and Azula were all to travel in disguise, dressed as common servants, and enter the estate under the pretence of working there; they had some forged documents made by the Intelligence Service that would hopefully pass any inspection by any guards in the estate.
They knew that it belonged to a nobleman by the name of Gaitou Hino; however, Zuko had already checked the local births, deaths, and marriages records for the province, located in Kurosuna's city hall. It lacked any mention of Gaitou Hino, nor records of anyone from a so-called Hino family owning the estate. This led Azula to claim that Gaitou was likely just one of her father's pseudonyms, and that the man didn't really exist. So, they had documents with express permission from the Hino household that they were allowed to work in the estate, like the documents that a worker for any other noble family would.
However, entering the estate would pose to be an issue, as when they approached, hitching a ride on a cart from Kurosuna's market, there were a number of guards standing duty in the front garden, along with some servants tending to it. When they approached the front gate, a guard stood ready to greet them, his appearance rather odd for a household guard; he was quite swarthy, like Master Piandao, telling her that he likely originated from the far eastern islands of the Fire Nation, and had a number of scars on his face, clear indicators that he had been a soldier at some point.
The guard raised a hand to tell the three girls to stop, and being the most personable, Ty Lee stood at the front, ready to address the guard, "Hi, we were hired to do some cleaning here." she explained their reason for arriving at the estate, offering the guard their documents; he accepted them, scanned over them briefly, before eyeing each of the three girls.
He seemed to be a bit suspicious of them, making Mai tense up, though she wouldn't dare to let it show on her face; when the guard handed Ty Lee back the documents, the guard's face had shifted to a more calm one.
"Your papers are good. Three hours of cleaning will get you all one hundred and fifty ban each." he acknowledged what they'd receive for the work they were purportedly there to do.
He then opened the gates and gestured to the front door of the manor house that lay down past the garden, "Go see the head servant, Minjun; he'll be in the foyer. He will tell you three what needs to be done."
Ty Lee nodded, and gave her friends their papers back, before the three of them made their way down through the garden; Mai briefly looked back to the road, wondering how far behind Zuko and the Imperial Firebenders were. She knew that they'd come around and surround the estate, waiting for one of them to come out and give a signal; when they did, the whole group would attack the estate at once, and seize Ozai before he could escape.
The group made their way along through the garden, and Mai took note of a few gardeners, which were cleaning up the various ponds, bushes, and small trees that lined the garden. It was all quite typical of a Fire Nation garden, which was of no surprise to her; her home had one, though it was far smaller than the one before her, which seemed to be almost as large as the ones inside the Royal Palace itself. When they reached the front doors, they were opened by a servant inside, who looked to be a personal attendant, with fine silk robes.
"Ah, good day." he addressed them, and Ty Lee showed him their documents; the man looked at them briefly before his eyes darted back up to her own.
"Are you cleaners?" he asked, and the trio nodded, "I am Minjun, the head of the servants under Sir Hino." he identified himself, before gesturing down a hallway, "There are some rooms and surfaces that need a good scrub. Sir will be having some guests over this evening, so it needs to be spotless."
"Of course." Ty Lee acknowledged his request with a bow, which Mai and Azula quickly followed; Minjun seemed pleased, and then led them along down a hallway.
The three were taken by the servant into a lounge area, where she noted that there were a few tables and lounges for guests to sit on, along with an area for eating, with a larger chair at the end of the table. She guessed that was where Ozai would be sitting, though that didn't really mean much to any of their investigations; the room was dim and empty, and seemed a bit dusty and forlorn.
Minjun gestured around the room, "This room needs to be dusted and its floors cleaned. There's a cupboard just down the hallway where you will find the instruments you'll need. There's also a chamber for meetings opposite. The table and chairs there should be dusted and cleaned as well. The lanterns in each room need to be refilled with oil... that can be found in the closet as well." he gave his instructions, before stepping back, "I have other things to attend to, but please come to me if you need to inquire on anything else... or when you're done. There are other places in the manor that need cleaning, but these are your priority."
The group nodded, and watched as the man strode away, his haste telling Mai that he certainly wasn't lying; he was probably afraid of being reprimanded by Ozai, if the way the servants acted back at the palace were any indication. Zuko's relationship with his father also told her that, though she expected him to treat his own son differently from a servant, who was clearly meant to be doing a job for him.
"Do you think they believe the papers?" Ty Lee whispered to her friends; Azula didn't seem very confident, but gave a nod anyway.
"I believe they might fool some... the guards probably don't have to deal with paperwork too often. We're just lucky Minjun is more afraid of him than he is of spies." she gave her observations, before striding over to the cleaning cupboard.
She opened it up and pulled out the mop and dusting brooms, before handing some to her friends; the Princess then glanced around, "I'll... go fill up the mop bucket." she explained her plan, which told Mai she would likely return before trying to make any moves against her father; they would need to find the blasting jelly, after all, and then somehow inform Zuko and the others.
"Alright, me and Mai will dust while you're gone." Ty Lee gave her own plan, before the two of them stepped into the lounge area; Mai eyed the dust broom in her hand before sighing.
"This was not what I was expecting when I heard your plan."
"This wasn't my plan." she corrected her, and Mai shook her head before she began dusting one of the cabinets by the wall.
"I mean the progress, Ty Lee." she reminded her, and her friend's expression shifted to a sheepish smile before she too began dusting.
The two of them, despite their inexperience with the task, were able to start dusting without issue; they had some rags to wipe surfaces, and cleaned them when the dust broom couldn't, or wherever they pushed the dust too. The wooden floors weren't too clean, but Mai realised that was the purpose of the mopping. Soon enough, Azula arrived with a filled bucket of water and a mop, and began to clean the floors, just as expected.
As they moved through the room, Mai's eyes darted about, trying to find anything that might tell them about Ozai's plans; she expected he was having guests, or had had them recently, and anything indicative of who he was associating with would be helpful for their plans as a whole, assuming that they were unable to capture Ozai then and there. His allies could not hide forever, if they were still intent on doing so. She didn't see anything all too interesting in the cabinets, just some ceramic statues and icons, representing various Fire Nation wildlife, or legendary creatures, the kinds she'd heard about in stories.
One thing she did notice of interest was some writing instruments and blank scrolls that lay in a drawer by the rear of the room, next to the table and what she guessed was Ozai's wooden throne, if one could even call it such. She pulled out a seal, and whistled over to Azula, whose head turned around; she threw the seal over to the Princess, who caught it easily, flipping it around to examine its grooves. Her smile could have only been good news.
"It is his... so we haven't just raided any random noble's home." she observed, "Even if it was... he'd still be aiding terrorists. That's treason." she added, knowing that if 'Gaitou' was a real person, then he certainly was their enemy.
She then tossed the seal back to Mai, who put it back in the drawer before continuing her dusting. The three made a capable team, and within a few minutes, had most of the floor mopped and drying, and most of the surfaces dusted; with the room mostly done, Azula turned to face them, obviously having their plan in mind, "Now we've actually done part of the job... we can do the thing we really came here for."
"The blasting jelly can't be that hard to find." Mai admitted, "Should one of us go out to find it?"
"Ty Lee, you're the quietest and most affable. You go, talk your way out of any issue, and find the blasting jelly. Once you're back, Mai will go and tell Zuko what we know, and then we find my father." she gave a plan, and the other two nodded.
"But why Mai?" Ty Lee asked, "I'm fast on my feet."
"I would prefer your chi-blocking at hand in case we are found. Mai can protect herself... and she is better at sneaking. She will need to find her way out the garden and to the edge of the estate." she gave her rationale, Mai herself nodding, finding the assessment quite fair, and a bit of an ego boost; Azula was never one to just hand out compliments, so she would take one when it came to her.
"I'll do that." she agreed to the idea, before she continued dusting, Ty Lee pacing off out of the room, not seeming worried; that was good to see, indicating her confidence rather than any fears she might have held about getting caught.
As the two of them continued to clean the room, Azula finished mopping and moved over to the chamber across the hallway; Mai followed soon after, and began dusting. Inside the chamber there was a long table, easily about two dozen people at once, with an unmarked map of the Fire Nation laying in the centre. She removed the map so she could more easily clean the wooden surface underneath, and eyed around, curious if there were any more maps hiding elsewhere. She guessed there could be some with markings on them that would tell them more about Ozai's plans, such as those that were already in motion, which they might otherwise be able to prevent.
Mai didn't find any maps, only finding a few cupboards full of carved wooden pieces that she'd imagine would be laid over the map, representing towns, cities, ships, and armies; when she found them, she showed them off to the Princess, who seemed interested in them.
"Well, that's just like the war council maps... so, he must have his meetings in here. Maybe there's some records of the plans somewhere." she made the same observation Mai had, and she nodded.
"Yes... we might be able to find them." she noted, before furrowing a brow, "Your father would have them somewhere more secure, so nobody could steal them."
"I don't think he'd let a traitor leave the estate if they'd even seen them." she countered, before she rose back up, glancing at the floor, "I believe the mopping here is done. We should head over to Minjun as soon as Ty Lee returns... then we will find my father. Let's just hope we find him before he finds us."
"Do you have any ideas where he'd be?" she asked her friend, who glanced towards the open doorway.
"Training his firebending, in his study looking over plans, or out of the estate. Maybe he's lurking in Kurosuna, waiting for our next move." Azula suggested some possibilities, and Mai frowned.
"That'd be awfully lucky of him." she noted, annoyed by the mere suggestion he could get away that easily.
"Well, let's make sure we can find him." she told her way they were going to do, and began moving the mop again, going back over the floor.
Mai stepped outside into the hallway, checking if she could see Ty Lee returning; when she did not, she moved into the lounge area once more, and began to touch up the surfaces, making sure there was no dust in sight. Not long after, her friend returned, with a frantic look on her face.
"I found it." she whispered loudly, defeating the purpose of it; Mai didn't reprimand her, and instead approached, glancing down the hallway to make sure she wasn't followed.
"Where is it?" Azula asked, and Ty Lee indicated down the hallway.
"It's in a barn on the northern side of the house." she clarified, and the Princess glanced down the hallway.
"Did you see my father?" she asked, and the acrobat shook her head.
"No. If he's here, he must be inside." she clarified, and Azula nodded, as that narrowed down where she might have to look; her attention turned to Mai, and she indicated towards a window in the lounge area.
"You need to get to Zuko, and tell him where blasting jelly is. We'll stay away from it... in case we need to make a dangerous move." she acknowledged what might come to pass.
"What happens if and when you find your father?" Mai asked her, and the Princess raised a finger.
"I'll make a signal. Ty Lee and I will split up to cover more ground, and once we find him, we'll signal the rest of you to attack." she set out the plan, which fit with what they had discussed earlier that morning.
"And what if you're caught?" she asked, and Azula raised her chin up.
"Did you miss what I said?" she questioned her, and Mai was confused for only a moment as she drew her mind back over the conversation.
"You want the blasting jelly set off? That could... how do we know it won't kill us all?" she asked, and Azula glanced back at Ty Lee.
"How much did you see?"
"Maybe a dozen barrels. It'll be pretty bad if that goes off." she warned her, before furrowing a brow, "Do you think they've already sent some off?"
"That's why we need my father's records... so we can figure out where the rest of it is." she told them, before gesturing once more to the window, "We can't waste any more time. Sooner or later, the guards will figure that something is up. I'd prefer that it'd be because we'll be attacking them, not because they know who we are."
Mai nodded, and paced over to the window, opening it up before glancing back at her friends, "Do not do anything stupid. You know what he did to Zuko." she stressed, knowing that her friend had to remain vigilant; though both Ty Lee and Azula would be in danger, the Princess was uniquely vulnerable due to their lack of knowledge of her father's actual views on her.
The letter spoke of a desire to make her Crown Princess, but Mai could see that much as a farce, simply to lull her in. Azula, however, made no suggestion that she actually believed it; however, whether she'd be able to apprehend him, let alone trick him, was yet to be seen. When she jumped outside, she tensed her feet, feeling the grass of the garden beneath her feet. She pulled the small apron she had tied to her face around the back of her scalp, with the headscarf and apron covering everything except her eyes.
When she rose back up to her full height, her eyes met Azula's, the Princess jutting her head to the left with a stern glare, ordering her to leave. Mai wondered if she wanted her to leave because she might try and stop her from doing something reckless, given she had warned her about doing so, and Azula knew her well; she knew what she would allow and what she would oppose. She forced those thoughts from her mind and returned to the mission, dashing down through the garden, eyeing out for gardeners and men standing guard.
She was forced to remain low, weaving around bushes and groves of trees, which surrounded the small ponds and statues that lined parts of the garden. It wasn't very far between the edge of the manor house and the southern edge of the estate, which was lined by tall, thickly branched pine trees, which obscured what lay beyond them. She was forced to crouch down even lower as she approached, making her way alongside some bushes to avoid being spotted by the guards, but she found herself cornered, with a guard moving along the estate's edge, right her way.
Mai remained silent and still, obscured by the cover of some bushes as the guard made his way along; he was only wearing a minimal amount of armour, and wielded only a polearm, though she could see he had a knife fastened to his ankle. She readied her hands as he strode past, and he must have caught her in the corner of his eye; however, he wasn't fast enough, as before he turned, she had pulled her left hand over his mouth. He let out a muffled scream, and she struck him over the side of his head.
When his body fell limp, she quickly picked him up under the arms, and dragged him between two of the pine trees, to the fence, which was made of wooden staves, standing a bit shorter than her height. She pushed the man through a gap, making him fall down flat in the field. She followed right after him, and dragged the polearm behind her, leaving it outside with him. Just as she moved to gag him, she heard a sound behind her; Mai turned to see a peasant man in a firebending stance, and she would have fought back if she didn't recognise the attire.
"Wait!" she exclaimed, pulling her apron from her mouth to show her face, "It's me, Mai."
The man's pose loosened, and he glanced behind her, "Do you have news about Ozai's whereabouts?" the man asked her, and she shook her head.
"Not exactly. This is definitely his estate... but where he is, we can't be sure. I came to tell Zuko where the blasting jelly is located." she explained her reason for leaving the estate; the man nodded, and gestured along the fence, downhill towards the coastline, but also the other end of the estate; she could see another man standing guard by one of the fences.
"The Prince is preparing the men in a gully by the west end of the estate. I assume the Princess will make her moves soon?" he asked her, and she nodded.
"She is about to try and find him." she confirmed, "She'll give a signal when it's time to move."
"Then tell him at once." he advised her, "I'll inform everyone along this side of the estate, and they'll tell the Imperial Firebenders waiting down the road." he clarified his own intentions; Mai nodded before dashing downhill.
She couldn't waste any more time, when the moment may have been upon them; she could not fail, and give Ozai another chance to kill his son, or allow him to try and do the same to his daughter. What kind of friend would she be if she allowed such a thing to pass; all the effort she had put in to protecting Zuko would be for naught. Mai was not a fool, and she knew the day could only end one way: with Ozai turned to ashes, and their nation finally free from his treachery.
Silence hung over Azula like a mask, keeping her sure she was hidden as she ran her hands through a cabinet of documents. She was pleased with her progress so far through the estate. Documents concerning her father's plans for some attacks, as well as some acts of sabotage on the Home Guard was all she could find. There was nothing concerning any actual assassination attempts, planned or failed, on her life, or those of her brother and uncle. That was frustrating, given it had barely been a day since his attempt on her life.
She knew he would have other plans, and contingencies to ensure that no matter if he were found, his plans could be enacted. Ozai had always struck her as a forward thinking individual, and it was that trait she hoped she could embody herself. The Princess had spent years trying to plot out her own moves towards the position of her father's undisputed heir, and then, Crown Princess, though those plans were far less shadowy and dishonourable than her father's. He had hidden his intentions, even from her, when she had already suspected his intent to make moves on the throne; she felt distanced and snubbed, and that angered her, though not nearly as much as his foolish attempts on her own life had.
His plans to seize the throne remained shrouded in mystery, though the original one was obvious now; Azula was out of the capital, and so was her uncle, so having assassins sink the Fire Lord to the bottom of the Mo Ce Sea, and then some others silence her brother, seemed like a prudent approach to ensure probable deniability. She would have been made Crown Princess, brought her father the Avatar, as any dutiful daughter would, and his reign would have been secured from all threats, internal and external.
He could have blamed her uncle's death on Earth Kingdom revanchists, and would have sent her on a spiral of murder and ruthless suppression against their century long enemies. The worst part was that Azula knew it would have worked; despite her smarts, she would have fallen for it all, and viciously turned her anger towards the people who had already taken her cousin from her.
So, Azula felt uncertain as to what her father intended to do now that his heirs were publicly against him and he was forced into hiding. He could go to the Earth Kingdom, assemble an army, and publicly start a war, but that would waste manpower and potentially threaten their nation's hold on the Earth Kingdom. Given Ozai's views, it made no sense for him to purposefully weaken their rule, unless he wanted to use it as a justification to continue the war. Something told her that her father would be ruthless enough to do something so wasteful, just so he could see the Earth Kingdom suffer a little longer.
She had a few documents with her, deciding to take them along in case things got ugly, but she was lucky enough that she hadn't run into any servants yet; she decided to move from the study she was looking through to head into the hallway, deciding she'd check the bedrooms of the estate next. There were a few that she'd spotted on her way there, guessing that the servants would use those; something told her that some of those servants, or perhaps even all of them, were Intelligence Service operatives, working undercover to both aid and protect her father.
As she peered into the biggest room she found, she noticed that the bedding was clean, though the room itself was somewhat messy, with some robes lying on the floor or hanging over the lounge chair that lay inside. Before she could investigate further, she heard a voice call out to her.
"Azula, come inside." she heard her father speak to her, making the Princess tense up as she realised he knew of her presence; that very fact may have just jeopardised their entire plan, but she remained as calm as she could, turning around to see where he was.
She realised that he wasn't in the hallway, but in a tea room across from her; the door was slightly ajar, but she couldn't see him. She stepped closer, glancing down the hallway, wondering if Ty Lee would come searching for her after her own investigation; she hadn't come around yet, and Azula was glad for it. She finally had an opportunity to speak with her father, and understand his plan, if he were willing to discuss it.
Pulling the door further ajar, she was then able to see her father; he was wearing rather plain robes, though they were still of the same long, flowing design as those he'd wear back in the palace. The most noticeable thing about his appearance was his lack of a goatee and shorter hair, which was presently tied up in a topknot. He must have decided to change his appearance for the purposes of blending in among the common people.
"Would you like some tea?" he asked her, as if he were trying his best impression of Iroh; she almost laughed, but recognising that it was her father sitting in front of her, she naturally nodded and bowed.
The reflexive nature of the action made her snarl, though she tried to keep her distaste to herself. She didn't want to treat her father with such respect; being impolite would just start the fight she was intending to avoid, at least for as long as she could. Azula sat herself down across from her father, who looked out towards the garden that was visible through the window.
"What do you want, Father?" she asked him, as bluntly as she could; he just huffed, and turned his eyes to her.
"To speak with you. It has been many months since we last saw each other." he told her something that was truthful, but skirted around the most important point; much had happened since they last saw each other.
She furrowed a brow, wondering how long it would take Zuko to attack the estate if she didn't leave alongside Ty Lee; if she could forestall her father for long enough, then he would have no chance to escape.
"I got your letter, Father." she told him, not wanting to dodge that issue, "Why would you send it?"
"Because I knew you would come back to me." he acknowledged, "Your little trip across the Fire Nation is delayed, is it not?"
She tried not to react, and kept her lips straight, "It is." she confirmed, and watched as he poured her a cup of tea, wondering if he was just doing it to calm her nerves.
She didn't want to be calm, but neither did she want to be agitated to the point of making her father suspect violent intent. Azula was prepared to fight, but didn't desire it. She took the cup of tea, drunk from it, and gestured to her father, trying to mask her nervousness with the drink.
"What did you want to discuss, specifically?"
Her father just chuckled, and picked up his own cup, "When did you realise I had acted against Iroh?"
"When he told me." she clarified, "After you'd sent those assassins to kill him. They nearly killed me."
"It should be expected... they were selected for their ruthlessness." he argued, Azula unsure if that was meant to be a defence for his actions, "They were tasked with killing my brother and anyone who got in their way." he clarified, seeming to imply she got in their way.
"I had to recapture the Avatar." she told him why she had 'gotten in their way', as he might have described it.
"Your first failing was letting him slip from your grip." he reprimanded her, though he didn't sound as angry as she might have expected; she was preparing for a violent encounter when she had received a relatively docile one.
"I knew that at the time... but I had little choice when I had to worry about Sanyan." she stressed, not wanting him to insult her when he didn't understand the danger she found herself in.
"The silent man." he gave his own name for the assassin who'd nearly killed her, more than once, "It seems the ban I expended on him was worth something after all. You did say you wanted a challenge, Daughter." he reminded her of what she had said some time before she departed the capital; it was part of the reason she had gone on her journey to find the Avatar.
"I was expecting the Avatar to be the challenge... not him." she clarified, before placing the teacup down, "What did you expect me to do, Father? To not aid the Fire Lord? It is my duty as his subject and as his niece." she questioned him, knowing that what she had done was the right thing, even if Ozai didn't like it; she was following what was expected of her, not what her father might have wanted her to do, despite never involving her in any of his plans.
"You could have let nature take its course." he suggested, "My brother was out in the wilds. If a sabre-tooth moose lion had taken his life, would it have hung over your conscience?" he asked his daughter; she wanted to scoff, but held her tongue.
"If it had been you, I would have done the same thing, Father." she stressed, and Ozai glanced away.
"Do you know how you have delayed my plans?" he asked her, "Do you know what good I could have already done?"
"I didn't do any of that. Zuko did... which is why you tried to have him killed." she reminded him of his crime, "Uncle I can understand, but your own son?"
"He is stronger because of it. I have heard only good things about your brother since that explosion." he declared, something that surprised Azula, until she actually considered how her brother had been acting since Ozai's agents had nearly killed him.
He had become more and more like their father, the very person he wanted to defeat; his formerly dour and frustrated self had been consumed by a fiery rage, and any pretence of mercy seemed to have become lost on him. Azula could not argue she was any more dignified than her brother, but she had always had restraint when it came to dealing with her foes.
"At what cost, Father? He'll never aid you, not after what you've done." she warned Ozai, who just smirked, raising his hands up.
"If he is willing to kill me with his own two hands, then he has earned his place in the line of succession. A worthy son to succeed his father." he acknowledged Zuko's worth in a way she'd never heard him do before.
"How can you be so sure he'd govern in the way you would like?" she asked him, knowing that Zuko, despite his personality, was more than willing to follow their uncle's ideals.
"My son is many things, but he has proven he is not a coward. He will destroy our enemies, no matter the cost." he stressed, "Iroh cannot take that away from him, even if he might think he will follow his foolish ways to the grave."
Azula narrowed her eyes at him, "What are you going to do, Father?" she asked, wanting an answer.
"Right now?" he raised a brow, "Or once I become Fire Lord?" he gave her options, and the Princess just raised her teacup up.
"The blasting jelly must be there to blow something up... the question is what and when." she gave her thoughts, not telling him that she actually had read through his documents, and thus, did have an idea what attacks he was planning to enact.
"You already know the answer to that, Daughter. You've seen my study." he argued, and the Princess narrowed her eyes.
"How long have you been watching me?" she asked, and he smiled.
"Long enough." he gave a vague, but indicative answer; he had his men in Kurosuna, and if her suspicions were correct, he knew that they were planning to attack him at that very moment, "You shouldn't have come alone, Daughter. You cannot defeat me."
"I never said I would. You wanted me by your side, and here I am." she gestured to the room they were sitting in.
"And I know what you want, Daughter. You want the throne, and you want respect. You cannot have both without pain... pain I know you do not want to endure." he warned her, raising a finger towards her, "Do you know who gave you that letter?"
"No, I suspect you have someone on the train, spying for you. You were in control of the Intelligence Service for years, Father." she reminded him; it was rather obvious that he had spies everywhere, even amongst the spies that supposedly worked for Zuko.
"Oh, Daughter, it was far easier than that. I took a leaf out of Iroh's book... love makes fools do anything you want them to." he acknowledged, and Azula glanced at the door, wondering what he actually meant by that.
"Love?" she mumbled, not knowing whose love he could abuse, "Whose?"
"You are observant, Azula, but not as much as you think you are." he derided her, crossing his arms, "Jia."
"The servant?" her eyes widened, realising that her initial suspicions had been correct; she had just thought it implausible that such a woman would be working for her father, given that she had a letter that gave her an alibi, "Why?"
"I presume because she believed what I told her. I wanted you to return to my side, so I did not have to kill you." he explained his words, implicitly telling her that it was a lie.
"I don't understand... I am your heir." she told him, before her mind turned back to Jia, and the letter she had, "No." she mumbled, finally realising her error; the name was an obvious give away, in hindsight- she should have just ordered the guards on the estate as soon as they arrived, and sent a letter to her uncle to have the potential claimant dealt with.
"You thought I would have kept all my trust in you?" he asked her, sounding amused at her expense, "No, I didn't. I always have contingencies, Daughter."
"Sozin." she uttered his name, "How-" she began, before narrowing her eyes; it didn't matter how he was able to keep the boy hidden, his existence was no farce, "What about Roku's blood? Wasn't that the whole reason you married Mother?"
"It doesn't matter. That was my father's choice, and he is dead, and so is she." he retorted, before rising to his feet, "So, what is your choice, Azula?"
"What choice do I have? To kill my half-brother to secure my place by your side?" she asked, guessing that might be the demand he would make to try and ensure her loyalty.
"I'm not stupid enough to ask that." he scoffed, "Will you swear yourself to me... or will you die?"
She didn't utter a word, her mind racing over all the plans she had, all the things she had to do; she was going to be the Fire Lord, she was going to bring peace to the Four Nations. Everything she had done had built up to that moment, and now she had two paths; except, that was a lie- there was only one path ahead. She motioned her hands, ready to make the signal she had promised; Ozai's eyes widened, realising her choice, and he raised his hands up, ready to create a wall of flames. The Princess then threw her right hand out towards the window, generating a lightning bolt which shattered the glass and careened out into the garden, setting a tree alight as flames exploded out from its trunk and branches.
"An Agni Kai would have been quicker." she warned him, before moving into form, her father doing the same; she knew what would follow, but she had no other option than to fight- to do anything else would simply lead to her father escaping, which she could not tolerate.
"You only have yourself to blame for this." he warned her, before covering his hands with flames, "Your loyalty to that fool is your undoing."
"Uncle is a fool... but he has honour." she declared, knowing that despite his flaws, Iroh was the one who was deserving of her loyalty; she spun her foot around, and aimed to shoot a fire bolt at her father, only to find her leg caught by his hands, which set her pant leg alight.
She spun herself around and rolled on the ground, quickly bending the flames away before she returned to form, now on the ground, while her father conjured a fire dagger in each of his hands. He just smirked and pointed a hand towards her, seeming certain that he would come out victorious.
"When will you learn, Azula... all that talent is not skill."
The sound of lightning was all Zuko needed to hear to spring into action; he raced to the fence that lay ahead of them, drawing out his dao, his Imperial Firebenders following right after him, alongside Mai. She had given him Azula's plan, and now that it had clearly gone awry, it was up to him to enact justice. When he vaulted the fence, the guards standing there were still in shock from the lightning bolt, and didn't expect to face the Prince and his entourage.
He swung his dao around, disarming those guards with weapons, before he turned his attention to the firebenders, dispersing their flames with his blades before he rushed at them. His Imperial Firebenders were fast enough to knock most of them out before Zuko even had a chance to fight them, but the numbers were not on their side. As they moved through the garden, he quickly began to realise that he couldn't defeat them all, even with as many men as he had. His only luck was that most of them seemed to be back up at the manor, where he knew Azula and Ty Lee were.
So, he raised up a wall of flames in front of himself, and sheathed his dao, turning back to face his comrades, "We need to assault the manor as quickly as possible. Everyone, move to the flanks, and stay back!" he ordered the group; all of them, even Mai, heeded his words, dashing off to either side while Zuko held up the wall of flames.
When he was ready, he threw the flames forward, enveloping the firebenders who had been trying to break through it; with them momentarily distracted, he pushed all thoughts and feelings from his mind. He didn't think about Mai, about Azula, about his father; he just thought about his chi, spinning his hands around as he gathered it at his fingertips. The firebenders moved back into form, helplessly watching as he threw his left hand forward, aiming at the barn, where Mai had told him the blasting jelly was hidden.
None of them realised this as he let the lightning bolt loose from his fingertips, and immediately turned to cover from the impending explosion; there was a momentary flash, before the ground shook and thundered, heat and smoke whipping into his face as he grit his teeth, just hoping that the explosion might be enough to stop them from being surrounded. The Prince rose back to his feet, turning around to see the barn no longer existed, and half of the manor had been blown apart, the rest now set aflame. The firebenders looked on in horror, before they turned to face Zuko and his comrades, who readied themselves for an offensive.
"Save yourselves the trouble and give up." he gave them a single warning, before he rushed at them, throwing arcs of fire to cut at their unarmoured bodies; their clothes set alight, and they cried out in pain as Zuko pushed them out of the way.
He dashed further up through the garden, weaving around the debris, trees, and bushes, as he drew closer to where he'd seen the lightning bolt strike. That tree was still burning, and though he would prefer to find his sister, he had the more pressing issue of the men who had run out of the manor, armed with blades and firebending, ready to fight him.
"Looks like somebody's come to die." one of them acknowledged as he spun a guandao around, aiming it towards the Prince's face.
"I could say the same about all of you." he retorted, before drawing out his dao, setting the blades alight.
The guandao wielder rushed him, but Zuko was able to deflect the blade away with his dao, before slashing the calves of his opponent. Another rushed him with a flurry of fireballs, but he just spun his blades around to disperse the flames; when one more came at him with their own dao, Zuko just kicked him in the shin before slicing the undersides of his arms, making him drop his own blades.
The enemy began to surround him, and Zuko readied himself, slowly moving around to eye the manor house, trying to discern where the lightning bolt had originated from. Off in the distance, he spotted a room with shattered windows in view, where he could see flames and smoke, clearly too far from the explosion for the two to be directly related.
"Found you." he smirked, before weaving under the guandao once more, before he slashed the man's face, wanting a clear path into the manor, "With me!" he called on his comrades, the Imperial Firebenders quickly providing his enemies with a distraction as a number of fire streams consumed the garden, Zuko just missing one that coursed over his head as he dashed for the manor.
A firebender got in front of him, ready to shoot a fire stream at him, but Mai leapt at the man, tackling him to the ground, "Go!" she shouted at him, and Zuko rushed for the shattered window, sheathing his blades as he prepared himself to face Ozai himself.
He gathered flames in his palms, before he sent them out in a charged blast, which exploded right in front of the windows, shattering the wooden flame and providing Zuko with an opening; though he expected to be greeted by a fearful face, instead he just saw his father holding his sister to the ground, her shrill screams filling the room as he realised that he had set her robes on fire. Ozai's robes were tattered, marked with black splotches where her flames had burnt through, and his eyebrows had been singed off by Azula's flames. He was clearly exhausted from the fight with Azula, and that gave Zuko the opportunity he had been waiting all that time for.
"This ends now!" he proclaimed, spinning his fingers around to prepare another lightning bolt; Azula must have realised his plan, as she grabbed Ozai's arm tightly while the father turned to face the son in shock.
"Finally, a chall-" he began, only to be cut off as the lightning bolt was loosened right at him; the explosion it caused sent smoke and dust into Zuko's eyes, making him cringe from the pain momentarily, before he grit his teeth and rushed forward to take down Ozai, if he was even standing.
However, as the dust settled, Zuko realised his mistake, as his father was nowhere to be seen; he heard footsteps pattering away down the hallway, and was ready to go after him. However, he couldn't leave as his eyes met his sister's, seeing her lying flat on her back, curled up in pain. That moment of hesitation might have cost him Ozai, but he knew that Ty Lee must have been nearby, and entrusted her with the task, even if he couldn't command it; she knew what they were there for, after all.
He fell to his knees, and turned Azula over, finally seeing the extent of her injuries. Her hands were covered in burns, and her robes were ripped up. Her neck and shoulder were burnt badly on the right side, and the burns licked all the way up to her cheek and right ear. She groaned in pain, struggling to get back up as she glanced around, realising that he'd failed.
"How could y- urgh-" she began, before gritting her teeth, clearly still too hurt to speak.
Then he heard another scream, this time coming most clearly from Ty Lee; he rose up, wondering if he should try and get to her, or take his sister from the burning manor. Fate made that decision for him as one of the guards jumped through the shattered window to attack Zuko, who quickly drew out one of his dao, blocking the jian the man was wielding; his eyes met his foe's, and for a few moments, their blades clashed, Zuko holding him back as he remained over his sister's splayed body.
"Enough!" he screamed out, before slashing the man across the chest, and then kicking him right back out the window, making him fall back down into some bushes.
"T-Ty Lee..." Azula whispered her friend's name, having heard the same thing he had; he turned his gaze back down to her, wondering if he ought to go after her friend, and Ozai, who had to have at least been momentarily held up by the acrobat.
Her eyes told him what he needed to do, and he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Play dead. I'll be back." he told her, before he dashed off to try and stop their father, if he could even manage that.
His failures were mounting, and his rage had begun to burgeon inside of him; soon enough, there would be nothing holding him back. The principles he held, the walls inside his own being, could not stand for much longer, not when so much was on the line. As he rushed down the hallway, he finally made sight of Ty Lee, who was lying on the ground, just as his sister had been; however, she seemed to be in better shape, already pulling herself up as she tore the outer robes she had on her torso off, revealing the fireproof vest she had been wearing underneath.
"Urgh... I really wish I didn't need that." she grumbled, before her eyes met Zuko's, "That way!" she gestured down another hallway, Zuko giving a nod in thanks as he rushed past her.
With each moment that passed, he hastened himself further, and found himself sprinting down the hallway towards a window, where he could see his father ready to climb out, "Get back here!" he screamed at him, furiously throwing a fire stream down the hallway with his right hand while he readied one of his dao in the left. As the flames cleared, his father was already out, but Zuko wasn't going to stop; however, somebody was already standing in his way- Kuraiken himself. The man was wielding his dao, ready to face off against the Prince.
"Sorry, but I can't have you interfering, little Prince." he warned him, and Zuko snarled, drawing out his other dao.
"I'll finish what I started." he warned him, before rushing at the man; he knew it might have been foolish to attack him when he was so enraged, but he didn't care anymore.
He would cut down each and every person that stood in his way, as long as it ended with his father's charred corpse hanging from Kurosuna's town square. Not after what he had done to Azula, not after what he had tried to do to him and Iroh, his own flesh and blood. His father had been right about one thing: mercy was for the weak.
When Kuraiken's dao met his own, he set his alight, and breathed flames into his face, before spinning his blades around, making use of them while his opponent was temporarily blinded. His foe fell back, somersaulting before he swung his blades, striking Zuko's shin guards. He fell to one knee, and raised his blades to protect his head from the inevitable slashes that came his way.
He parried Kuraiken's strikes, and was forced back, rising back to his feet as he tried to match his speed and ferocity. However, all the fight was doing was letting Ozai get away, and that just made his inner fire spark up again, the Prince roaring out another fire stream from his mouth, only to find himself kicked to the ground, his flames coursing up and setting the roof alight.
His opponent looked smug as he spun his blades around, "You fight well, but this was over from the beginning." he declared, only to find a spear thrown right into his gut; Zuko turned around to see that it was thrown by Taki, who clearly was up for some revenge against her former torturer.
"That's right, arsehole!" she agreed with him, grabbing the shaft of the spear before she drew it out of his gut, ready to kill him, and Zuko raised a hand up.
"Stop! He might still be useful." he warned her as he got back up, sheathing his dao as he grabbed Kuraiken by the collar, "You're going to tell me where he's going, or you're not going to see the light of day, ever again."
Taki sighed, and tore a piece of fabric from her robes, which she cut in two, using one half to tie it around his waist, where she'd stabbed him, before she tied the other two around his hands; he'd clearly lost a lot of his strength already, and that made it easier for him to be restrained.
A few moments later, Ty Lee reached them, clearly still pained and exasperated from Ozai's attack, and eyed the man, "So, this is him... the guy who nearly killed you." she observed, before glancing back the other way, "Where's Azula?" she asked, the Prince cringing.
"Hurt. It's bad." he admitted bluntly, before glancing at Taki, "Grab this bastard and take him with us, I'd prefer my sister there when he spills his guts."
"He's getting away, you know that... right?" Kuraiken reminding him that his father was still trying to run away.
"And the Home Guard has checkpoints on every road leading out of these hills. He might escape, but you're going to tell me where he's going." he retorted, and Taki punched the man in the jaw just to send the message home; he would speak, or he would suffer.
Kuraiken, once he'd recovered from the punch, just laughed in response to his claim; Zuko decided to ignore him, pacing through the ruined manor back towards where his sister had been lying; he paced past from of the Imperial Firebenders, who were securing the manor, and a pair remained by his side, following him, Taki, Ty Lee, and their prisoner back to Azula. The part of the manor she was in was still relatively undamaged, though he could clearly smell the smoke that was beginning to build up as part of the manor was burning down.
When he got back to the room, he saw that Mai was sitting beside Azula, whose burns were being treated by one of the agents who'd come along with them; she was cringing in pain, and seemed to be struggling to just remain conscious. When she saw her brother, her eyes widened, and she forced herself up. Once she realised Kuraiken was his prisoner, not Ozai, her face contorted into one of rage.
"Wh-where... Where is he?" she asked, her voice a near whisper, croaky and pained.
"Running." Zuko admitted, "But we have people on his tail." he reassured her, even if he hadn't personally seen anyone chase down his father; she groaned, leaning back down to the ground.
"Please stay still, Princess." the agent requested, "I need to dress your burns." he explained as he did just that, wrapping the bandages around her neck and shoulder.
"You-" Azula spoke up, her eyes meeting Zuko's, and then turning to Ty Lee's, "You need to get him."
"That's why he's here." he clarified, grasping the man by the shoulder, and he laughed, glancing down at the makeshift bandage around his waist, which was already stained with his blood.
"I'm... going to bleed out... you fucking idiots." he derided their efforts, and Zuko chuckled.
"Then you better answer my questions quickly." he retorted, before drawing out his dagger, holding it up against the man's face, "Where is the safehouse?" he asked, knowing that was where his father would be going next.
"There's a lot of them." he warned, "I can't guess which one he'll go to."
Zuko snarled and pushed the blade up against his face, "The closest one." he demanded, and Kuraiken glanced over towards the door they'd come through.
"It's a house in Hanayama." he gave the answer, "I've never been there. You're better off asking some other fool here about it."
Mai drew out her sai and held it up against his throat, and after a few moments of silence, she sighed, "He isn't lying."
"You think he'd tell me everything? You're stupider than I thought." he mocked the Prince, who struggled to hold back his rage, "The Fire Lord is a dead man... no matter what you do to me here."
"You can't be sure of that." Ty Lee retorted, raising a fist at his face, "We'll stop him."
"Him? The Prince doesn't do this all himself. There's thousands of people enacting his will." he told them, before narrowing his eyes, "Just get it over and done with."
"Done?" Zuko raised a brow, "You think you deserve mercy?" he asked, glancing over to his sister, who was agonising over her burns; he grasped him by the collar once more, and held the blade up against his face, "What is the plan?!" he screamed at him, before thrusting the dagger down into the man's hand, pinning it into the floor.
"Y-you can't be serious... I'm not going to tell you anything. You're a coward, you didn't even chase him."
"I am not alone." he retorted, before narrowing his eyes, "And a coward?" he asked him, before he grasped by man by the scruff of his neck, before throwing his hand down into the small table Azula had been lying beside, the teacups spilling over as the man's head audibly shattered the wooden frame, "Have I made myself clear?" he asked, and the man just let out a gurgle, spitting out some blood over the table.
"Cr-crystal." he mumbled back, and Zuko rolled his eyes, before gritting his teeth; he pulled the man back up by his collar before throwing his face down, and then again, and again.
He didn't stop slamming his face until the table broke apart, and he left his cut up and broken face lying there on the floor; with that dealt with, he decided that a message was in order, in case anyone else was stupid enough to aid his father.
"I want all of his men and my father's guards rounded up and taken to Kurosuna." he declared, his order directed at Taki and the other agents present in the room, "Hang them all. A message to those who might aid my father what treason will get them."
"What about the servants?" Taki asked him, and he raised his chin.
"Have your men or the Home Guard sketch their faces... send the pictures back to the capital. If they're identified as Intelligence Service agents, torture them until they give you what you need... otherwise they will remain detained until my father is dead. Take as much discretion as you please." he ordered Taki, who bowed at him before she paced out of the room to go enact his will.
Zuko turned Kuraiken over, and pulled the dagger from his hand, "You will watch all your men die. After they have given their last breaths, then and only then I will allow you to die."
The man's eyes were glazed, and he coughed and sputtered, his shattered teeth lying on the remains of the table beside him; Zuko's gaze turned to meet his sister's. She had been watching the whole interaction, and the look on her face told him what she felt: fear.
"Don't be afraid, Sister." he reassured her, rising back to his feet as he eyed the burning portions of the manor outside the window, "I did it for you... for us."
"Wh-why?" she gasped out, and the Prince just glared, hoping that his father would get the message.
"Weakness will get us killed, you've seen that today." he told her, clenching his fists, as his eyes turned back down to hers.
"So... I killed my weakness."
