Commander Zhao stood in front of his new platoon of recruits, gazing down the bridge of his nose at each of them. With his permission, their armorer had provided the fresh meat with all the basics to replace the rags they had arrived in, but they were no more presentable than before. Each man somehow looked more malnourished and thin in their new plated armor.
"All of you have joined the ranks of the Fire Nation Army in the hopes of making something of your lives. I should know. I was one of you once," Zhao began. "And while that is a wise choice, I am here to tell you that the Fire Nation army cannot do what you cannot do for yourselves! Men under my command will only be rewarded for achievement!" He hoped Colonel Shinu was watching. This is what leadership is—inspiring men to greatness, Zhao thought.
The platoon looked among themselves, some eager, others nervous, but most were still as stone statues.
"I have been assigned the lofty, painstaking task of overseeing your training. Under my command you are to become saboteurs and spies - part of an elite unit. Once your training is complete, you will board my vessel, and I will transport you to one of the last remaining Earth Kingdom Strongholds, Omashu." The Kegareta Yake was Zhao's name for the group. The dirty burn was an ironic but fitting name for his men. Dirty burns purged hidden fuel sources and gasses in fire nation mines to prevent explosions. In this case, his men would be the hiding explosive forces, waiting for the right moment to catch fire.
Zhao had received his orders for the colony scum yesterday before sunset. Deception. Infiltration. Sabotage. Dishonorable work for the colonies' finest. Unfortunately, he needed capable men from the undesirables. Men with ambition but no more than himself. He couldn't risk getting outshined. Worse, their training would take many moons. Perhaps even a few seasons to be complete. His plans to reach admiral had been stifled. A temporary setback, Zhao thought. He looked to his taskmaster, Yoan.
"Get them to work. Start with the basics." His eyes flickered over the men one more time. Some bore burn scars, but most had unblemished skin, something Zhao knew would change very quickly. "I read that they are all firebenders. Not a single Earthbender among them? This is true?" Yoan nodded. Zhao made sure his voice was louder now. "Those who fall behind will be replaced by competent Earthbenders and turned into target fodder."
"Uh, sir," Yoan whispered. "Where are we going to find Earthbenders willing to serve?" He flinched away from Zhao's withering glare.
"Well, lieutenant, I'm sure a few Earthbenders live among the colonies who are grateful for all the greatness the fire nation has provided. Find them." Zhao noticed some perspiration dewing on the foreheads of the men now and smiled. "I'll leave you to their training, Yoan."
"Yes, Commander." Zhao walked away, hearing Yoan's voice crack like a whip, commanding the men into calisthenics drills. He clasped his hands behind his back, strolling through the yard, eagerly eyeing the Yuyan archers, who gathered side by side, loosing arrows at painted, straw targets. His steps were measured but unassuming toward them, stopping a few paces away from their line. He watched their arrows thuckand thump the bullseye every time. After watching a few volleys, he spoke up.
"I must say, I admire your aim and talent. I've never seen such precision, even among the best firebenders I've known." One of the Yu-Yan men regarded him with a raised eyebrow and shouldered his bow.
"We've only known the bow our entire lives, Commander Zhao. Archery is a lifelong art among the Yuyan clan."
"You've trained with a bow your whole lives, yet Colonel Shinu keeps you chained here?" Zhao asked, feigning innocence. Then, quickly, less subtly, he added, "A shame. The Fire Nation would appreciate your talents more if they were correctly utilized."
The YuYan archer was silent for a moment before he bowed.
"We only live to serve the Fire Nation, Commander." Zhao rolled his eyes.
"A diplomatic response. I'll see what I can do about restationing you to more interesting work." Zhao said, but the archer remained in a bow.
"Thank you, Commander." Zhao walked toward his office, thinking about the letters he needed to write. There had been no word from the rough rhinos about their hunt for the Avatar - if there was an Avatar and they weren't chasing ghosts. Omashu or Ba-Sing-Se, Zhao wondered. The Earth Kingdom had to be planning something.
These spies may be enough to turn the tides in Omashu. Then, maybe Zhao could turn his attention to the ringed city, if Ozai, War Minister Qin, or whoever permitted. First, he would have to take careful steps to ensure he stood out. Zhao had a few thoughts about how he could accomplish that. There had been rumors in the east of a woman who could find anyone—a bounty hunter, distasteful as it would be. Zhao doubted Ozai cared how his daughter was found, only that she was returned to the palace alive and well. He called for his messenger, Li, and unrolled a map onto his desk.
"Find the bounty hunter named Jun. There are whispers that she is staying in a nearby town." he dragged his finger in a circle east of the stronghold. "She'll be riding a shirshu. I hear she likes to drink. That's all I know. Tell her to meet me here." Zhao pointed to a spot on his map, just south of their position. "On the full moon. Tell her there will be a hefty payment upfront. Don't return until you find her." It was time he focused on finding the lost princess as well.
"Oh, and one more thing." Li turned around curious, "Not a word of this to anyone. Especially, Colonel Shinu." Li's head bobbed up and down.
"Yes, sir." Now, he just needed something to get her started, so he began to write.
"And then, Ty Mai got mad! So mad that she lit her brother's headpiece on fire!" Ty Lee said, stifling a giggle. Azula smiled at the memory as a gust of warm eastern wind gently caressed her face. Leaves and branches rustled in the breeze as though laughing at Ty Lee's tale. "And that's why we stopped playing hide and explode back home!" She finished with an exclamatory pat on Azula's shoulder. The rhino bucked a little with Azula's reaction to the smack. Behind her, Kota laughed.
"So Ty Mai gets mad when someone beats her at something. I'm shocked." Azula groaned. It was as if Kota had missed the whole story.
"I wasn't mad because they beat me, idiot." She tugged the reins, manuevering around a fallen tree, observing its scorched base and track marks. "If you were listening, you would know that my dum-dum brother gave away my secret." Kota snorted.
"Right."
Tonaq hummed behind Ty Lee. "You must have had a big house if it had secret passages." Ty Lee inhaled too sharply. Azula rolled her eyes and calmly intervened.
"Yes, my clan's ancestral home was quite large." She thought quickly, drawing back to lessons of the old fire nation. "Before there was a firelord, my ancestor - uh - Yamato - was a fierce warlord who swore allegiance to the first Firelord. He was rewarded with a great Pagoda with a size to match his loyalty."
"Interesting," Tonaq said, and Azula left it at that. They trekked silently through the forest until they found a small clearing of charred tree trunks and rhino tracks in the mud.
"That doesn't look good." Ty Lee said quietly. Azula hummed in agreement. No smoke, she thought, examining the charred remains of the fight. There were a few face-down suits of armor in the bushes they walked past. Azula smelled them before she saw them. "Oh." Ty Lee muttered. Then, a shadow moved in the distance, far beyond the trees. It was so far away Azula mistook it for a twinkle in the corner of her eye. After another shift in the trees, Tonaq made a strange sound.
"What?" Azula asked, keeping her eyes on the trampled dirt road.
"Don't look up now," Tonaq's voice lowered a degree. "But I think someone is watching us." Azula felt Ty Lee stiffen.
"I see someone in the tree." She whispered. Azula felt her twist.
"Don't look." Tonaq hissed.
"Don't yell at her." Azula snapped back.
"Sorry." Tonaq's tone was at least a little apologetic, "I don't want them to know we see them. Chief Hakoda always said it's best to let an enemy think they have the element of surprise."
"Are they fire nation?" Azula asked quietly.
"Too far to tell. I see one in the tree with … a bow. I don't think he's spotted us yet. He's looking somewhere else." Tonaq whispered.
"Pick up the pace, Ty Mai, but slowly," Kota said from behind. Azula wasn't sure how to do that. So far, they'd traveled comfortably and consistently on the rhino, not speeding up or slowing down. She kicked the Komodo rhino's hide, and instead of increasing the pace to a trot, it startled and snorted, charging forward through the trees.
"Hold on!" Azula yelped, trying to regain the reins, but the Komodo rhino ignored her completely. Ty Lee's arms squeezed the air from her waist. "Not that tight." Azula wheezed, and her arms loosened an imperceptible amount. "Stupid animal." Another tug. "Slow down. You're listening worse than Kota."
"I can hear you!" Kota's annoyed voice grumbled while Ty Lee made a frustrated sound and exclaimed, "Her name is Totoro!" Azula growled, and her eyes widened as they burst through the tree line, careening toward a cliff.
"Stop!" She snapped and pulled with the remaining strength in her arms. Finally, Totoro stopped with a grunt. Azula quickly jumped from the saddle and tied the reins of their Komodo Rhino to the tree.
"Not what I had in mind," Kota said, jumping from the saddle and patting the distressed rhino, "But I think we lost them, whoever they were."
"I hope so," Azula said, glaring into the rhino's beady black eyes, then at the forest. Ty Lee and Tonaq dismounted, the former stretching her legs and the latter walking to the edge.
"Well, that's Gaipan," Tonaq said, peering over the cliffside. Azula followed, frowning at the town in the distance—another drab Earth Kingdom town - wonderful. Ty Lee scooted beside her, perching her chin onto Azula's shoulder.
"Hopefully, it's not deserted like the last town... or the one before that!" Ty Lee said, and Azula pushed her away from her ear.
"Show me the map." Azula reached out, and Tonaq unrolled the rice paper gently. Azula scanned the area east of Senlin village, which had been abandoned, as Ty Lee had said. More fear of spirits - this one supposedly of the forest. Tonaq and Kota hadn't wanted to wait around and find out. Tonaq's finger landed on the tiny marker for Gaipan. Still, Azula's eyes drifted South beyond what the map revealed. The Southern Air Temple and the Yangchen festival felt so far. For that old fortune teller's sake, Azula hoped she was right.
"The river is a little South of here, but maybe there's a fisherman in town." His fingers drifted a hair south, and Azula hummed with approval. They were so close now. If that old crone's words were worth more than the wind, they would soon be on a boat for Omashu.
"Are we splitting up again?" Kota's resigned voice came from behind her. Azula looked around the forest, at the base of the tall trees and up to the branches.
"No." Unsatisfied, Azula finally faced the walls downhill, "We will bring the rhino with us."
"Totoro." Ty Lee corrected, and Azula rolled her eyes.
"Totoro may attract attention," Tonaq said, but he focused on the trees. It was another close call, Azula thought. They had had too many close calls lately. The Fire Nation army seemed to be gathered en masse around them, like armadillo-rats around cheese.
"It may." She agreed. "But better that, then have it stolen." Kota grasped the reins and gave them a gentle tug, but the Komodo rhino didn't budge. Azula groaned.
"Give them here." Her small palm opened up expectantly, but Kota gave another tug.
"No, no. Just let me-" The komodo rhino grunted and snorted but took steps toward them. "Told you." Kota grinned cheekily. Azula stared at him, unimpressed, then turned to catch up with Tonaq. Behind her, Ty Lee slid back to chat with Kota. Azula could hear them talking about stretches. Azula grimaced, remembering the painful forms Ty Lee had put her through at the palace. Azula probably could use the instruction again since she had begun to waterbend again. She looked at Tonaq's hand. The skin had already finished blistering and begun to heal. Where the skin did not peel, thick layers of scar tissue had started to grow.
"How does your arm feel?" Azula asked, curious. Tonaq flexed his fingers and rolled his arm around the shoulder.
"Better. I can use my hand now. It's a little stiff, I guess." Tonaq said before pausing. "Speaking of burns… You haven't been firebending." Tonaq added casually. Azula looked at him briefly from the corner of her eye, then focused on not tripping down the hill. She bit her lip. Firebending had been burdensome, to say the least as of late.
"I haven't had the time. We've been moving quickly. Besides, firebending could attract unwanted attention."
Tonaq watched her, then looked back at Ty Lee and Kota, lowering his voice. "Ty Mai... If something bothering you-"
"Nothing is bothering me. Drop it." Tonaq raised his hands in surrender.
"If you say so, princess." Azula grit her teeth, working her jaw for a moment.
Then she asked him, "What did you see? In the trees?"
"I saw kids. I think." Tonaq looked around them again at the distant border of the wilds. The trees corralled them like its own wall, separate from the town. "They looked about your age, maybe a little older. They might have been harmless, but you're never too young to be a bandit."
"No, I suppose not." Azula mused.
"You saw them too?"
"I saw something. I'm not sure what, maybe a shadow, at best." But that had been enough to alarm her when combined with the remnants of a fight. They reached the bottom of the hill, and walking became less of a chore.
"You think it's the fire nation? We almost walked right into that camp the other day..." Tonaq said. Azula thought back on that mess. She and Kota had been arguing again. That time, it was about whether to spend the night in an inn or camp. Ty Lee, of all people, had saved them, wrapping a hand around Azula's mouth mid-sentence and pointing straight ahead from Totoro's back. They'd had to backtrack and wrap around. It had been another detour, a setback in a string of setbacks. Azula had begun to wonder if Hakoda would be waiting for them at all. She certainly wouldn't have waited this long.
"I don't know. We've seen more of the Fire Nation than we should. They should be closer to Omashu, not gathering here." Azula had an idea about why they were amassing numbers near them. From Tonaq's wince, so did he.
"I hope they're not searching here. We're so close to crossing. Once we get over the river-"
"It still won't be easy. There are also soldiers on that side, just less if they divert some forces for a search. The war is more active there, and there is more danger for us," Azula said.
"How do you know?" Tonaq asked.
"I've already told you. My father was an important man in the fire lord's court."
"Right... It's just- Never mind, we're at the gates now." A few things unnerved Azula. Several komodo rhino tracks began and ended at a muddy slosh in the gates. Many men were here and possibly nearby. Kota kneeled in the mud.
"This... This is bad." He said, examining the prints. Azula agreed. "Rhinos. A lot of them."
"Do we just leave her outside? She'll attract a lot of attention if we bring her in." Ty Lee fretted over the rhino, petting its head. Kota looked up at her.
"I can take her around, back to the trees." He offered. Azula hesitated.
"There are others out there." She bit her lip. "We need to lose the rhino. This is too much attention."
"Lose her? I thought the plan was to hold onto her until we could sell or bargain her off?" Kota asked. Ty Lee looked distraught.
"Sell her?" She asked quietly.
Azula looked at her with pity. "You didn't think we could hold onto this rhino the whole time, did you?" It snorted at her, blowing hot, smelly air into Azula's face. Ty Lee's lip sunk into a pout. Then, the gates creaked open.
"I'm telling you, I hear people talkin'-" A man in a red uniform said as he put his back into shoving the town gates aside. His calm, amber eyes found Azula's wide golden ones. "See? I told you." Azula swallowed. Kota and Tonaq looked at each other. Ty Lee, for once, seemed frozen to her spot.
A second guard, burly, with a thick beard, stepped toward them, "What's your business here?" Azula spoke up quickly.
"We are Traveling. We are—" Azula looked at Ty Lee. "We are trying to find the circus."
"Uh yes!" Ty Lee confirmed. The men looked perplexed. Then, Ty Lee stood quickly and cartwheeled through the mud, springing into a flip before them and taking a bow. The thin man clapped.
"Wow, that's impressive!" Ty Lee beamed at the praise. The thin man stepped aside, but his partner narrowed his eyes.
"And the Komodo rhino? Sure looks like one of ours." He said, sizing up the rhino and its red and black saddle. Azula's mouth dried, but Ty Lee, now in her element, stepped in front of him smiling.
"She's part of my act! Totoro come!" The rhino didn't move; it just kept staring blankly ahead. That's it, Azula thought, we're caught. Then, Ty Lee sighed. "She's a little shy." She walked over and pushed onto the saddle, landing onto one hand for a rather acrobatic handstand. The beast trotted forward, splashing the mud onto the burly guard, who sighed. Ty Lee kept her balance entirely, much to Azula's surprise.
"Fine. Just get behind the gates quickly. There's been trouble in these woods." The guards parted, allowing them to pass, but Tonaq and Kota stood still like rooted trees. Azula gave Tonaq a hard push forward, and though she wasn't strong enough to move him, it did startle him enough to break his nervous trance, forcing he and Kota to walk stiffly past the guards.
"If you don't mind me asking," Azula began, "What kind of trouble are you talking about?"
The guard spoke through his teeth as he tugged the gates closed. "Bandits, I think. A group of thieves—a bunch of little rats—live somewhere in the forests. They've been giving the army all sorts of trouble. They attacked a scouting group the other night and made off with some food and supplies."
"That is unfortunate," Azula said before hurrying away.
"Stay clear of the forest when you leave town," he yelled after her, emphatically slamming the bar across both doors.
"I'll be sure to remember that," Azula muttered, jogging to Ty Lee's side. There were soldiers everywhere—more than she had seen before. A few looked suspiciously at their rhino, Kota, and Tonaq.
"Food first?" Tonaq asked. His hands shook on the reigns. Azula stepped forward and unwound them from his wrist. Tonaq smiled, trying to show relief, but it appeared more like a grimace than anything.
"Yes." Then, she sniffed the air, catching the faint scent of fish. "This way." She weaved through a few stalls, hiding her face behind her unruly black hair. A small, hastily constructed stand waited at the end of the street, hanging from its sides, and on the counter were crabs, fish, butchered eel, squid, and sea prunes.
"Buy something," Azula dug her hand into the pouch on the rhino's saddle, fishing out a few silver pieces, "Anything but sea prunes. I'll talk with the owner." Tonaq nodded and pulled Kota along to inspect the seafood. Azula sensed the soldiers watched them, still. Even the townsfolk seemed alarmed by the massive rhino Azula dragged through the street. She stepped to the counter and found a man with a straw hat leaning back on a wooden still, propping his feet on the counter, right where the food was.
"Are you, by chance, the one who caught these fish?" Azula asked, pointedly staring at his dirty feet. The man opened one eye, startled and quickly lowered his feet.
"I am." He looked at Kota and Tonaq, who snapped their heads back to the fish. "Why? Are you looking for something special?"
"In a way," Azula said, leaning forward and placing her palm on the table. "I'm looking for safe passage to Omashu." The man raised a brow; then his mouth opened as Azula lifted her hand, revealing five gold pieces shining against the tarnished wood counter.
"I could do that." Then, he hesitated, "Well, not to Omashu, but I can get you close. It's not a long walk from the coast." No, just a difficult one, Azula thought. There was a reason the fire nation had yet to conquer Omashu, and that was the treacherous terrain.
"How big is your boat?"
The fisherman raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
"We want to bring the rhino."
"'Fraid, that's not possible. My ship is a small flatboat. It's meant to be crewed by a handful. Not a lot of space there."
"Would you take the rhino instead of the gold pieces? She is good for carrying. You could double your haul with her help." Azula offered. For a moment, she thought he would accept, but his head finally shook.
"No. I don't have much use for one of those. It would cost just as much to keep it fed and housed." Then, he tilted his head. "Hey, where'd you get her? If you don't mind me asking." Azula didn't say anything. Instead, she moved her hand to the gold pieces, collecting them.
"Will you take us or not?" The man nodded.
"I will. Meet me outside the walls before sunrise. I like to start my fishing early." Azula finally exhaled in relief, and Ty Lee clapped her hands together, beaming at her. She heard Kota whisper an excited yes behind the stall. Then, he and Tonaq emerged with four whisker fish and two crabs in their hands. While they handed the man their money, Azula looked around the town again. Now, most soldiers seemed to ignore them, going about their business along with the townsfolk. Then, one person caught her eye.
A thin boy, cloaked in brown and black garb, watched her from across the street, leaning against a post. In his mouth was a single stick of wheat, poking out and fluttering from between his lips like a snake's tongue. His brown eyes watched them curiously, shifting from her to Ty Lee to Kota and Tonaq. Azula swore she saw his lips angle upward into a mocking smirk - the grin that made it seem like the person wearing it knew something you didn't. A pack of soldiers crossed between them, obscuring her view. When they passed, the boy was gone. Azula wondered if she imagined the whole affair.
"Let's go. We need to find a place to stay for the night." She said, pulling the rhino, searching for an inn among the few buildings in town. With a bit of extra gold, she persuaded the innkeeper to allow the rhino to stay tied down in a small fenced area behind the building. They only had one room, to Azula's displeasure.
"Floor," Azula said, pointing at Tonaq and Kota. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"Oh, come on." Kota groaned. "We should play water, earth, air, or fire for it."
"No," Azula said with a smirk, sitting on the bed. It had more space than she expected, but Azula was not about to share the bed with the two older boys, especially not Kota, who rolled around like a dying sabretooth moose lion in his sleep. Ty Lee fell with a flourish next to her.
"It's pretty comfy," she said, folding her arms under her head, then sheepishly adding, "Sorry, boys." Kota grumbled to himself and unrolled his sleeping bag.
"We have a few hours to kill before dark," Tonaq started. "Can we walk around town? See if there's anything we should buy?" Azula looked at her nails and picked under them.
"Too risky. We attracted a lot of attention walking around already." Azula said.
"Aww. But what if there's a pretty dress we could buy?" Ty Lee chuckled weakly at Azula's withering gaze, "Or, you know, maybe a sword. I know you never really liked dolls and dresses." Azula looked back at her nails without a word. "Please? We'll be really stealthy." Azula sighed.
"Fine. Go." Ty Lee frowned.
"Aren't you coming with us?"
"No." Azula caught Tonaq and Kota sharing a glance.
"Okay..." Ty Lee looked around and grabbed something to wrap around her head. "Well, I'll bring something nice back for you." Azula waved her hand dismissively and lay down on the bed. She didn't see them leave, only hearing the door shut softly behind them. Sighing, she raised her right hand above her and lit a small flame. She concentrated, focusing her chi on the flame, but it hardly flickered—a candle when it should have been the searing sun.
"At least it's still blue," she said quietly to herself. Would her firebending fail her? Would she have to resort to the other inferior elements whenever she found a master for those? Agni. This isn't fair. Her eyes became wet, and she wiped at them furiously. She grabbed a pillow and focused, repeating the words. It's not fair. It's not fair. I'm supposed to be the best! I've trained my whole life. I'm not Zuko!
The pillow ignited, and her fire exploded in front of her with the power she expected. Her smirk held only breifly, until the flames died down once again. With a scream, she hurtled the ashen pillow against the wall and laid down, steadying her breathing. I am supposed to be above temper tantrums, she thought, inhaling slowly and suddenly feeling very, very tired. Her eyes gradually slid shut.
Azula woke to a hairpin being shoved in her face. How long had I been asleep? Azula heard a torrent of rain outside and saw no light through the shuttered window. Her focus shifted as Ty Lee stepped into her field of view, cradling the same green and gold hairpiece.
"What do you think, Ty Mai?" Ty Lee's smile was too happy, and Azula was too irritated. She moved Ty Lee's hand aside and pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes.
"Where did you get that?" Azula asked blearily.
"In town! I thought it would cheer you up." Ty Lee rocked between her heels and toes like a nervous rabaroo before looking behind her nervously. Tonaq and Kota shared quiet words in the corner. The scorched pillow dangled limply from Kota's hand.
"I'm fine." Azula said sternly. Ty Lee's expression fell.
"Oh. Okay." Azula sighed and extended her hand.
"But, I suppose it never hurts to have some elegance restored." Ty Lee grinned, but instead of handing the headpiece over, stepped into Azula's space, brushed aside her bangs, and leaned forward, trying to set the hairpiece and moving Azula's hair around herself. Azula felt her face warm. Only handmaidens and her mother had ever... Azula cleared her throat.
"It's Earth kingdom style. Not what you are used to, but it looks nice, and I think it's real gold." Azula doubted that, but Ty Lee adjusted the position and clapped her hands. "Perfect." Azula scooted back on the bed and reached up.
"It's nice." Azula didn't want to look at it, "Thank you, Ty Lee." Ty Lee performed a dramatic bow and flipped onto the bed. From their places in the corner, Tonaq and Kota made a face.
"Did you just thank her?" Tonaq asked. Azula sneered at him. "Never mind. The sun is down. I'll show you what we bought later. It's probably best if we get some sleep, though... it looks like you're ahead of us there." Tonaq chuckled, lying in his sleeping bag.
"But you just got back," Azula said, annoyed. Kota snuffed the paper lantern in the corner, and the room darkened. Azula flopped back onto the bed and gazed at the ceiling. She counted the seconds between the lightning and thunder, hoping it would bore her back to sleep. Azula wasn't sure how many strikes she had counted until she heard the soft snores of Ty Lee and one of the boys in their sleeping bags. She sighed and sat up, slowly lowering her toes to the floor. The wood creaked awfully, but she padded to the window and opened it. Strong gusts of wind immediately greeted her, along with a torrent of rain. It was enough to mask the soft snores, so she backed away and concentrated, heating her body enough to evaporate the water before she climbed back into bed. At least she was capable of that much.
Another bright streak of lightning flashed through the open window; Azula watched it with interest. Once, she used to run to Zuzu's room and hide from the thunder, thinking it was a monster that followed the lightning. She looked at her fingers, stretching them out above her head. If only she could bend lightning, she would be the monster that the lightning would follow. Unfortunately, that slipped through her fingers, as her fire bending seemed to be doing. Father would have no reason not to cast her aside for Zuzu now.
Zuzu—where were he and Uncle now? The question nagged at her. Perhaps they were on the way to Ba-Sing-Se. Maybe they were at an air temple, training to take her down. Strangely, Azula wished for Uncle to guide her and be here with her instead of with her brother. His fire-bending insight sometimes proved valuable. He would know what was wrong with her.
"'Ty Mai?" She could hardly hear Kota's voice over the boom of the thunder. Next to her, Ty Lee shifted, bumping into Azula's side.
"What?"
"Can't sleep either?"
"No."
"Does the thunder scare you?" Azula considered not answering. Perhaps it was her thoughts or boredom, but she finally sighed and relented.
"It used to." She admitted. Then her face scrunched. "But, I got over it. My father made sure of that."
"How did he do that?"
"He made me conquer my fear." She remembered father forcing her to stand in the cold rain while the lightning crackled around her, the thunder boomed, and his smooth voice told her: One day, the lightning will be yours. You cannot fear what you wish to master. She flinched and folded her fingers into fists. The lightning had been her first failure. Father had not been pleased. What would he think now that her Firebending had begun to fade? Azula's heart turned to ice at the thought. No one wants you.
Kota rolled onto his back and filled the silence.
"Hm. My father died in a storm. The fire nation attacked when I was a boy, during a bad one in the summer. I guess the storms still keep me up." There were a thousand things Azula wanted to say. She found her father's voice slithering out of her mouth.
"You should get over it." The words rolled out of her mouth before she could stop them. She expected Kota to snap. Perhaps, he simmered in silence. In the dark, Azula could not tell. Thunder crackled again, and the wind picked up, whispering anxiously. She heard a weary exhale.
"Got something on your mind?" The rain filled the silence that followed, then another flash, another distant crackle, and boom. "I just wanted to know if you wanted to say anything. To me—I mean. I'm trying to be patient with you."
"Why would I have anything to say to you?"
"You've been short with me—more than usual."
Azula let him think on that for a while. The raindrops nearly put her to sleep.
"I'm sorry about what happened." Azula blinked in the dark.
"Are you?" She asked sardonically. Kota didn't answer. "I didn't think so."
"I would give my life to protect you, you know."
"Because I'm the Avatar? And you need me to carry out your goals of putting my people in their place?"
"No..." Kota sounded confused. "Because you're supposed to be my friend, and we all care about you."
"I'm sure. Emotional manipulation doesn't work on me the way it might work on my brother or some other half-wit." There was a long moment of silence.
"Have you always been like this?" The question stung like a slap from Ursa or Ozai.
"Like what?" Azula asked. Tread carefully, Kota,Azula thought. Ty Lee rolled over, and her fingers tangled in Azula's hair, giving it a light tug and provoking a hiss of pain.
"Cold. Angry. Plotting. I mean, you're only what, eleven years old?"
"Twelve."
"Twelve then. I'm sure that one year makes a whole lot of difference." Azula lit a dim, pitiful flame in her hand and sat up. She could see Kota's blue eyes bounce between the flame and her face.
"I have been. As far as I can remember." She admitted, her voice treading on a growl. "My mother hated me for it. Sometimes I think my father was the only one who appreciated who I was or what I could be to him. If I wasn't the Avatar..." She trailed off. Not willing to go down that path. "Things would be different." She finished blandly. "I don't want to save the world. I'm doing this because the ghosts of the Avatar would never let me rest if I thought for even a second I could do otherwise. I'll never be the Avatar you or anyone else wants me to be. I'll always be a monster." Like Mother thought, Azula realized. Shelet the flame die out and laid back down. Uncle would have been disappointed if he'd heard that. Azula felt a chill and tugged the blanket closer.
"I don't believe you." Kota finally replied. Azula made a face in the dark.
"What?"
"I don't believe all of what you said. Sure, sometimes people are rotten from birth, but even if you've been that way as long as you can remember, I still don't think that has to be who you are. We all have a choice. Even those who are born good can make terrible choices. I think it's beneath you to think that's all you'll ever be." Kota took a breath. "You're Fire Nation, so I'll say it like this. You may not have been born good, but you can find great honor and strength in overcoming your inner evil."
"Tch." Azula rolled her eyes. "You sound like my Uncle."
"Is that a good thing?" Kota asked. Azula didn't answer, struggling to hold her eyes open, unsure what to say and too tired to respond. Better to sleep, she thought, as her eyes fluttered shut.
They woke and trudged through the mud to the outskirts of the town. The sun had barely begun to rise, and some of the town had stirred to open shops, bake, and cook. They reached the gate with little trouble and two sleeping guards woke with a start to part the gate for them. Azula shook her head in disgust. Had she been a princess, she would have stripped those men of whatever meager rank they held.
The group marched forward, seeing the fisherman leaning against a tree on the hilltop.
"Well. Here we are." Azula said, gesturing at her half-asleep party.
"Right. Here you are. But there's a problem with where we need to go."
"Is there?" Azula's voice wavered between threatening and suspicious. The fisherman didn't seem to notice, preoccupied by his thoughts.
"Yes… that storm last night must've done some damage to my sails. They're nearly shredded, cut to ribbons in some parts, and lookin' like clothes that'd been in a swordfight," he said, rubbing his neck. Azula swallowed her anger.
"How long until you can fix them?" He shrugged. Azula followed his gaze to the forest. Suddenly, the hairs on her neck rose. Something rustled in the distance, and Azula narrowed her eyes. Then, the fisherman shook his head absently and sighed, answering her.
"Can't say. Maybe a couple of days? I'll fix them as soon as possible. My livelihood depends on that boat." Azula looked to Kota and Tonaq, who nodded sleepily. Ty Lee shrugged timidly and flashed an unconvincing smile. Had they not heard it? Azula's jaw ticked. Perhaps she was also tired. They were on the run. That had to affect the mind. "Somethin' wrong?" The fisherman's question relaxed her shoulders.
"No, it's alright. We'll stick around until you mend your sails." The fisherman nodded lazily.
"Well, I'm off to mend them now. I'll see you kids around. Don't get into too much trouble." He chuckled absently and wandered off down the trail. Azula shook her head.
"Another delay."
"We're going to make it to the festival, Ty Mai. The fall equinox is a long way away." Kota patted her shoulder gingerly. Azula shrugged his hand off and pivoted back toward the town when the bushes behind them rustled. The boy from town stepped forward, looking down the trail at the fisherman's back with suspicion. Azula recognized him faintly.
"I wouldn't trust him." The boy said, chewing on his stick of wheat. Azula raised a brow, ignoring Kota's surprised squawk, "Why is that?"
"He sells to the fire nation." He replied easily. Too easily. Azula narrowed her eyes. The boy didn't look Fire Nation for what that was worth. Too young to be in the army, but Azula remembered. Never too young to be a bandit.
"Sells what?" Azula asked calmly.
"Information." Azula snorted, trying not to laugh. That simpleton could barely sell fish.
"Is that so?" Kota drawled, sounding just as skeptical as Azula felt.
"It is," he stretched against the tree trunk he leaned against. "And I'm sure he knows that the Fire Nation is looking for two water tribe boys and a young… girl." Azula immediately found herself on guard.
"And how do you know that? Who are you? Why should we trust you?" Kota asked.
"We've been disrupting their scouts, messengers, and supply lines. It's an easy way to learn about what the enemy wants. And when you know what they want, it's easy to find it before they can." The boy finished, pushing off the tree trunk. He swaggered towards them, ignoring how Kota and Tonaq's hands twitched at their clubs. A flash from his hips caught her eye. Two hook swords swung in tandem at his sides. Azula recognized his lean frame and agile step. The boy is dangerous, she thought. Azula heard Ty Lee's gasp behind her as he stepped out from the shade.
"My name is Jet." He stuck out his hand toward her, to Azula's surprise. What is this peasant gesture? Azula wondered. She grasped his forearm like she had seen Hakoda do to Bato on the ship.
"I'm Ty Mai." Jet's eyes widened.
"Interesting handshake, Ty Mai." To Azula's irritation, Ty Lee bounced forward with a beaming smile and extended an open hand.
"I'm Ty Lee!" Ty Lee knew the peasant's handshake. Azula frowned as they shook hands. Kota stepped forward with a brow arched in rare skepticism. "Kota." The two wordlessly exchanged the same water tribe greeting, with Jet grinning through Kota's cutting gaze. Unfazed, Jet released his hand and faced Tonaq, who rubbed his eyes and shook his hand.
"Well, it's nice to meet you all." Ty Lee beamed at his slick smile while Tonaq mumbled a sleepy "Likewise."
Azula found herself still on guard. "Earlier, you said, 'We', meaning there are more like you."
Kota scanned the area around them.
"You'll meet them later. I need them to stay hidden. He may have already alerted the fire nation." Azula crossed her arms.
"It was nice to meet you, Jet. We will be leaving now." She said with a little venom.
"Why? I thought you were in a rush. Don't you want to go to Omashu?" Azula stopped in her tracks.
"How would you know?"
"I've been listening." Azula narrowed her eyes. Kota scoffed.
"And you think that we're going trust you after you've been eavesdropping?"
"I don't see much of a choice. That fisherman turns you over to the fire nation if he hasn't sold out already."
"Or?" Azula asked as Kota opened his mouth to respond.
"Or you join me and my crew, help us out a little, and I'll get you to Omashu." Kota shook his head.
"Pass. We're set," Kota said and turned to walk back to Gaipan. Azula raised a brow but didn't comment on Kota, returning with him back to the town. Jet's quick but quiet footsteps followed them. Kota turned around, his face turning a shade of red unseen before. "Why are you still following us?"
"I'm just making sure you guys don't get caught."
"Forget about him," Azula urged, gently nudged Kota, and lowered her voice. "We don't want to attract attention. We'll have to wait around town anyway. Let's get food and figure out our next move." She appraised Jet critically. "I doubt he'll be much trouble."
"Fine." Kota snapped before raising his voice toward Jet. "You better keep your distance. One wrong move, and I won't hesitate to put you down." Jet shrugged, unfazed.
"Sure. Whatever makes you feel comfortable." With that, Jet hung back but followed them into town as Azula bought meat skewers from everyone but their unwanted tag-along. She led the group between the rows of buildings, close to the eastern wall of the town, away from prying eyes.
As soon as they sat down, out of earshot, Kota faced Azula. "Do you think he's right? Jet, I mean." Kota asked, staring at Azula intensely.
"I don't know." She admitted. Kota nodded, looking back at Jet, who kept himself occupied by sharpening his swords.
"Oh yeah. That makes me feel safer already." Kota muttered.
"So, the rhino-" Tonaq started.
"Totoro." Ty Lee corrected.
"Totoro. What are we doing with her? I don't think we'll be able to find someone willing to buy her off here. And if we do, the Fire Nation soldiers here might overhear and get suspicious." Tonaq peered around. "It's too risky."
"You all can figure that out. I'm going to eat. I'm starving." Kota grabbed his food and sat down, eating loudly. Azula's stomach rumbled along with Ty Lee's.
"We didn't have to pay for her, so it wouldn't be a loss to leave her here," Azula said before taking a bite of her skewered steaks.
"Won't we need her to get through the mountains near Omashu?" Ty Lee asked, still chewing. All heads turned to her. "What? I don't just want her around only because she's cute." Then Ty Lee turned to Totoro and patted her head. "And you are!" The smell of the snort that followed made Azula's lip curl and lower her food.
"Well, Ty Lee is right. The rhino would get us to Omashu much faster than we would on foot. Less time on foot means fewer chances for fights. And that means fewer delays. The less we are delayed, the better chance we have of making it to the Southern Air temple before the equinox." Azula finished. It was logical, yes. But, they would be walking right into the war front. Azula didn't see any other choice.
"Right... the Yangchen Festival. I still don't know why you think that will work." Azula bit her lip while Tonaq scratched his chin for a moment before he cocked his head, "Maybe we ask Chun for two trips. Maybe he couldn't bring us and her together, but we could travel separately." Tonaq suggested. "One person stays behind with Totoro, and he makes another trip."
"If his boat fits the rhino at all," Azula said, but the idea had merit. "Well done, Tonaq." Tonaq appeared surprised.
"Uh. Thanks." He said before biting into his food. Azula heard a distant thud.
The gates to the town rumbled in the distance, and small pebbles rattled on the road. Ty Lee cocked her head.
"Do you hear that?" She asked. Tonaq paused mid-bite.
"Hear it? Don't you also feel it? It's like an earthquake." Tonaq mumbled between chews. Azula put down her shish kebab as Kota made a delighted sound and picked up hers.
"I didn't say-" Azula began to growl, but the distant thundering grew louder, and the gates began to rattle. "Ty Lee, get up." Azula snapped. Ty Lee squeaked and quickly swallowed her food before standing.
"What? What is it." Her braid whipped around and smacked Azula clean between the lips.
"Pft." Azula smacked at her mouth quickly. "Ty Lee, can you make yourself useful and jump around somewhere to see over the wall?" Ty Lee nodded, finishing her food with a final, emphatic bite and tossing away the wooden pick.
"Sorry, 'Zula. Wait here." After a pat on the shoulder, Ty Lee sprung atop one of the huts and ran along the rooftops toward the wall. Tonaq's brow furrowed.
"What did she call you?" Azula ignored him while Kota made an impressed sound.
"I knew she could climb trees and do those crazy jumps, but … wow," Kota mumbled, brushing off his pants. "She's good," Then, Kota looked behind them. "Jets still watching us. Or her specifically. He seems impressed."
"Let him," Azula said, searching for Ty Lee on the rooftops.
"I don't trust him. What does he have to gain by watching us like this? He seems crazy." Kota muttered, taking a bite out of Azula's food. She narrowed her eyes and snatched it back.
"He seems fine to me," Tonaq said. "He might not be lying about the fisherman. We don't know."
"Hmph," Kota grunted. Azula watched him glare at Jet from the corner of her eye. For once, Kota held the most competent assumption. Azula considered admitting she didn't trust him, but each shake of the ground made her reconsider.
"We may need him." That was all she offered. Finally, the gates thundered open with a crash. Azula whipped her gaze toward the town center when Ty Lee came bounding toward them, leaping over the peak of a rooftop, lowering herself along its edge, and rolling onto the ground.
"Big! They're big!" Ty Lee coughed and gasped briefly before straightening and catching her breath.
"Who?" Kota asked, jumping to his feet and brandishing his club.
"Rhinos. Five huge rhinos, way bigger than Totoro. One guy was yelling loudly. He says he knows three kids and a stolen rhino came through town." Azula closed her eyes. So, Jet may have been correct.
"What did they look like?" Azula asked, swallowing. Azula could hear shouting and brief blasts of fire from the street over. Puffs of smoke rose above the rooftops.
"The guy who was yelling, he has a funny mohawk and a nose ring." And there it is. Azula was grateful they picked a spot out of the main road. She walked quickly toward the walls, waving for Ty Lee, Kota, and Tonaq to follow.
"Where are we going?" Tonaq asked.
Azula chose her words carefully. "We need to leave. Those men who are here, I've heard about them. They're dangerous. I could probably take them alone, with some planning, but here? One of you is sure to get hurt." Or worse. Azula looked at Tonaq's scarred wrist. She would bring them all back to Chief Hakoda, alive and well. With her fire bending, Azula felt sure she could take them. But doubt had already begun to set in.
"What about Totoro?" Ty Lee whined, and the rhino let out a pained groan.
"Can she climb over the wall?" Azula asked sharply. Ty Lee huffed and stubbornly pouted her lip.
"Maybe." Azula rolled her eyes.
"Leave her. We already have enough to manage with these two." Azula thumbed at Kota and Tonaq.
"Way to boost our confidence," Kota grumbled. Azula ignored him, pointing at the wall.
"Boost Tonaq up."
"Trying to leave?" Jet's smooth voice carried low behind them. Azula, for once, was grateful. She appraised his hook swords and easy, relaxed stance.
"Your offer still stands?"
"It does." Jet smirked. Azula scowled. Desperate times, she thought.
"Take us to your little forest group's hideout, then." Before Jet could even answer, a hissing sound made the group freeze in place. A small bomb rolled toward them.
"Move!" Jet shouted, unsheathing his hook swords, catching the bomb with one end, and throwing it away. The bomb detonated violently in midair, and the shouts grew louder. Rhinos stomped into the alleys at each flank. Totoro uttered a distressed groan and Ty Lee shakily rubbed her side muttering, "It's okay."
"We need the Avatar alive!" A rhino turned the corner, and another stomped around a house, baring down on them. They backed toward the wall as three more encircled them from the left.
Azula had never seen Colonel Mongke or his famous Rough Rhinos in person. Now, she understood why the Fire Nation favored them. Their five rhinos and mounted combat specialists were intimidating, if not too on the nose for her taste. Azula looked to the four at her side and the five across from them.
Kota nervously twirled his club, but his eyes were wide, searching for an escape. At the same time, Tonaq had pressed himself near Totoro, slowly reaching for the reigns. Ty Lee had lowered into a strange stance that momentarily paused Azula. Finally, Jet had fallen silent. Azula watched him stare at Colonel Mongke with molten hatred pooling in his eyes.
"You." Jet snarled.
Colonel Mongke stared at them with a challenging, unwavering gaze. His posture screamed confidence. A strong firebender, Azula had heard. The fire in his palm brightened as he roared, "You've got nowhere to run! Since I'm in a merciful mood, if all of you surrender to the Fire Nation, I might consider bringing all of you back alive."
Jet snarled, which only prompted amused chuckles from the Rough Rhinos. There was a moment of silence before Jet raised his swords. Azula gritted her teeth and looked to Kota, who was still fruitlessly searching for a way out.
"Fine. Have it your way. We only need the girl alive anyway." Mongke growled as he ignited both his fists. Kota's hand found her wrist, and his low voice whispered in her and Ty Lee's ears while the rhinos closed in.
"We can't take these guys. They don't seem like your average firebenders." Kota's gaze flickered from the explosives to the bow of the Yu-Yan Archer. "First chance you get, run. Take Ty Lee with you. We'll do what we can to make sure you get out." Ty Lee looked up, her gray eyes wide and wet.
"I …" Ty Lee started, but Azula quickly grabbed Ty Lee's wrist. Their eyes met for a moment. Ty Lee's eyes softened upon focusing on Azula while they searched her expression. Then, they hardened. "Okay."
"No one's leaving," Jet roared. "And they certainly won't be killing or taking anyone." His voice wavered, and Azula knew it was not from fear. Jet's furious eyes flicked to each rider before he brought two fingers to his lips and blew sharply. The Rough Rhinos tensed atop their mounts and looked around.
"Longshot! Now!" Azula didn't have time to react as a lone flaming arrow whistled through the air and hit the explosive pouch of one of the five riders, setting it aflame. That was when all hell broke loose.