Gladiator

by Seyary-Minamoto

In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually depend on the Fire Nation Princess, who needs him for her own ends...

351. Chapter 351: Downtime-Defenses 2

Downtime/Building defenses

2

As foreboding as it was, Azula readied herself for the Barge's impending arrival in Yu Dao. No amount of preparation would ease her heart, as the uncomfortable situation wouldn't shift in any positive way, but she ensured to mentalize herself for it, nonetheless.

The days at sea had flowed far too quickly for her tastes. After her initial anguish upon returning to the last cabin and bed she had ever shared with Sokka, the closeness between their hearts had seemed to be bolstered, to the point where she felt him so much more vividly than she had since their separation. If just because of that, she supposed she had proven to be a much more bearable companion to her daughters and Song, for her spirits hadn't been so dark throughout the trip. But as much as the positive environment and good rapport between them had carried over from the Palace to the Barge, the hours were ticking constantly against them… until Azula spotted the telling signs, in the distance, of the Earth Kingdom's northwestern shores.

Everything that belonged to Hotaru, Rei or Song was deftly relocated into the hidden room of the cabin: the three of them climbed down there as well, back into the uncomfortable location, where they had a lantern to help them see as they either laid down or crouched within the small room.

"I'll try to sort things out for the three of you as soon as possible," Azula said, hugging Song before she climbed down into the room first: Rei followed, hugging Azula even more tightly. "I'll get you to safety. I promise."

"As long as you're safe too. Promise that, too," Rei said, looking at Azula earnestly. The Princess smiled, pressing a kiss to her daughter's brow.

"I'll stay safe to ensure you'll be safe as well. It's a promise."

Rei seemed satisfied with that vow, and Azula's next farewell was to Hotaru: she nestled in a small crib, whimpering upon noticing something was changing, that her time with her mother would be cut short once more.

"There, there, little firefly," Azula whispered, hoisting her out of the crib, allowing Rei to pull it down into the hidden room while Azula said her goodbyes to Hotaru. "Be good to your sister and your aunt, understood? They'll keep you safe and sound. I'll be right back with you as soon as I can. Yes, with more food, of course you'll want more… your appetite is as fierce as your father's."

Azula smiled warmly as she kissed Hotaru's forehead as well. The baby wiggled gently in her arms, as though basking in the gesture of affection.

"I love you, Hotaru," Azula whispered, hugging her daughter closely. "I'll see you soon, dear."

The golden eyes of her daughter seemed to convey utmost confusion as Azula offered her delicately to her sister. Rei smiled and waved at Azula sadly one last time, as did Song, who reached for the trapdoor.

"We'll be okay in here," she told Azula. "Be careful, yourself. This is… well, new territory in several ways. Find your own safety first, then focus on us when you can afford it. Alright?"

"I'll do my best," Azula sighed, nodding.

She didn't want to sound or appear discouraging… but fear clawed at her as that trapdoor closed. As the reality of what she needed to do next closed in on her: said reality took the shape of a pristine, golden armor, resting on her dresser and waiting to be worn.

"This doesn't feel right," Azula mumbled to herself, reaching for the golden metal of the new set of armor. "Try as though you might… you can't even begin to compare with your predecessor, you know?"

The memories she connected with the former armor almost made it impossible to fasten this one around herself. She sighed, closing her eyes… evoking the sensation of those arms around herself again, that strong chest right behind her back.

"You're more than your armor," he whispered by her ear. "You're much stronger than it is, too."

"As evidenced by my survival… and the untimely demise of the previous generation of armor. I suppose you're right," Azula said, breathing deeply.

She had to get it over with.

Feeling his hands and fingers upon her own, Azula scooped up the armor, raising it over her head, slowly placing it upon her shoulders. She tucked her hair out, fastening the buckles, trying to disregard the familiarity that didn't belong here, not with a different armor from the one she had worn in the brightest days of her life…

But she had no more time to reflect on the past: the Barge approached the port, and she needed to be ready and on the deck by the time they reached their destination.

One final indulgence, though, one last moment with eyes closed, feeling the ghostly sensation of his lips upon hers…

"You're beautiful," were the last words she heard him whisper before she smiled and opened her eyes, breaking the spell she had given herself to, wholeheartedly.

The smile faded as she turned around and exited her cabin for the first time since this journey had begun.

Renkai had visited the cabin frequently, typically to bring food, but he had also continued to inform Azula about the progress of their voyage so far. She simply accepted his reports graciously, remaining in her room and seldom visiting the bridge, conveying very few orders to the people at her service. These days, leadership hardly felt like something to reach for, regardless of a lifetime of proving herself worthy of such responsibility.

Nevertheless, she reached the bridge today to find many of her new guards within: they bowed to her respectfully, as did the crew of the ship. There was suspicion and confusion in most their faces: surely they wondered what, exactly, had caused her to remain hidden away inside her room for as long as she had been there. Hotaru hadn't wept too loudly across that week, but if anyone had heard her in the rare occasions when she did, their suspicions might turn to rumors soon enough…

She would ensure their safety somehow. As nervous as she might be about the prospect of leaving her companions aboard the ship for several hours, they wouldn't be alone.

"We will be docking within the next few minutes, Princess," Renkai told her, once she inquired about details on the Barge's progress. "Mayor Morishita has been notified of our arrival. He should be expecting you by the docks."

"Very well. I'll leave you in charge of managing the ship and all details of our arrival for the time being, Captain Renkai," Azula said. Renkai nodded. "The rest of the squad shall accompany me into Yu Dao."

"As you wish."

Leaving Renkai behind to ensure the safety of her cabin's secret residents was as good as a given: she wouldn't feel too safe without him, of course, but she hoped being with the Morishita family would be able to compensate for the Captain's absence.

She closed her eyes briefly, letting her mind wander further away: Xin Long also remained safe and sound still. He had resonated recently, and Seethus remained in the city. No sign that he had left the Palace. There had been no attempts to poison Xin Long's meals, no further threats of death aside from the blade he kept a cautious distance from. Everything was suspended in the most delicate tension…

The ship docked within another few minutes. Azula breathed deeply, her heart aching at the thought of leaving Hotaru for an indefinite amount of time… fortunately, her daughter was growing stronger these days, enough to be able to eat other foods besides what Azula could offer her directly. She would be cared for, with people who knew and understood her needs thoroughly. For now, Azula had to focus on securing further safety for them, and she'd endeavor to do so, by that evening.

She stepped out and into the main deck: the ramp had already been set in place, and the Princess marched towards the guards that flanked it, her head held high, with confidence she didn't truly feel.

The soldiers continued to flank her as she marched off the ship: her steel-cold eyes warmed, however, once they fell upon the round, familiar face of Mayor Morishita.

"Princess…" he said, with a tearful smile and a grateful reverence. Azula's chest tightened as she stopped before him.

"Rise," she spoke, her voice kind. Morishita seemed stoked to hear her voice directly… he hadn't seen her since her wedding, of course. His open concerns for her wellbeing surely had been born there. "It's good to see you once again, Mayor Morishita."

"And it's marvelous to see you, Princess," he laughed. "When I heard you would be assigned to Yu Dao to help us defend the city… oh, my heart soared to know your gifted mind would be in charge of protecting my family. I thank you, truly, for coming to help us."

"I fear you'd do best to save the gratitude for when we actually succeed at defeating our foes," Azula said, offering him a gentle smile. "But I appreciate your trust deeply, Mayor. I will endeavor not to disappoint."

"I'm certain that you won't," Mayor Morishita said, affably: his trust in her struck away at Azula as a knife might, but she did her best not to show how undeserving she felt of his loyalty.

The Mayor led her to the carriage that would bring them to the grand walls of Yu Dao: where she had been unconcerned about detailing the terrains around the first of the colonies before, Azula did so this time, scanning her surroundings with keen eyes. The port had a few fortifications nearby, but not nearly enough to reassure Azula that all their ships would be safe and sound. The journey into the city would take some time, around half an hour, unless she misremembered… and there were numerous buildings, houses, expansions of small villages in the outskirts of the grand colony. The walls of Yu Dao weren't the only place she needed to focus her efforts on: her plans needed to spread as far as these houses did. A deep crevice, a scar within the land, crisscrossed along the roads to the city, giving away that Yu Dao had seen more than its share of warfare across the years of its existence. Azula breathed deeply, hoping the damage from her own stand in Yu Dao would not be as devastating upon these lands as that of whatever battles had been waged there before.

The guards would march beside the carriage, which meant their progress was bound to be slow, but it was a measure meant to ensure the Princess's safety… one that would fortunately provide her with a small chance for privacy with the city's Mayor.

"Goodness, seeing you again truly feels like a miracle," Morishita said, still as kindly as ever, once the carriage door was safely closed. "Kori will be thrilled for it as well. She has been so worried about you…"

"I'm quite sorry to have been such a source of anguish for her," Azula said, eyeing him remorsefully. "For you, as well. I was in no fit state to… to properly thank either of you for attempting to support me the last time we saw each other. I'm truly sorry for…"

"Don't, please… as far as I've understood, you had some truly deep reasons to feel distressed on that day, Princess," Morishita said, sympathetically. "No woman should ever be so miserable on her wedding day, I say… it should be a bright, beautiful occasion, not a punishing one. Therefore, please, don't feel the need to apologize, Princess. Kori wouldn't stand for it, I'd dare say…"

"She's always thought too highly of me," Azula said, with a sad smile. "I hope she has been well, no matter how discouraging my situation has been. Even when… when the League ended, as we know, but still…"

"A lot of people have struggled to move on from that big change, but Kori has handled herself gracefully," said Morishita. "Though she has been worried… news about you have certainly been scarce until now. The last anyone knew, well… you were expecting a child. Am I right to assume that it was born safely…?"

"You are," Azula said, with a kind smile. "Her name is Hotaru. Her birth hasn't been officially announced yet due to the circumstances, but… perhaps eventually, if things calm down."

She said the words without meaning them, knowing it was what anyone would expect to hear… but a pained expression crossed her features, conveying something to the Mayor that wasn't quite what she had intended to say.

"I… I understand. Your conflicted feelings about the situation must be difficult for anyone to fathom," he said, eyeing her compassionately. "Word of Admiral Zhao's death reached us… my condolences."

Azula froze up: she hadn't expected anyone to offer any manner of condolences to her over Zhao's death. None as sincere as these, at the very least. She nodded, feeling out of place by doing so, hoping not to seem too disinterested upon doing so.

"Thank you," was her simple response.

Did Morishita not know the truth about her relationship with Sokka? Had Kori kept it quiet? Were his condolences actually of a different nature than she thought? Perhaps he understood how deeply conflicted Azula was over Sokka's involvement in this war, as difficult as it might be to fathom that someone in her father's highest ranks would ever be so compassionate to her circumstances. But it was entirely possible that he was being honest, too…

"Well, I'm sure you've been on a long journey to get here," Morishita said. "I would rather not overwhelm or tire you further, Princess. But for today, we shall offer you all the information you may need so that our war command can discuss ideas and then start preparing strategies starting tomorrow. Colonel Shinu is in the city at the moment…"

"Is he? Has Pohuai Stronghold fallen?" Azula asked, frowning heavily. Morishita shook his head reassuringly.

"It hasn't. Though… it seems it's expected that it will. Colonel Shinu intends to return to his post before the Deserter's forces ravage the place. As far as I understand, multiple traps of blasting jelly have been prepared in the Stronghold already. He wished to confirm his orders and coordinate his tactics with yours."

"Will he actually obey me this time, is the question…?" Azula said. Morishita eyed her with uncertainty.

"Well, I cannot speak for him, but… the rest of us have looked forward to your return, Princess. We were truly relieved that you would be the one who would come to protect our city," he said, with a gentle smile.

"So I understand… but the path forward won't be easy, regardless," Azula said. "The safety of Yu Dao will demand many efforts, and perhaps sacrifices, from all of us."

"We are prepared to follow you, Princess," Morishita reiterated. Azula breathed deeply and nodded.

"Then I shall lead as best as I am able."

The gates to Yu Dao opened promptly upon their arrival: the city teemed with as much activity as ever, from what Azula could glimpse through the carriage's curtains. So many people, going about their lives casually… perhaps knowing, and fearing, the war's onslaughts beyond the safety of their walls. They would live their lives as best as they could, perhaps basking in every moment until the last… Azula gritted her teeth, fists tight as fear reared its head within her. She couldn't fathom leaving these people to their fates. The Fire Lord's will be damned… if she could protect the lives within Yu Dao, she'd do so without hesitation.

They progressed steadily through the streets until the carriage stopped at a building Azula hadn't visited before.

"Well, here we are. This is actually my office, the administrative headquarters of Yu Dao… but for now, it serves as Yu Dao's war command," Morishita explained, as the carriage's driver opened the door. "I shall gather the officers for our briefing right away. As far as I understand, there is no time to waste."

"Indeed, there isn't," Azula said, following the Mayor off the carriage.

"Kori will join us soon. She has been helping in the training of our soldiers," the Mayor explained. "Perhaps, once everything's settled, you would like to join my family for dinner tonight?"

"That would be quite kind of you. Thank you," Azula said. Morishita smiled as he guided her inside the building.

Eyes had followed her as she stepped off the carriage. Mutters in the street carried over into the building itself, once she entered it: numerous soldiers, some young, some experienced, crowded the location. Young women also seemed to be hard at work at the organization of supplies, keeping the building as tidy as could be when they were awaiting a battle so fierce and dangerous. There could be no shortage of medicine, bandages, meals, armor and weapons, their forces might just be doomed otherwise…

But as busy as they were, any of those who were anywhere within the Princess's vicinity would be deeply shocked by her presence. Several bowed, others uttered her title nervously, and she nodded graciously in their direction as the Mayor reassured the starstruck, hopeful people within the war command, slowing down at the first steps of stairs to speak to all those present in the main room of the war command.

"As you have seen, the Princess has arrived!" he announced, and a polite applause followed his words. "And there is much for us to do, now that she's here. You will be receiving new orders shortly, but for now, please remain calm and continue upholding your duties as your commanding officers begin preparing the defenses of this city."

People reacted positively to his words, though they began muttering again once the Princess climbed the stairs of the building, following the Mayor up to the room where their meeting would take place.

"And here we are," said the Mayor, smiling as Azula entered a room with a long table: numerous files, properly assorted, sat at the head of said table. Her seat… the seat of honor for the officer in charge in a mission as crucial as this one. "I will find everyone now, though Kori and the first brigade's captain should be here quite soon. He said he couldn't wait to see you, he must be an admirer of yours…"

"A brigade captain?" Azula asked, mystified.

"Indeed, Princess," Morishita said, with a kindly smile. "I'll be right back, though. If you wish, begin reading the reports… you should find all the information about our supplies, resources, troops, as well as the scouting reports of the enemy's movements here."

"I see. Thank you," Azula nodded, stepping towards the table with a slight frown on her face: she'd see just how severe the situation might be, beyond the reports Aonu had access to…

Morishita took his leave, and Azula picked up the first of the documents upon the table: the troops installed in the city numbered six hundred active soldiers, and around a hundred and twenty reserve ones. To her relief, it seemed the Enforcers of the city were still active, still available for service. Several of the willing fighters, including civilian volunteers, were earthbenders too… that was a handy advantage to make the most of. It would certainly expand the possibilities of their defenses…

Her hands moved towards the other reports next, skimming over a few until she found the scouts' reports. Jeong Jeong's troops had been mobilized from Ba Sing Se, and they had last been sighted in the vicinity of the forests in the northern Earth Kingdom. Judging by the scouts' location, those troops were certain to march to Pohuai Stronghold… and their forces numbered well above the thousands. Azula gritted her teeth, shaking her head as another scout report caught her eye: this time, the news related to the south instead. Movement in Gaoling, mostly around the ports and shores of the southwestern Earth Kingdom… Azula gritted her teeth, her heart clenched as she remembered her father's war meetings: the leader of the Gladiator Army in the south was supposed to be Toph.

She should be used to standing in opposite sides with her close friend – she always had been her rival after all. Yet, in a war where Azula knew Toph's side was the right one, the side that Sokka himself was leading… the very notion of being on the opposite faction cut deeply across her heart. It was easy to wish her fate had been different… but as ever, the sacrifices necessary to change her fate were too painful to commit to. One day, she might just come across the Blind Bandit on a battlefield… though it wouldn't happen all that soon, seeing as they were in very distant locations in the Earth Kingdom continent.

Azula sighed, scrolling across more of the reports as she pondered how else to slow down the Gladiator Army's acquisition of ships to transport their troops all the way to the Fire Nation. It was going to be complicated to anticipate whatever they might resort to, who even knew if they might be able to build their own navy, somehow, provided they found sufficient supplies? Naturally, the question of whether she wanted to stop them at all still remained unaddressed…

Footsteps outside the room. The heavy footsteps of a confident soldier.

They stopped at the threshold, by the open door. Azula frowned, still reading the details on the latest reported movements of the enemies by the south…

"So… the mighty Princess Azula arrived at last, did she?"

The mocking voice worsened her frown: she wasn't about to stand for being sneered at… though she wasn't entirely surprised that it would happen. Considering the rumors that likely abounded, the ideology of the Fire Nation, it seemed natural that so many might have developed disdain towards her due to her connection with the man who was now their greatest enemy. Word of the true menace Sokka represented for their society would soon spread far and wide, with wanted posters of his likeness scattered in every Fire Nation-held land. Said posters had already been seen in the Colonies, too. Surely, the locals in the Former Earth Kingdom had sufficient opportunity to develop deep resentments towards her, for she had provided her Gladiator with every bit of knowledge, strength and insight into how to wage this war upon their nation…

But when she raised her gaze towards the man who spoke to her with such charged mockery in his voice, Azula's rampaging thoughts fell short, faltering as shock overwhelmed her.

For a moment, she thought she was seeing things, and not quite intentionally this time. His build, his height, his skin tone and hair in that top-knot… but those eyes were brown, not blue. His chin was clean-shaven, his face was rounder… and his smirk was so smug she immediately, impulsively, wanted to punch it off his features.

Her heart had truly wanted to see Sokka, at any opportunity, to the point where she had thought this might be him… but it wasn't. It was…

"You know… I've been looking forward to this moment for five years. Can barely believe it's finally arrived."

Oh.

Oh, shit.

Azula's breath caught as she recognized him: he stepped inside the room with a firm stance, his head held high, the typical result of proper training in the Fire Nation's military academy… the academy. He had been sent there… he had been forced to take up military instruction, that was the last she had known about him, the last thing she had heard.

This couldn't be real. It couldn't be happening. Of all people… it couldn't be him.

But he stopped right in front of her, that smugness concealing a deep, contained rage that might just run free sooner than she knew: he folded his strong arms over his chest in clear defiance, showing that he, somehow, was no longer afraid… was she?

"Remember me? Because I sure as hell remember the person who ruined my life: it's been a while, Princess Azula."

She didn't answer right away. His reiteration of her title was quite the clear message, one she hardly wanted to acknowledge: she wouldn't catch him off-guard ever again, unaware of who she was. Her scowl deepened, her wariness increasing, and the soldier before her only seemed more amused by the second as she took a step back…

"What the hell are you doing here?" was her very hostile response. He chuckled.

"You recognize me, then. Good to know. Thought I might have changed so much that you wouldn't notice it was me… then again, I also wondered if maybe you've ruined so many lives by now that you would've forgotten about mine. Guess I'm still special, aren't I?"

"Hardly," Azula responded. He snickered.

"Not sure you're much good a liar, Princess…"

"If so, you'd be the first to assume I'm telling the truth rather than lies, Chan. Not a wise course of action," Azula hissed at him.

Curses, but it was him. Of all people she could have bumped into… the very first victim to fall to her partnership with Sokka in the Gladiator League. The very first boy she had liked, if briefly… she felt like throwing up. This was the last thing she needed to deal with right now… more so considering how hostile, arrogant and likely vengeful the man before her would be.

His features were only slightly more mature than before. There were more hardened edges, but not quite so many that would erase his life of privilege entirely – much as she expected nothing would truly erase her own, no matter what hardships she faced. Nevertheless, the fierce heat in his eyes spoke of nothing fond, nothing kind: she didn't know for sure what his intentions might be, but she certainly could guess at them easily enough.

"Leave this room at once," she hissed. "Important things are at stake, and I have no time for whatever it is you came to…"

"Oh… I know there's a lot at stake. Of course I do," Chan responded, still proud, hands on his hips. "Believe it or not, I was asked to be part of this meeting as well due to my talent, my lightning-fast rise through the ranks of the military…"

"You… what? You're… supposed to be in this meeting?" Azula asked, scowling. He snickered. "That… that's a really bad joke. The one about 'sandyland' was already bad enough, but you just…"

"Aw, still remember that? My, my, you really had a soft spot for me…!"

"It was probably the smartest thing you've ever said, and it was still stupid beyond compare," Azula hissed. He laughed, shaking his head.

"Well, keep on thinking I'm stupid all you like… but you're stupider still, if that's how it is. Because oh, you tore me down, you struck me when I was at my peak, you took EVERYTHING from me! But oh, I fought back. I earned it back after toil and trouble and struggles you can't so much as imagine! And so… here I am now. Ready to face you… ready to claim a revenge five years in the making, and this time, as Captain Chan, rather than just…"

"Rather than just as Admiral Chan's son, Chan?" Azula said, with a derisive, dismissive smirk much more unpleasant than his own.

The proud man before her froze up, grimacing over her mockery. He raised a hand, as though to lecture her, but his tan cheeks flushed over her low blow.

"I wasn't merely…! I was actually…! Whatever, the point is, you made me the man I am today and you will pay the price for it!" Chan almost squeaked by now, tightening a hand into a fist. "I have waited for this moment for a very long time. And you…!"

"And I… what?" Azula blinked blankly, staring at him in disbelief. "I'm about to pay… what kind of price for what I've done to you, exactly?"

"W-well…!" Chan blinked blankly, his menacing finger pointed in her direction. Azula snorted.

"This can't be happening…" she said, a hand over her head as her restless heart grew more anxious by the minute:

It truly was Chan, the fool she had been betrothed to briefly, so long ago. He had been sent to join the military, she remembered hearing as much… but she never thought she'd see him again. She never thought their paths would cross. Frankly, she never thought about him much, if at all, since tearing apart his career in the Gladiator League and dissolving their engagement.

But there he stood, and the more she stared at him, the more she resented herself for having thought foolishly that he could be Sokka – the spark of deep intelligence in Sokka's eyes was utterly absent in Chan's. Her feeble hopes of finding her lover again had no small part to play in her near-confusion over Chan… but not only was it deeply disappointing not to find Sokka, it was all the worse that it would be Chan instead of him. Chan… she could barely give her eyes credit, or her reality, for that matter: of all Fire Nation soldiers she could have bumped into, why him?

"Alright… let me summarize this: you fought and connived and struggled to rise in the ranks of the army, all be it so one day you could face me and tell me that you… fought, connived, struggled and rose in the ranks of the army?" Azula asked, eyeing him in disbelief. "That's… seriously your great revenge against me? Talking to me?"

"W-well… maybe! You ridiculed me! You insulted me! You thought I wouldn't amount to anything!" Chan huffed, glaring at her fiercely. "And now… you've been proven wrong!"

"Ah. Woe is me. Congratulations on such a grand achievement! Now please get out of here and leave the war planning to competent, highly-ranked soldiers who know better than to pick a fight with their actual commanding officer."

She raised her voice at the end of her sentence, imposing further authority into her words upon doing so: as shocking as it was to bump into Chan, of all people, in this specific situation, Azula had no interest in wasting more time than necessary bickering with the fool…

Such was her luck. Of all places, of all people she could bump into here… and Chan happened to be one of the brigade captains of Yu Dao's defense. It felt like a bad joke. It had to be one. She truly couldn't fathom it being anything else… but there he stood, unmistakably himself, perhaps more experienced, more adult in his features – though his behavior left much to be desired on that front anyhow – and with a drive and determination that had been entirely absent in his past. Only, he seemed hellbent on applying those qualities to matters that certainly didn't require them, in Azula's earnest opinion…

"I already told you…" Chan said, tugging at his armor smugly. "That I was personally asked to be part of this meeting, by none other than the Mayor himself. Therefore, as much as you may not like it…"

"I certainly don't like it, and you're making me like it less and less with every passing moment," Azula said. "There's no chance this mission will pay off if someone like you is supposed to be part of carrying it forward, therefore…"

"Hey! I've handled all my missions flawlessly so far, I'll have you know!" Chan declared, pompously. "In fact? My personal file is in that pile of documents you've got right there, ready for you to feast your eyes upon it. All my achievements, all my promotions, all the missions I've been on…!"

"Oh, really?" Azula said, her voice charged with skepticism.

"Really!" Chan declared, proudly. "And on top of that? I don't think, Princess, that you're in any position to be picky about who you work with: you only have a set number of soldiers at your service, and I happen to be one of them. The Fire Nation army is always spread too thin, isn't it? Therefore, you can't afford to antagonize me or to send me away, because I'm a legitimate member of the Fire Nation's army, and a highly respected captain! I reached the heights I have on my own merits…!"

"That'd be a first for you," Azula said, with a deadpan voice, though Chan ignored her.

"And you'll see for yourself just how talented I truly am once I offer my services in the defense of this city," Chan said, with a proud smile. "In short? You're stuck with me, Princess. Whether you like it or not."

"Right. And you're stuck with me. I was pretty sure you were the one who wouldn't like that," Azula said, with an unpleasant smile of her own: her remark actually erased Chan's grin. "Why, exactly, do you think you're in a good position here, Chan? I'm not in Yu Dao for sightseeing: I'm here to command this warfront. As decreed by the Fire Lord himself."

"Heh. You sure mocked me for being so clingy to my dad, but you're not much better…" he said, with a sing-song voice. Azula's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Carry on testing my patience, Chan, why don't you?" she hissed. "You know what I'm capable of, I've ruined your life before…"

"Twice!" Chan huffed, outraged.

"Want to make it three times instead?" Azula asked. Chan winced.

"I didn't say that, just… clarified you'd done it twice, is all."

"Well, then, if you really don't want that, stop giving me reasons to ship you off to the frontlines as bait so that Jeong Jeong can be distracted by tearing you to pieces while we ambush and overcome his troops, will you?" Azula said, with a dry grin. Chan winced, but he shook his head proudly.

"Heh! If you did that, I would die a martyr and be remembered forever as the great captain Chan, who…!"

"You won't be remembered: I'll make sure the records get your name wrong and you'll be forgotten by history."

"What the…?! Hey! That's way evil! Too evil!" Chan winced, looking at her in chagrin. Azula blinked blankly, an eyebrow rising over her forehead.

"And here I thought, if just for a fleeting moment… that maybe being in the army had done you good. But apparently it just emboldened you and you're still every bit as foolish as you ever were," Azula rolled her eyes, rubbing her forehead with her fingertips. Chan scoffed. "Seriously: weren't you convinced that I'm evil incarnate well before this encounter? Why is it such a surprise now, exactly?"

"B-because…! Because I've proven myself!"

"No, you haven't," Azula said, bluntly. Chan huffed.

"I have, if not to you, or at least, not yet! I have a perfect record as a soldier, and you can read it right there! It's sitting among your documents…!"

"You already said that."

"Oh. I did. B-but that's still the point! Read that and figure out what a great leader I've been to my troops!" Chan huffed. "I graduated from the academy with high honors! I've put a lot of work into becoming a man unlike any you've ever met before! This… this is my revenge! Showing you just what a great man you could've married if you hadn't been such a…!"

"A?" Azula asked, with a slow smile when he paused on his tracks. "Do continue, Chan: what was I, exactly?"

"A… a… s-stubborn lady," Chan deflated, and Azula actually laughed. "It's not funny! You're supposed to be upset about it, and…! And you're supposed to look at everything you missed out on! I had a lot of potential, still do, and I'll fulfill it, and you'll see it happen, and you'll regret everything you failed to acknowledge in me so long ago…!"

"Oh, sure, I'll regret it so much, I already do…" Azula chuckled, shaking her head as she rubbed her brow with her fingertips. "Goodness, I shouldn't have put so many efforts into thwarting you when I did. It filled you with a grandiose sense of self-importance that couldn't be further from reality…"

"I-I…!" Chan whimpered, glaring at her. "Whatever you say, the point is I've done great for myself!"

"Well, that's just fine, congratulations!" Azula said, her voice charged with sarcasm. "So this is the full extent of your great revenge, then? Proving that you're a perfectly decent guy who somehow picks fights with people who don't believe that?"

"No, I pick fights with people who messed up my life, broke my nana's vase…!"

"More like your nana's house, frankly, why's the vase so important compared to…?"

"And ultimately, you just deserve to feel bad for everything you inflicted upon me!" Chan huffed, raising his head haughtily. "Isn't it outrageous to see that your intervention in my life actually made me… stronger?!"

"Uh… huh?" Azula said, with an awkward smile: the grin faded into a full-blown grimace when Chan raised his arm quite boldly in front of her, flexing his muscles proudly.

"And I mean that literally, too! You liked my arms, I remember you did," he said, smugly. "Well, they're even buffer now than they used to be! And you're the one who made me stronger, so see? Your wickedness has rebounded, and I have grown from it! I've thrived in it! Even my arms have!"

"So proud of them, are you?" Azula said, blinking blankly. Chan smirked.

"Shouldn't I be?" he said.

"I've seen better."

"W-wha…?! Hey! W-what do you mean by that?!" Chan exclaimed, horrified by Azula's deadpan remark. She simply folded her arms over her chest, without a care in the world.

"I suppose showing off your arms was part of the revenge plan, too?" Azula said, with a slow smile. "Amazing. I'm… so very impressed."

"You… you just said you've seen better! You're not impressed at all!"

"Oh, now I'm impressed alright, looks like you've made strides when it comes to identifying sarcasm," Azula said, with actual amusement. "Well, if nothing else, I should thank you for giving me something to laugh about, didn't really expect that to happen when I came to Yu Dao, but…"

"You… I'm a respectable member of the Fire Nation army!" Chan huffed, marching up to the table and rummaging through the files upon it. Azula stared at him skeptically as he did so, pouting and mumbling under his breath. "Aha! Here it is!"

"Tell me, did you personally ensure that your file would be…?"

"Of course I did!"

Azula's disbelieving grimace didn't mean anything to the man beside her: he shook the report before her eyes, head held high with undisguised pride.

"And it's not only the contents of this report, which was written by other hands, but the fact that I intend to write my memories as well," he declared. Azula snorted. "I already started, even!"

"My, my. If your memory's as good as the rest of your brain, I'm not quite sure how long that specific book is going to be…"

"It's…! Well, I've written five pages so far, but that's just an outline anyhow! I'll start the real deal after this mission's over, and it's going to chronicle every detail on how I got back at you for all your cruelty! How I overcame your devious plans to ruin my life! How I proved stronger and mightier than the very Princess of the Fire Nation!" Chan declared, stomping proudly on the floor, hands on his hips once more.

"How many idiots will be quite so full of themselves as to grow convinced that I had to work so very hard to ruin their lives…?" Azula sighed, eyeing Chan with undisguised exhaustion. "It wasn't even that noteworthy of a life. Messing it up didn't take that much effort."

"It didn't, now?" Chan huffed. "So, you're pretending you found a gladiator effortlessly and then challenged me and trapped me just as effortlessly, is that how it is?"

"Considering what every challenge I've faced since then has shaped up to be like?" Azula said, with a dry grin. "Yes, you're scarcely a footnote at this point, Chan. That's the unfortunate truth."

His outrage was apparent right away, even though he appeared speechless over her harsh declaration: were the situation any different, Azula might have regretted shooting down Chan's inflated sense of self, if only slightly… but she certainly couldn't bring herself to do so when the circumstances that had brought them together anew were not the sort where jokes of this nature would ever make sense.

"Now, then, could you please set aside your childish tantrums and understand that we're here to fight a war?" Azula said, with a dry grin. Chan huffed. "Or would you rather join the enemy forces so that you may aid them in tearing me apart? Is that how deep your resentment goes? Would you forsake the Fire Nation just because I'm its Princess, Chan?"

She could have sworn he actually pondered it, for a moment: his face was a mask of disgruntlement… but one that shifted to irritable resignation before long.

"I wouldn't. But it's not because of you," he huffed. "I… will prove myself, I said. You will regret everything you've done to me once you see what a capable officer I am, and I shall do so by fighting in this battle. I will be the most outstanding soldier altogether…!"

"Right," Azula said, skeptical. "Though: you want me to regret ruining your life by showing me what a great soldier you've made of yourself ever since I ruined it? By being helpful and serving the Fire Nation properly?"

"Indeed," Chan said, proudly.

"That… is quite counterintuitive," Azula said, with a slight smile. "You're trying to convince me to regret it… but if you are useful, you'll only end up proving that I was right to ruin your life so that you could serve your nation in a capacity that you flat-out wouldn't have, had your days of leisurely existence in Ember Island never ended. How does that make sense?"

"I… T-that…!" Chan started, raising a hand again as horror slowly dawned over his face. Azula crooked an eyebrow.

"I shall be very grateful if you contribute properly to the war effort by helping me protect the city of Yu Dao…" Azula said: Chan's gradual realization of the absurdity of his plan was truly hilarious to witness quite so directly, even if she reminded herself again that the situation truly shouldn't call for much amusement… "But that, above all else, is why I'm here: either you learn to set aside your resentment towards me, as justified as it may be, or you'll have no real chances to prove any of what you want to. I'm entirely serious."

"W-well, I'm serious too, but…!" Chan said, gritting his teeth. "I didn't think of all of that, is all. I… uh, truth is, I didn't really plan it like this. The way I envisioned it, you would hear of my exploits and not know who I was for years, so that, when the day came and I was granted the highest of honors by the Fire Lord for my services, you'd be entirely shocked to recognize just how far I could go…"

"Quite the fantasy," Azula said, bleakly. "Too bad it can't be done anymore, huh? But all that actually matters now is whether you're going to obey my orders and do as I say or not, Captain Chan."

She spoke the title with noticeable disdain, as though it was giving him too much credit. Chan grimaced, eyeing her resentfully, hands folded over his chest.

"I… will do what any great captain of my stature is expected to. Regardless of our past history," Chan said, haughtily. "Can you put that aside as well and take me seriously as a member of the armed forces at your disposition, or…?"

"I certainly can, provided you don't make a fool of yourself," Azula said, harshly. Chan grimaced.

"Well, I won't!" he huffed. "I'll have my revenge by ensuring to never become what you've persistently believed I am! You'll see at last…!"

"Your animosity towards me isn't even close to a priority for me, but so be it…" Azula groaned, turning towards her papers again: Chan, however, seemed poised to keep rambling and, in doing so, earning none of the respect or fear he wanted to elicit from the Princess.

"You'll see, you could've brought all of this out of me in a much more reasonable way if you'd just asked nicely, see? And oh, what could have been between us, well… that's a whole other matter, I suppose, but surely…" Chan said, with a smug smirk: Azula's disgusted grimace spoke for itself. "What? Why're you looking at me like that? We both know I'm a great catch!"

"If I had thought so, I would have condemned you to a miserable marriage to me long ago," Azula said, with a dry grin: Chan winced. "And you would have spent the rest of your days asking the universe whatever you had done to deserve such anguish. Or are you quite sure you could've kept up with me, Captain Chan?"

"I… I… I could've, uh, tried…?" he said, though the direction the conversation had suddenly gone in clearly wasn't making him comfortable. Azula smirked.

"And you would have failed. But that's neither here nor there," she said. "Enough pointless talk, though: if you have anything noteworthy to bring to my attention regarding this mission, besides the revenge plot you keep droning on and on about, do so right now. Otherwise…"

"Oh, I do indeed! Please, begin reading the document of my exploits and achievements, and I'll go in-depth about each of my missions so you can understand the areas of expertise at which I've excelled for the past years," Chan said, with a smug smirk. Azula eyed him skeptically.

"Your sense of self has certainly grown more inflated than ever in that time, hasn't it?" she asked, picking up the document regardless. "Well, then, suit yourself: you had an… escort mission. In which you escorted crates. And you accompanied the Mayor when he inaugurated the third house of the Yu Dao orphanage. You… assorted weapons. Huh. That's quite remarkable…"

"It really is!" Chan exclaimed: as usual, her sarcasm went entirely over his head.

"How fascinating: I think I'll just set this one aside and read it right before bedtime, how about that?" Azula said, with a dry grin: she placed the report by itself, at a corner of the table, before focusing on the others anew: Chan yelped.

"W-wait! But you didn't even get to the part where I served in a dangerous supply mission to Ba Sing Se two years ago!"

"Why would it be dangerous to do that two years ago? It'd have been dangerous now, not when the city was strictly in Fire Nation control…"

"It was dangerous because we were attacked by deadly bandits! One of my men lost a leg! It was due to my extraordinary physique that I was able to pick him up and rush to the nearest healer at haste! That's the only reason why he could be salvaged at all!"

"Sounds like a tragedy rather than something to take such pride on, but good on you for saving him," Azula said, with a dry grin. Chan smiled smugly. "That's it then?"

"W-well, no! I had the best records in the academy for strength-based training, and I've served as a sentry, and as a scout, and…!"

Azula sighed: he would never shut up. He truly wouldn't. She had no time for his ego trip, no more interest in it beyond confirming, by his entirely childish attitude, that he seemed more hellbent on despising her due to their past history than due to her far more recent public disgraces. Perhaps that subject would come up eventually, perhaps Chan hadn't even heard that Azula had a particularly close relationship with her gladiator, perhaps…

All thoughts of the matter froze, however, once she heard a new set of footsteps rushing towards the room.

"I was also quite talented at animal handling, the messenger hawks only bit me twice in all that time, they bit everyone else all the time," Chan retold, laughing and shaking his head as Azula's attention drifted away from him entirely, glancing at the threshold of the room right away this time. "There was this one time, you know, when Wei Lan was still using that weird turtle-duck shell charm, that one of the hawks, it totally thought he had an actual turtle-duck in his pocket and it just started trying to…!"

The new arrival came into view… and Azula's heart tightened, much as it soared, once she recognized this person right away, far more quickly than she had with Chan.

A young woman stopped at the threshold of the room, after having raced there at haste.

Tears blinked in Kori Morishita's eyes: the earthbender before her watched her with the usual admiration she had always reserved for Azula, the hopeful gaze that gave away her deep relief upon seeing her again.

"Kori," Azula said impulsively, and Chan's rant didn't stop even then.

"… Bird was just all over the place, you know, attacking and pricking him all over the place, caught his ear and tore it, even! It was so funny…!"

Kori breathed heavily, covering her mouth with a hand. Her attempt to retain her common sense, her dignity, fell entirely over to the wayside: without saying a single word, without expressing any of the powerful emotions tearing through her, she rushed into the room with quick footing and she threw her arms around her admired Fire Nation Princess.

That, at last, silenced Chan. His story wasn't close to finished yet… but it faded from his mind entirely as his face shifted into utter horror: the Princess was being hugged. Someone was reckless, so damn reckless, as to hug Princess Azula. How could anyone…?

It was the Mayor's daughter.

He yelped, pulling back in sheer horror, panicking and immediately striking up a defensive position: whatever he expected Azula to do, though, the Princess shot him a glare before wrapping her own arms around the young woman who sobbed on her shoulder.

"Kori, I… I'm glad to see you again," Azula managed, unsure of what to say just yet: their last encounter had been so abysmal, so utterly depressing, that she hardly knew how to address it.

"I'm so glad too! I…! Oh, Princess, I thought I'd never have the chance…!" Kori's shoulders shook with every sob as she clung to her tightly: despite herself, Azula smiled as she patted the earthbender's back kindly.

Naturally, no one was more shocked by the reencounter between the two women than Chan: his careless rambling about his fellow recruits was suddenly cut off by the astounding, terror-inducing scene before his eyes. His immediate impulse was to urge Kori to get away from the Princess, to warn her that any vulnerabilities, any interest she showed in her, would be exploited… and yet there was a part of his mind, perhaps the only wise part, in fact, that warned him, in turn, that he understood nothing. That he didn't know how these two knew each other, or what kind of bond existed between them. Maybe he truly was special for the Princess… maybe he was the one person she treated with that much disdain and hostility. The thought had never really occurred to him, but it flashed in his mind briefly as he stood in place, slack-jawed, unable to utter any sound other than measly whimpers that would surely annoy the Princess sooner than later…

But for now, Azula ignored him, instead comforting Kori as best she could: she had hoped that the young woman would support her faithfully through anything. Confirming as much was a great relief, naturally, but she had trusted that would be the case, nonetheless.

"It's okay, Kori…" Azula whispered. "I'm okay. Well… as much as I can be."

"I know, I… I'm so sorry," Kori said, pulling back, tears still spilling down her face as her hands lingered on Azula's shoulders. "T-that day, on the wedding, I… I really wanted to do more for you, I did, but…"

"I would have been far more anguished if you had," Azula said, with a sad smile. Kori froze up. "It was… a really dark moment, really dark days. My father wouldn't have forgiven or overlooked anything that went against his expectations, especially on that day. So… you were much better off by not doing anything. I'd rather you're safe than sacrificing yourself pointlessly to help me somehow."

"I… I guess, but you would do anything to help and save others, I know you would," Kori sniffed. "It feels like… like, as usual, I can't even measure up to you. I know I said I'd stop comparing myself to you, but still…"

"Don't," Azula said, clasping Kori's hands. "I've made mistakes you can't even begin to fathom, Kori. If your life's more composed than mine… then you've far outdone me, as far as I can tell."

"B-but…" Kori sniffed, looking at her helplessly. "We need you. The city is going to be under attack, under siege any day now. I don't feel like my life's composed at all, I… the moment I heard you'd be coming here, all I could feel was hope. I didn't just want to see you again… I believed in you. I knew you could help my home. I've always believed…"

"I know. You've always believed in me," Azula said, with an earnest smile. "I hope… I hope I'll be able to prove worthy of that loyalty. But there's a lot of work to do first, so…"

"Yes, I know, I… yes," Kori wiped her eyes again and smiled weakly at Azula. "I'm so glad, though. I'm really happy that I could see you again…"

She didn't truly care about how inappropriate it might be to hug the Princess: Kori dared do it again, and this time Azula smiled more genuinely as she did: in many ways, Kori hadn't changed much over the years, loyally looking up to her even when Azula felt unworthy of it. There were countless questions Azula had to ask her, though, and most of all, a major favor she had to request from her… for now, though, she had to keep it to herself: the persistent stare of an irritating soldier quickly compelled her to rebuild her walls, shooting a wary glare in his direction.

"W-why are you…? W-what are you…?" Chan finally spoke again, startling Kori.

"Captain Chan…?" Kori said, pulling back, slightly flustered as she dabbed at her eyes again. "G-goodness, I'm sorry. I didn't notice you were there…"

"Y-yeah, well, here I was. All along. And you just… d-did you just…?" Chan's eyebrow twitched as his eyes shifted between the two women. Kori bit her lip.

"I know that wasn't very professional of me, b-but, well… the Princess and I are friends, and it's been too long since we last met," Kori said, breathing deeply. "Well, maybe it wasn't that long, it just feels like it was, after everything that's happened the past year…"

"Friends?" Chan repeated, with an awkward smile. Azula's glare in his direction gained further strength. "W-what is that supposed to mean, you're friends with…?"

"I'd have thought someone as popular as you would be slightly acquainted, at least, with the concept of friendship, but I can't be too surprised to learn that you're not," Azula huffed: her harshness surprised Kori, who looked at her with raised eyebrows. "This is none of your business, Chan. Stay out of it."

"Oh, it wouldn't be, if it didn't involve you! How does she know you're not going to set her house on fire, huh?" Chan huffed. "You're tricking her, that's all you're doing! Playing with her head, convincing her that you're her friend when you're just waiting for the moment to…!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Kori blinked blankly. "Captain Chan, you… what's wrong with you?"

"W-what do you mean, with me?" Chan winced, startled by how affronted the Mayor's daughter appeared to be. "Lady Kori, I know you mustn't be seeing things clearly, but I know the Princess far better than you do, I'm sure of that…"

"Chan: you and I had only met twice in our lives," Azula scoffed, startling him. Kori grimaced, glancing at her. "What makes you think you know even the first thing about me, when you didn't even realize I was the Princess until the last, I don't know, ten minutes of our last encounter, well over five years ago?"

"I… w-well…!" Chan winced, cheeks tinged red as Kori blinked blankly.

"I guess you really must have made a big impression if he feels like he knows you that well?" Kori said, smiling weakly at Azula. She sighed and shook her head.

"I'm not even going to pretend I was ever nice with him, I certainly wasn't, but his presumptuousness is rather unnerving. It's almost as though he thought my entire life is about sabotaging his," Azula said. Kori snorted and shook her head.

"Guess he really doesn't know you that well," she said. "Though I'm surprised to see him behaving like this. He's been a pretty decent captain so far…"

"I… uh, I have been one! Yes!" Chan said, clearing his throat and standing upright properly again. "I was just surprised, alright? I had no idea people would be this openly affectionate with, uh… a princess. But, of course, that's no reflection on me as a soldier, it never could be! I'm an upstanding officer…!"

Azula sighed, rolling her eyes as Kori smiled at her. Things certainly had changed if the Princess would be free enough to be exasperated by the antics of a fool she hardly had been acquainted with… though he certainly acted as though they had a long, established history instead. Kori couldn't help but wonder why he was so certain that he knew the Princess so much better than everyone else did…

More footsteps approached the room by then, and Chan flinched out of place, rushing to the seat he was supposed to take: Mayor Morishita and numerous others had arrived. The man entered the room first, smiling at Azula and Kori, reaching to clasp his daughter's hand and rejoicing quietly in her reunion with her friend.

"We are ready to begin, Princess," he told her: a number of military officials filed into the room behind him, most of whom offered Azula deep reverences before taking their stances by their respective chairs.

Azula took her seat at the head of the table: she had presided a meeting of this nature once before, when she had been substituting for her father. The people around her, back then, had been either completely trustworthy or highly experienced: their goals had aligned, and they had succeeded at crafting plans to stop Rhone's rampage all across the Fire Nation Capital. This time, there was at least one person in the meeting she didn't trust in the slightest, as well as several officers she didn't know… Kori and her father were her most reliable allies here, if anything. One of her father's highly ranked officials was here too: her eyes fell upon Colonel Shinu, who bowed respectfully in her direction, and apprehension surged in her chest as they joined her by sitting at the long table, following her example. Other assigned military leaders, as appointed by her father, would see to providing further aid, as was promised in the war meeting… but that wouldn't be happening for a few days, at least… she breathed deeply as she rearranged the papers before her, pointedly setting Chan's file at the very bottom of the pile.

"Very well. Let's begin with introductions," Azula said, scanning the members of this exclusive meeting. "Name, rank and unit, if you would."

Everyone introduced themselves as expected, and Azula made mental notes of each of them, eyes scanning across the room with precision, even as those she already knew announced themselves. Once they were done, she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Very well. We should begin with the scouting information," she said. "What is the estimated time for the arrival of hostile forces in Pohuai Stronghold?"

"Due to the size of the troops and the speed at which they've moved so far, expectations are that they will arrive within three weeks, at best," said the communications' officer, Commander Haidong. "One airship they captured is moving along with them. It will be one more element to take into account when planning our defenses."

Azula breathed deeply and nodded. That particular twist wasn't entirely surprising, though it also represented a bothersome element to brace themselves for throughout their battle to protect Yu Dao.

"Is Pohuai Stronghold prepared to delay their advance?" Azula asked. Colonel Shinu cleared his throat.

"We have prepared the blasting jelly and we intend to use it to tear down the stronghold in itself, should they invade it," he clarified. "We can also set it up in strategic locations over the nearby mountains. Using them to create a rockslide was a notion that crossed our minds…"

"Don't bother," Azula said, curtly. Shinu eyed her with uncertainty. "The enemy has numerous earthbenders in their ranks. Wasting resources to create a collapse of earth would most likely be meaningless. The only known metalbender in their ranks is near Gaoling, rather than anywhere north, therefore, the Stronghold's infrastructure should still serve its purpose, provided you utilize it safely. How many forces are there at your disposal?"

"Due to the number of Yu-Yan archers we were forced to send north, by the Fire Lord's command…" Shinu said, with evident displeasure, "I'm afraid we are down to thirty-three archers at this time."

Azula scowled: it was almost an insignificant number, considering the thousands of enemies they would be facing… most of all, if some approached through the air, and others through water too.

"That's not very promising," Azula admitted.

"I'm aware, Princess, I… I'm sorry for that," Shinu said. "I intend to return to the Stronghold soon and devise more strategies to protect our position, but at risk of sounding defeatist…"

"You might sound defeatist indeed, but it's realism speaking instead," Azula acknowledged, surprising Shinu. "You and I faced Jeong Jeong in these territories once before: he knows them thoroughly, better than your best soldiers ever did. And he didn't have as many forces backing him then as he does now."

"There are waterbenders among their ranks," Commander Haidong reported, grimacing. "The Stronghold is near water, too. Any mishaps, and they might even use the water to wear down the building, like what happened in…"

"The airship factory, in the Capital's outskirts," Azula finished. Haidong nodded promptly.

"The situation doesn't seem sustainable at all, Princess, but I have no intentions of surrendering without a fight," said Shinu, stubbornly. "I… I will, however, defer to your judgment."

Azula frowned, eyeing him with long-earned skepticism, seemingly preserved across many years, awaiting a moment such as this. Shinu's small eyes were filled with remorse, a most unexpected sight…

"Even if that judgment urged me to withdraw you and all your troops from the Stronghold at once?" Azula asked. Shinu flinched… but he bowed his head in deference.

"Indeed, Princess."

His compliance was no doubt the result of long-standing guilt… but again, a gnawing, unpleasant feeling in Azula's gut seemed to insist that this wasn't right. This situation was entirely out of place: did Shinu not know that Sokka was the leader of the enemy's army? Did he not know anything about her relationship to him? Or was he simply overlooking all of that? Was her father still keeping everything quiet, even from someone like him? She couldn't even remember if Shinu had been present in the war meeting where Ozai had attempted to publicly humiliate her… if he had been, was that why he was choosing to respect her? Did he understand that she took the safety of her people seriously, so much so that he would overlook her connection with Sokka?

"Well, then…" Azula said, breathing deeply. "The resources we have requested from our new weapons supplier should begin arriving within less than three weeks. Most the weapons in question will be utilized in the direct defense of Yu Dao: if something can be spared for the Stronghold's defense, it shall be used for that purpose. In case nothing does, I advise that you and your troops prepare a long-range ballista, presumably with projectiles loaded with the blasting jelly, and attempt to use that to take down the airship, should it come close enough to reach you."

"Huh?" Shinu gasped. Azula eyed him sternly. "Well… we could attempt that, yes."

"That's the primary purpose of the Stronghold," Azula said. "This is the main advantage you can provide for the defense of Yu Dao: if the airship falls, it may just slow down their conquest, if only slightly. Wage a battle against their forces if you can, use your environment at your leisure: do not overstay your welcome, however. I will give orders for my guards to be ready to take the train-tank to the Stronghold once more."

"The train-tank?" Kori repeated, perplex.

"A vehicle of the Mechanist's creation," Azula explained. "My former guards used it to reach the Stronghold within hours, it can still serve that purpose now: this time, however, the train-tank will serve to enable the escape of your troops, Colonel Shinu. Once the battle is lost, as it most likely will be, considering the magnitude of their forces, you and every last soldier in the Stronghold will be evacuated back to Yu Dao at once. Understood?"

"I… yes. Absolutely," Shinu said, eyes wide. "You would rather we didn't fight to our deaths, then…"

"Your deaths would not be of any service to the Fire Nation: your life is far more valuable, far more useful, far more likely to create opportunities for us to overcome our enemies," Azula said, pragmatically. All those present eyed her with confusion, perplex by the compassion she displayed, for it was entirely encased in cold steel. "Spend the course of the next weeks preparing the best defenses you can, be it through volatile weapons, the blasting jelly or whatever you may need: you'll be evacuating the non-essential members of your staff gradually throughout that time, too. The more lives we can preserve, the stronger our defense shall be in Yu Dao."

"Very… very well, Princess. It shall be done," Shinu said, bowing his head once more.

"As for evacuations," Azula said, skimming over another document. "Mayor Morishita: you've prepared locations across the city and its outskirts to receive refugees, I take it?"

"I have indeed," Mayor Morishita confirmed. "Several towns and villages near Yu Dao have been evacuated by now, but… well, I'm afraid it hasn't been completely effective."

"Some resist and refuse to leave?" Azula asked.

"It may be necessary to send a stronger military force to ensure these evacuations are carried out properly," said another officer, Captain Shiyou.

"No," Azula said, startling him and most people around the table. "Evacuations are voluntary and up to each individual and their families. We will not forcefully evacuate any of them out of their homes."

"But it's for their own safety…" Shiyou said. Azula shook her head anew.

"You forget… what a Fire Nation colony truly is," Azula said. "Loyalty to the Fire Nation may be strong in Yu Dao: even then, I doubt it's unanimous. To some, the Fire Nation's conquest is unwelcome and the rebels represent a return to the past they believe in faithfully: forcing them out of their homes against their will is only bound to increase their animosity and resentment, and convince them to support the rebels, should they succeed at storming the city. Our primary intent is to protect our people: if those who haven't become Honorary Citizens would choose our protection over their war effort, we would protect them all the same. If someone chooses them over us, however? We let them go. They would be far more detrimental than helpful in our war effort anyway."

"Are you sure?" Chan asked, puzzled. Azula crooked an eyebrow as she eyed him skeptically. "I mean, aren't we just giving them free soldiers if we do that…?"

"Aren't we just giving them free spies if we don't?" Azula asked, with a dry grin. "You want Earth Kingdom loyalists serving side by side with you on those walls? You'll have a knife in your back before you know it."

Her argument was quite convincing this time, so much so that Chan winced and fell silent. Azula breathed deeply, shaking her head.

"Ultimately, it's up to them to decide who they would rather put their faith in," she said. "You cannot save someone who doesn't wish to be saved. Ensure to convey to your soldiers that evacuations will be voluntary, Mayor. If citizens and townsfolk choose to trust that the enemy forces will leave their homes and lands untouched, so be it. Yu Dao is under our protection, though, and our forces will focus here. As far as I can remember, there were a handful of troops stationed in nearby locations, such as Makapu Village…"

"They have been recalled to join the war effort in Yu Dao, yes," said Mayor Morishita. Azula nodded.

"Very well," she said. Whether they needed their protection or not, Azula supposed the Fortuneteller and her people wouldn't miss the presence of the gruff, unfriendly soldiers who had been stationed in their town. "The Fire Lord has tasked General Ling to oversee the regrouping of our forces in the colonies, so with any luck, our numbers will increase some more over the next weeks. In terms of preparing for the battle in Yu Dao, the defenses we will establish shall require… more effort, I fear, than what I initially suspected. We have to protect more than the city: the harbor, as well, must remain safe. The enemy forces will have two goals: the first is to put an end to all Fire Nation governments across the colonies and restore the fallen Earth Kingdom. The second may be less intuitive, and yet perhaps more urgent: the enemy will attempt to strike at the heart of the Fire Nation, and to do so, they require ships to carry their troops all the way to the Fire Nation Capital."

"They're going to attack the…?" Kori said, eyes wide.

"Would they be so reckless?" asked Colonel Shinu.

"At this point, it would not be recklessness," Azula said. "The blow against our navy in the last battle in the Northern Water Tribe is so severe that the hostile rebels will find no better opportunity to strike against us than now. They won't allow us to restore our forces, to replenish our navy's ranks, if they can help it: thus, we cannot fathom allowing them to confiscate any of our remaining ships, be it civilian, cargo or military ships. Yu Dao's harbor will be kept safe, and we will deny them one source of commandeered naval mobility as best as we're able."

"U-understood," Mayor Morishita said, gritting his teeth: surely he had only focused on protecting the city itself, perhaps doubting that any resources should be spent past it…

"From my understanding… there's a considerable number of earthbenders in our service?" Azula asked. Kori nodded.

"I'm leading them myself. Officially," she said. Azula raised an eyebrow.

"That's good news," she said. Kori offered her a small smile. "How many earthbenders are you working with, as of right now?"

"There were fifty-nine in the defense forces, thirteen among the Enforcers," Kori explained. Azula's heart tingled in a foolish, hopeful way upon hearing that last word. "Once we learned of the threat the Deserter's forces posed, we've asked for volunteers to defend the city and twenty-five stepped forward, so… as of right now, we're ninety-seven."

Azula breathed deeply and nodded: not a weak number, certainly far better than the Yu-Yan archers… made all the better due to the broad usefulness of earthbenders in combat, which was far more extensive and allowed for numerous creative possibilities.

"Very well. I'll require a lot of work from your earthbenders in preparing the initial defenses of Yu Dao," Azula told her, and Kori nodded promptly. "My plan, so far, was to create a minefield with the volatile bombs that will be provided to us. The minefield would surround the city, and now its outskirts as well, to ensure that any approach by the enemy forces will be costly. Now, though… there's much we need to prepare for. The Deserter will have earthbenders of his own, as well as waterbenders, even firebenders: as far as I understand, they are likely to bring siege weaponry upon the Stronghold as well as the city itself. Should most of it be broken in the Stronghold, it will count as a valuable victory for us. Otherwise, we will face difficulties in case there are any long-ranged catapults or so that might be able to tear down our walls."

"We can resort to defensive strategies to protect walls," said Captain Shiyou. "Lady Morishita's earthbenders could help with building ditches around the walls, perhaps…"

"Ditches…" Azula said, nodding slightly. "Tunnels, too, from where we can prevent underground attacks. As far as I understand, the bulk of the damage done in both Ba Sing Se and Omashu was through underground incursions by enemy earthbenders. We would need a defense system powerful enough to deter them from heading underground… so, presumably, safe tunnels from where our forces may be able to collapse theirs, should they start building any."

"Tunnels, then," Kori said, frowning. "We should be able to build them across three weeks. I hope so, anyway."

"Good. It's the plan we have at hand as of now," Azula said, breathing deeply and nodding. "I encourage all of you to bring up all plausible means of defense that can be utilized to protect this city that you can think of. If we can afford to make them a reality, our people will be better served for it."

Further discussion enlightened Azula regarding the organization and skills of the different units in service of Yu Dao's defenses: as expected, the majority of the soldiers were non-benders. Preparing them to fight with different armament than what they were used to would be challenging, but if the Mad Alchemist's creations arrived soon, Azula could only hope their adjustment to new weapons would be fairly quick. The local Enforcers were ready and eager to help defend Yu Dao as well, numerous civilians had volunteered to aid in organization and distribution of resources for all who would fight in the upcoming siege. The entire city was aware of what to expect… a vast difference compared to the Fire Nation mainland, even though Ozai had meant to begin sharing the truth regarding the threat that loomed over the Fire Nation. They might begin preparing for what was to come while she was in Yu Dao.

The meeting concluded once Azula ensured all the present officers would be ready to uphold their tasks in the preparation of defenses – even Chan was given duties, if just to join the patrols by the walls, a mission lacking in grandeur but that he appeared to be eager to perform to the best of his ability, regardless. His one and obvious qualm, of course, was the Princess's clear disinterest in reading more of his personal file as the other officers vacated the room.

"So… see? I wasn't a bother, was I?" Chan said, walking up to her with a proud grin once there weren't many people left within the room anymore. Azula sighed, shaking her head as she gathered the documents she had been supplied. "Will you read my file?"

"I have other priorities first. I trust you to patrol the walls very thoroughly," Azula said, with a dry grin. Chan huffed and nodded, a hand on his chest.

"You'll never see a more thorough patrol!"

Azula scoffed a soft laugh: Chan was quite so simple, yet a rather confusing mystery at the same time. How he thought to enact any manner of revenge on her by aiding her, she'd never know…

The one other person left in the room by then was Kori, who offered Azula a kindly smile.

"Say… you'll join us for dinner, Princess?" she asked. "My father says he invited you…"

"I… I intended to, yes," Azula nodded: she couldn't tell Kori what she actually needed from her right now, with Chan lurking so closely. "It was quite generous of your father to invite me."

"We really have a lot to catch up on, I think," Kori said, with a soft chuckle. "Would you like to join us right away, or…?"

"Yes, actually," Azula said, breathing deeply as she continued to sort through the documents – Chan groaned, again, once she set his file last. "I'd rather…"

A document she hadn't quite picked up so far caught her attention in the pile. A document with the traditional crimson borders of a Fire Lord's announcement.

Azula set down the papers again, pulling out that particular paper: a foreboding sensation crept through her heart, clawing at it dangerously, almost making her lightheaded…

It appeared that her father had come through with his determination to tell the truth, in the end, just when she had been expecting otherwise.

Successive attacks on the Fire Nation Colonies by hostile, rebel forces have resulted in unforeseen damage in the cities of Omashu and Ba Sing Se. As of this moment, this rebel army has seized political and administrative control over the two cities. The toll of dead, injured and imprisoned Fire Nation citizens remains unknown. The enemy forces have made abundantly clear that their intent is to destabilize the Fire Nation and end the Fire Lord's reign prematurely.

The Fire Nation people are discouraged to seek contact with any individuals you may have known who dwelled in these cities until the colonies have been liberated from the rebel army.

The leader of the enemy forces is best known as the Blue Wolf. He is a wanted criminal for treason, destruction of property and moral depravity. He is wanted, dead or alive: any who succeeds at his capture will receive a nobiliary title and all appropriate benefits as a reward. Caution is advised upon approach.

The Blue Wolf boasts of allies such as the Avatar, whose bending prowess is responsible for the tragic destruction of the Fire Nation's naval forces in the North Pole, including the death of Crown Prince Zhao. He is wanted, dead or alive: any who succeeds at his capture will receive a nobiliary title and all appropriate benefits as a reward. Caution is advised upon approach.

The Deserter, the former Admiral Jeong Jeong, is part of the Blue Wolf's forces: He is wanted, dead or alive: any who succeeds at his capture will receive a nobiliary title and all appropriate benefits as a reward. Caution is advised upon approach.

The Dragon of the West, former Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and now traitor and deserter to the Royal Family, is also among the Blue Wolf's forces. He is wanted, dead or alive: any who succeeds at his capture will receive a nobiliary title and all appropriate benefits as a reward. Caution is advised upon approach.

The exiled Prince Zuko, former Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and now traitor and deserter to the Royal Family, is also among the Blue Wolf's forces. He is wanted, dead or alive: any who succeeds at his capture will receive a nobiliary title and all appropriate benefits as a reward. Caution is advised upon approach.

The Fire Nation's forces shall rise against the threat of deserters, traitors and usurpers who intend to stop our Nation's glorious rise. The Fire Nation will never be deterred or stopped by the forces of sedition that attempt to defy the Fire Lord's rule. We will stop their march, and upon doing so, we shall break and obliterate the forces of rebellion that dare question the truth of the Fire Nation's destiny.

This missive is meant to inform the Fire Nation people of the events that unfolded over the past months, as well as to serve as a reminder of the Fire Nation's destiny: we will not falter against any enemies. We will not fail to fend off all threats that rise against our nation. No sacrifice for the betterment of the Fire Nation will ever be in vain. Our March of Civilization will never cease.

Azula gritted her teeth, closing her eyes as the claws of despair finished wrapping around her heart: it was done it, then.

It was easy to picture countless people in the Fire Nation, those who had boldly dared to send lanterns in Sokka's honor only a year ago, mortified upon learning that the man they had looked up to, whose mysterious fate had plagued them, was now a known enemy to the Fire Nation, leading an army to their neighbors, their families, their friends. Would Shoji still carry forward his meetings with those who had wanted to support her? Would Yang still believe wholeheartedly in his hero? Would Mei Xun change her mind about Sokka once more, deciding he was a worthless monster once again, this time a menace to the society she had hoped to protect?

Those like Mai and Ty Lee, who knew the truth in full, would be anguished to read this announcement. Their families would be, too: Mai would certainly be deeply anguished over Zuko's fate. The Head Sage… would he still trust her, believe in her, while knowing she had carried Sokka's child to term while he prepared to storm the Fire Nation with tidings of war? Would he grow to believe she was as dangerous as Zhao thought her to be? Would he continue to trust her wholeheartedly, blindly, instead?

Huiwen… would that little boy, whose father had perished in the battlefield, grow to resent the man who had once trained him? Would the soldiers who once followed Sokka on a dangerous battlefield, whose lives he had saved when Rhone attacked, believe in her father's declarations against Sokka? Would they question them, or…?

The announcement elicited countless, unsettling mysteries that would not be answered: from being a hero, admired and adored by the Fire Nation public, Sokka had now become the Fire Nation's greatest villain: her father had seen to that. His wording had implicated her, too: he had left unclear whether she had been victim or accomplice to Sokka's moral depravation, of course… but sufficient rumors abounded. Everyone would know…

She gritted her teeth, her grip on the announcement trembling: Hotaru. Of course her father as good as knew the truth about her parentage… what concerned her now was that, along with this announcement, he might have sent a more furtive one – or perhaps his wretched General of the Guards would have – demanding for information on the child's whereabouts, or even her retrieval. A massive threat loomed over the child now, for she was evidence of Azula's very own disloyalty, as well as her so-called moral depravity.

Finding safety for Hotaru was all the more urgent now. The noose was closing in, the funerary pyre merely waiting to be lit: a single mistake now, a misstep of any nature, and everything Azula had attempted to protect across the past year would be destroyed by the will of a newly merciless Fire Lord.