Earth Kingdom Rebels/New contacts
2
A deep breath…
A punch forward powered the blast of blue flames that poured out of Azula's fist.
She was focusing deeply, keeping her mind centered, but she couldn't help a smile upon finding those flames burned as brightly as they used to. After so long of fearing she might have lost her fire irremediably, her heart certainly soared whenever the azure flames came naturally to her, proving anew that they hadn't been as far out of reach as she had dreaded.
"Not bad, huh?" Azula whispered, smiling down at her closed fist.
She extended her index and middle fingers, drawing a circle with her arm and conjuring narrow, controlled flames that spread in that direction, obeying her commands smoothly. A chuckle escaped her lips – how odd that reclaiming her flames would bring her such peaceful feelings to her heart when she'd felt nothing of the sort over the past weeks…
But this was the first day of her new training regime, and while she wasn't supposed to push herself too hard, she was almost tempted to do so: the feeling of contentment, of alignment in her soul upon bending for the sake of it, was something she had taken for granted for far too long. She certainly didn't do so anymore.
She twirled in place without taking up a proper kata, simply basking in the way her fire obeyed her instinctively, following suit with her muscle memory, with the defenses, resistances, and skills she had developed across so many years of training. If she closed her eyes, she could easily forget she was in the Agni Kai Arena, and instead pretend the world hadn't changed as much, or as catastrophically, as she knew it had. She could even envision him, sword in tow, threatening to defeat her if she lowered her guard…
The image was so powerful she actually evoked what his first move would be: without thinking about it, out of sheer instinct, Azula jumped out of the way, parrying his imaginary blade with her own sword before swooping an arc of fire in the direction he'd be in, if only he were truly there…
"Azula: take it easy!"
The illusion was dispelled, replaced by a burst of embarrassment that showed itself by the flushing of Azula's cheeks. She glanced towards the viewing area: Song had been the one to warn her away from complicated maneuvers, evidently… while Rei, holding Hotaru to her chest, gaped in wonderment at her mother, jaw wide at the sight of her blue flames and the white sword she handled so deftly.
"Amazing…" Rei whispered. Song smiled, shaking her head.
"Don't encourage her, or she'll start showing off even more for your sake, Rei," she said. Rei blushed but smiled.
"I hope she won't, but… her fire is so blue," she giggled.
Azula smiled, raising a hand towards them in acknowledgement – the chamber, so large and empty, made it quite easy for her to overhear their conversations even when she wasn't supposed to.
"I'll try not to push myself too hard, I will," Azula reassured Song. "Rei, if Hotaru needs anything…"
"I'll let you know," Rei smiled: Hotaru was bundled in multiple layers of blankets right now, mainly meant to conceal her from any onlookers as they traveled to and from the Agni Kai Arena. Even though no one was bound to enter the underground room right now, with Renkai guarding its entrance, Hotaru still had to be protected and hidden away from anyone who might attempt to see her.
Ozai's official request that Azula resumed training had forced her to leave the safety of her bedroom once again, the first time since her encounter with him in his study: she had been as cautious and careful as could be, ensuring her daughter wouldn't be at risk at any point in time as they transported her to and from the underground location. Leaving her in the bedroom with Song and Rei had been a possibility, but one she hadn't been ready to risk. As much as Seethus hadn't attempted to spy on them across the past month, Azula resonated constantly to make sure that he was nowhere around. She did it again now, breathing out in relief as she identified him a few floors above them, by Ozai's side, as usual.
She stretched her body again, leaning back and forth, moving her arms in circles to warm them up further. Her training garb was light and easy to move around in, and it didn't wrap up too tightly around her body, which naturally remained out of shape, even if her pregnancy belly was gone now. Still, she was surprised to find that she could hold her sword properly, its weight barely fazing her. She could retrace the steps of katas, both with the blade and with her bending… and little by little, she moved slowly from stance to stance, summoning flames within her core that she unleashed with every stab of her free hand or her blade.
So much had changed since the last time she had practiced her firebending properly… so much was different since a day, almost a year ago, when she and Sokka had sparred in the Palace grounds just before Rhone's deadly attack. To think she hadn't been able to do this since then… it was no wonder, too, that she would feel Sokka accompanying her with every swing of her blade, with every burst of fire: he had been her most constant sparring partner, at first struggling to keep up with her if she fought at her best, eventually catching up with her to such an extent that she had grown convinced he could defeat her, if only he set his mind to it and stopped playing the fool only to amuse her. He had become so strong… she, too, had strengthened herself considerably by his side. She had to reclaim that strength now… and she was better off stopping her mind from reminding her of why, exactly, she sought it.
The three onlookers kept their gazes trained upon Azula, following her every motion. Hotaru was drawn by the brightness of the flames, while Rei could only gawk in fascination at the extraordinary skill and control displayed by her mother. Song breathed deeply, watching intently for any signs of trouble or distress, ever ready to reel Azula back into easier exercises if she went overboard. Even so, a pang of nostalgia still struck her as she recalled the easier days from only a year ago, when she could overhear Azula and Sokka's training sessions in their house's backyard…
"It's incredible. She's incredible," Rei said, smiling brightly as Azula slowed down, breathing in as she stopped bending, taking a brief break. Rei leaned forward, smiling at Hotaru, who sat on her lap. "Did you see that? Mom is amazing, isn't she, Hotaru?"
Halfway through focusing again, Azula was entirely thrown off by Rei's voice. She let out a snort of amusement, glancing in her direction, and her heart churned with unrestrained emotion at the sight of her two daughters, the youngest of which was wide-eyed, gaping at her in confusion and wonderment.
"Oh, don't look at me like that, Hotaru. I'll end up giving up all training just to coddle you all day if you keep that up," Azula said, shaking her head. Despite herself, Song smirked.
"Might not be such a bad thing…" she whispered to herself, before speaking more loudly. "How are you feeling so far?"
"It's… odd. Like waking up after being asleep for a year, or so," Azula said, raising a hand and conjuring a new burst of flames. "But my body remembers enough… it's just a matter of regaining all the practice I've lost, I suppose."
"You're usually even more impressive than this?" Rei asked, eyes wide. Azula punched and jabbed a few more times, producing more fire, although not as much as she wished to.
"I'm probably at my worst shape since I was… what, five-years-old?" Azula smirked. Rei's jaw dropped. "To be honest, I don't even know what to compare it to. I'm terribly rusty, and after everything that's happened, that I could make any blue fire is a miracle of itself…"
"How about your shoulder?" Song asked. Azula raised an eyebrow. "I know you've said it feels much better, but can you use it freely? Does it hurt when you do?"
"Only slightly," Azula said, raising her left arm and punching the air: another blast of blue flames poured from her fist, fading in the air moments later. "I suppose it's more of a discomfort rather than pain, at this point. Maybe if I bend for too long it will be more painful, though…"
"So… you'll take it easy," Song said, again. Azula sighed and nodded. "Half an hour at most today."
"Honestly… when I was five I wasn't restricted so fiercely by my figures of authority," Azula sighed dramatically. Song shrugged.
"Not my fault they weren't as scary as I am," she said proudly. Azula laughed, as did Song.
To this moment, their complicated impasse hadn't been resolved. If anything, the two had seemingly accepted they would never reach an agreement. The twisted situation in which Azula was stuck didn't allow her to make less self-sacrificial choices than those she had so far… and Song's concern for her wellbeing, her determination to see her friend survive, would remain at odds with Azula's intentions, permanently. The strange state of tension between them hadn't faded away yet, and neither one expected that to change anytime before the war was resolved…
But that also didn't change the tightness of their friendship, or how strongly they wished to protect each other. Being in conflict with someone in this way was a novelty for the two of them, as the other's choice seemed instinctively wrong, but ultimately, their bond was far more important than their disagreements… for that disagreement was a result of their closeness, too: prioritizing looking after each other, and those they cared for, forced them to take the stances they had.
Thus, it was easier for them to leave matters unspoken, since no clear solution loomed ahead. They would simply look after each other, and after Azula's daughters, as best as they could.
"One day, it might even be you doing that… though, I don't really know if you're a bender," Rei told Hotaru, who had slipped her hands out of the bundle of blankets she had been kept in. The child waved her hands aimlessly, prompting her older sister to take them in her own. "Want to clap at Mom's amazing firebending? Then… it's like this, see?"
She brought Hotaru's hands together, and Hotaru let out a soft sound of surprise. Rei repeated the motion a few times, and it seemed the child had never thought of pressing her palms together. She wiggled her feet as she did it again, and Rei let go, allowing Hotaru to clap on her own while she set her hands on the child's flanks, keeping her on her lap.
"See? She really likes your bending!" Rei called to Azula, beaming. Azula snorted, breaking her latest stance as she glanced at her daughter, clapping off rhythm, her motions clumsy as she tried to recreate the movements Rei had taught her. "Oh… here, here, you bring your palms together, see? Like this…!"
Azula laughed again, gazing at Hotaru and Rei warmly for longer than she should have, before focusing anew. It wouldn't do to distract herself quite so easily… instead, the sight of them ought to be a source of inspiration, of strength that she would put to good use by training and reclaiming the power she had lost. Sufficient power, she hoped, to protect those she loved.
"I really hope you're enjoying your first outing," Rei said, smiling kindly at Hotaru as she hugged the child to her chest. The baby had stopped her attempts to applaud her mother now, again delighted by the sight of fire blasting out of Azula's fingertips. "You really like firebending, don't you? Maybe it's in your heritage, huh…?"
"It probably is," Song smiled, glancing down at the innocent child on Rei's lap. "Though Sokka wasn't a bender. Who knows whether she'll be one or not…"
"Would it be a bad thing… if she weren't one?" Rei asked.
"Absolutely… not!" Azula answered from the platform, after delivering another powerful punch, with a brighter and stronger fire attack than before.
"Azula…?" Song warned her with her voice, and the Princess nodded before taking a slightly longer break, leaning forward with her hands on her knees.
"That was a bit much," she admitted, smiling awkwardly before glancing at Rei. "As for Hotaru's potential bending… I think I'd even prefer it if she weren't a bender at all."
"Really?" Rei asked, eyes wide.
"The less of an ideal heir she represents for my family, the better," Azula said, dropping to a sitting position. There wasn't much in the way of dignity while she sweated during training, so she simply relaxed carelessly on the platform, arms resting over her flexed knees. "Not being a firebender would keep her safer from the line of succession… though, unfortunately, the line of succession is complicated enough as it is."
"There's not really that much of a line left, is there?" Song asked, raising an eyebrow. "Basically… it's just you, right?"
"Well, yes… but if my brother is on his way to fight against the Fire Nation, his actions might very well amount to some manner of coup," Azula said. "If he succeeds, he might become Fire Lord, as we've discussed… and his firstborn was a daughter, too. A firebender, in her case… so, if Hotaru weren't one, Zuko would have the stronger case to put forward as future Fire Lord. He's the firstborn male, his child is a firebender…"
"And you'd rather Hotaru weren't pressured by royal horrors to begin with," Song said, reaching out to caress Hotaru's soft hair gently. The baby didn't really react, entertained now by looking at her own fingers, flexing them and spreading them just for the sake of it. "But if she were a firebender… things would get complicated, huh?"
"I mean… I have no idea if anyone would accept my progeny as the right legacy of Fire Lord Sozin, frankly," Azula said, pushing herself back up and dusting off her training trousers. "But in the unlikely case where they did, I don't know how any conflicts of succession would be settled. Though… pointless to wonder about such things when the war's still being waged, huh?"
"Right, but… how soon do you people check if a child is a firebender, anyhow?" Song asked. "Lo and Li didn't tell me about that, so…"
"Not that soon. A year, maybe two, I think," Azula said, with a shrug. "And the test is done mainly if they show no sign of it beforehand. The sooner you know, the better, as far as I'm aware. It allows you to train the child and teach them discipline to control their power since earlier on."
"Hmm… well, then, I guess we'll wait a year or so," Song decided, with a proud grin.
Azula smiled but nodded, no matter if a pang of nervousness hit her upon doing so. Again, the strange tension and friction regarding what would happen in the future dangled between them… a future Azula doubted she'd have any say on. But if the war dragged on somehow, perhaps Azula would be able to check her daughter's potential firebending skills, and even train her, before matters escalated further, as she suspected they would.
The conversation was casual, as good as an insignificant distraction from the reality none of them were ready to face. A reality that became much more dangerous, unwelcoming and demanding: Azula took to firebending again, her sword in tow, from which she would unleash bursts of flames at times, potent and swirling, that crossed the room in a flurry.
Within another ten minutes, though, the Princess's persistent bending seemed to wear out its welcome in her body: her exhaustion set in, carried over from the months of distress, as well as the past month of a poor sleeping routine, frequently interrupted by her baby's crying. While she succeeded at manipulating her fire for the half hour Song had given her as a deadline, the flames were beginning to lose their azure pigmentation when the time was up, shifting back towards orange…
"Alright, alright. I'm done now," Azula said, dropping heavily on the platform's floor, waving a hand in the direction of her companions. Rei had Hotaru clapping again, gently, while Song rose to her feet, a towel draped over her arm, a wooden canister filled with water in her other hand.
She marched across the small space between the viewing area and the platform, climbing up the stairs to the Arena where non-benders such as herself usually wouldn't be allowed… that propriety didn't concern Song in the least, however, as she offered Azula the water bottle that she drained quickly.
"Thanks," Azula said, taking the towel too and wiping her sweat quickly. "My seven-year-old self would be quite disappointed to see me so helpless over a mere half hour of training, but it is what it is…"
"Your seven-year-old self couldn't possibly imagine the hardships of chi-corruption, let alone pregnancy," Song pointed out, and Azula smiled and shrugged. "If she wouldn't cut you any slack, it's only because… well, because she's seven and doesn't have the soundest judgment. Right?"
"I suppose so," Azula conceded: Song smiled and offered her a hand, helping her rise to her feet. "We should go quickly, though…"
"What, back to your room?" Song asked. "You can take a longer break…"
"I'd rather not," Azula said, eyes flickering towards Rei and Hotaru. "The sooner Hotaru is safely behind my bedroom door, the better. I'll rest once we get there…"
"And you'll clean up, too," Song said. Azula sighed.
"Can't hold her when I'm all disgustingly sweaty, no," she agreed, eyeing herself with distaste. "I can't wait to actually build up proper resistance again…"
"It will happen in due time. Don't force yourself… you did well today, even if just for half an hour," Song said, clapping her back reassuringly as the two made their way to where Rei and Hotaru sat.
Azula smiled, reaching down instinctively towards Hotaru, drawing her hand back quickly upon remembering she hadn't cleaned up so far. Hotaru whimpered slightly, reaching her hands out in her direction, and Azula sighed.
"Oh, I wish I could hold you right now, dear," she said, biting her lip before glancing up at Rei. "She didn't give you trouble when I wasn't paying attention, did she?"
"Not at all. She's the best-behaved baby I've ever looked after," Rei grinned, rocking Hotaru in her arms gently: the baby seemed surprised by the motions, then delighted as she giggled, hands and legs wiggling with excitement.
Azula couldn't help but smile fondly at the child, warmth seeping out of her without restraint. The affection she never imagined she'd feel towards a baby seemed so instinctive when it came to Hotaru… perhaps too instinctive, as the need to hold the child almost did away with her strength of heart. Still, she managed not to give in to the urge as they prepared for their new incursion across the Palace, now on their way back to their usual abode: the Princess's room.
Once they were ready, Rei enveloped Hotaru carefully, turning the child's face towards her neck, covering most of her body with blankets and leaving a gap whose purpose was to ensure the child could breathe without trouble. Song pushed the door open and Renkai, standing guard outside, turned towards them quickly.
"All done?" he asked.
"Yeah," Song said. Renkai nodded.
"Then let's go," he said, pushing the door fully open.
Azula, tired and with disheveled hair, walked past him first. Rei followed, then Song. Renkai averted his gaze from the child, as he always did – to this day, he hadn't laid eyes upon Hotaru a single time, and he intended to keep it that way. Once all the women had emerged from the Arena, Renkai closed the door and stepped up to walk beside Rei, keeping her closer to the walls while he blocked her and Hotaru from anyone's view as best as his larger frame allowed him to. Song marched behind them, and Azula ahead.
Their procession was silent, tense, without a single misstep. They only passed a handful of servants on their way to the bedroom, most of which appeared to scurry away from the Princess at once. Even now, when her circumstances had changed and her father appeared to be relinquishing his punishing ways, the servants remained as terrified of fraternizing with her as they had been since the Princess's downfall had begun.
The one thing that placated Azula's racing heart as they marched carefully was the sight of her bedroom's door. By then, Renkai sped up, stepping forward to open the door for them. The guard who had remained on duty at Azula's room only nodded in acknowledgement, betraying no attempt to see more than he was supposed to, once Renkai calculatedly blocked Hotaru from his sight with his larger frame. Within instants, Azula, Rei, Hotaru and Song were inside: Renkai closed the door, and the three women sighed in relief.
"Doing this every time isn't going to be easy," Song reasoned. Azula grimaced.
"I'd rather use the secret passageways to reach the Agni Kai Arena far more safely, but I'm supposed to be seen training," she said. "Otherwise, my father will make a ruckus over my failure to obey orders, or so…"
She breathed out slowly, clasping the wall for support as she tried to relax her tense body. Again, the need to hold Hotaru nearly overcame her, but the reasons why she had held off from doing so earlier hadn't been dealt with just yet.
"I'll… go clean up now," Azula said, eyeing Hotaru wistfully before pushing herself off the wall. Song smiled at the sight of her, shaking her head.
"To think she seriously questioned she'd be a good mother… and now she's just completely overtaken by the need to hold you," she said, turning towards Hotaru, whose head finally poked out fully from the blankets. "That's right, look at you… is it any wonder your mom loves you so much when you're so cute, huh?"
"None at all," Rei smiled brightly, brushing her sister's hair gently with a hand.
Everything seemed poised to return to normality by then – Rei might even study again, as they weren't likely to have anything else to do for at least another hour –, when a light knock on the door made Song frown. She urged Rei to carry Hotaru towards the bathroom area, and Rei knocked on that closed door as well.
"What is it?" Azula called.
"Someone's at the door," she explained, knowing Azula wouldn't take kindly to that information. "Are you done?"
"Just putting on my robe…" Azula said: she pulled the door open, revealing herself fully clean as she finished fastening the sash. "Any idea of who it is?"
"No, but…" Rei said, offering Hotaru to Azula.
The Princess didn't hesitate to embrace her daughter tightly to her chest. Hotaru let out a soft cry, perhaps of enthusiasm, looking up at Azula with bright eyes and finding a tender, warm grin on her mother's face.
"Hi. It's been like an hour since I last held you. That's outrageous, isn't it?" Azula said, kissing her daughter's brow. "Hello again, Hotaru."
Rei smiled kindly before turning around, glancing towards the bedroom's main door. Azula bit her lip.
"Go check what's going on, if you can. We'll stay here," Azula said. Rei nodded, pushing the door until almost closing it fully.
Song had only just opened the bedroom's main door, smiling carelessly at the servant on the other side, a lanky man who appeared to eye the room with either genuine fear or curiosity masked behind anxiety.
"Can I help you?" she said, trying not to give away her tension and distrust.
"L-Lady Wen," said the man, bowing his head towards her. "The Princess's guests have arrived, Lady Wen. They are expecting her…"
"What… already?" Song frowned. "I thought they wouldn't be here for another hour…"
"I'm afraid that wasn't the case…" said the servant, uneasy. "Would you like for me to ask them to wait, or…?"
"Yeah, well… briefly," Song said, tense still. "Let them know the Princess will be there soon, and to please be patient."
The servant nodded, bowing and giving her a quick farewell before rushing away. Rei, having overheard the last part of the conversation, eyed Song warily as the door closed anew.
"Guests?" she asked. Song breathed deeply and sighed.
"What the Fire Lord asked her to deal with. Well, the other thing besides her training," Song said, rolling her eyes. Her demeanor shifted quickly, darkly, and Rei eyed her compassionately, knowing all too well why her friend was so troubled.
Azula had craved for the opportunity to take her seat, hold her daughter and simply relax until it was time for her to fulfill her next duty of the day… but once Song explained what had happened, all such hopes were shelved for later. Unwillingly, she relinquished her hold on Hotaru, handing her daughter over to Song, before fetching an appropriate, sufficiently formal change of clothes for her coming appointment. Her muscles ached after her earlier exercise, but ultimately, she was better off sorting out this meeting before dropping in bed and sleeping off her exhaustion.
"I'll try not to take too long," Azula explained, as she opened the trapdoor under the rug again, urging Song and Rei to head down there for safety's sake, with the child in their arms. "I know I fed Hotaru before my workout, but…"
"She'll be alright. You'll come back on time to feed her properly," Song said, smiling weakly at her. "And you'll do it sooner still if you get going quickly, so…"
Azula sighed and nodded, reaching out to caress Hotaru's soft hair once more. With one more kiss to the child's brow, Azula sent her friend and her daughters underground before returning to the door: this time, Renkai stayed behind while the other guard guided Azula towards the room where her guests awaited her.
She breathed deeply, smoothing over her robe, hoping her still humid hair wouldn't appear unpresentable… why would she feel so nervous and anxious? Why did her heart race in such a way, when situations of this nature hadn't been anything to get worked up by merely one year ago?
The answer, of course, was simple: the door opened, and she stepped into the room to greet someone with whom she hadn't spoken since the outcome of a gladiator fight from a long time ago.
"Princess…!" Goro smiled, supporting himself with his cane as he rose to his feet.
"No need, you can stay where you are," Azula said, smiling reassuringly, only for the old man to disregard her words, all be it to offer her a proper reverence.
"We are honored that you summoned us… uh, and by we, I mean you should get up and bow too, Takase. Curses, what am I going to do with you…?"
The old astronomy scholar hadn't been alone, of course: his business partner, Takase, hardly seemed to have registered Azula's presence, apparently distracted by studying the wooden pattern on the table before him. He only seemed to react once Goro poked him in the back with his cane.
"Ay! No need to be so brusque, really, you know my skin is sensitive…!" Takase whimpered… then he glanced at Azula, blinked twice, and waved in her direction. "Ah. Hi."
"Hi? Greet her properly, she's the Princess…!" Goro winced, but to his slight relief, Azula's reaction was a genuine chuckle. "Oh, Princess I…! I'm sorry. You already had some idea that he was utterly incorrigible, but…"
"It's fine," Azula smiled, shaking her head as she gestured at the table. "Do return to your seats, it's quite alright."
"Yes, yes, I… oh, thank you for your magnanimity," Goro sighed, though he shot Takase a dirty glare when his companion sank in his seat without a second thought, right upon hearing Azula had authorized it. "Your shamelessness will get us both killed one day, at this rate…"
"She doesn't mind it, why do you?" Takase said, arms folded over his chest as he eyed Goro begrudgingly. He turned his attention to Azula next, gesturing at Goro. "He's not usually that much of an ass-kisser, but he really likes you, so…"
"Uh…" Azula smiled awkwardly, taking her seat as Goro groaned, shaking his head and eyeing her apologetically. "I'm flattered that he has a positive opinion of me… that he still does, I should say. Thank you for coming to the Palace on such short notice… and also for bringing him along, Goro. I thought he might refuse, but…"
"I had to come!" Takase squealed, firmly. "I am here to request directly to whoever's in charge… that the Superior Gladiator League be reinstated, immediately, as we speak!"
Goro froze, eyes flickering towards Azula warily. The Princess's disposition did change over Takase's bold declaration… but she offered him a nostalgic smile rather than the dismissive outrage Goro had anticipated.
"I'm afraid I'm not the one in charge of that specific matter… and I mourn its defunction much as you have. I do apologize for the impact the League's abrupt end has had on both your lives…"
"Oh, no, Princess. Don't apologize…" Goro said, eyeing her warily, perhaps unsure of how much information Azula would be open to offering them, how much of it would be considered prying… but as ever, his shameless companion didn't exert any sense.
"You should be sorry! I'm very bored now!" Takase said, with a huff. "Got nowhere to test my products, so I'm in a creative rut! No good ideas come to mind, no sir, it's very bleak, very boring…"
"Is that so?" Azula said. "Is there any chance that, perhaps, I might convince you to provide your, uh, products to other ventures that might benefit from your creativity?"
"Uh… what? Say that again?" Takase blinked blankly.
"What I'm saying is… my father is in dire need for a weapons' supplier," Azula said. Takase's eyes widened. "The one he has relied on across the past twelve years is no longer within his reach, potentially cooperating with the enemy instead, therefore… the Fire Nation requires your services, Takase. Or perhaps I should just call you the Mad Alchemist anyhow…?"
Takase had remained unresponsive at first, but when Azula used his gladiatorial name, a strange giggle escaped his lips. He clapped happily, turning towards Goro, who appeared utterly stunned by the Princess's apparent offer.
"We're hired!"
"Wait! We're not hired yet!" Goro squeaked, looking at Azula in surprise and confusion. "I…! It's not that I would reject this offer, of course, but Princess…!"
"I suppose you need to know more before agreeing, yes…" Azula nodded, but Goro shook his head.
"Do you quite understand what you're asking for, too?" he said. Azula raised an eyebrow. "Takase… he's not a conventional inventor. He's chaotic, undisciplined, impulsive, reckless...!"
"Hey! I've invented some of the most complicated and chaotic weapons you've ever seen," said Takase, poking Goro's shoulder with one finger. "Show some respect to your, uh, youngers!"
Goro rolled his eyes, looking at Azula helplessly after his companion's words. Azula couldn't hold back a soft chuckle – even now, when the League had been disbanded for so long, there was no mistaking the unique bond of a gladiator and a sponsor who, as different and conflictive as they might be, still were each other's closest allies.
"Ugh, Princess," Goro sighed, looking at her helplessly. "Can I ask… why us? Why Takase? Don't misunderstand, it's quite flattering that you would think of him at all, but… he truly is unruly and chaotic. I cannot promise that he'll be able to provide the Fire Lord with what he seeks. He, too, would be terribly irresponsible if he pretended he could do so, just for the fun of it…"
"I understand," Azula said, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at the pouting Takase – the man had to be at least twenty years older than her, but somehow, his behavior was more childish and whimsical than Yuudai's. "As far as I remember, you have an assortment of weaponry you had already developed for gladiatorial fights…"
"What? You want my old designs?" Takase asked, making a face of disgust. "What for? A lot of those failed! Your gladiator had plenty to do with some that failed, too. I've wanted to develop a more reliable multiblade, I have…"
"Well… the multiblade didn't truly appear to be the most useful design for a massive army to use," Azula said, eyeing Takase warily. He gasped. "Ultimately, we need to furnish our soldiers with new weaponry. The kind of weaponry that… that could potentially daunt someone as powerful as the Avatar, for instance."
"The… Avatar? That's random," Takase said. Goro shot him a glare.
"Look who's talking."
"Well, I'm random too! It's fine if I find kinship with the Princess over that, isn't it?" Takase huffed, staring at her intently. "But then… you want me to develop important and useful weapons that could threaten a god-like entity?"
"Uh, I don't want you to go overboard, however," Azula said, eyeing him warily. Takase giggled deviously regardless. "There's no telling what kind of weaponry the army would benefit from most, at the time. My current ideas are merely based on what I know you could do… and I simply would ask that you improve on those inventions to make them easier to reproduce. For instance… that strange flamethrower of yours?"
"Ah, the Tsinging Horn?" Takase giggled again. Azula winced. "Like the name, do you?"
"The… heh. Right. Of course," Azula said, unable to help but think that Sokka would have laughed himself to tears over the terrible pun Takase had chosen as the name for that weapon. "Either way, it's a reasonable weapon for close-quarters combat, as far as I could tell, but what we would need might require some modifications to that concept. First of all, though… you had volatile gas to fuel this weapon somehow, didn't you?"
"Sure did. Just got lucky with funny areas near Goro's estate, this guy's sitting on mines and mines of resources that nobody knows what to make of because they're not just classic gold or metal," Takase said, shaking his head. "But you, oh… you know brilliance when you see it, don't you? Even when it's not obvious to other people…"
"I have certainly tried to identify it, yes," Azula said. Takase giggled.
"Then grand! I will work for you!" he said, proudly. Azula raised her eyebrows.
"I'm not even done explaining what kinds of weaponry I would like for you to develop…" she said. Takase winced.
"Ah! Uh, do go on, do go on," he said, smiling carelessly at her.
"Well… my father asked the Mechanist, his former supplier, to develop volatile gas bombs. He would like for you to do the same thing," Azula said, breathing deeply. "If you could develop your, uh, Tsinging Horn, you'll be able, surely, to create bombs with compressed volatile gas?"
"Ah, pfft. Give me something challenging next time!" Takase waved a hand in her direction. Azula smiled.
"Well, the challenge isn't the bomb itself, but rather, how it will be deployed safely for our troops," Azula said. "A launcher of a sort would be ideal, if you understand my meaning…"
"As… fireworks?" Goro proposed. "You set them on fire, but it still takes them time to burst while they shoot into the sky. Is that it?"
"Certainly, that's one way of putting it," Azula said, nodding. "Create a system that allows those bombs to be thrown safely out of our soldiers' reach, while also being able to detonate once they're at a safe distance…"
"Hmm, does sound more challenging now," Takase smirked, nodding in agreement. "And I stand by what I said: I shall work with you!"
"Naturally, accepting this offer also means that, if any other weaponry were necessary, if my father requires anything else from you, you'll have to be ready to provide it…" Azula pointed out. Takase grinned and nodded. "Well, then, if you're quite sure…"
"Oh, he is, Princess, he is," Goro smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing riles him up quite as much as a challenging project. This sounds like quite the undertaking… though I wasn't sure about joining it, to be quite honest. An old man like me is content to sit back and watch the stars, but… the Fire Nation does need Takase's aid, doesn't it?"
"The Fire Nation, saved by the Mad Alchemist?" Takase grinned. "Never thought I'd be a war hero! That makes very little sense, but what can you do? Maybe I'll become a legend, too. Uh, but a living one! Yes, like the Blue Wolf, the clever bastard…"
"Very well, you'll design these weapons…" Azula cut him off, unwilling to discuss Sokka with one of the people who had been dangerously close to killing him. "Perhaps you'll create a prototype, at most, and then those designs will be given to my father so he may produce the weapons in his factories. Your natural gas resources will be made use of as well… perhaps more extensively than anticipated. I'll see to it that you're properly compensated for it, too."
"I accept that. I frankly don't feel comfortable, having that reserve so close to home, but Takase…" Goro sighed, shaking his head as the inventor grinned brightly.
"Very well. Now, then, ultimately, I just want you to create simple designs that can be recreated by factories," Azula said, looking at Takase sternly. "Don't go overboard, just do what's strictly necessary and don't waste more time than you should at making a fashion statement of any sort. The situation is quite urgent, and while in other circumstances I'd gladly agree that an intimidating design could win us battles all by itself, I'm afraid the threats my father's forces will face won't be daunted by that. We need efficiency and precision more than anything."
"Ah, so nothing fanciful, eh? That's sad," Takase pouted. Goro sighed.
"Ignore his capricious nature, Princess, he can't quite help himself," he said. "But may I ask, is this a temporary matter, or… would we consider Takase the new official inventor for the Fire Lord? If such a title even exists…"
"I fear it doesn't, but in short, that would be his role, should he agree to the terms I offer," Azula said, eyeing Takase with uncertainty. "I won't lie to you, there will be pressures along with this role. Being unable to deliver a project on time won't be reprimanded by a few stern words alone. A lot rides on your success… and the cost of failure will be much steeper than dropping a few ranks in the Gladiator League. I do hope you have what it takes, but if either of you are hesitant, please take some time to discuss this offer… though not too much time, I fear. We can't really afford more than giving you a day or two, at this stage."
"Truly?" Goro said, eyeing Azula warily. "I… I suppose the likes of us aren't supposed to know what's happening, of course. We're not important enough, I take it? Even so… could you perhaps elaborate on why this situation is quite so urgent? You mentioned the Avatar before, but…"
"There are many things my father isn't eager to reveal publicly about the course the war has taken over the past months," Azula said, breathing deeply. "Simply put, there have been upsets and complications in the Colonies. Certain territories and cities have been taken by rebels, and they're well equipped and prepared to take on our forces. I don't think I should disclose much more than that… but hopefully this suffices to explain the situation."
Goro sighed, running a hand over his balding head. Takase raised an eyebrow.
"And… my weapons can change that for the better, can they?" he asked. Azula shrugged.
"That's the hope," she said. Takase grinned.
"Well, I see no drawbacks in this situation, not in the slightest!" he said. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm ready to start whenever you're ready."
"Any simpler weapon designs you've done in the past and that could be useful to furnish an army will be welcome as well," Azula said. Takase huffed. "I do remember still that you never won the same way twice, all that… but I'm afraid I can't quite focus on letting you preserve your catchphrase now. We're talking about war, not a fight in an Arena…"
"I know, I know. Everyone's trying to kill everyone as fast as possible there, I get it," said Takase, sighing and shaking his head. "I'll still work for you, yes, though I don't love the idea of sharing my old designs. They're old and discontinued for good reason!"
"Which is…?" Azula asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well… they're uninteresting!"
Azula smiled. Goro sighed, and Takase only folded his arms over his chest stubbornly: the Mad Alchemist was entirely amoral, far more concerned with his creations than he could ever be with the reality of war and the lives it was costing. Whether that mentality would sit well with Ozai or not remained to be seen… but for now, Azula guessed she had fulfilled her mission, as Goro and Takase both agreed to take up roles as scientific researchers and weapons developers for the Fire Lord.
Yet, before they could be escorted out of the Palace, Goro gestured at Azula nervously. The Princess raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to him, past the room's threshold and into the hallway, where an Imperial Guard awaited to escort the two visitors to the gates anew.
"What is it?" she asked. Goro swallowed hard.
"I do not wish to pry, but, um… news of your condition reached us some time ago. And, well, I can't help but notice you're not, uh…"
"Pregnant?" Azula finished. Goro winced.
"I'm sorry to pry, I only… I worry, I suppose. I'm still worried. Was everything alright, or…?"
Azula smiled, nodding in his direction. Goro let out a relieved breath, and Azula pulled back, unafraid to be heard now.
"Good luck with developing the designs for this venture," she said, as the guard prepared to escort them away. "And ensure to send word and blueprints of them as soon as possible, too."
"Will do! Nice meeting your Palace!" the Mad Alchemist exclaimed, already marching off, followed by his limping former sponsor.
Azula let out a deep breath as they took off, watching quietly as the guilt inevitably flooded her again – she had done what she had to in order to survive, which made it no more excusable. There was a chance that the Mad Alchemist's contraptions would be entirely useless for the Fire Nation's war effort… just as there was a dangerous chance that they would pay off exactly as Ozai hoped they would. Either way, countless people were bound to die, whether those defending or attacking the Fire Nation. While the choice wasn't truly hers, while her hands were tied due to all the hostages Ozai still could punish for any transgressions she committed, her heart ached with guilt and always would.
She still needed to await one more guest, though he'd likely arrive a few days later. He would be traveling from a much greater distance than Goro… that was, provided he decided to accept this job offer, too. Nothing guaranteed that he would… Azula breathed deeply, resolving not to trouble herself with those thoughts for much longer as she turned on her heels, marching back to her room. Whatever fate had in store for her, she'd be ready to face the retribution she had earned. Until that moment arrived, she'd do best to spend as much time as possible looking after her daughter, protecting her from harm and enjoying every second she could spend with that beautiful baby, hoping she would grow into someone who would spread a legacy far more beautiful than her own… a legacy worth feeling pride for, unlike the horrors Azula's choices were bound to leave in their wake.
The march south moved along smoothly, now that there was no need to dig across mountains or build earthbending bridges over large rivers for a whole army to power through. Toph's army was far from the most disciplined, as she led around a hundred former gladiators who had a knack for being unruly and chaotic, although they certainly focused properly whenever they had to fight the Fire Nation's forces. They came across a group of Fire Nation spies near their established traveling route, and they were made short work of by some of the most bloodthirsty among their troops. Onwards they went, until the large army had to split off upon reaching Omashu.
They took one day to rest in King Bumi's city. Shiju and General Fong would stay with their own troops within Omashu, intending to proceed further west and recruit shipwrights or find usable, sturdy ships that could be repurposed to transport the army. Toph, however, took off without further ado once the troops had rested enough, leading her troops further south, aiming towards the White Lotus Fortress once again.
"Who'd have thought we'd be going back to that shithole…?" Toph huffed, marching underneath the sunlight's harsh glare – the temperature shift between the northern and southern hemispheres had been jarring, and all thoughts of snow were certainly gone from the earthbender's mind as she marched at the head of her regiment. "I'd have died happy if I never had to set foot in that stupid place again."
"At least it's just for a little while this time. Probably for about as long as we were in Omashu," Jet said, patting her shoulder reassuringly. Toph grunted in response.
"Is it such an unpleasant place?" the Hallowed Rock asked – he and Shanyuan marched at alongside Toph and Jet. "The rest of us are entirely unfamiliar with it thus far…"
"Yeah, well, you'll just think it's some fancy building and farmlands and whatnot," Toph said, waving a hand dismissively. "You won't see it was a damn prison for those of us who wanted to be anywhere but there… kinda what Omashu probably was like for you, at least, Captain Monument."
"Oh?" Shanyuan frowned. "Huh. To be frank… I may be strange for saying so, but I hold no grudges against my city for what I suffered while I was there."
"What? Really?" Toph raised an eyebrow. "How come?"
"Well, I do hold one towards the King, I can't deny as much," Shanyuan said, with a sigh. "The less time I spend around him, the better."
"His choice to give up the fight saved lives by allowing his people to be subjugated by the Fire Nation's rule," the Hallowed Rock said, shaking his head. "I didn't face the worst of it myself… but I do not know if the same number of lives lost in the years since the city was conquered would have been the same as those who would have died if we had fought back at the beginning of their invasion."
"I would wager it would be a roughly similar number, at least," Shanyuan grunted. "Either way, the king is a man, not the whole city. Omashu is far greater than him, than the Fire Nation… greater than even the Earth Kingdom, I'd dare say. Its legacy has stood for millennia, and no careless king, no wretched invaders, could ever hope to break it."
"Uh… right," Toph smiled dismissively, though Jet, beside her, glanced over her head at the much taller Shanyuan.
"What legacy do you mean?" he asked. "I've never heard about that."
"Well, this is mainly known by Omashu's citizens, I suppose," Shanyuan said, though next to him, the Hallowed Rock cleared his throat.
"It's the story of the foundation of the city," he said. "In ancient times, two villages warred against each other until the first earthbender ended the conflict and united them to form the city of Omashu."
"The first earthbender?" Toph repeated, skeptical.
"Indeed. Well, it's difficult to judge whether Oma learned first or Shu did," the Hallowed Rock said, with a shrug. "It's presumed that they both learned from the badgermoles at the same time, ultimately, but…"
"Wait, badgermoles?" Toph said, raising an eyebrow. "They… learned from badgermoles? Oma and Shu? Uh, well, they weren't too creative at naming the city if they just mashed their names together, but are you serious about that?"
"It's the founding tale of our city," the Hallowed Rock said, and Shanyuan nodded sagely. "Oma and Shu had been born to each of the warring villages. They met at some point during the fighting, and it appears they fell in love quite quickly…"
"Pfft," Toph said, with a smirk. "Bet they didn't."
"What do you mean, you bet they didn't?" the Hallowed Rock said, perplex by her reaction.
"Bet they had the hots for each other but weren't all chummy right away, is all," Toph smirked, hands behind her head. Shanyuan and the Hallowed Rock exchanged a confused look as Jet chuckled beside her.
"Whatever the case may be…" the Hallowed Rock continued, "the Cave of Two Lovers, right outside Omashu, was the location where they learned to earthbend, and the hiding place where they could bask in their love without fear. But eventually, Shu was slain during the battles. Oma, distraught, unleashed a bending feat unlike none the world had seen until then, raising pillars from the earth and proving she could destroy everything in her grief, should she wish to… but she didn't wish to. In all her pain, Oma chose, instead, to put an end to the battle and to build a city where both villages could learn to coexist and live in harmony. No doubt, most people were terrified by her bending prowess, too much to refuse to do as she bid them to… but ultimately, when she took a stand, she ended that war and built the greatest city of the Earth Kingdom, well before the Earth Kingdom even coalesced into a single nation. Unlike other cities, born from invasions or conquests, Omashu was born from love. It's the single city with foundations as strong and sturdy as these… and so, whatever mistakes the Earth King might make, he is but one man, no matter how long-lived. Omashu is far greater than him: it will outlive him, all of us, and continue to be the single strongest bastion of civilization, provided we carry Oma and Shu's legacy forward, as we intend to."
Shanyuan nodded proudly, and Jet raised an eyebrow as he took in the story. He smirked before long, bumping Toph's shoulder gently.
"Well, damn. Sounds like the first city of the Earth Kingdom was founded by the first earthbender… who happened to be a woman, too. Might be she was your past life, or maybe your ancestor…"
"Oh, come on," Toph scoffed, shoving him away. "I don't need any fancy ancestry or past lives to rely on. What matters is what I make of myself in this life, not whatever came before, got it?"
"I'm not even slightly surprised to hear you say something like that," Jet chuckled, but he nodded. "Fine, fine. You'll build a bigger city than she did, or something even crazier than I can even fathom."
"Heh. Sure I will," Toph said, her voice with a hint of haughtiness, as well as childishness, that endeared her to Jet all the more – who could imagine the fearless leader of these troops would also be innocent in her own ways?
By dusk, the group set up camp for the night. After recruiting reinforcements in Omashu, the field of tents that spread across the cliffs hugging the coast seemed to have doubled its size compared to the first nights during which the army had progressed south, even though General Fong and Shiju had kept a considerable number of their forces in Omashu with them.
While Toph had enjoyed being part of the group so far, carelessly talking at night with gladiators, many of whom admired her deeply, she chose to sit by herself that night, at a small fire close to her earthbending tent. Jet smiled at the sight of it, so rudimentary and blunt, but still suitable for a night's rest.
"Got enough room in there for company or would you rather I take a hike tonight?" he asked her upon approaching the Blind Bandit. Toph hummed.
"Why would I need to have more room in that tent, huh?" she asked. Jet smirked. "We're on the road, get your head out of the gutter."
"Right. That's why you dragged me into your room in Omashu just last night?"
"We weren't on the road then, we are now," Toph said, simply. Jet chuckled.
"Whatever you say," he responded, though he relaxed beside her nonetheless. "Had enough food yet?"
"Yeah, I'm good," Toph said. "You?"
"Same," Jet bit his lip, glancing over the sea of tents around them. "Good thing the king, as shitty as he may be in some ways, at least bothered preparing troops to help us after all. Whatever's coming in Gaoling, we'll be ready for it."
"Hmm," Toph sighed, dragging her knees up, resting with her elbows on each of them, hands at the nape of her neck. Jet raised an eyebrow, immediately detecting something wasn't right with his lover.
"Got something on your mind?" he asked. Toph shrugged carelessly. "Want to share, or would you rather I leave the way I came?"
"You're always ready to get lost, huh?" Toph said, raising an eyebrow. "Am I that scary for you, Jet?"
"Scary?" Jet said, with a smirk. "You're terrifying in the best of ways. I love seeing you in action, and I always am grateful that I've never given you cause to turn all that amazing fire... uh, earthpower, I guess, against me."
"That's a really dumb pun. Sokka would be proud," Toph smirked. Jet chuckled. "Anyway… well, if you're scared, fine by me. You should be."
"Should I?" Jet smiled a little. "Whatever you're thinking about is that terrifying, then?"
"Maybe it should be," Toph said, her tone shifting. "You didn't know about that weird story about Omashu, did you?"
"Not a clue," Jet said, with a shrug. "As you may remember, my education wasn't exactly… finalized. Thorough. Appropriate? Well, pick whatever description you prefer."
"Well, mine wasn't top-notch either because they thought I was a useless, helpless porcelain doll, so I guess in twisted ways we wound up on the same level of education, huh?" Toph said, with a heavy sigh. "I guess it's just… there's a lot of things on my mind after hearing that. I don't feel all that strongly about my hometown, or at least, I thought I didn't… it was as bad as the fortress for me. I just wanted out, and I left as soon as I found the chance. If I didn't leave then, I never would. But hearing them talk about Omashu like that… I wonder if Gaoling came from anything like that too. Probably not, huh?"
"Probably," Jet said, with a shrug. Toph breathed deeply. "Sounds like something bigger than that is troubling you, though."
"Well… I mean, being on my own is one thing. I'm used to it, I've always wanted to be independent and do things my way," Toph said, breathing deeply. "But now… it's different. For the past months, ever since we started fighting, I'd do whatever Sokka wanted me to do. Even if I had some power over what was going on, I always answered to him. And I guess my old self would've been pissed about it, but… I knew it was fine. I felt like following his lead would be okay, just like… just like it was okay to do whatever Azula decided we should do, whenever things got complicated. I've relied on those two a lot, in more ways than I realized. And maybe it's weird but I think I know why I followed their lead now, after hearing that story. I'm the current leader of a whole gang of weirdos who're trying to conquer a city, too… I mean, I still answer to Sokka, but he's not here anymore. I can't just look to him and hope he'll have one of his stupidly smart ideas for stuff, you know? So…"
"So…?" Jet said, raising his eyebrows. "What did you realize about following them? And through that story, too? Do you want to pull of a huge earthbending feat and scare the Fire Lord into shitting himself and surrendering?"
"That'd be nice," Toph sighed. "If anything, Oma only got away with it because she was the only bender around, sounds like. If there had been other benders in the villages, they probably would've tried to fight back. Anyway, that's not the point, damn it. Thing is, I… I thought about that whole thing, about how she lost the man she loved and then somehow decided to build that city. And I thought… it's unreal, right? It can't be real. If I lost someone I cared about that much, I… I'd never be able to do something like what she did. I'd never move on and build something in their honor and pretend that things are okay now."
"She probably didn't think they were okay," Jet said. Toph gritted her teeth.
"Guess you'd know more about that than I do," she said. "Happened to you, too."
"Twice," Jet said, eyes clouded with heavy memories of his family, of his friends, all lost in whirlwinds of fire… "Though you've been through something like it, in your own way."
"Azula's still alive. Sokka is, too. Though… I do worry about them," Toph said, sighing. "Thing is… they actually went through this, you know? What Oma and Shu did. And they did everything in their power to save each other, still are doing it. But before this? She… she was already like Oma. She wasn't a leader of destruction, not by the time I got to know her better. She built things up, built people up, as she did with him… as she did with me. And Sokka… after all that chaos and horror, all the pain he's been through, just think about everything he's achieved. About the way he's inspired so many people to follow him, how he's taken up leadership without questioning himself… they're like Oma, you see? From grief… they created. They built. And I… I don't think I have it in me to do that. Though… I think you do, somewhat."
"What, me?" Jet raised an eyebrow. Toph shrugged.
"You found a home for your friends. You built it, I bet," she said.
"Well… most the time we stole things from whoever we could to survive," Jet admitted. "Eventually we started targeting the Fire Nation's convoys and groups in particular, but anyway, it doesn't sound all that inspirational to me."
"Way better than anything I did," Toph said, with a sigh. "And you still made a group, led them… you're way more experienced a leader than I am."
"Pfft, after you led those troops in Ba Sing Se like nobody's business, you want to pretend I could be a leader on your level?" Jet said, looking at her skeptically. "And then you say I'm a flirt…"
"I'm not flirting…!"
"Then why would you compliment me in such a bold way when anyone can tell you're a way better leader than I could ever hope to be?" Jet laughed, reaching over to clasp Toph's hand. She winced at first, but she didn't pull it away.
"Not anyone. I can't," Toph said, frowning. "I'm… I'm not a builder, okay? Sure, I can pull up walls but they're just to protect me. They're not… the foundations of a damn city. They're not some big legacy I can pass on to people. My reaction, when things go wrong… is to destroy. To lose my mind to rage and to just break everything until I'm sure whoever caused me harm is in just as much pain as I am. I punished Iroh so harshly… because I really hoped it'd hurt him. I wanted Zuko to stay away from him because I knew that would hurt him more. But… hurting him wouldn't fix anything. It wouldn't make up for what he messed up. And even now I don't know what I'd do differently, because all I want to do is yell at him and punch him, and… and I don't care, you know, if I'm right or wrong about Iroh. That's… that's water under the bridge now. I do care, though… about whatever we're going to find in Gaoling. About whoever I'll be once we get there. What if I find out that… that the Fire Nation will use my parents as hostages against me? What if the city's not even there anymore and they razed it to the ground? I… I can't be like Oma. I can't be like Azula or Sokka. I don't… don't know how to build instead of destroying. That's not my instinct, it's not something I know how to do, and I don't even know if I want to learn how to do it…"
Jet frowned, watching her as she talked, unloading her baggage and heaving out sighs as she finished. She held her head up with her hands, and for once, it felt like the weight of being Toph Beifong was taking a toll on the confident, determined, relentless Blind Bandit.
"I… I'm not supposed to be scared of anything. But it's different when you're scared of what your dumb choices can do to other people," Toph said. "If I lead anyone astray…"
"It's good to know you're worrying about that," Jet said. Toph frowned. "Guess who didn't ask himself any of those questions before stepping up to be the leader of a gang of kids?"
"Well… you were a kid, yourself," Toph pointed out. Jet shrugged.
"A kid who didn't know his boundaries and forgot what he was fighting for," he said. "I… I killed more Earth Kingdom civilians than Fire Nation soldiers, all because I thought they were better off dead than having their homes occupied or being enslaved. I didn't care what they thought… didn't stop to think there could have been any other way. I just went and did it… and I destroyed so much more than I thought I would because of that. If you think I built something with the Freedom Fighters, well… I wrecked it, too. I'm responsible for sins I'll never be able to purge. That you're worried about this is a good thing… because maybe that means you'll think twice about things instead jumping recklessly into action, pushing people into doing things they don't want to do, only to wind up with hands full of blood while wondering how you could have been so damn stubborn and stupid as to think this was okay…"
Toph breathed deeply, squeezing Jet's hand gently. He didn't often talk about his past, at best only referring to it peripherally and focusing on Toph instead. It was usually him offering her comfort, not the other way around… but what might have seemed to be a perfectly ordinary night in the middle areas of the Earth Kingdom could turn out to be anything but that for the two of them.
"If it helps… I'll stick with you, make sure you don't go down the same paths I have," Jet said, gazing at Toph heartily. "Not like I meant to go anywhere to begin with, but…"
"Even if I led everyone astray?" Toph repeated. Jet smiled.
"I know just what it's like to do that, so… we'd be a pair of miserable failures together. How about that?" he said. Toph snorted.
"You're ridiculous," she said. Jet's smiled gained a mischievous edge again. "It's just… I really don't want to mess it up. I really don't. And I don't know how to be the kind of leader they could be. Maybe… instead of keeping me company when I fail, you should tell me more about how to build rather than break. How… to make something worth fighting for, rather than picking fights just because. I… I've destroyed too much, too many times. I'm tired… I'm no happier now than I ever was. I thought I wanted freedom more than anything, but now I… I just want to be strong enough for those who need me. I want to save the people I care about. I want to be… someone worth following."
Jet sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Toph closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder too. His lips boldly pressed gently to the top of her head, and she didn't reject the gesture.
"I can't speak for anyone else… but I'd follow you to the darkest depths of hell if that's where you're going," Jet said, earnestly. "I believe in you… I believe in you more deeply than I've believed in anyone. I'm only here because you are. Because you thought this was exactly what you wanted to do, joining this army and standing by Sokka. I'd go anywhere for you…"
"Would you?" Toph said, a slow smile spreading over her face. "You're dumb."
"I am. What about it?" Jet smiled warmly.
"Why's this sounding like some crazy love confession?" she asked. Jet chuckled. "I'll punch you if that's what it is…"
"Didn't you say you punch people to show affection? If you punch me, does it mean you accept my presumed love confession?"
"Presumed? So that's not what this was?"
"It's not if you don't want it to be…"
"Oh, come on, just be honest for once in your life," Toph groaned, shaking her head and slumping against him. Jet smiled awkwardly.
"You know how, when we started out, you told me to fuck whoever I wanted to fuck and not feel like I was tethered to you or anything?" he said. Toph nodded.
"And I said I'd do the same thing, too."
"Have you?"
"No."
"Me neither."
They remained in place, silent, for a smooth moment. Then, Toph, let out a chuckle, shaking her head as she shifted in her seat, her back propped up fully against Jet's flank.
"You're weird," she said. "Why'd you hold out just for me?"
"Because you're weird too and I like that about you," Jet smiled, nuzzling her neck slightly. "I'm not saying we should get married or something… but you mean a lot more to me than I probably mean to you. And you know what? I'm fine with that. You're way bigger than I could ever hope to be…"
"You're like three heads taller than me, aren't you?"
"I'm being figurative, but I don't need to tell you that, because you already know it," Jet said. Toph smirked. "You're incredible, and you don't need me to tell you that because you're aware of it. I've never… never really let myself imagine a future with you simply because I doubt you want to settle down with me at all. Am I wrong?"
"No," Toph said. Jet smiled, even if her blunt response felt like a punch to the gut. "But… I don't want to settle down with anyone. Which I guess is weird because… I'm like earth, aren't I? Stable, steady, stubborn… why would it be so wrong for me to settle down? Doesn't really make sense, does it?"
"Earth isn't all that static," Jet said. "And it can be pushed around by other elements, you know? Water and air can erode it… fire can melt it. I think you've been through all those things by now…"
"I have?" Toph asked, raising an eyebrow. Jet smiled.
"Yep. You were attacked relentlessly, challenged, eroded, melted… and then you came out of it stronger. You were earth… and you've been refined into metal."
Toph frowned at the metaphor Jet had finished explaining. He smiled, squeezing her shoulder kindly.
"And I guess you don't need someone around to keep you company constantly… but maybe sometimes you need someone to help you shake off the rust when you're not feeling all that smooth."
"And what do you need?" Toph asked, bluntly. "How can you find that, whatever it might be, in metal?"
"Uh… good question," Jet smiled. "I don't really know, honestly. All I've ever wanted is to put a stop to the Fire Nation…"
"Huh. If that's your priority, you should probably bang the entire army, how about that?" Toph smirked. Jet let out a loud laugh.
"I'd rather not, but thank you for the suggestion," he said. She snickered beside him. "I guess you'll say I'm just flirting, but in a way… you're everything I ever wanted to be, Toph."
"What? An earthbender?" Toph asked. Jet smiled.
"You don't really know what it's like, being a non-bender… I tested myself, tried to control earth so many times as a kid, even after my parents were gone. I told myself it'd work this time, that I was ready… then, it turned out I wasn't. I never would be. I'm not going to be a bender, ever… and that's not a bad thing. I turned to other things to fight back… to swords. To metal."
"Uh… huh," Toph raised an eyebrow, and Jet smiled warmly at her.
"You inspire me to be better. Only a pretty extraordinary guy could hope to stand side by side with you, whether as your second-in-command, your partner or your lover… and I don't think I'm that extraordinary. But maybe I can find out if there's something worthwhile in me after all, as long as you continue to be the beacon of everything I should be aiming for."
"Huh. Well, I don't really know how I'm that for you, but… I guess I get it," Toph said, breathing deeply. "It's… what those two assholes have been for me. Nothing ever really mattered, I never really cared to be better than I was… until they challenged me like no one else ever had."
"And now you fight for their sake… and in doing so, you'll save the world," Jet said. Toph sighed.
"Guess so… if I succeed. And if I figure out whatever it is I'm lacking to become a real leader," she said. "Though I shouldn't try too hard, or else everyone's going to decide they prefer me over Sokka, and that'd be a mess, right?"
"Yep, it definitely would be," Jet said, as Toph chuckled beside him.
"About… that love confession, though," Toph said. Jet tensed up beside her. "If you don't think you're good enough for me…"
"Then why should you?" Jet finished for her, with a defeated tone. Toph chuckled.
"Well, yeah, but I guess… maybe keep on trying to become whoever you think you have to be to stand evenly with me," Toph said. "You're not going to say Sokka's the only one who can keep up with the bending prodigy he caught feelings for, or are you?"
"I… wouldn't think he is, no," Jet said, with a weak smile. Toph shrugged.
"Then… keep trying. I guess," Toph said.
"Do… you want me to keep trying? Do you want me, too?"
His emphasis in that last word caused Toph to shiver. Her cheeks flushed, and she seemed moments away from telling him to leave her be…
"I guess… making a bigger tent wouldn't be that hard, is all."
Jet's eyes seemed to glow under the fire blazing before them. Toph wouldn't see them… but she could hear the racing of his heartbeats, the quickening of his breathing. Then, she felt him tremble. His warm body enveloped hers, and when his lips pressed against her brow, she knew he was smiling.
Her hand rose to his chest: no one had considered him worthy of anything since he had lost his friends. He had lost around seven years of his life, turned into a mindless killer machine rather than a man. Ever since, he had tried to move forward with his life far more humbly, without seeking to be at the head of any grand rebellions, always staying one step behind those he believed were stronger, smarter, better, more capable than himself…
Even now, his devotion to Toph had been for her sake. He had never expected, never hoped, for reciprocity between them. But Toph pushed herself higher, catching his lips with her own, and for the first time in a decade, Jet's mind cleared up. He shut his eyes tightly… and yet it felt as though he had opened them, instead.
He could keep trying. He could keep growing. He could keep moving forward… and if he pulled it off, she might just be proud of the man he became at the end. There was no guarantee that they'd be together then, for Toph would never commit to this relationship wholeheartedly, starkly independent as she always would be… but perhaps it would work out anyway. Perhaps his life was still worth living… perhaps the years he had wasted, the horrors he had committed, hadn't sentenced and resigned him to meaninglessness for good. Because if he could mean something to Toph… if someone as insightful, as headstrong and proud as her could feel latent potential inside him, then he would do his best to prove her right. He would do his very best…
Their night wasn't quite as restful as it should have been after Toph expanded the tent enough for Jet to fit in comfortably. Even so, they hardly seemed tired by the next morning as they progressed further south, hugging the cliffs, on their way to the Fortress. The White Lotus' headquarters hadn't changed much since their last days in the compound, though it certainly was emptier. A handful of reinforcements joined them once they were ready to set out again on the next day, and their army continued to march by hugging the cliffs, pointedly avoiding traveling into the swamp or the desert on their way south.
Little by little, Toph's insecurities as the leader of their forces decreased: not only did she build better rapport with the gladiators and their new troops across each new day of traveling, but in doing so, she took her time to listen to whatever they had to say. It was a small step, she supposed, but one worth taking, as she had the feeling that was an essential element to Sokka and Azula's successes as leaders. Jet accompanied her unless she asked him to check on anything else, but he returned to her without fail. Where she'd occasionally dismiss him out of bashfulness in the past, this time they spent every night on the road together, and to Toph's surprise, no one seemed to care – she had the feeling the other gladiators had their own affairs amongst themselves, and it seemed that the chief belief on how to handle them was by minding one's business. Their discretion, or rather, indifference to each other's personal lives sat quite well with the Blind Bandit, who didn't quite dare make frequent public displays of affection towards Jet, but even if she felt tingles in her gut when he touched her hand in front of the others, let alone when he dared kiss her, she didn't allow those sensations to control her. She reeled in her reactions… and in doing so, so many things she had found entirely foreboding appeared to lessen in importance, liberating her from even more heavy burdens than she had known she had been carrying.
Within four days of setting out of the Fortress, their forces came upon the familiar lands of Gaoling. Toph relied on her seismic sense constantly, ensuring to catch any patrols or lurkers in the vegetation or the mounds nearby, while keeping her focus on the city ahead...
"We're almost at Gaoling now…" Jet said, breathing deeply. Toph grunted in agreement beside him, brow furrowed. "What's the plan?"
"First, we're assessing the situation," Toph said. "If shit doesn't look promising from afar, I'll dig a tunnel and scout from below ground. If things really look sideways once I do that… I think you'd have to lead a bait group, lure the city's defenses out while the earthbenders use the tunnel too and sneak into the city."
"Distractions, then. I like it," Jet nodded. "How about sneaking in through your family's estate? I doubt anyone knows you're coming. We could stage our entrance from there, or even keep a small group of our forces there. They could help with ambushes within the city, maybe…"
"I know what you're doing," Toph said, and Jet raised an eyebrow. "My parents are, hopefully, alright. I'll check on them as soon as I have the chance, but I'll only get that chance properly if I win this battle and take back the city."
"Right," Jet smiled guiltily, nodding slowly. "Then let's go with your plan, and if anything looks too tricky, we could try to make new tunnels that…"
"That?" Toph repeated, frowning once he fell silent. "Got something else to say, Jet?"
Unbeknownst to the Blind Bandit, the two of them had just finished climbing the last hill on the way to Gaoling. The city could be seen briefly, on occasion, from a distance… but its walls were unmistakable now. Jet froze in place, staring at it in confusion – he had visited the city a few times during his travels with Longshot, so its layout was familiar…
But the pillars of smoke rising from it, however, weren't quite that common.
"Toph," Jet said, frowning as he clasped her shoulder. "Something's going on in the city. Something's not right, or… wait. Oh shit, wait…"
"What is it? What are you seeing, damn it?" Toph said, her stomach turning with nervousness as Shanyuan and the Hallowed Rock caught up with them.
"Is something the matter?" the Hallowed Rock asked, startled by the sudden stop right before reaching their destination. "Oh, my. Should we stop to strategize some more, Colonel, or…?"
"What the hell are you seeing, Jet?!" Toph exclaimed, shaking his arm and startling him.
"Sorry, sorry!" Jet exclaimed, clasping her shoulder… still staring at the city in utter disbelief. "I thought something was wrong, but maybe… maybe something's right, instead. Toph!"
The city gates stood a mere march away. Less than thirty minutes of walking would bring them there… and Jet suspected they wouldn't have to fight all that harshly to break into the city, unlike their experiences in Ba Sing Se and Omashu:
The fabric of the Fire Nation's banner, dangling over the city gates, had been set on fire just as they arrived, revealing underneath it the traditional sigil of the Earth Kingdom, the true heraldry of the city of Gaoling.