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(Warning: the following chapter contains scenes with giant insects. Reader discretion is advised.)

Yu Dao

"You sure you want to do this?

Zuko calmed his breathing down, feeling the delicate hand of Mai on his shoulder. It certainly felt a lot more soothing when he wasn't garbed in the heavy robes of the Fire Lord. The last thing he wanted to do when meeting with Uncle was try to make himself bigger than he was. It wouldn't be necessary.

The crown and garb not being required was the only other comfort that was given to him. Before him were the doors to Iroh's room. No doubt Uncle was in there practicing his Pai Sho over a cup of tea. Such a sight probably would've put him at ease.

Now though, knowing what he had done, he wasn't sure if he was ready to face him.

Still, it was either this or waiting for things to boil over in the worst way possible. Zuko knew what happened when he decided to wait. "I'm sure."

Steeling up his courage, he pushed the doors open. The duo walked into a small but regal and opulent room. At the low table was Iroh, brewing some tea and looking over some documents. A Pai Sho board was in his reach with a few pieces in place.

"Ah! Fire Lord Zuko! I'll be honest, if I knew you were coming, I would've put your favorite brew on the kettle," Iroh greeted cheerfully.

Respectfully, Zuko and Mai bowed before him. "Don't worry, Uncle. I just wanted to check up on you."

"Ah. I see. You must be referring to our delving into all matters regarding the kaiju." Iroh presented the documents in his hand to show his point. "I have to say, there's a lot on the subject. There are legends of gigantic creatures all over the nations. Some of them even seem to be different iterations of the same one."

The old man stroked his beard, going through some of the papers. "The most referenced is Godzilla oddly enough. He must've been quite important back in the day."

Zuko shivered upon hearing the name. Not as much as when he thought of his father or Azula, but what other reaction does one have thinking of the mad titan that almost killed him? Nobody had seen or heard the monster since, thank Agni. But that didn't put the young monarch at ease. A monster unaccounted for could be anywhere.

"Look, Uncle, I'm grateful for what the White Lotus is doing, but that's not what I'm here for."

The tired shoulders of Iroh sagged, and he suddenly looked a lot older than he actually was. "I understand. I had a feeling this wouldn't be a social meeting." He set aside his papers and turned down the burner on his kettle. Those old eyes looked up at Zuko, waiting for him to begin.

Zuko wasn't sure what to say. He thought he knew Uncle. Then he found out he's been working with some kind of secret organization of all things. And THEN he discovered just what it was he was up to during the war. It was a lot to take in over the course of a few months. Now it looked like his mentor was another person entirely.

Which is why he had to ask, "Why'd you do it?"

Those old eyes looked away, making Zuko a bit afraid that Iroh wouldn't spill the beans. Then the Dragon of the West took his own breath to steady himself.

"It was a grueling campaign," he began. "The Earth King's forces fought us every step of the way. Streets were blocked with impenetrable walls of stone. My forces were funneled into death traps. Every gain we made was paid for in blood. And they knew it. They began to display captured helmets or banners to infuriate us into acting rashly. Some of my younger men bought them. Seemed as though the only thing that could win us Ba Sing Se was putting down every last one of them."

A haunted look came across his face, causing Zuko to blink. He knew the siege must've been brutal, but he'd never imagine the sort of horrors Iroh's forces would've faced.

"Then we received an envoy of peace. An armed envoy. They wanted to petition for food to be distributed to the civilians. Believe me, I knew the people were starving, and I would've relieved them. But back then, Fire Nation doctrine said that all inhabitants of a city under siege were to be considered enemies. And my subordinates and men wanted to pay them back for all the losses they'd taken. All the stains on their honor. Besides, there was no guarantee they weren't lying and planning to distribute the food to their own forces.

"So I said the only way for the people to get their food was to surrender. The guards got in earthbending stances, but I ordered the soldiers I had lying in wait to strike first. None of the envoys survived. And we sent the heads to shock the Earth King's forces. Maybe scare them by showing what would happen if we met resistance.

"It didn't work. They just dug in further, and the battle continued. You know the rest."

He took a sip from his tea, trying to rest his nerves. Zuko almost felt vertigo. It wasn't a secret to him that Iroh blamed himself for Lu Ten's death, but he never realized just how deep it went. Maybe that was just the last thing one could stomach after a campaign full of death and chaos. The idea that Iroh helped cause that meatgrinder… was difficult to accept

Zuko wasn't sure what to say. Chastise his Uncle for what he did? No. He already paid too much for what he did. Maybe he was still paying for it now. The bags under Iroh's eyes didn't seem like he was sleeping all that well. In all honesty, he couldn't even say anything looking at the stricken face of the once proud Dragon of the West.

Maybe it was his place to say something, maybe it wasn't. Now wasn't the time.

"...can I just ask something, if you'll allow me?" Mai commented, stepping forward. Iroh shook himself out of his trance.

Uncle forced a smile on his lips. "Sure thing, Lady Mai. Don't let this old man's war stories bring down the mood."

Mai's face was impassive as usual, though the upcoming question had a tinge of foreboding in it. "Is it true that you wanted Azula's bending to be removed?"

Both Iroh and Zuko grimaced. They knew they'd have to cross this bridge eventually, but it didn't exactly make it all the more pleasant. Quite frankly, Zuko was shocked that Iroh would even consider the idea. He knew Azula was a threat, but not even she warranted such a hardline stance.

"Believe me, it's a difficult decision. To strip one of one's bending is a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone. But Azula…her fire is corrupting her."

"Wait, corrupting her?" Mai asked.

The Grand Lotus nodded grimly. "Blue fire is something unheard of. It has only occurred a few times, but it's unnatural and was always in service to forces that threatened the stability of the world. Azula stumbled on that flame, and it consumed her. If she's allowed to keep her bending, she'll just keep burning up on the inside because of it. She'll end up ruled by hatred just like Godzilla was. I hoped admitting her to the asylum would help her, but evidently, it hasn't.

"Zuko. Mai." He looked up with utmost sincerity. "I want to help Azula, and the only way to do that is to remove her bending. Only then will she come to her senses, and only then will she see clearly."

"I…I don't-"

Zuko never finished his sentence. For Mai just stormed out of the room. Both he and Uncle looked a bit confused at the sudden outburst. Sensing her distress, Zuko chased after her. Leaving Iroh behind, who decided that his nephew would be best to handle this.

He found her overlooking the setting sun at the window, her shoulders slumped. "Is…everything okay?" Zuko asked.

Mai sighed. "He's wrong. Your Uncle is wrong. I don't know anything about this blue fire of hers, but removing Azula's bending would destroy her."

"How can you be so sure?" Zuko asked. He was confused. Normally, he'd agree with Iroh. Maybe this could be his chance to get his baby sister back. Perhaps…they didn't have to fight anymore.

On the other hand, Mai told him why he was in doubt. "I know her."

Aso Island

"And make nobody else sees this aside from the captain. Do I make myself clear?"

Azula's glare to the grunt made it clear that the answer would be, "Yes, Princess Azula." He gave a quick bow before scurrying off to go grab a Mongoose Dragon. The letter that she had written was stowed in a knapsack at his hip.

Perfect, she mused to herself. Everything was falling into place, letting her rest on the pillar of the temple's entrance. The darkness of the morning was perfect to cover her movements. Nobody suspected a thing for all she knew, but she wasn't one to risk showing her hand before the time was right.

It's also why she jumped a little when she saw the Admiral and his personal staff march up the dirt road from their campsite. She quickly slid into the shadows, slipping behind one of the potted trees. Azula controlled her breathing. There was no way Admiral Ryuui could've seen her from that distance.

Sure enough, she heard a parade of armored boots walk right past her hiding spot. She couldn't breathe easy though. It wasn't like any well-to-do Fire Nation commander to rise before the sun came up. Her ears were on high alert, trying to hear what exactly had caused this break in schedule.

Her answer came in Ryuui's hushed voice, "We've received word from our scouts. They've made contact with Godzilla."

Azula's heart leaped. That meant only one thing.

Godzilla was on the way.

Her anxiety was relaxed by discipline. Carefully, she counted to herself the minutes that it took her to get to the temple from the mayor's house. She added a bit of time to make it seem like she had gotten out of her robes and into her armor. If she had "arrived" too early, that would've drawn attention to herself. No, that wouldn't do at all. Her best bet was to play it safe and make it seem like she just woke up.

Granted, she just did, but getting into character was imperative when dealing with nobles. Azula went through her story, briefly considered the fact that the Admiral would've sent a messenger to wake her, threw it out with the cover story, and basically made herself the picture of an annoyed Princess roused from her sleep. It was one of the things she had to give her mother credit for after dragging her to how many dreadful plays at Ember Island.

Once she got the character down, Azula slipped out from behind the tree and rubbed her eyes. Groggily stumbling into the planning room, she gave an annoyed glare at the staff. "There had better be a good reason why you decided to wake me up at this ungodly hour."

"We got the message," Admiral Ryuui explained, telling her what she already knew. Still, it was easy to play up her surprise and dread. Indeed, that's what she felt deep down. Suddenly, all of Aso Island was in danger. Granted, the Fiery Raptors had managed to set up a few trenches and wooden shelters for the civilians, but she had hoped they would've had a little more time.

Ryuui didn't give her any. He just said, "We'll be heading up the mountain to awaken Rodan as we've planned." It was simple: they would've made the hike on Mongoose Dragons riding at full speed before making their way through the lava tubes into the chamber under Rodan's nest. She'd heard it many times before, along with the reassurances that they'd be back in the village by the time the explosives went off.

She wasn't convinced. "Okay, but what about these mystery assailants of yours? I saw the graves, and I want to know what we're dealing with in those tunnels."

A shiver went through the staff. "We've already secured the tunnels, Princess," Ryuui reassured. "It is true that we've had some problems with the…inhabitants. But we've cleared them out as best we could. Even have some troops stationed there already keeping an eye on the tunnel entrance and they did regular patrols. We'll have a clear shot to the explosives."

Azula wasn't entirely convinced. Yet, now was not the time to question him directly. That meant breaking character. So, she gave a facetious nod and listened to him ramble on about his plans. She took the opportunity to look across the room. Where there would've been looks of determination and duty, there was fear and hesitation.

Good. If there was anything she was good at, it was making people afraid.

With their plans laid out, now it was a matter of getting ready for the trek upward. A squadron of 6 troops, comprised of 3 footmen and 3 of Ryuui's most elite firebenders, would be accompanying them. Their Mongoose Dragons were already brought forth to the front of the temple by servants.

All was falling into place. Azula strode out, petting Flame Runner on the snout. She was about to climb onto her saddle when a familiar voice cried out, "AZULA! STOP!"

She looked around with genuine surprise when a duo right out of her wildest imagination ran up to her. Maina and Kori stopped a few feet from her, with Kazuma coming up behind them. "Sorry Princess! I tried to stop them but-"

"Listen Azula. You can't wake up the One Born of Fire," Maina interrupted. "You'll be putting yourself and the entire village in danger!"

"Silence, peasant!" Ryuui commanded, pulling up on his Mongoose Dragon. Maina clammed up, but her glare did not waver from the so-called "Admiral". "Godzilla is on his way, and Rodan's our best shot at killing him. You'd do best to remember your place."

"Godzilla's coming?" Kori paled.

"Indeed. Which is why I need to go up there," Azula calmly said, striding forward so she'd take the reigns of this situation. "While I do appreciate your willingness to help, you should keep yourself safe. A Princess doesn't need help from peasants."

"Oh for the love of-we came all this way to save your life! Are you honestly going to throw it away just for a chance at that stupid crown?!" Kori shouted.

Azula just coldly stared at the rebel, not batting an eye. "This is my duty, Morishita. And I'm going to do what every child of fire should do for their country. If I have to lay down my life, then so be it."

Her steely words shocked both Maina and Kori into silence, saving them any further wrath from Ryuui. Feeling satisfied that they were out of the fire, Azula leaned in close. "Get the civilians to safety. There are a bunch of shelters already in place to safeguard the people."

"And what about you?" Maina asked. "You don't have to do this."

"I know. But if I back down now, then I'll never be able to face my brother," Azula said, hoping to break her obnoxiously concerned friend. Her face was shocked and her limbs went slack, but the Princess wondered what she expected from somebody like her. "What you don't understand is, I lost my mind because I was soft. There. I said it. I cared too much. I won't be making the same mistake twice, even if I have to tear it out of my body. You served your purpose and you served it admirably. So if anyone is to die today, let it be someone who's ready to face it."

"...Azula…I…"

Maina's words suggested sympathy, but her eyes were filled with outrage and frustration. Maybe finally she'd stop following the Princess around and filling her head with the same sort of soft thoughts that brought her down to begin with.

Nodding to herself, Azula swung herself on Flame Runner's saddle and didn't look back. She rode to the head of the column and rode off into the mountains.

There wasn't any nobility in it. Saving the peasants just meant there'd be someone still alive to tell the people how she awakened Rodan and saved the island. Cutting ties with her allies meant less baggage. Everything was falling back under control once again.

And she knew it. She'd been brought low to the point a filthy peasant got the better of her. Well then. They'd all see what happens when you humiliate a Princess of the Fire Nation and treat her like an animal.

The first rays of the sun began to illuminate the trail leading up the mountain, contrasting with the ashy fields spreading out from the volcano. Up ahead, the volcano remained silent. Azula though was remained on edge. She felt the fire deep at the heart of the mountain just waiting to be ignited.

Yet the fires had not left only ash and destruction. Hardy bushes grew from the ash, rich in minerals thrown up from the eruption. Azula had learned when she was younger that volcanoes gave life-giving soil which accelerated plant growth. It was why places like Ember Island were so rich in spectacular jungles and vistas. Maybe one day these fields would give rise to more thick forest like the one in the distance. Certainly, it gave the islanders in the treeless grasslands plenty of rich farming areas.

Hard to believe that such destruction could bring such life. Yet if the legends were true, that is precisely what Rodan did. During his last awakening, he carved deep grooves in the earth to redirect the lava flows to minimize the damage while allowing the rich soil to form. Supposedly, that was the origin of those great gashes in the earth surrounding them.

Azula didn't say anything. If that were so, the creator of those crevices would've had to possess both enormous size and tremendous power

Shaking her head clear, the Princess hurried Flame Runner along. Higher they climbed the volcano until they came upon a small opening in the mountainside guarded by two soldiers wearing the firebender's skull masks. Ryuui gave a silent signal, prompting everyone to pull up and dismount their Mongoose Dragons. Nobody said a word, as if they didn't want to awaken the sleeping giant at the volcano's heart.

Or whatever lay in wait within those tunnels.

The Princess plopped down into the ash when she felt a nudge from her mount. Azula stroked Flame Runner's snout, a bit surprised at the reptile's sudden affection. "I'll be fine," she reassured.

Flame Runner's eyes just darted from the entrance of the cave to her. Her legs were tense and kicking up the ash. If she understood Azula's words, then her response could be plainly translated as "Turn back."

For Azula though, the reptile's worries went unheeded. She knew there was danger here, but she also knew that danger was coming. Beyond the ashfields, beyond the farms, beyond the jungles was the blue ocean. And beyond their shores, a monster approached.

Their answer lay in the mountains.

Giving the Mongoose Dragon's snout one last stroke, Azula marched up the fields along with Admiral Ryuui and the squad (along with the two guards which brought their number up to ten). She shivered as the warmth of the distant rising sun was replaced by the cool dampness of the cave. There was no turning back.

Cranefish Town

Her nerves got her up in the morning far earlier than anyone else. Well, almost everyone else. When she realized that one set of breaths was missing, her instincts brought Toph to the beach.

She felt the sand sink beneath her toes. Normally, she'd be out of her element and blinder than normal. But she just listened to the waves to tell her how far from shore she was. And she heard the gentle, graceful dancing in the sand along with the unmistakable swishing of waterbending.

"Couldn't sleep either, Toph?" Katara's voice asked.

The blind girl just shrugged, plopping herself on the beach. "Eh. You know how it is. You see your dad, he doesn't like who you are, and there's some oversized lizard out there running amok. All in all, a pretty hectic weekend if I do say so myself."

"You're telling me," Katara's voice replied, coming closer. While Toph wasn't a sandbender, she did feel the Water Tribe girl sitting in the sand next to her. "I'm just wrapping my head around how we're helping a Fire Nation noble. That and there's these Air Acolytes in the middle of this."

"Huh. Didn't think you had beef with Aang's fan club, Sugar Queen."

"I don't have beef with them. It's…well, imagine if a firebender were to copy and adopt some waterbending techniques from the South. Sure he's respectful enough to study our ways, but he wasn't born in them. And he certainly wouldn't be using what he learned the way the bending was intended to be."

Toph shrugged. "Hey, I don't see them trying to kill Aang or being a bunch of thugs. They were pretty genuine in what they were saying."

"I get that, but don't you think it's wrong for them to just appropriate what they like? Particularly if they didn't put in any work to master them in their original form?"

The blind girl sighed, wondering who died, and made her the voice of reason. "I get what you're saying, Katara. Thing is, the Air Nomads outside of Twinkle Toes are extinct. There's not a guide that says 'do this first' or 'save this for later'. It's not their fault something about their teachings spoke to them. They just don't have a lot to work with."

"I mean…you're right," Katara's voice admitted. Toph let herself be a bit smug. Wasn't too often the self-proclaimed mother of the team took a few words of wisdom from her. She'd note it for later to tease Katara about. Her little relationship with Aang was just giving her too much material to work with.

"What about you Toph? How do you feel about your father?"

"...I'll just do what I need to do and that's it." She crossed her arms to make it clear that she wasn't in the mood to argue about it. And to Katara's credit, she didn't raise a fuss about it.

All she said was, "We do appreciate you sticking with us through all of this, Toph. I wouldn't know where we'd be without you."

With that, the earthbender let herself smile. A more genuine one, filled with a warmth Toph had long been looking for.

They sat in silence, Toph just listening to the waves crash against the sand. Their little peace though was broken when they heard armored boots run behind them.

Toph and Katara got up on their feet. The blind girl heard the panting of a girl, telling her their interloper was a Kyoshi Warrior.

"We need you at the front of Cranefish Town! There's a situation!"

Aso Island

Their way through the darkness was illuminated only by their fire. Azula kept hers out in front of her, watching as it created dancing shadows on the walls of the lava tube.

The blue flame was the only thing keeping her warm in the cold cave, far from the sun rising in the east. Igneous rock enclosed them all, carved out from ancient lava flows that melted their way to the surface. Grooves illuminated by her flame showed where the molten rock flowed, scouring the walls smooth. She wondered what it was like when these caves were filled. What the sight would've been like for the natives who lived in the shadows of the volcano.

She got a good idea when her blue flame illuminated a cave painting not too far down the tube. The others stopped in their tracks when they saw the primitive mural of what could've only been the volcano erupting. Down its slope were stick figures of people running for cover, fleeing from the flowing lava cascading down the mountainside.

Others were knelt down in prayer, no doubt asking for deliverance. The object of their worship was depicted emerging from the volcano, its great wings spread in full glory. Rodan. The real Rodan. For the embellishments made by the Fire Nation of a birdlike Phoenix were gone from the more reptilian beast declaring its emergence to the world.

Some of the soldiers let out gasps seeing this simple but foreboding depiction of their target. Azula's attention, though, was drawn to the things crawling from the volcano. They looked like bugs for lack of a better term, but huge ones unlike any she was familiar with. Bigger than a person, they crawled in pursuit of the fleeing humans, clutching anyone unlucky enough to fall behind in massive pincers.

"These were the things we encountered further down the tunnel," one of the guards stationed at the tube's mouth explained. Admiral Ryuui gave an acknowledging nod before leading his men further down into the earth. His fading light prompted Azula and the others to follow, but not before the Princess took one last look at the huge insects.

These had to have been the mystery killers. And it made her wonder if any of them were still alive deep down below. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure what was worse: a massive bird-like kaiju that could kill them all with little effort, or creatures that seemed to actively hunt humans.

It was a question for when she wasn't in their lair, she decided. Gathering herself, she followed them down further into the earth. She lost track of time, wondering just how deep they were going down. While she hadn't been privy to any geological surveys, she was familiar with the lava tubes buried underneath the Capital. Those were a convoluted maze of tunnels, false bunkers, and fortifications. She had received a lesson in the intricacies of their architecture when she planned the defense for her father during the Invasion of the Black Sun. One could've easily gotten lost in such a dizzying complex.

Such a conundrum was something that Ryuui's men had thought of. The guards led Ryuui deeper, following splashes of yellow paint that marked the path. It was of little reassurance to Azula given the dark gloom, but at least they knew where they were going.

That oppressive gloom only got even heavier the more they ventured down. It felt like they were entering another world, far deeper than any man had any right to venture. Their fires only got them so far in the dark. Far from the comfort of the sun, this was alien territory.

Azula's eyes peered into the darkness, wondering if there were eyes looking back at her.

Her flame though illuminated one almost right in front of her face.

The Princess jumped a little, her nerves already high from being in such a foreign place. Didn't matter that the creature was dead, its appearance alone was a shock. It was one of those gigantic bugs that was depicted on the wall, though the crude painting did the true thing little justice. A large head with green eyes and vicious-looking mandibles dominated its head. Behind the head was a huge, segmented body adorned with brown chitin. Three pairs of insectoid legs sprouted underneath it while spikey arms carried huge pincers. Deep scorch marks lined the body, determining the cause of death.

Nobody said a word while looking at the great invertebrate. Only one of the guards said something along the lines of, "There's more where they came from."

And indeed, they came across more remains the further they ventured into the dark. Some were severed body parts. Others were whole carcasses. The guards reiterated that they had made sure to be thorough when their extermination squads made their sweep. Still, the dark corners were far away, and Azula couldn't let her guard down. In a vast maze like this, there's no way they could've eradicated every last one.

But the dread was replaced with another type of anticipation. Azula kept watching the back of the Admiral's head, weighing her options. She needed to wait for the opportune moment when she was closest to Ryuui. There were eight other men with them, and she didn't want to take any chances. Particularly with the swagger of the older man as he marched onward. Swagger that increased when they got deeper and closer to their goal.

If she learned anything from Zuzu, it was that overconfidence could kill.

At long last, they had arrived at the chamber they were looking for. It was a large intersection between various lava tubes. Lying at the center was a massive pile of explosives. Bombs, oil pots, anything that could blow things up. Such an amount would've easily leveled the room. Luckily for everyone, a fuse was prepared a good distance away. It gave them enough time to evacuate and get a good way back to the village once it was lit.

Everyone's attention was drawn away from the explosives when they heard something. A low sound stopped them in their tracks, their ears on high alert. Azula's senses were on high alert, the noise filling her ears. It wasn't overpowering, but it was loud enough to be heard through rock and stone. A soft, rhythmic in and out, which sounded just like…

Breathing.

Azula looked above at the ceiling, the lavacicles staring back at her.

Rodan was right above them.

She took a deep breath. The admiral caught her eye, waving her over to the end of the fuse. Mustering an aura of dignity, Azula strode over to Ryuui.

"It's all yours, Your Majesty," Ryuui said with a bow. He stepped away, leaving Azula with the fuse that would awaken the kaiju.

It was so easy. And how badly she wanted to believe it to be easy. She'd light the fuse, they'd retreat to the village, Rodan would awaken, and they'd kill Godzilla. Didn't matter who would get caught in the crossfire. Azula would be on the road to the throne, and she could save what could be saved. At long last, she could redeem herself. Uphold the last order.

…if only it were that easy.

"Thank you, Admiral," Azula thanked breezily. "Now if you would be so kind as to surrender yourself to me, you'd serve your true Fire Lord well."

…

…

"...I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

Azula brought a blue flame to her palm, glaring at Ryuui. "I said your services are no longer required, Commander. Don't make me repeat myself."

Realizing what was going on, Ryuui stood up straight. "I demand to know what on earth is going on!" The other men exchanged glances, more confused than enraged like their so-called "Admiral" was.

His outrage caused Azula to laugh mirthlessly. "You honestly believe you could just marry me off to some clan lord while you muscle your way to power? I'm insulted. I thought a wily leader such as yourself would have a bit more sense."

"Without me, you're just a madwoman with no allies. Do you think anybody would support you after your little 'incident'? You need me. Without my men-"

"-that you put in the way of a monster." She turned towards the men, looking them all in the eye and further enraging Ryuui. "You all heard me. Godzilla crushed everyone who tried to stand against him. Your beloved leader just brought death to you all. And before you think Rodan can help, I want you all to listen closely."

Azula pointed towards the ceiling, letting the heavy breathing fill the void. Ryuui's men paled, realizing just how truly close to the source, and how massive an animal needed to be for its breathing to be heard through solid stone…

"That's just it breathing. Do you have any idea what kind of power you'd be unleashing if you woke him up? Everyone on this island would be dead, and you would've traded one monster for another."

"May I remind the Princess that Godzilla is on his way as we speak?" Ryuui barked, his fury rising by the second.

His fury went unnoticed. Let him stew in his anger, Azula thought to herself. She could handle angry men. And she doubted he'd do something so stupid as starting a fight right underneath a slumbering monster.

"There is a way," she told his men. "Call off the ships and order them not to engage. Godzilla attacks anything that attacks him. If we hold our forces back though, he'll return to sea and leave us alone. We'd live to fight another day, and we could begin getting others to join our cause. Does Zuko want to waste his time playing hero for the enemy? We'll be what he failed to be. We'll protect the Fire Nation. And if the Avatar or Zuko want to challenge my claim to the throne, we'll remind them what it is to be sons and daughters of Agni."

The confusion began to subside into understanding. Around her, the men began to nod and lower their flames and weapons. Azula smiled with satisfaction. No one outplayed the Princess at her own game.

That's why she gasped when a boot kicked her in the shin and a strong arm latched around her chest. A flame dagger was held to her neck.

Evidently, he was that stupid.

"Apologies, Princess. I won't let some insane failure tear down everything I've built up. I am a TRUE son of the Phoenix! And I WILL restore order, even if I have to take the throne myself!"

Ryuui's ranting caused the men to raise their stances once more. Seeing that she was between him and a whole squadron she wasn't sure she could entirely trust, Azula tried to squirm her way out. But his grip was strong, and her muscles ached still from her time in the asylum.

She looked around, already searching for anything that would let her get out of this predicament and regain control.

So she was the first to see a pair of giant claws lash out of the darkness and drag a soldier down a tunnel.

Ryuui dropped her as he rushed forward, joining his squadron as they let forth a volley of fireballs in the direction of the soldier. So focused were they that they almost didn't see the other shadow creeping up on their flank and beginning to menace another. Azula shot forth a flame right in front of the creature, the burst of blue fire causing it to shriek in surprise before retreating back into the dark.

Her flame briefly illuminated the attacker. It was quick, but she knew that it was one of the monstrous bugs they had seen earlier. This one was alive. And her ears picked up more chittering and the scraping of claws and talons against stone all around them.

The shrill screams of the man dragged off into the dark could also be heard. Before they were cut off abruptly. Azula shivered, joining Ryuui and his men in a tight circle. Whatever his schemes and loyalty, these creatures didn't care.

They were food to them all the same.

One of the hunters rushed Azula, but she lashed out with her foot and conjured an arc of flame. It pulled back behind a rock, letting the flames splash against the stone. Another insect rushed forward before a man to her left threw a fireball at it.

It pulled back before impact, retreating back into the tunnel it came from. All around her, Azula heard the same story being played out. One of the things would make a rush before being repelled back into the tubes.

Clever was the only word she could use to describe these animals. They kept to the shadows, using the tubes and rocks as cover. Meanwhile, she and the others couldn't make a push outwards lest they risk getting slashed to pieces while in close quarters. It was a standoff, but there were a lot more of those things than there were men. All it would take was one of them breaking, and they'd be overrun.

Thinking quickly, Azula turned to the tube where she had the clearest shot. She began to split her positive and negative energies. Maybe a bolt of lightning could spook the bugs, and they could follow up with a barrage of fireballs to push their way out.

That was the plan, anyway, before something in the earth erupted behind her.

Azula cried out as she felt pincers grab around her, dragging her into the hole the thing had made. Shrieks and mass chittering told her the others had begun to attack as well. There were shouts and bursts of flame, but she could almost feel more tunneling their way behind them.

Her thoughts went wild as she was dragged into the dark, unable to see. What she felt were the strong claws restraining her, and the mandibles preparing for the feast.

Cranefish Town

By the time the whole of Team Avatar was assembled at the gates of Cranefish, there was a whole crowd assembled. The local guards were holding them back while the Kyoshi Warriors were surrounding a man who had stumbled his way through the forest.

A little bit behind him was a Komodo Rhino, snorting and looking back in panic towards the jungle.

"What's going on?" Suki asked, striding forth to the lead Warrior in charge of the stranger.

"We found him stumbling into town. Says his name is Utor of the Rough Rhinos," the Warrior explained.

Aang and his friends fought their way through the crowd, stumbling into the firelight of the entrance. "The Rough Rhinos?!" he asked.

"We've been tracking them in the countryside when we got redirected by the Earth King to Cranefish," Suki explained. "They're wanted for a lot of war crimes."

"Yeah, no kidding!" Katara exclaimed, the brutal attack on Chin Village and what she saw in Jet's mind still fresh.

"Well fat chance of finding the rest of them! They're all dead!"

Kneeling down to his level, Sokka looked the man in the eye. Heavily built with a chiseled face, the warrior swore he would've recognized him with the rest of the Rhinos. Seeing that his face didn't ring a bell, meaning he must've been a newer member. "What do you mean they're all dead?" he asked.

Utor took a few breaths, seeing the eyes of the village lie on him. "Alright. Do you want to know the whole story? Cause we're all dead anyways."

The attack came at midnight. Striking from the shadows, Mongke and his warriors with the heaviest weapons charged the Horned Ones. Their ambush took the reptiles off guard, only the biggest ones getting up enough to buffet the charge. Behind them, the juveniles were corralled by the adolescents and weaker adults to form a last line of defense.

Snorts and roars filled the air. Horns were interlocked, with both sides trying to gain an inch. For the first time though, the Komodo Rhinos found themselves pushed back by the larger Horned Ones. The heavy weapons of their riders only bounced off the armored frills of the strange reptiles. Those with firebending and lighter weapons maneuvered around to attack the unguarded flanks.

A few creatures from the Horned Ones' second lines rushed forward to shore up their comrades' defenses, stamping and snorting against the feoricity of the former Fire Nation soldiers. Those who remained behind to guard the young clustered together to form a stronger defense.

When Mongke drove his Rhino against the alpha, he saw what was occurring…and smiled.

"NOW!"

At his order, Kahchi broke off from his Horned One, being covered by Vachir's fire arrows before the reptile could pursue. Now free, Kahchi aimed the blade of the Guan Dao right at the grave of Tienhai.

With a single slice, Fire Nation steel sliced apart the grave.

All was still. The wind halted, and the insects stopped chirping. Hearing the stone clatter to the earth in pieces, the Horned Ones looked on in horror. All at once they retreated from the Rough Rhinos, taking their young and themselves as far from the courtyard as possible.

The Rough Rhinos braced themselves, bringing up their weapons and fire. Dread began to descend upon the group. As if they had just disturbed something that should've been left well enough alone. This sort of silence as the strange reptiles thundered off was unnerving…

Mongke on the other hand felt satisfaction run through his veins, ignoring the ominous signs around him. "Good, now let's get out of here before-"

A bright flash of light interrupted him, blinding them all.

Their vision came when they heard Kahchi scream in horror before he and his rhino were crushed by a massive stone foot.

It was followed by a great hand smashing down right where Ogodei stood.

All at once, the Rhinos were broken as the mysterious giant strode amongst them, crushing and smashing everyone and anything it could reach.

The last thing that Utor saw before he fled into the forest on his rhino was the scowling mask of the spirit as it crushed one of his comrades in its hand.

"AND NOW IT'S COMING TO KILL US ALL!"

Utor broke down, the brawny man losing himself to the horrors he had experienced. Aang and Katara couldn't help but look on in pity and dread. What on earth would be terrible enough to strike fear in the heart of a hardened Fire Nation soldier?

Remembering his conversation with Yangchen, Aang had a pretty good idea. He looked behind him, seeing that Loban and Lao Beifong had arrived.

"Get everyone to the mines," the Avatar ordered. "An angry spirit's on the way."

And he knew that a kaiju would rise up to face it.

A/N: First off, I am SO sorry for the delay. School's in season so we haven't had much time to work on the fic as much as we could.

Second, we get the unveiling of the mystery assailants I've been hinting at. They're the Meganulon, basically Toho's answer to Them! and the first major threat in the original Rodan film. Think dragonfly nymphs except larger and more hungry. They're not really a regularly recurring presence like some of the more popular monsters, but I'd figure they should get some exposure for once.

That and I'm a lore nut and have to incorporate as many elements from the Godzilla franchise as possible.

We also come to the crux of Azula's attempted usurpation. It's basically one big call back to her takeover of the Dai Li in the Ba Sing Se arc of Book 2. Course in this case, Fire Nation soldiers are ruled more by emotions than common sense, so Ryuui decides to pull a fast one before the bugs show up.

With Team Avatar, we get some character development with Katara and Toph. Katara did have a problem with Aang's "fan club" in the original comic, but I wanted to tone that down a bit and ground it to something that fits in a bit more with her general character. That and she's speaking from experience being the last Southern waterbender and all outside of Hama. I'd like to think of it as an extension of "The Blind Bandit" where we get this dynamic with her and Toph.

Finally, we get to the end of the Rough Rhinos, who get a more fatal end here than they did in the comic. General Old Iron has awakened, and he's on his way to go after those that have despoiled his forest. Which means that Anguirus is going to try and stop him.

And that also means that next chapter, we're in for a titanic showdown between two juggernauts. Thank you all for reading and for your patience. Thank you once again Selpharia for proofreading. Be sure to leave your thoughts below, and make sure to favorite and follow if you want to see more. As always, have a great day, and see you all next time!

Also, GODZILLA MINUS ONE WON AN OSCAR!