Story [Avatar: Last Airbender] Path of Fire (Sequel to Heart of Fire, Complete 10/18)

Title: Path of Fire
Author: MasterGhandalf
Timeframe: One month after "Heart of Fire"; a year and a little over a month since Sozin's Comet
Characters: Azula, Ursa, Ty Lee, Long Feng, Iroh (cameo), OCs
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama
Summary: Azula has recovered from her madness and helped defeat the renegade General Azun, but she still feels like she could crack at any minute. Convinced that her mother holds the key to her salvation, Azula begins to search for her- only to find her path shadowed by two enemies. One is an old foe who thinks to make Azula a pawn in his grand game; the other is a shadowy, hate-filled figure who may be even more deadly than Azula herself. Can the Fire Princess succeed in her quest with her life, sanity, and soul intact?
Notes: This is the second fic in a trilogy; please read "Heart of Fire" first or else nothing here will make much sense.

Path of Fire

Prologue- Shadows

The man sat hunched in the corner of his prison cell, face obscured by unkempt hair that had once been glossy black but was now beginning to run grey. Once the man's body had been powerfully built and he had a well-earned reputation as one of the greatest warriors in the world. Now he was pitifully out of shape, leading his guards to remark on one occasion that surely here was the only man in the world to gain weight on prison food. Once he had been the most powerful bender alive. Now his element had been denied to him by some strange, unknown power called forth by the boy Avatar.

Once he had been Fire Lord Ozai, called the Phoenix King, poised to conquer the known world and rule it as a god-king. Now he was broken, powerless, a prisoner of the son he despised. Ozai retained just enough dark humor to appreciate the full irony of his situation- apart from continually baiting Zuko with the whereabouts of the boy's mother (how should he know? He told the woman to get out- he never said where), it was the only enjoyment he was able to find in his captivity.

While still Fire Lord, he had heard from the Governor of New Ozai that the captive King Bumi actually enjoyed his imprisonment, seeing it as an opportunity to exercise his nimble mind without distractions. Ozai himself just took it as yet another proof that the ancient earthbender was completely insane.

A guard came to bring Ozai his dinner as the sun slipped past the horizon. The prison food was bland mush, but the deposed Fire Lord ate it greedily anyway, if only to deny Zuko the satisfaction of seeing him go hungry. When he was through the guard took the bowl and left again, returning to his post near the entrance. No guards were posted outside of Ozai's cell- as far as the prison staff was concerned, a firebender with no firebending was a joke, rather than a threat. Ozai, for his part, was inclined to agree with them, and cursed the Avatar again for his predicament.

Night had fallen now, and the only light in the cell was a thin sliver of pale moonlight. Then it too vanished behind a cloud, and Ozai realized that he was no longer alone.

A figure stood in the corner of the cell, wrapped in a cloak that seemed to shift from black to dark purple to midnight blue. Shadows trailed from the figure, making it difficult to pick out from the darkness without effort. A hood covered most of the figure's face, but from the shape of what was visible, Ozai guessed that his visitor was a woman.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" he snarled at the shadows. "Can't a man suffer in peace?"

"You don't need to suffer at all, Great King," the visitor said in a soft, melodious- and distinctly feminine- voice. "I am here to offer you salvation."

"Can you turn back time and restore my powers?" Ozai asked. "Or perhaps give me powers to match the Avatar without the crutch of the Comet? If not, then there's nothing you can offer that I am interested in buying."

The woman stepped forward and lowered her hood. Ozai stared at her, amazed. She was beautiful, true, but also young- barely older than his daughter, in fact. But it

 

Oooh, great start! Poor Ozai; he's always getting the short end of the stick.

 

Great stuff!! I can't said I'm sorry that Ozai's dead - he didn't technically have the power to cause trouble, as he was powerless, but if he'd taken that spirit up on the offer, he would have been dangerous.

 

Chapter 1: Funeral for a Tyrant

Zuko had attended the funeral of a Fire Lord once before.

When Fire Lord Azulon died, the entire Fire Nation had mourned him. The grim, canny old ruler hadn't been loved like his charismatic father Sozin, but he was widely respected for his intelligence and power. The crowds had turned out in vast numbers, like a huge sea of white, to mourn their fallen leader and pledge loyalty to his chosen successor- Zuko's father, Ozai.

Now Ozai himself lay upon the funeral bier, and the crowds were nowhere to be seen. Azulon had not been loved, but the Phoenix King was hated, for he had driven the war machine of the Fire Nation far harder than any ruler before him and reduced much of the civilian population to little better than slaves in his factories. The people followed him still, but their loyalty was to tradition and to the throne, rather than to the man who sat upon it. When his powers had been stripped from him by the Avatar, few tears had been shed.

In life Ozai had been a towering figure of dreadful power and infinite cruelty- a man made soulless by unchecked ambition, who was capable of any cruelty if he might profit from it. The scar that covered one side of Zuko's face tingled slightly at the memory of Ozai's most personally affecting crime, but it was far from the only pain the former Fire Lord had caused. Now he seemed pathetic and shrunken, and far older than he had ever looked while alive. The Fire Sages had cleaned the body and dressed it in fine robes, but even their handiwork couldn't hide the wound that had killed him- a clean slash across the throat, which the royal physician assured Zuko could only have been cause by a knife of incredible sharpness.

The murder itself still stumped Zuko. There were plenty of people who wanted Ozai dead, but the Fire Lord knew of no one who could pass through walls and locked doors without leaving a trace.

For now, though, such questions had to wait. Zuko stood on the steps of the Fire Nation palace in white mourning robes, at his side his betrothed, the Lady Mai. Off on one side, flanked by guards, was Zuko's younger sister, Princess Azula, a strange look on her normally impassive face. Azula had been the one person who could truly have been said to love Ozai, twisted as her relationship with him had been. Recently she had seemed to throw off some of his influence and had been instrumental in the defeat of the rebel general Azun, but the Phoenix King's shadow still loomed large in her mind. Her grief was genuine- perhaps the only genuine grief anyone felt for the man, a fact that Zuko found darkly ironic, considering that Azula was generally the last person one looked to for genuine human emotion.

Apart from the High Fire Sage, they were the only mourners present. Zuko himself would not have been there if it hadn't been for the knowledge that Ozai would have expected him to toss his body into the sea and forget about it (and would have likely done exactly that had their positions been reversed), and while Zuko no longer felt a need to prove himself to his father, but he did need to show that he was a better man than Ozai. Uncle probably would have come too, but Zuko didn't want to have to drag the old man out of his well-earned retirement to travel halfway around the world just to say farewell to the younger brother who'd hated him.

The High Fire Sage stepped forward and raised his hands over the body. "Ozai," he intoned, "Fire Lord of our nation for seven years. You were our ruler during the conquest of Ba Sing Se, and were the first to use airships as weapons of war. You were the husband of Ursa. You were the father of Zuko and Azula. We lay you to rest." The Fire Sage raised his hands and sent twin blasts of golden flame towards the body. In an instant Ozai was consumed. The Fire Sage bowed and stepped back, his work now done.

Zuko felt a light touch on his arm and turned to see Mai. "You've done enough, Zuko," she said. "He didn't even deserve this much."

"You're right," Zuko said to her. "But he was still

 

I agree with Zuko completely

You know, I don't think this is patr of Azula's madness. I think this is whatever killed Ozai. It was able to physically touch her.

 

I still feel kinda bad for Ozai. And Azula. Even if your dad is a power-crazed psychopath, he's still your dad.

 

Note: The hallucination was not actually able to harm Azula. She felt pain, but an examination of her body wouldn't even turn up superficial injuries. The knife that killed Ozai, by cotnrast, was very solid.

Chapter 2: Prophecy

A storm was brewing in the skies above the Fire Nation Capital. Rain had not yet begun to fall, but the sky was dark with clouds shot through with lightning and trees were swaying in the high winds. Most of the Capital's residents huddled in their houses, waiting for the fury to come.

A figure hurried across the palace grounds, wrapped in a floor-length red robe. The figure paused and looked over its shoulder, as though making sure it was not being followed, and then turned and began to make its way across the courtyard once again, Leaving the residential portion of the palace behind, the figure hurried up the steps of the Fire Sages' temple.

The temple door opened slowly and a man in the robes of a Sage poked his head out. "Who's there?" he called. "We're not open for visitors at this hour."

The figure reached up and cast back her hood, revealing the coldly beautiful features of Princess Azula. "You will let me inside, Sage," she said. "I need to speak with your master."

"Of- of course, my lady," the Sage said with a slight bow. "Follow me." He turned and began to walk back into the temple, Azula following closely at his heels. They passed through the long, empty corridors and came at last to an ornate oaken door. The Fire Sage stepped forward and knocked softly.

"Enter," a voice said from within. The Sage opened the door and Azula stepped inside. The High Fire Sage sat at his desk and looked at the princess with wry amusement. "Princess Azula," he said. "I was led to believe that your brother ordered you to be guarded at all times."

"That is correct," Azula admitted, "but I wasn't interested in being followed here, so I gave them the slip."

"And what would be so important that you would risk the Fire Lord's anger just to come here and speak with me?"

Azula stared at her hands for some time. "It's getting worse," she finally said.

"You are referring to the madness that took you on the day of the Comet?" the old man asked in a tone that indicated neither anger nor approval.

"Yes," she whispered. "I'm a firebender, and this place is built over the heart of fire's power in this world. Maybe if I stay the night here and meditate it will help me."

"Forgive me," the High Fire Sage said, "but I was never under the impression that you put much worth by spiritual matters. I am curious as to why you would begin doing so now?"

A sudden light flashed in Azula's eyes and the Sage involuntarily pulled back. "It is not your place to question me!" she snarled and hit the desk, sending blue sparks shooting across it. Then Azula caught herself and pulled back, mentally chiding herself for the temporary loss of control.

"To be entirely honest, I still don't put much value by them," she finally said in a calmer voice. "But it's one thing I haven't tried yet, and I don't suppose it could hurt me. It's not belief, High Sage- it's a last resort."

"I see," the old man said. "Come with me." He stood and motioned for Azula to follow him. They passed through more empty corridors, going ever in and down, until at last they came to a vast chamber that Azula guessed had to be underground. The walls were black stone decorated with golden images of dragons, heroes, and above all the sun, but it wasn't the decorations that truly seized one's attention. In the center of the floor was a great crack, and from it arose a smokeless yellow flame that was more than twice Azula's height.

"This place is a border," the Sage said. "It is where the Fire Nation of this world intersects with Agni's realm in the Spirit World. There are places like it in all four nations, though the only other one I know of is the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole, where the waterbenders commune with the moon and ocean spirits."

"I've heard of the Oasis," Azula said. "That is where Admiral Zhao a

 

Ooo, now Azula has to find Ursa!! I wonder how her conversation with Zuko will go

And yay, Ty Lee's back!! I can't wait until she (hopefully) meets up with Zuko and Mai or Azula again!

 

Yay Azula! And Ty Lee!

 

Chapter 3: Azula's Quest

Zuko paced back and forth in front of his throne, then finally sighed and turned to Azula and the High Fire Sage. The two of them had just finished relating the story of Agni's appearance in the flame and his charge to the former princess. "You're absolutely certain that what you saw was real?" The Fire Lord asked.

"Yes, Majesty," the High Sage replied. "My order does not take such things lightly. The lord of the sun has spoken to your sister- have no doubt of that."

"Besides, Zuzu," Azula put in, smiling slightly at seeing her brother flinch at the taunting nickname, "If I was lying, do you honestly think I couldn't have come up with a better story to convince you to let me out?"

Zuko seemed to consider this, and then nodded. "You're right," he said. "It doesn't really seem like your kind of lie, and I trust the Fire Sages at least."

"But not me," Azula said with a wry smirk. "Really, Zuko, I am hurt. I would have thought that helping to take down an entire rebellion would have at least let you trust your little sister a bit."

Zuko looked at her incredulously. "And that's supposed to make up for tormenting me my entire life before that? Not to mention helping Father do all of the terrible things he did during the war."

"You do have a point," Azula admitted.

"Can you two stop snarking at each other and get to the point?" a rather irritated voice put in from near one of the walls where Mai was leaning, eyes half closed. "Some of us like to sleep, you know."

Zuko glanced sidelong at his betrothed and turned back to Azula. "If you were just planning on running off to chase Mom you wouldn't have come here first. What do you want?"

"Well, one thing I don't want is your army chasing me all over the world," Azula said, "so I thought it would be best to tip you off. But while we're on that topic, you might be aware that the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation are on different continents. I'll be needing a spare ship and crew."

"What?" Zuko almost exploded. "I'm still not even sure I'm going to let you out of my sight- much less search for Mom- and you honestly think I'm going to be handing over national resources to you? That's proof you're still crazy."

Azula snarled and stepped towards Zuko, fire building around her clenched fists. How dare he talk to her like that, the little? but then the High Fire Sage hurried between the royal siblings, palms outstretched in a blocking position. "Listen to me, both of you!" he said. "Destiny is in play here. I do not claim to understand Agni's reasons for this, but it is clear to me that the princess needs help, and this may be the only way to do that."

Azula shuddered and stepped back, struggling to pull her irrational anger into line. Zuko too seemed to relax somewhat, though he kept a wary eye on his sister. There was a small flash from Mai's corner, and Azula suspected that a knife had just vanished back up her one-time friend's sleeve.

"Besides, Zuko," the princess said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Father let you have a ship when he banished you- surely the noble hero can do better than the evil tyrant?"

"That ship was Uncle's," Zuko said. "Without him I would have had to search the whole world for the Avatar on foot."

"You still haven't answered my question," Azula said. "Can I have a ship or not?"

Zuko regarded his sister thoughtfully, then nodded. "All right- here's what I'm offering. You can have a ship with no weapons, crewed by elite firebender's handpicked by General Akai. He still hasn't forgiven you for what you did to his men- I think he can be trusted to pick people you can't manipulate."

"You don't need to worry about that, Zuko," Azula said. "Believe it or not, I am being sincere this time."

"And if you are you don't have anything to worry about. Besides, that's not what worries me." Zuko looked at her straight on. "I'm worried about what might happen if you lose control."

Well then, Zuzu, Azula thought, it seems we finally agree on something.

############

It was a small,

 

I'm raelly, really curious about who this person is and why she has power.

Great post!!

 

Chapter 4: Sins of the Mother

The small ship left Fire Nation waters and turned towards the southeast, steaming towards the destination that Azula had instructed the captain to make for. The night was cool and clear, and the princess herself stood apart from the crew near the prow, staring off into the distance as though looking for something that no one else could see. She heard footsteps ringing off of the metal deck behind her, and turned slowly to face Captain Shin.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"We are bound for Kyoshi Island as per your instructions," he said, "but you haven't told us who or what you expect to find there. I believe that we are entitled to that information."

Azula clutched the iron rail tightly. "You dare question me?" she snarled.

The captain was unperturbed, staring straight at Azula with a gaze that never wavered. "I feel obliged to remind you that while you may still technically hold the title of princess, you no longer hold any direct authority over us. Your brother instructed me to follow your directions within reason, and if I am to do that I need to know your own reasoning."

Azula scowled and considered arguing, then decided that it was pointless. Much as she hated to admit it, she needed Shin and his ship to accomplish her goal, and if she continued overlooking him he was liable to simply turn around and take her back to the Fire Nation, where her madness would surely consume her. And that remained the one fate that the proud princess would not tolerate.

"I'm looking for a friend," Azula finally said. "Ty Lee is one of the most dangerous non-benders I've ever met, and I was told that after the War ended she joined the Kyoshi Warriors. She would be very useful to have along."

Shin snorted. "Huh. Wouldn't have thought you would ever be one to come out and admit you needed help."

"I don't need help!" Azula snapped. "Ty Lee's presence would just make things easier, is all."

"Really." The captain's tone indicated he believed no such thing, but Azula couldn't muster the strength to keep arguing with him. Deep down, she didn't believe it herself. Turning away from Shin to signify that their conversation was at an end, Azula leaned over the railing again and watched the sea pass by. After several moments she realized that the captain was still there.

"The sea is beautiful, isn't it?" he asked softly. "There aren't a lot of people in the Fire Nation who could appreciate that. Even most of the Navy saw it as an enemy to be conquered. But I always thought that it was the most powerful, majestic thing I'd ever seen. It's ironic that during the war we, the children of fire, were able to conquer the other nations not because of our numbers or bending, but because we had the best ships."

"Of course we have the best ships," Azula said. "We're an island, though a big one. We needed to conquer the seas before we could even interact with the other nations, much less go to war with them. There's nothing special or ironic about it."

"Conquest and domination." Shin shook his head. "That's how it always is with your kind."

Azula looked at him. "You hate me, don't you?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "No. I don't hate you- I hardly know you. I hate what you represent- a tyranny generations old, forcing the people of our nation to lay down their lives in a pointless war. We did the fighting and the dying, and it was your family and supporters who were the only ones who benefitted. That's what I hate, princess- the attitude that we're all just here for the amusement and service of a handful of arrogant dictators."

"I risked my own life to take Ba Sing Se!" Azula snarled indignantly. "Call me a ruthless, cruel beast if you want, but you can't deny that I fought for my Nation and my father."

"And that's the only reason I ever respected you more than your father, who did nothing but sit in his palace and brutalize his own son." Shin turned to walk away. "Respect is something you have to earn, princess. I may not hate you, but I have no love for you ei

 

"If I only exist inside your head, then wouldn't that mean that everything I've said to you is something you actually believe, deep down?"


I really like this line!!

Poor Ursa, kept locked up by another tyrant - and for seven years!! That's really sad But I'm glad we got to see her!

Great chapter

 

Chapter 5: On Kyoshi Island

The sound of a metal gauntlet rapping lightly against a steel door sounded in the small cabin, and Azula's eyes snapped open.

"What is it?" she demanded, sitting up.

"We have reached Kyoshi Island, princess," the soldier on the other side of the door said. "We'll be anchoring in the harbor shortly."

"Tell Captain Shin I will join him on deck presently." As the soldier's footsteps receded, Azula rose from her bed and quickly dressed in her travel clothes. The princess was used to having servants help her in such mundane tasks, but she'd always made certain that unlike some noblewomen, she could do them herself if the need arose. After slipping her flame hairpin into place and taking a final quick look at her reflection, she hurried out onto the deck.

The sun was just rising over the horizon as the ship anchored itself in the natural harbor nearest to the main village of Kyoshi Island. Captain Shin stood on the bridge directing operations, and Azula came to stand next to him.

"You'll be able to go ashore shortly, princess," the captain said without looking at her. "I recommend that you find your friend as quickly as you can so that we can leave. There's some sort of giant eel in the water around this island, and though we managed to scare it off with firebending, there's no guarantee it doesn't have friends."

Azula doubted that- in her experience, large and powerful beings were not generally inclined to share territory with potential rivals. Still, she agreed wholeheartedly that dangerous monsters were not pleasant company, and vowed to complete her business here quickly.

The ship slowly turned its metal bulk towards shore and the pointed prow was lowered to the beach, forming a ramp. Azula strode down onto the beach, accompanied by Captain Shin and two of his firebenders and they began to march inland.

A statue of Avatar Kyoshi, perched on the top of a wooden pole, was the first part of the village that Azula saw. The former Avatar was depicted dressed in a green robe, holding her battle-fans in a familiar pose. Having encountered the Kyoshi Warriors before (and briefly impersonated one, for that matter) Azula could most certainly see the resemblance between the female fighters and their source of inspiration. To the princess's eyes, though, the statue held itself with an elegant poise that outclassed any of the current Warriors- this was an opponent Azula found herself quietly glad she'd never had to face.

They walked into the heart of the village and the people stopped and stared, some of them retreating into their homes. Azula had heard that Zuzu and his men had largely wrecked the place during his search for the Avatar- clearly, these people were still leery of firebenders. One man appeared to be so flustered that he collapsed to the ground foaming at the mouth, and Azula had to repress a smirk. Even at the worst of her madness, she never drooled on herself.

A bearded, dignified older man stepped out of the crowd and strode towards the firebenders. "You're not wanted here," he said. "The war is over."

Azula stepped forward and raised her hands. "We're not here to fight," she said. "I just want to talk to the Kyoshi Warriors. Where are they?"

The old man scowled. "Why do you want to know?"

"One of them is an old friend. I want to talk to her. Is that a crime on this island?"

The village leader sighed. "Very well." He pointed deeper into the island. "They have a dojo in that direction. They'll be training there now."

Azula turned and began to walk in the indicated direction, not sparing the old man a second glance. Behind her, Captain Shin scowled and walked over to the leader, thanking him for his help in a quiet voice. Then the captain and his men followed after the princess.

The Kyoshi Warriors' dojo was not hard to find- it stood at the end of the path, right at the edge of a small forest. Azula paused as she approached, remembering her last encounter with these girls and formulating something to say that would allow her to avoid a

 

YAY for Ty Lee!

Great job! Can't wait to see how their adventure turns out.

 

I'm glad to see Ty Lee back - she's so much fun

 

Chapter 6: A New Heading

Azula sat in the belly of her small ship as it sailed away from Kyoshi Island, staring across the table at Ty Lee and wondering at the strange turns that life took. More than a year ago the two of them- and Mai- had disguised themselves as Kyoshi Warriors to infiltrate Ba Sing Se and leave it open for the Fire Lord's armies and succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They captured not only the city but the traitor General Iroh, brought Zuko back into the fold, and neutralized the Avatar completely for weeks, returning home in triumph. Now Zuko was Fire Lord and it was Azula who was disgraced, while Ty Lee had become a Kyoshi Warrior in truth. Had this been someone else's life, the princess would have found the irony highly amusing.

Ty Lee was wearing Earth Kingdom green, rather than her customary red and pink (though this particular shade of green was far brighter and more upbeat than any Azula had ever seen someone born in the Earth Kingdom wear), and she had washed off the distinctive facepaint that the Kyoshi Warriors wore to honor the famous Avatar. She'd already stowed her luggage- consisting of a few changes of clothes, a fan, a shield, and a sword- in her cabin before joining Azula in the hold. The princess had been rather surprised to see the weapons and commented on them.

"I know," Ty Lee said, shaking her head. "I told Suki I didn't need them, but she said that those are what Avatar Kyoshi used and I needed to be familiar with them." She brightened. "Hey, isn't it a rule or something that royalty have to know swordfighting? You can help me practice!"

"Maybe." Azula did know how to use a sword, but unlike her brother she'd never taken the time to become truly skilled with it, preferring to focus on her far more powerful, versatile, and useful firebending. At any rate, the proud princess had no intention of demonstrating a skill she wasn't among the best at.

Ty Lee stared at Azula for a moment, a scowl flitting across her expressive face. "You shouldn't be so down, you know," she said. "It's bad for you. Come on- the war is over, the sun is shining, and we're off on a big, fun adventure! Cheer up!"

"The war is over because we lost, we can't see the sun from inside the ship, and I have to go on this 'adventure' to keep myself from going crazy again." Azula chuckled bitterly. "Forgive me for not enjoying myself."

"Now you sound like Mai," Ty Lee observed. "Hey, don't glare at me like that! I was just saying that all that doom and gloom sounded like something Mai would say."

Azula was about to respond when the door to the hold opened and Captain Shin stepped inside, a roll of paper under one arm. He seated himself by the table and laid the paper out flat, revealing a map of the Earth Kingdom. "As you're most likely aware," he said, "we're currently leaving Kyoshi waters and heading back towards the Earth Kingdom proper. Princess, this is your expedition, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would enlighten me as to exactly where we're going next."

Azula stared at the map for several minutes without speaking. "I know that my mother is being held prisoner somewhere in the eastern Earth Kingdom, but beyond that Agni didn't supply me with the details. That isn't nearly specific enough for what we need."

Ty Lee's eyes widened. "Agnitold you where to find your mom? Couldn't you just make a fire and ask him again?"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Agni is a lord among spirits, Ty Lee. Great leaders don't come at the call of people they see as beneath them. It's undignified. If Agni has anything else to tell me, he'll do it in his own time."

"Maybe he wants you to figure this out yourself." Ty Lee looked at Azula intently. "Do you know of any way to find help?"

"The only person in the Fire Nation who knew where Mother went was Father, and with him dead I don't know of anyone else who could be useful."

Ty Lee thought for a moment, then brightened. "What about your uncle? He knows lots of stuff! And Suki says he's part of some kind of pai sho club with lots

 

Yay!! I love Iroh

How old is Captain Shin? 'Cause it sounds like he's devveloping a thing for Azula.

 

^ Shin is middle-aged, and he's not remotely interested in Azula in that way. Mostly, he's just curious about what makes the potentially unstable person he's stuck carting around the wolrd tick. And even if he was, he's too much of a professional to act on it.

Chapter 7: The Dragon of the West

Azula remained in her cabin for most of the journey to Ba Sing Se, emerging only to eat and practice her firebending. Ty Lee (and Captain Shin, somewhat more rarely) made numerous attempts to force the princess out into the open, to no avail. The princess wasn't interested in talking- she found it humiliating having to go to her fat, silly old uncle for help and wasn't interested in being forced to talk about it.

"You know, Azula," Ty Lee's voice came from the other side of the door, "it's not gonna kill you to come out of there. I mean, you said yourself that you really needed me along for this, but you haven't said ten words to me since we decided to go to Ba Sing Se!"

"Go away, Ty Lee," Azula said for what felt like the tenth time in as many minutes.

"I know you don't want to talk Azula," the acrobat said, "but sometimes talking out your problems helped. Remember the beach on Ember Island? We all felt so much better after that."

Azula's lips involuntarily twitched into a smile. "I remember that. Then we went and burned down Chan's house."

"Well, he was a jerk. I do wonder what his dad did when he found out. Do admirals have to pay for new houses themselves or does the military do it? Or do they each pay a little bit? I always wondered."

"Somehow I don't think it was Father," Azula said. "He didn't have any patience for officers who couldn't even keep their own affairs in order. I imagine that Chan wasn't one of the 'most important teenagers in the Fire Nation' for very long after that."

Ty Lee giggled, then fell silent. "We had a lot of fun, you know- well, I don't know if Mai did. She was always so gloomy all the time. Or maybe Mai's only having fun when she's gloomy. Does that even work?"

"Do you have a point?"

"Well, I mean what we did during the war was fun and all, but it wasn't really all that fun for everyone. We were trying to help your dad take over the world, and a lot of people would've got hurt if he did that. But this time we're trying to find someone who's in trouble, and that's a good thing, right?"

Azula sighed. "I'm not doing this because its good, Ty Lee. I need to save my mother to save my own sanity. I needed your help. But I think you know me better than to think I'm trying to be some kind of heroine."

Ty Le giggled again. "I know you don't mean to, Azula. I didn't mean to wind up friends with the Kyoshi Warriors in prison, but sometimes things just happen. You just have to go with them."

Going with things as they happened had never been one of Azula's strong areas. "I get the idea, Ty Lee," she said. "Go away. I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh." Ty Lee sounded genuinely sorry. "Good night!" Azula lay down in her bed, turned over, and pulled the pillow over her head.

############

The ship sailed north around the coastline of the Earth Kingdom, bound for Ba Sing Se. The capital was located near the coastline of a large inlet, and during the war Fire Nation ships had succeeded in sailing close enough to deposit troops and weapons- most infamously a giant drill commanded by the now-imprisoned War Minister Qin and Azula herself- and Captain Shin foresaw no problem in reaching the area in a time of peace. There was the matter of the great Serpent that inhabited the waters, but like the Unagi of Kyoshi Island, it had learned its lesson about attacking firebenders.

As she ship sailed into Ba Sing Se waters, Azula and Ty Lee stood on the deck and watched the shoreline approaching. The acrobat leaned up against the railing, her eyes wide and straining to catch of glimpse of the great walls of Ba Sing Se- though she had seen them before, the sight of one of the great architectural marvels of the modern world never failed to be breathtaking. Azula hung back, letting

 

Okay, gotcha. Are the two OCs from the last one (spacing on her names, but Map Girl and her brother) coming back?

Yay, Iroh!! Can't wait to hear what he has to say to Azula.

 

^Sorry, but no. I wanted to bring them back at first, but couldn't think of a way to fit them into the plot I'd worked out without making it seem forced.

Chapter 8: An Unremarkable Man

The midday sun rode high above Ba Sing Se, and much of the city (though not all- the Impenetrable City never truly slept) slowed to a crawl and people from all walks of life sat down to their meals. One such man nodded to himself in satisfaction as he felt his shop door lock click shut, and he turned slowly to make his way home.

The man was middle-aged, of average height, his eyes the green common in the Earth Kingdom. His head was completely bald (he led most of his acquaintances to believe it was natural, rather than shaved) and he wore a thin mustache, but otherwise there was nothing particularly noteworthy about him. Even those who had met him before would have had a hard time picking him out of a crowd. In another life, this blandness had come in quite handy for one who wished to rule a kingdom without ever sitting on the throne- if everyone devoted their attention towards the monarch, they failed to take note of the quiet figure in his shadow, leaving him free to work unnoticed. Now he was able to move through the city unnoticed, for though he was the most wanted criminal in all of Ba Sing Se, few indeed were those people on the street who could match his name to his face.

Of course, it helped when one still had a number of law-enforcement officials under one's influence. The Earth King had done his best to clean up his government, but in any political system there would always be corruption- and where there was corruption, the unremarkable man and his like would thrive.

The man came to his house- one of many similar places in the middle ring of the city, and n fact one of several that he directly or indirectly owned. He let himself in and was preparing to step into his kitchen and prepare a light lunch when he heard the slight rustle of cloth behind him.

"I know you're there," he said softly. "Come out where I can see you."

The shadows in a corner seemed to shimmer, and a person- a woman or girl, but the looks of them- emerged, wrapped in a dark cloak. She stepped in front of the man and smiled without mirth. The man was reminded forcibly of another young woman he once knew, and who was indirectly responsible for his present situation.

"Here I am," she said. "We have business to discuss."

"If you want to discuss business, come by my shop. It will be open again in an hour, and I assure you I can sell you the finest tools of calligraphy in the inner ring."

"I'm not here for paper or brushes," the girl said. "It is you I want. I have a proposition I believe you will be interested in hearing."

"Who are you?" the man asked. "I prefer not to make deals with people unless I know who they are and how they think."

The girl cast back her hood, and the man started slightly at her strange eyes. "Oh, we've met before, though I'm not surprised you don't remember me. Your kind never gives their tools a second thought." Her merciless eyes narrowed. "But I know you- Long Feng."

#############

Azula kept her face perfectly neutral, refusing to let her uncle see her surprise. "Expecting me," she repeated. "That isn't possible. I only decided to come here after leaving the Fire Nation, and no one on the ship has a messenger hawk."

"Zuko sent a message to me telling me about your journey," Iroh said. "I had a feeling that you might find your way here eventually." The old man looked at her surprisingly shrewdly. "Will you come into the back with me? I do not think this is a conversation you want to have in front of everybody."

"Yes, of course." Azula stood. "Lead us to your back room."

The princess and Ty Lee followed Iroh into a small room in the rear of the shop that resembled the main room, except smaller and more private. Considering that the Jasmine Dragon was in the upper ring, Azula imagined that government officials came here fairly regularly, and like having a place to drink their tea and

 

Man, Long Feng is a fool. Zuko wouldn't collaborate with him; I'm sure he hasn't forgotten Long Feng. This girl is a good manipulator.


they were able to keep track of your mother and keep her safe until she passed beyond their knowledge

For some reason, that gave me a Lord of the Rings vibe. Great phrase!!

 

Chapter 9: The Chase Begins

"Azula, slow down!" Ty Lee panted. The princess was stalking down the streets of Ba Sing Se as fast as she could without losing her dignity, cloak blowing in the wind. The acrobat found herself having to rush to keep up. "What's the hurry?"

"I know where mother probably is now," Azula replied. "I want to get back to the ship as fast as possible so that I can continue with my search." And put as much distance between me and uncle as possible, she added silently. You're wrong, old man. I know who I am and what I want. You'll see!

Absorbed in her thoughts, Azula kept to her course without deviating, pushing commoners out of her way as they neared the crowded station. Ty Lee followed a step behind, apologizing profusely and occasionally shooting a worried glance at her friend. Finally the two girls arrived at the tracks, and after a brief wait were able to board a train bound for the docks.

They sat down on two seats away from the rest of the passengers, and Ty Lee turned to Azula. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked. "You don't look so good. It's probably because you didn't have any of your Uncle's tea- I've heard that he says it's the remedy for everything."

"He does," Azula replied. "I don't agree. Tea is just a drink like any other- there's nothing special about it. And I'm fine, so stop worrying about me."

"If you say so," Ty Lee said, but she looked unconvinced. With a sudden jolt the train began to move, and Azula turned to look out the window at the city she had once conquered- and stopped, staring. A figure stood in the shadows behind one of the stations pillars, and at first the princess thought it was her shadowy nemesis- then another look proved her wrong. This figure's robes were dark green, not some strange black-violet, and its features were concealed not by a hood but by a wide brimmed hat.

Memory flashed through her mind- seeing figures like that the first time she arrived in Ba Sing Se disguised as the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, learning of their significance from the Earth King himself? meeting Long Feng in his cell and together hatching a scheme that brought the Earth Kingdom to its knees? subverting his followers to her cause, proving once and for all that the will and charisma of true royalty trumped the patient plotting of a commoner any day? two of the robed figures fighting by her side on the Day of Black Sun, when firebending lost ints power?

And in the end sending them away, for they had betrayed their old master and would most certainly do the same to her, given time?

"Azula!" she heard Ty Lee's voice as if from a great distance and shook herself out of the past. "What's wrong?" the acrobat asked, looking concerned. "You kind of went away there, except you didn't really go anywhere, and it was a little scary."

The princess seized Ty Lee by the arm. "The Dai Li," she said. "After the War ended, what happened to the Dai Li?"

"Well, I don't know a whole lot," the acrobat admitted, "but what I heard was that the Earth King pretty much gutted them. He couldn't just get rid of them- something about how they'd made themselves too important to running the city- but he was able to take away most of their power. They're just a bunch of administrators now- what's left of them." She winced. "You're hurting me."

Azula didn't apologize, but she did release Ty Lee's arm. "I saw one of them," she said softly. "He was standing on the platform watching this train."

"He probably was waiting for another train to come and take him home," Ty Lee said. "They're not allowed to spy on people or kidnap them anymore. It's no big deal that you saw one."

Somehow Azula doubted that any of the Dai Li agents she had known would have concerned themselves with rules that they thought inconvenienced their true mission- maintaining order in Ba Sing Se at all costs. The Earth King was an idealistic fool if he thought otherwise- but then, Azula had met the man, and in her opinion "idealistic fool" summed him up quite well. Still, there was probably a pe

 

I've heard that he says it's the remedy for everything

I say the same thing

I'm glad Ty Lee was able to stop Azula!

 

Chapter 10: Battle on the Waves

Owing to the shape of the Earth Kingdom's continent, there was no straight way from the Ba Sing Se harbor to the wild borderland where Lady Ursa was most likely to be found. The Fire Nation ship would therefore be forced to sail around the huge landmass on either the north or the south in order to reach its goal. Captain Shin decided, after giving the matter a great deal of thought, that the northern passage would be most likely be somewhat faster, and ordered his crew to steer in that direction.

After a little more than a week, the ship had left Ba Sing Se waters and passed through a narrow strait to re-enter the ocean proper. Azula took to standing on the prow, staring out over the sea at something her eyes alone could see and snarling at anyone who came close to her. Only Ty Lee seemed exempt from this, but even the bubbly acrobat knew better than to push her luck by speaking. She would simply hop up onto the railing and go through her various exercises in silence, and if Azula took any comfort from her presence she didn't show it. Still, she never tried to send Ty Lee away.

Eventually, however, the other girl's outgoing personality found a new outlet. Tempers had been running high after word of the near-showdown between Azula and Captain Shin spread (a process which took less than a day, considering the small size of the crew), and Ty Lee began to worry that some enterprising crewman might have more loyalty than sense and try to pitch the princess overboard. Such an attempt had little chance of succeeding, of course, but the last thing that Azula needed in her current state was incentive to go berserk on everyone.

Ty Lee began floating her idea for a morale-booster among some of the lower-ranking officers, and before long Captain Shin himself sought her out to get the details straight from the original source. He rolled his eyes as she explained, but finally agreed, sending the acrobat cartwheeling off to start getting things together.

That night the crew was gathered together on the deck, with a generous portion of food prepared by the ship's cook laid out for them. Ty Lee stood up in front of them and bowed dramatically, a huge smile on her face, and then began her act. The ship was a very different environment from a circus tent, of course, but from Ty Lee's perspective it just made things more enjoyable. She leapt and bounded across the ship faster than the eye could easily follow, finding balance on the most unlikely surfaces, until finally she landed in the exact spot where she had begun and bowed again. The crew's applause filled the night.

After Ty Lee sat down, members of the crew came forward. Two warriors demonstrated their skill with knives in a fierce mock duel, and another put on a firebending display with a theatricality that showed, to the acrobat's experienced eye, that he could have been a bending performer had his life taken a different path. When he was through, she looked over her shoulder and saw that even serious Captain Shin was smiling- and beyond him was Azula in her customary position by the prow, back to the festivities.

Ty Lee slipped away from the crew and joined the princess. "What is it?" Azula asked quietly.

"Come on, Azula!" Ty Lee said, "We've got food and a lot of the crew are doing entertainment. Come on over. I bet that you could do some firebending that would make that one guy's look tame."

"I've fallen a long way, Ty Lee, but I'm not lowering myself to a source of entertainment for my own soldiers," Azula said. "I still have some dignity."

Ty Lee scowled. "That doesn't mean you can't have fun."

Azula looked out over the dark waters for several minutes. "That's not all," she said. "I think we're in danger."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it," Azula admitted, "but I can't shake the feeling that we're being followed."

"You're still worried about that Dai Li guy," Ty Lee guessed. "Even if he was following us, he's back in Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom doesn't make very good ships, you know. I gue