Special Officer Yoru
First comes Conquest, seeping into minds like water in a crevice
Then comes War, whose Flames ignite in every heart and consume the world with reckless abandon.
From the depths of the Earth arises Famine, seeking to claim all for itself.
And when it is all done, the last breath of Life will be taken by Death.
-?-
I stared into the flickering flame that I held in my hand, utterly enthralled.
Since my rebirth, I had considered bending greatly. My powers as the Spirit of War were mighty, but many were distinctly too unusual to use normally, lest my true nature be revealed to the masses.
Fire-bending was a known quantity in this world and an interesting one even to one such as I. Especially to one such as I, in fact.
The physics of Fire was known to me, roughly. At least, more than most in this world. I did not worry about this much. The higher-tier manipulations of the element, such as heat, lightning generation, and even the beginnings of plasma, had come with time and practice.
I was more curious about the other side of things, the Spirituality of bending.
Bending was as much entrenched in mysticism as it was actual physics, an easy thing to forget or disdain as someone from the so-called real world, but the existence of rebirth, spirits, and living disasters such as myself had been eye-opening and tended to make one more accepting of the mystical.
Fire was Life; this was the lesson that Zuko and Aang had derived from the Original Firebenders' majestic flames. A sentiment that I agree upon, but would also like to add an addition to.
Fire was the Meaning of Life. It was the reason you woke up in the morning, the reason you continue. It was passion, ambition, and drive all wrapped into one giant mess.
My understanding was that it was the expression of an individual's desires, their passions. Princess Azula had sought nothing less than perfection, which had brought a flame known only to the strongest fire-benders in history: the blue fire, burning hotter and stronger than normal flames, and the sign of a true prodigy.
Zuko had been more listless, unknowing of his desires in life, compared to Azula, who had always known what she wanted and the steps she would take to claim it for herself. Though I theorized that even a fully realized Zuko would have trouble keeping up with Azula, who may well be blessed by fire for all that I knew.
So, the question to think of was what did my fire represent? What was my ambition?
"That seems like enough philosophy for now." I let the flame in my hand disappear as I take in my darkened surroundings. It was odd to think that just the night before, I had killed my Captain in cold blood, warping him into an abomination against the natural order.
It had been a simple enough thing. It had been a macabre thing to watch, as a piece of a human being twisted itself into a twisted blade.
Quite amusingly, the Captain's face twisted in terror had become a sort of three-dimensional insignia on the bottom of the hilt.
It was a weapon befitting the title of cursed. It emanated an ominous presence, as if it were alive. It might be so in some sort of way. Spirit bullshit, and all. Yet I could hardly keep it in my company, not without some unsavory questions being asked.
As I had stood on the deck after killing the Captain, I spoke to the pseudo-Spirit abomination that I had so callously created.
"Go, do a crime." Then I chucked it into the ocean.
Even if it was alive in some way, could a blade without ears still hear a command? Or just Spirit bullshit its way through.
Perhaps it would wash up somewhere and do something interesting, or maybe it would just be lost. Either way, it wasn't my problem at the moment and didn't warrant much more thought.
"Special Officer Yoru?" A voice called, and I walked to the door, opening it up to see one of the literal nameless extras salute me. The Princess Azula had recruited me for her special little team, and I supposed her pride could not accept recruiting a 'mere' Officer, thus my promotion to the newly minted 'Special Officer'. A promotion that changed nothing about my duties whatsoever.
"Yes?"
"My na-"
"Please get to the matters of importance." I would likely not remember this canon fodder's name, and it would be best to avoid such awkwardness by having it so I never knew his name in the first place. Social genius.
"Ah, well, uhm, the Princess has called for all personnel to report to the deck for an announcement."
With ease, I raised an eyebrow. It took some time to make such a movement look as seamless and unpracticed as mine did.
"Would that not be the jurisdiction of the Captain?" Also, I pretended not to know what was going on with the Captain. But that was easy. I hadn't even known the old geezer's name! "He is not the kind of man to take such a thing lightly."
Yes, he was the absolute wimp. All he could manage was some passive-aggressiveness against the Princess before just sort of lying down. His betrayals had been small and more annoying than anything else, quite like the man himself now that I thought about it.
"The Captain…can't be found." The nameless goon looked a bit nervous. Understandable. Fire Nation officials were known for shooting the messenger. Quite literally, in fact. Being made into Yuyan Archery practice was not a nice way to depart from the mortal coil.
"I suppose that makes sense." I was a bit curious how Azula would address this. The crew was not comprised of idiots. The Captain had fucked up, that was known. Then he 'mysteriously disappeared' only for her to take command? For all his mediocrity, the Captain had been well-liked, and being stuck on a boat with a mutinous crew sounded like a bad idea, even for a master fire-bender like Azula. "Shoo. I'll be up there in a few moments."
With a salute, the rando raced back up to the deck.
I hoped I'd be able to wear the helmet, since it obscured me from making a fool of myself from damned adolescent hormones. I imagined that staring at the Princess behind was a quick way to a bad end.
With practiced ease, I slipped into my armor and put on my helmet. Idly, I could not help but wonder why the Chinese had made that old curse. To live in interesting times was truly a blessing; the threat of death just upped the thrill.
As I stepped onto the deck, I was greeted by the sight of the last straggling crew members lining up in formation.
At the center of an elevated platform of some sort, her palanquin, I believe, sat the Princess herself. Pristine and polished as always, not a hair out of place.
As our eyes briefly met, I could note the spark of smug pleasure. She appeared to have some grand plan in the works, and I'd hardly be the one to interrupt it. I swiftly strode across the deck and took my new position beside the raised platform and waited for the show to begin.
Don't disappoint me, Princess. I am expecting quite the performance.
Princess Azula
The newly promoted 'Special Officer' Yoru took his position, and it was finally time to get to work.
Normally, she could have simply left after dealing with the Captain, since even if the crew suspected, she would have already left, and then what could they do? But with her Uncle's strike, her sloop was most likely going to be scrapped for materials, and thus she was stuck on the Cruiser as her primary means of transportation.
This meant addressing the rising tension that had arisen following the Captain's 'disappearance'.
"Soldiers." She addressed the group, her posture and voice establishing and enforcing her regal authority. "It has been brought to my attention that Captain Feng has not been contactable since late last night. Anyone who knows vital information should step forward, immediately."
Azula knew the ways of deception, unlike her brother Zuko. A single lie was a flimsy thing; even the average fool could suspect or ignore it. A truly beautiful lie was a work of art. It required a foundation of deception, misdirection, and just a hint of truth to be viable.
Her work of art was already in progress.
"Princess Azula!" The ambitious soldier, Jin, stepped forward. Just as they had discussed the night prior. The first stroke of the brush. "I have important news regarding Captain Feng. I did not wish to bring it to attention last night in case it was simply a misunderstanding, but now I fear I must."
"Of course you must." She rolled her eyes. Spare her the theatrics of boys with so little sense. "I ordered you to. Speak plainly or not at all, Officer."
"As you say, Princess." Jin bowed. The crew was now focused on the boy. It was well known what a lickspittle he was, a worm that was always trying to crawl its way higher and higher. It was amusing, in a pathetic sort of way. "Last night, as I was sending a messenger hawk to my family, I noticed Captain Feng sneak out of his office with a bag and head towards where the skiffs are kept."
The first lie was a soft one, never truly meant to be believed. It offered a flimsy excuse that could be used to absolve one of the complexities of certain situations. This kind of lie would only suffice in situations where it was convenient for everyone to simply ignore the truth. It was the kind of lie that Father had spoken when asked about Mother. Or Grandfather.
"You!" One of the officers hissed. An officer who was temporarily part of her little band of fire-benders, Kuzon, she believed. And Azula never believed incorrectly. "Don't say such things about him, you damned parasite! Captain Feng would not abandon us! He wouldn't even do it when Zhao threatened him."
Naturally, such a lie would not hold water with this lot. Captain Feng, for all his mediocrity, was well-respected and loved by his crew. They did not wish to ignore the truth, for the lie was a painful one and went against what they knew of the man. Luckily, she had never expected them to buy it. She wouldn't be bothering with the show otherwise.
The crew's mumbling increased. Part of her was annoyed that they did not immediately defer to her opinion or views on the matter, but one couldn't expect much from the common soldiery. She noted that Special Officer Yoru seemed decidedly amused by the happenings occurring. Azula had been pleasantly surprised by the man's loyalty and willingness to kill a man whom he had followed for years. Another thing to look into on their journey. She needed a loyal follower, not one with his own agenda and an unpredictable nature.
Everyone had their price; she would find his eventually.
"You can't run from the truth, Officer Kuzon." Jin sighed dramatically. Over-acting was just as bad as under-acting, but no one had bothered to tell it to this ignoramus. "I checked this morning, and a single skiff has been declared as unaccounted for. One that was there last night, I am sure the overseer can confirm my words."
The overseer in question, at the sudden looks from the entire crew and the Princess, let out an eep.
"It is, unfortunately, as Officer Jin says." The woman responded, squirming on the spot. As an official who had a minor role in the ship's functions, this was probably the most attention the woman had received. "This morning, I found that a skiff was missing from the logs."
Azula was not sure how Special Officer Yoru had done it, but he had managed to discreetly make a skiff vanish without raising an alarm or waking up half the ship from the needed bending required to sink one. She would have asked how, but her pride refused to allow such a measure to discover his method. Asking how was quite the Zuko thing to do. Worse, it was an Uncle thing to do.
"That doesn't mean that it was the Captain!" Kuzon roared. "Don't think that no one knows what you are, Jin! You've had your head shoved up the Captain's ass like it was your helmet for so long for a reason. You'd probably sell your mother out for a better position."
Who wouldn't? Mothers were horrible things.
"Slander, Officer Kuzon." Jin scoffed, this time not even bothering to 'act'. "The fool's defense. Consider the facts. A skiff is missing that was not there last night. A man is missing who was not there last night. It is quite obvious what happened. After his failure yesterday, he fled out of shame or fear of retaliation. Or worse, he was a traitor who helped Prince Iroh escape all along and has run after the one who remains free so far."
"Silence," Azula spoke loudly, but steadily. The two officers quieted down. "As ill-spoken as it was, Officer Jin has a point. The current facts do not paint a flattering picture of Captain Feng."
The first layer of deception had been meant to draw attention to the strangeness of the situation; the next step would be the dangerous one. It required suspicion of her involvement. It was the 'make or break' part of the plan.
"It is rather odd that he disappeared just after he cocked up your mission, Princess," Kuzon stated, the entire deck quieting as his words were processed.
Luckily, it seemed that loyalty to the dead made fools of otherwise capable men. Sentimentality truly was a weak emotion.
"Are you suggesting something, Officer?" Azula allowed her face to become irritated with a dash of offense, though inside, she could almost grin.
"I am just stating the facts, as Officer Jin did."
"To accuse the Princess of such an awful thing!" Jin glared. "I understand you are grieving, but do not forget that you speak treason, Kuzon! Agni Kai's have been fought for lesser insults."
"I said nothing false." Kuzon shrugged, his eyes meeting Azula's. Searching for a reaction. Unfortunately for the man, Azula was an old hand at such things and far beyond his ability to read. "My words are as factual as yours were. You are pathetic, though, Jin. Captain Feng has disappeared in less than a day, and you have already started licking at the heels of someone with an even higher position. The Captain took care of you, trained you, and would have vouched for you in the future, yet you have already turned on his good works? Treacherous little prat!"
"The man ran off; he isn't dead, Kuzon." Jin laughed. "Didn't you hear what I said?"
It was good to get confirmation of what she had theorized. Jin was a well-known opportunistic little rat. And it was well known amongst the crew. This was the second layer of deception: the glimpse of twisted truth. Jin's words were heavily believed to be lies now, and there was suspicion that she, the Princess, had been involved in Captain Feng's death. This was the moment where the momentum of the conversation would truly change, a killing blow that would absolve the issues at hand and tie up loose ends.
"We have more important matters to discuss." Azula interrupted the staring match that began between Kuzon and Jin with a powerful, fast blast of blue fire. "Regardless of the circumstances, there is a reality that must be faced. This cruiser does not have a Captain. While I am more than capable of filling the role, Special Officer Yoru and I will be departing sooner rather than later, which means a Captain must be chosen."
She smirked slightly as Jin stood up taller, as if he had already been promoted. She had made subtle comments regarding the possibility of the opening. Jin had taken the idea and run with it, more the fool he was. He should have known that nothing truly worthwhile in life was offered 'free'.
"Officer Kuzon." She addressed the man who had been watching her while so guarded. "You have served many years, are a capable fire-bender, and have been mentioned a few times in the Captain's logs as a potential successor. Whether the truth of Captain Feng's disappearance, I find myself agreeing with his notes regarding your skills and capabilities. Upon my departure, you shall be the new Captain of the Ashstrider."
The killing blow. She had been viewed, most likely, as the primary motivator behind Captain Feng's disappearance. With this, she had mostly absolved herself. In the eyes of the soldiery, she had spoken respectfully of the Captain and even chosen an individual who had even opposed her, just based on the late Captain's recommendation. This went against the sensibilities of the straightforward soldiers, so it made it seem unlikely that she was responsible for the unusual disappearance of Captain Feng.
A fact made easier by the new narrative that would pop into their heads. Jin was still an ambitious man who had quite clearly lied about the Captain's disappearance, and had been noted to be sucking up to her, the Princess, just before she had decided to appoint a new Captain. Whispers would spread, and soon it would be all but certain that Officer Jin had killed Captain Feng or banished him and then used the event to try to increase his standing by flattering the Princess.
The look of horror and betrayal in Officer Jin's face brought a true smile to her face, one that she redirected towards Kuzon.
"Do you accept the position and the responsibilities that come with it?"
"I…I humbly accept." The newly minted Captain Kuzon knelt. He seemed shocked by the way things turned out. Despite his insolence, he had always been her pawn, so it was truly hard to consider his 'insults' as meaningful. That said, she would make him pay for them one day. Some minor inconvenience or being sent into enemy territory, once the Navy could afford petty sacrifices, once again.
It would not do to leave a slight unpaid.
"I will let it slide this once, Captain Kuzon." She waved his apology away. "I will remain in charge until my departure, but afterwards, you shall take your position as the Captain. You are free to search for evidence regarding Captain Feng's disappearance; in fact, as Princess, that will be my first order to the new Captain."
"Of course!" The entire crew burst into applause as Kuzon affirmed his acceptance. Jin had slinked back, lowering himself to blend into the crowd in shame and defeat. He seemed to understand his position and accepted his fate. A pariah and perhaps one that would turn up dead someday soon. How pathetic.
And naturally, she took note of her new subordinate. He had watched the proceedings with eyes gleaming and a genuine smile on his face.
"What a wonderful showing, Princess."
And the strange thing was, Azula was certain that he meant every word he had said. What a curious individual.
Zuko
He had been fleeing for so long, almost assured that his sister would be right on his heels. He had slept little and lightly, staying out of sight and fleeing at even the hint of pursuers. Eventually, when he had collapsed from the strain and awoken much later to find himself unhindered by enemies, it was then that he faced the cruel truth. He had either lost his pursuers, unlikely, or they had not bothered to follow him.
He was in the Earth Kingdom at this point, so he had quickly cut his hair and sold his 'salvaged' armor for less than half its worth to a merchant and bought more suitable clothing. His scar proved useful there as well, as many thought he was another refugee fleeing the Fire Nation, and he knew there was no need to correct them, even though his pride towards his homeland refused to accept such a thing.
The fact that he was not being pursued had initially surprised him. Only for it to make perfect sense after some thought. Uncle was the real threat, the Dragon of the West. What was Zuko? An afterthought, at best.
How fortunate for Azula that Uncle had been willing to sacrifice himself for someone as worthless as him.
Azula was born lucky; you were lucky to be born.
His sister was a perfectionist; would she accept that he had slipped her grasp? Or would he truly mean so very little that she wouldn't even bother trying to capture him?
Frankly, he didn't know what answer he wanted to that particular conundrum. He had bigger issues. Father considered him and Uncle traitors to the Fire Nation. The shunning that he faced from other Fire Nation soldiers and citizens would now become a true manhunt.
Weak, dishonored, banished, and now a traitor. Had he even been lucky to be born? It didn't feel like it when his entire life felt like a comedy of errors.
There had to be a way to fix this. To show Father that he was still his loyal son. To get Uncle out of his predicament, the predicament that Zuko's weakness had dragged him into.
It was funny because nothing had changed, despite how the hole in his heart just seemed to grow bigger and more painful.
He only had one option.
Capture the Avatar at all costs. Only this time, with no crew, no resources, no allies, and not even Uncle.
He didn't even know where to start. Logic indicated that after visiting the Northern Water Tribe and possibly mastering, or at least becoming proficient in waterbending, he would be seeking an earthbending master. Zuko didn't think the Avatar had found one already, since surely whoever it was would have joined them in their travels already if it were so.
He had considered that he might fail to capture the Avatar in the North Pole and consulted the Earth Kingdom maps before his ill-fated venture in that icy wasteland.
Now, as he walked through the dirt path in Agni knows where, he could consider his thoughts from back then relatively clearly. When he could put aside the memories of Uncle's proverbs and gentle encouragement.
There were a few options he had considered. Ba Sing Se was the heart of the Earth Kingdom, but that place was a death-trap and likely far away to boot. Omashu was far more manageable, being the seat of the Mad King Bumi. Though even Fire Lord Azulon had approached King Bumi with trepidation. One did not live to be over a hundred years old, a master earth-bender, and face off against the full might of the Fire Nation and not be terrifying. If the Avatar were smart, he would visit either Omashu or find focus on learning the basics of earthbending from some rural hick.
If there was one thing he had learned, though, it was that the Avatar rarely did the smart thing. Like leaving him to die in the snow.
Omashu was closer, so it would be his first destination then. Then Gaoling. If that failed…then it would be the place that had taken Lu Ten from them.
"Hey, you!" Zuko turned to see a small group of riders trot up to him on their ostrich-horses, his muscles tensed as reflexes towards the enemy of the Fire Nation took hold. "No need to be so tense, son! My name is Jian Shu. My men and I are riders from the Plague-Seeker Regiment."
A few years before Father had taken his position as Fire Lord, famines and plagues had begun to crop up throughout the Earth Kingdom at a frankly unnatural pace. While it was initially a great boon towards the Fire Nation invasion, it quickly became a double-edged one as conquered territories began to spread the disease and destruction of resources through the invasion forces. Eventually, Fire Lord Azulon had decreed to focus their efforts on the uninfected areas and to give the plague-ridden areas a wide berth.
Zuko squinted at the leader who had been speaking. Jian Shu was an older man with a scraggly beard at the head of a small troop of weary but strong-looking soldiers, and the man had a sympathetic look to him. While he raged at the thought of being pitied by the damn enemy, he restrained himself. Zuko could contain his anger. To find the Avatar. To free Uncle.
"My name is Lee." A common enough name. "I am travelling to Omashu, seeking refuge."
The man looked at him sadly. The pitying tittering of the others further enflamed the rage Zuko kept contained inside of him.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news in that regard." He sighed. "Omashu has fallen to the Fire Nation. They are calling it 'New Ozai' these days, disrespectful fucks."
"What?" Zuko found himself gasping, partly at the news and partly to disguise his cough at the name. "That is impossible. Did King Bumi die?"
Omashu falling? It had even become something of a joke in the Fire Nation. Many had even mocked him that he would find the Avatar when Omashu fell. The only way it was even remotely conceivable would be if the Mad King had passed.
"No, just too many enemies and too many civilians to protect." Jian Shu shook his head. "Fire Nation has started a new offensive. Those scum have captured King Bumi, but at least the citizens were able to escape. If you are interested in enlisting, there is a recruitment camp to the North of here. You seem like someone who would like to take a pound of flesh back from the ash makers. Or if you are more squeamish than you seem, you can join up with the Plague-Seekers. It isn't greatly appreciated work, but it is honest and good."
Zuko shook his head. He was being quite patient by not melting this man's face off for that comment about his homeland, wasn't he? No, that was an Azula thing to say.
"I am looking for my Uncle." Azula was a great liar, but Zuko was not. Just saying his name was Lee was the best he could do in that department, so he would use the truth instead. "My Uncle and I were attacked by the Fire Nation. I escaped, but my Uncle…I need to get him back. Whatever the cost."
"Lad." The pitying look was now given by all the men, and it made Zuko vibrate with anger. Uncle was fine! He had to be! "I can't speak for your Uncle, but he wouldn't want you to throw your life away. If you don't want to join up, that's fine. But consider heading to Ba Sing Se instead of some fool's errand."
"I was planning on going to Gaoling if Omashu wasn't an option."
One of the soldiers scoffed.
"Gaoling might as well be plague-ridden at this point."
"It isn't, though." Jian narrowed his eyes at the soldier who spoke out. "It has crept closer, but it is currently safe. The quarantine measures have held well enough."
"They hold well enough, until they don't."
Gaoling, being on the verge of being plague-ridden, was worse news for the Earth Kingdom. After Ba Sing Se and Omashu, it was the greatest Earth city and the beating heart of Earth Kingdom trade. With Omashu gone, Ba Sing Se as isolated as ever, and Gaoling on the verge of being a permanent wasteland or forever quarantined, it looked like the Fire Nation had its work cut out for them.
"Not in front of the boy, Sho!" Jian glared at the man before turning his attention back to 'Lee'. "If you are heading to Gaoling, it should be fine. Just make sure to go in from the East and not the West. The West is mostly plague-land nowadays.
"Thank you, sir."
"Haha!" Jian Shu rubbed the back of his head as his men laughed. "No need to call me sir, it makes me feel like some stuck-up official. Just call me Young Jian."
"Young Jian?"
"You should see Old Jian!" The entire contingent roared in laughter like it was the funniest joke they had ever heard. It would have annoyed him if that horrid humor wasn't the exact kind of thing Uncle would have loved. "Tell you what, boy. You can join us for a time. Banditry had gone up a lot in this region, and we are heading to Weinan to check up on the village's condition. It is on the way to Gaoling as well."
Travelling with the Earth Kingdom soldiery would normally be an insane thought, but it would provide an unmatched level of protection as long as he refrained from fire-bending.
"Just until Weinan?"
"Of course."
"And how exactly will I join you?" He gestured at the number of ostrich-horses. "No spare ostrich-horses, is there?"
"Come on, Lee!" One of the other soldiers laughed. "Too scared to share an ostrich-horse with a man!"
Zuko had a strong feeling that this would be a long journey. Weinan couldn't feel any further away as the long conversation filled with sexual innuendos and terrible puns began.
Agni, give him strength not to burn them!
Special Officer Yoru
"There is something wrong with that child." Mother and Father were not quiet whatsoever. Or perhaps parents sometimes deluded themselves into thinking they were in private. It would certainly explain Ursa and Azula's 'relationship'.
"Our child, Han!" Mother snapped, though she did not refute his words.
"Or some Spirit that possessed him." Father scoffed.
Pretending to be an ordinary child had been pointless. A freak was a freak, and my birth had been contentious enough.
It was considered normal for a fire-bender to show their flame sometime when they turned four or five, like Zuko had, even if he was a later bloomer than expected. Azula, an exception amongst exceptions, had revealed her inner flame at the tender age of three years old. A prodigy not seen in centuries, if not millennia (barring the Avatar, of course).
So, what did you call a child who ignited every flame in the village with his birth? Who filled the air with a suffocating presence with every glance of his red eye ringed with gold? A monster.
Hurtful, but it wasn't exactly like they were wrong, so it was a forgivable sort of insult.
As I had grown, the unnaturalness had not abated. Maturity beyond my years and not a particularly welcoming personality were hardly needed on top of the rumors to make me a pariah amongst others my age. Not that I had cared. That place was filled with faceless extras. Not even a spark of significance to them.
"They are planning to start enlisting soldiers for the next push." Father continued talking. The mention of war had been enough for me to pay attention. "When he becomes of age, if he is enlisted, we will be compensated well."
"What are you saying!" Mother had cried. "We can't just…"
"That child…there is nothing more we can do for it!" Father hissed. "We have tried everything! What more can we even do? Tell me!"
Her silent sobbing spoke volumes.
Truth be told, I pitied them. All they had wanted was a child to love. I did not think I was capable of that.
That night, I had decided to gift them the greatest kindness that I could think of. I packed up my meager belongings, a few survival tools, and left. The benefits of living in a rural village were that you learned self-sustenance enough to conceivably survive on your own.
Hopefully, they found their way forward. They seemed like fine people. It would be quite sad if Death claimed them earlier than she had to. Maybe they would have another child in the meantime, a normal one.
He really did wish them the best.
"What an odd dream." It was the only thing to say as I awoke to the blank roof of my tent. We had been dropped off by the cruiser in some no-name port village before moving with a small battalion towards some destination. Foreknowledge suggested Ty Lee's circus, but there had been enough butterflies that it could be anyone's guess.
My childhood was more often than not simply an afterthought. It was something that had happened. I hadn't thought about it in years at this point. Very curious.
I decided to leave the dream where it belonged, forgotten in the recesses of my mind. It had been a long time, and I had grown into a fine, megalomanic, fight-loving psycho since then. As the Spirits intended! Literally.
With a yawn and a cat-like stretch, I sat up and began to dress. Princess Azula had been a decent enough travelling partner, much to my surprise. Being a competent follower and not overly confrontational had been a strong aegis thus far, but it would likely fall short sooner rather than later.
Azula did like leveraging her power over those beneath her, regardless of their competence. Even before her mental breakdown.
But Azula's eventual attention wasn't my biggest worry right now. It was Ty Lee, if she truly was the individual we were going to find.
It had been easier since I had grown up to hide my more inhuman characteristics or at least disguise them as the normal kind of 'bloodthirsty fire-bender' tendencies that weren't exactly new to the Fire Nation military, but it was clear that some spiritual affinity plus a determined eye could extrapolate my identity.
Prince Iroh had not been able to, though it was unclear whether it was because of the situation or the time was unclear. Captain, whose name had been Feng, had been an outlier since he had spent a great deal of time around me and had reasons to observe me directly, unlike basically every other spiritually inclined individual I had met.
But Ty Lee supposedly could see auras and people's emotions. The validity of this was a bit circumspect, but it could be a manifestation of some sort of powerful spiritual inclination. The issue was that I hardly knew how to hide from something whose mechanics I scarcely understood. Hiding from something like basic spiritual affinity was easy, but if aura-reading was real, then it could be an issue. One that would need time and study to counter or obscure myself from.
Time, I did not have.
My main saving graces here were that Ty Lee likely wasn't comfortable enough speaking of the specifics of her ability with her other friends, and even if she did, saying that the random, better-than-average fire-bender you recruited was some kind of evil spirit would be treated with great skepticism by both Azula and Mai. Hopefully.
Either way, I would look to befriend Ty Lee. She is cute and has a nice personality anyway, so it would hardly be a burden. Not to mention that chi-blocking was quite the interesting technique, I had dabbled slightly in it, but hadn't gotten further than some of the most obvious points without instruction. It hadn't been much of a priority either since 'nonlethal' wasn't needed in the military under Ozai's new regime.
"Where is Princess Azula?" I asked one of the guards inside the encampment. We had reached a safe point and set up camp before making the final march into Fire Nation territory to continue recruiting Azula's elite team and separate from our protective battalion. "I was told to meet with her after resting up."
"She is in the tent next to the main one." The guard gestured towards the central area. "Not sure why, though. Heard some theories though."
I didn't care, but I pretended to, hopefully convincingly, until I found a polite enough time to disengage from the conversation and make my way over to the tent in question.
As expected, Azula was sitting at a table and looking over some maps and what appeared to be some Earth Kingdom intel reports.
"Princess." I tapped on the tent's metal frame loud enough to gain her attention. "Special Officer Yoru, reporting."
"Ah, yes." Azula waved me in, her face returning to focus on the reports. Looking quite troubled at that. "Sit down, Special Officer. Since you are to be part of the team, I suppose it would only be logical to inform you of our next steps. As part of my team, your opinion will hold some weight, but do not forget our positions. I am still Princess Azula, and you are an elevated Officer."
"I would never." The class difference would make the sex even hotter, I'm sure! I sure am glad she isn't a mind reader, because that would get me executed for sure. For now, I would need to ride that fine line between subordinate and equal like I wanted her to ride me. Damn it, again?
"We will see." Azula set down her papers and looked directly at me. "The first order of business is that my Uncle is being shipped on the Ashstrider back to the capital."
This allowed me to focus on the situation at hand.
"What are the chances of that being successful?" Iroh was pretty strong for a human. If it weren't for the fact that I outclass him, I'm pretty sure escaping from the whole cruiser despite Azula's presence would have been very much something he could do.
"Measures have been taken." Azula waved away my concerns. "A cell lined with blasting jelly, being covered in grease, metal chains to prevent any sort of lightning use, the whole works. They were even thinking of incorporating a delightful little containment cell based on one from the Boiling Rock, but it is still in the prototype stage and would take too long to bring over and implement."
She seemed quite pleased about his situation. It was easy to forget she was talking about her uncle in moments like this.
"Besides, if he escapes, it will be on Captain Kuzon and his troops." Azula shrugged, though her smile showed that this was a topic she had thought about for some time. I doubted she would underestimate her Uncle again. "Hardly my problem."
"And if he tries to find Zuko? Or join the Avatar?" Her nonchalance suggested that she had an answer to these questions already.
Azula held up a remnant of a shattered teapot.
"All the better then, I have some reports of a very fascinating bounty hunter that my dear brother employed for a time. If Uncle does escape and is foolish enough to join up with either of our quarries, then it will be to their detriment."
Turn your weaknesses into your strengths and turn their strengths into their weaknesses. Was it odd that her over-preparedness was as big a turn on as it was? Probably not, I was War after all.
"If I may ask, then, Princess Azula, who exactly are we heading to recruit next?"
"That was the next topic." She smirked. "An old friend of mine named Ty Lee. She is not a bender, but she is a very skilled combatant, nonetheless. She is currently employed in the circus. Once we recruit her, we will drop by Omashu and recruit our weapons expert, another friend of mine named Mai. Then we will pick up the Avatar's trail."
"Picking up the Avatar's trail has proven difficult," I replied, cautiously. Advising Azula was tricky. You had to provide it without prickling her pride or the severe issues that she had buried deep inside. Luckily, I found it to be an enjoyable sort of trick.
"Please." Azula snorted. "If Zuko could do it, so can I. Besides, Omashu may very well be the Avatar's next stopping point. The Mad King is considered the greatest earthbender in the world, after all."
"Hm," I grunted. It was true. Omashu was a good opportunity to try and catch the Avatar, especially since he was only used to bumbling attempts of Zuko and Zhao rather than Azula's precise attacks. "It is as good a start as we will likely get, barring some kind of divine intervention. None of this seems to be what was worrying you, though."
Perhaps I had gotten too familiar there too early.
"I do not get worried, Special Officer." Azula glared, proving my social genius yet again. "It is simply caution. The plague in the Earth Kingdom has spread further. Their quarantining truly is incapable, though what more can you expect from dirt-brained peasants?"
Ah, yes, the Plague. I had known from the beginning that something was just different about this world than what I expected, beyond myself.
The Spirit of War was a part of this world, though it had not emerged since before even the time of the first Avatar. Considering my knowledge of my power and my 'duty' to the world, it was likely that the other 'Horseman' existed as well. Unlikely as…blessed with knowledge as I am, but with powers beyond the norm as well. I had decided to assume the worst and expect that the plague and famines were the working of Pestilence.
So perhaps being part of the Navy and avoiding the Earth Kingdom had been a boon, even if it meant that I missed some of those delicious, bloody battles. It would be interesting to see what exactly Pestilence was cooking up there.
More concerning was that I had found no trace of Conquest or Death. Death would only arrive after all of the other Horsemen were done with their jobs, but Conquest, the first Horseman, being so incognito, was unexpected.
Yet another thing to investigate, I suppose.
"Is it extensive, Princess?" It would make travel more inconvenient if we had to avoid simpler locations for restocking or navigate around contaminated regions. "Will we need to find some alternate travel routes through the Earth Kingdom?"
"It is not as bad as some of the generals feared, but not so little as to remain merely an irritation." Azula frowned. "The plague has spread to the border of Gaoling, though it appears to have been quarantined again. The famine, whatever illness ails the crops, however, has continued unhindered."
"That might be an issue." I pondered, though I already knew the truth of the situation. "After Omashu, Gaoling would be a decent spot for the Avatar to stop for an earthbending master."
"Would he stop in a disease-infested hovel?" The Princess asked acerbically, but there was a hint of curiosity in her words. "Wasting time and risking infection instead of travelling for Ba Sing Se or one of the Earth armies seems hardly wise."
"We are not facing a purely logical entity." I pointed out, calmly. Azula had read the same reports as I did, though she had a harder time truly comprehending the selflessness of individuals like Aang, even if she knew how to leverage it against them. I could understand it, unlike her. After all, such reckless emotions were at the very heart of War. Of Conflict. "As your brother has found and the reports from Zhao state, the Avatar is a twelve-year-old child, and his companions are little better. They tend to find themselves dragged into situations that could be avoided with a bit of detachment. The Avatar is also rather stubborn. If there is a chance to find an earthbending teacher in Gaoling, then the issues the town faces will only encourage him to intervene."
"That I am aware of." Azula did not sigh, for it was not the kind of thing she would do. Sighing indicated exasperation or tiredness, which in turn was a weakness. An imperfection. "I do not wish to risk it, but you are correct that ignoring Gaoling is not an option either. We do have some choices. One of the great boons this plague gives us is that it has limited the entry points for Gaoling. A chokehold on the entryway and, more importantly, the exit. The plague is bound to spread, with our assistance or not. By preventing the exit of the fleeing refugees, the Avatar will be forced to confront us to leave the city, or his bleeding heart will compel him to intervene."
"Only if the air bison is accounted for." Appa was surprisingly easy to forget for such a large creature, being the Avatar's animal companion. "He can easily circumvent any land-based barrier, and should he be pushed, earthbending can be accessed in the Avatar state to simply carve a new path out of Gaoling for the fleeing residents."
It was a bad idea, but I am sure the GAang would at least consider it. The main benefit of controlling the main road was that all the other paths out of Gaoling were all but abandoned to bandits, the elements, and the lesser-known encroachment of the plague and Fire Nation scouts.
Team Avatar would not know this and may choose that fleeing unconventionally is the safer option.
"The Avatar state is indeed something to consider." Azula tapped her chin as she looked out into the distance. "Even if we fail at apprehending him, knowing the limits of our ability would be a benefit worth reporting back to Father. We know just how powerful Avatar Roku was in such a state, but the air-bender is not a fully realized Avatar, and it appears that there is some price to be paid for the ability or a lack of control, since otherwise I see no reason that the likes of Zuko or Zhao could pose even a minor impediment."
She frowned.
"And the air bison is a nuisance, but possibly one that can be used to our advantage." Azula smiled, quite pleased with herself. "We have a few journals from the captains who hunted down the fleeing air-benders during Sozin's purge. They had ways of tracking them down, despite their air bisons and evasiveness. I will send a messenger hawk to the Royal Archives for copies of those journals to be transported to Omashu in time for our arrival."
The Princess got up from her seat quite excited, before seeming to remember herself and turning towards me coolly.
"It is good that you have some wit about you, Special Officer." Her expression turned more benevolent, though in a way that seemed more like she was patting herself on the back for finding a good subordinate than praising me. Still would, but kind of a bummer. "I was worried that you were merely a fire-bending savant. Continue to show such results and planning, and I do not doubt that you will rise far. Admiral Zhao's disastrous misadventures in the North have left a great power vacuum that needs filling."
A carrot for better behavior. Azula was proving to be a bit more capable at manipulation than I had imagined. I had gone into this expecting an outrageous bitch but got a mostly haughty one instead.
We had roughly planned out the course we would set after recruiting the other members of the 'Dream Team,' and I couldn't help but wonder how the ripples would affect the plot that I knew. It was lucky enough that things had turned out roughly as I had expected, but the longer things went on, the more unrecognizable it would be.
I had double-checked some of the major warning signs of canon divergence. Gaipan was still there, so Jet was still a total jobber. The moon had turned red, so the moon spirit had died, and the restoration of the celestial body shortly after indicated that Yue had sacrificed herself. Zuko still had a scarred face and was the butt of every joke in the Fire Nation. Honestly, compared to the stuff I have heard, I think the Ember Island Players had given a flattering interpretation of the young Prince.
"There had better be some good fights soon, or I am going to explode!" I groaned before a bright idea occurred to me. One so magnificent that I was a little embarrassed that it had taken me this long to even consider.
"I can just ask Azula to spar, right?" She was supposed to be quite good. Her form, from what I had glimpsed while playing around with Iroh, was excellent both martially and in the visually pleasing to look at way. "Probably should check with her about it sometime later."
It would be nice to examine her blue fire. I had some theories on how to form it, but firsthand experiencing her unique kind of fire would be far more efficient than attempting to recreate it from scratch.
Plus, fighting with more of my strength than against the other naval fire-benders was worth the trouble by itself. It had been fun learning to wipe the floor with them while limiting my combat bonuses to the minimum, but since I was a naturally talented fighter without them, it just became like kicking a kid while he was hunched over, crying.
Entertaining, but ultimately unsatisfying.
It would also be nice to talk about fire-bending theory. While I doubted that she cared about the spirituality aspect of art, talking of the mechanics with someone who understood more than the 'fire burns stuff, right' would be amazing.
I knew that lightning was seen as a higher form of fire in eastern spirituality, partially because the question of why lightning was considered a sub-section of fire had confused me back then, but knowing more about the nature of separating positive and negative energies could help me either fine-tune my lightning generation or perhaps develop some new kind of technique.