"I created a monster. Tragic, really, but…" I gave the warrior an appraising look, "…the result turned out pretty damn nice."
I received a light punch to the shoulder.
"All right, don't get violent. If this really is Zhao, then I honestly have no idea what to expect from him. On the one hand, I'm a Herald and currently in the Fire Lord's favor. On the other, he commands nearly a hundred ships by now — enough for the rank of admiral rather than commodore — and he's also well-connected at the Fire Palace. On top of that, he's from the Western Fleet, and my relationship with them isn't exactly stellar… In short, I'd rather avoid dealing with him. How things would end is anyone's guess, but the meeting certainly wouldn't bring pleasure to either of us. Even if Zhao had decided to pursue the Avatar, I doubt he'd board anything smaller than a cruiser. As for his scouts, my conversation with them could be very short indeed, but I'd prefer to avoid unnecessary complications and trouble."
"I see," the girl nodded. "Then we stay alert."
"Good idea."
And so we remained standing on the shore, waiting for further news.
Fortunately, the raider did not belong to any representatives of the Westerner. No, the colorful nature of these newcomers was on an entirely different level.
The raider pulled right up to the shore and lowered its forward ramp. The moment the steel slab slammed onto the ground, several soldiers marched down it, followed by a young man about my age. Completely shaven save for a single topknot, with an old burn scar covering the left side of his face.
Prince Zuko had arrived on Kyoshi.
Behind the prince stood a short elderly man: warm eyes, slight plumpness, the very image of a kindly grandfather. You would never guess that he was one of the strongest firebenders in the nation, a legendary general, and the elder brother of the Fire Lord himself.
"Who are you, and what gave you the right to demand that we change course?!"
The prince was furious, wound up tight, his voice tinged with faint hysteria. Behind him, Iroh let out an almost imperceptible sigh and gave the slightest shake of his head.
"Good afternoon, Prince Zuko, General Iroh. I am Commodore Chan."
I bowed — not too deeply, but not merely a nod either. I acknowledged his lineage, though not superiority in rank; a sort of "greetings, esteemed sir." The prince's eye began to twitch, while his uncle produced a fit of coughing that sounded suspiciously like muffled laughter.
"As for your question… the bay you were heading toward is inhabited by a Sea Serpent capable of crushing a cruiser. I considered encountering it aboard a raider to be a somewhat exhausting prospect."
"I see. And what are you doing on this island, especially without a fleet befitting a commodore?"
Uh-huh. That was apparently his version of "thank you for saving our asses from meeting an oversized sea snake."
"I'm merely passing through and replenishing supplies on neutral territory. Tomorrow, I'll continue on my way. May I ask how you ended up here?"
"We're… traveling. Right, Uncle?" Yeah… the kid really couldn't lie to save his life.
"Yes, yes, of course, traveling! A delightful cruise and a search for adventure, you know how it is…" And the general wasn't much better…
"As you say," I shrugged. "And here I thought the news about the Avatar had brought you here." The expression on the exiled prince's face was painful to behold. Such a mixture of childish offense, confusion, and outrage.
"W-what? You…"
Right, I'd recognize the opening stance for a fire blast and its variations anywhere. Best not to let it get that far.
As little as this snot-nosed brat (says the guy his own age!) appealed to me — especially considering what I knew about how he piss away everything his people had achieved over the past hundred years — Iroh… Iroh genuinely commanded respect. For his knowledge, his strength, his wisdom.
Which made it all the more bitter to know that he would sacrifice all of it. That he would betray not only his nation, but even the sacrifice of his own son for the sake of this bald idiot.
I very much did not want to allow that to happen.
And if it still came to pass… I would kill him myself, though not before wringing every bit of knowledge I could out of him. And better to start sooner rather than later — if only I could figure out how…
"I couldn't care less. I have orders from the Fire Lord, and until new instructions arrive, I'll carry them out instead of chasing some flying boy around the world."
"Orders? From Father?"
"Inspection of the colonies by the Fire Herald." I shrugged, taking a certain amount of pleasure in the shock on Zuko's face and the thoughtful surprise in Iroh's eyes. "And Your Highness, allow me to offer a small piece of advice. If you can't lie, it's better not to try. Or at the very least, prepare and rehearse a few cover stories in advance."
Yeeep. Achievement unlocked: successfully embarrass a proud prince. Or maybe he was just furious.
"I'll handle my own affairs!" Yeah, definitely furious.
"As you wish," I shrugged again.
"Come on, Uncle! We need to find out what the Avatar was doing here!"
"A pleasure making your acquaintance, Chan… Hmm, you remind me of someone, young man… Ah well."
The way the general gestured and played up his expressions was so amusing that a smile crept onto my face all on its own, and you found yourself feeling an utterly irrational sympathy toward the old man.
(End of Chapter)
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