First Steps 9

Later that night, Azula found herself sitting on her palanquin atop the deck, drumming her fingers atop her thigh. 'That did not go according to plan at all.' she scowled as she thought to herself. Zuzu was much faster and stronger than she expected, easily capable of incapacitating a pair of Imperial Fire Benders, those said to be of the Elite-Tier of Fire Benders, a tier just below a master, in a pair of blows in all the time it took to blink. Though, much stronger than she thought, it didn't change the fact the let his emotions get the better of him all too easily just as usual, and she was still the far superior bender. Really, if it weren't for her uncle, he'd be dead right now thanks to her lightning.

'Uncle!' she hissed venomously, stopping her drumming fingers to clench her hands into fists, her long sharp finger nails piercing into the skin of her palms and drawing blood. What was that? How did he redirect her lightning, the pinnacle of fire bending! Not only that, how was he so fast, and so strong! Two blindingly fast blows and she'd been down for the count, not even blows enhanced by fire bending at that!

"When tracking your uncle and brother, travelling with the royal procession may no longer be a viable plan."

"As you were told, the strength of the Dragon Of The West is legendary for a reason. And your brother, though not as great as you, is no mewling weakling."

Two elders female voices finished together, "It may not be wise to travel with a large group, if you wish to keep the element of surprise."

Azula rolled her eyes at the two doddering old ladies who were her fire bender instructors, "Lo, Li how many times have I told you to stop with that annoying habit of finishing each others sentences," she snapped, before sighing and leaning against the large comfortable pillow within her palanquin, "Though, loathe as I am to admit it you're both right of course. Aside from the speed and logistical issues, these fools are entirely too useless, I need a smaller, better team. One that actually deserves the title of Elite."

Lo and Li, the pair of them dressed from head to toe in black bowed their heads submissively, "As always, you are intelligent and wise Princess Azula." they complimented her as one.

'I suppose I should look of a pair of old friends then, shouldn't I?' she mused, looking off into the horizon of the dark sky over the ocean. After all, she wouldn't find anybody of use on this hunk of junk of a ship. They were all utterly useless.

Except one.

Zan. Now he was useful. Not the most powerful out there. But very pleasant to look at, and not another useless hanger on that bowed like a dog at her every word. And he was brutally competent, she felt a smile tug across her lips as she remembered the brutal flame enhanced punch he'd delivered to that useless doddering captain that screwed everything up earlier.

'..Not only that, he lasted longer against my uncle than I did.' she sighed. He'd bought her enough time to deal with her brother, just as she wanted. But she hadn't even imagined how strong her uncle, the fat useless lout he was could be. He'd defeated her in less than ten seconds. It may have actually been closer to five than ten. Two blows, and she was down, and sent flying through the air. If she had hit the ocean, she very well could have drowned. She only didn't because Zan rescued her, in the process absorbing much of the blow from her uncle when she slammed into him and he fell unconscious himself.

He was competent, useful, nice to look at and brutally efficient. 'Yes, I think I'll take him along as well.' she mused.​