Fire & Metal

XXX

They say, an equal will understand you...yet she was losing hope. Her, Azula, prodigy and Fire Nation princess was losing hope? Guess so.

She had a higher chance of growing wings, than finding someone who could be HER equal, an equal in combat, politics. Father, maybe...but no he's above her. Nono...she wanted someone near her age and somebody who wouldn't run with their tail between their legs, crying to their mommy. She had Mai and Ty Lee, yet both had gone away: Mai to the Fire Nation colonies with her dad, and Ty Lee to some circus. Yet they were hardly her equal. Zuko? Nah..he was a disgrace and hardly above a turtle-crab. It was almost impossible to talk to anyone, almost everybody knew who she was. They either ran or bowed down in fear of her and her family. Which wasn't indeed bad, but trying to find a boy to her liking; they either wet their pants or faint...how manly and brave...whatever.

"Oh, this is gonna be...so boring," thought Azula to herself, celebrating her 13th birthday.

It was a grand festivity, two long tables, decorated with all sorts of Fire Nation cuisine and so worths. Filled with guests and party-goers. Thank Agni, she had convinced her father to skip the fluffy and exotic decoratives and entertainment she had to endure, all those years. Not anymore, this party was practical and militaristic: generals, admirals and other high-ranking officials and their sons and daughters were here. It was still a celebration, yet without the frilly stuff: food, gift giving, chatting, some military performances, fireworks and a duel at the end. Oh, how she loved to do the last activity. Alot of silent hints, prods and demands, but it was a great break from the dullness of her other birthdays. A full sparring match between two competitors, one she had a big joy to take part in. But that also brought another problem: her. Almost everyone she had fought in training, would be either roasted or moaning on the ground, even the Imperial Firebenders weren't a match for her. She was a prodigy after all, so it was understandable, but still.

"Azula. Are you feeling alright?" asked a man, from behind. She'd recognized that voice in a heartbeat...her father, Ozai.

"Yes, I'm alright...just bored," she replied. "It's the same routine every year, I wish I was fourteen already so I could join you in politics, it's so dull for me."

"Is your training getting dull?" asked Ozai, a bit curious.

"Nono, it's still the same: hard and demanting," Azula replied confidently.

"Then why the long-face?"

"Nevermind," she replied shaking her head.

"Very well then," he replied, signaling the guests, that it was time to start the celebration.

First was the giving gifts or what she had to endure, waiting cross-legged on the top, while the rest chit-chatted below, and yet she had to wait here.

The gifts were mostly the same as last year: clothes, jewelry, some exotic weapons or otherwise like that. She hadn't even to bother opening them, knowing full well what they were; a rather large pile was starting to accumulate next to her. Oh Agni, could this get any boring?

"Greetings, princess. Great prosperity and joy for you, for years to come," said a boy, arriving to give her a gift.

"Yeah, yeah," she waved off to a guard to accept the gift, and put it with the rest. A short bow, and he was off. But he caught her attention. He was wearing crimson-black leather clothes, and a red cloak covering his head. And he had...golden hair and metal hands? Nono, that was wrong...great now she's getting dillusional aswell. Luckily the rest of the party passed quickly, the new activities were a breather. Mostly soldiers and other militarian's, showing off their firebending skills and fighting forms, which were impressive, but nothing she couldn't to.

Finally arrived the time she was waiting for.

"Lords and Ladies, thank you all for coming to this, celebration of my daughters birth," said Ozai to the gathered crowd. "Now as a special activity, courtesy of my daughter. We will hold a live-open duel, right here in the courtyard, where anyone can challenge my daughter to a duel."

Ozai's speech left a bit of a shock, on some of the faces gathered there, either from the chance of fighting their own princess or able to hurt her, not that they could. Azula didn't care which was the reason, as long as she could roast someone.

"Begin!" yelled the referee, signaling her first fight against a young sixteen year old, dark-haired boy. Not much of challenge, a few blasts and kicks and he was out before he could even react. Next victim.

"Begin!" signaled the referee again. This time she was against an old gray-haired general, who had seen a good share of combat. This one lasted a bit longer, yet she managed to win this one aswell. Next.

After a few more attempts, nobody had stepped forward anymore to duel their princess. More.

"C'mon now. Surely there are some worthy combatants left?" asked Azula, eyeing the crowd.

"I'll duel you, princess," sayed a voice, coming out of the crowd. It was the same boy, hood up and golden locks, he looked sixteen.

"Now don't go easy on me, since I'm a non-bender," sayed the boy calmly, coming outta the crowd, taking a stance opposite of her.

"You!?" asked Azula, barely holding back a laugh. "Do you think, you've got any chance of beating me, a non-bender even?"

"Guess well find out," replied the boy, calmly. Brave...but stupid.

Azula took up her stance, the boy himself threw his cloak back, revealing his sun-gold hair. A quick hand jerk, and he was wielding...blades? No...he was wearing metal gauntlets...that had five blades attatched to them, to each finger, like animal claws.

"Begin!" as soon she heard those words, she immediately send out two fire blasts and and a sweeping fire strike. Yet to her amazement, he easily dissipated the blasts with his claws, and dodging the blast from under his feet. But as soon as he did that, he suddenly propelled himself forward, claws striking, faster than she expected.

"Damn!" she sayed, dodging the flying attack. He was fast and agile, and no coward.

"Alright then," she sayed to the boy, readying herself for a full on fight.

XXX

To say, this boy was below her, was a REAL understatement. She had been battling him for half an hour, whenever she attacked he easily dodged her attacks, and he'd counter-attack her in force, and those claws were sharp. A few cuts already adorned her skin, a few burns on his cloak and body were also evident. She could also see her father, taking great interest in this.

"C'mon now. I sayed don't hold back," yelled the boy to her, cheerily.

"Oh he would wish he hadn't sayed that," Azula smirked. "Fine then."

She took a neutral stance, clearing her head and mind of distractions, feeling the energies separate, creating lightning.

"Bye," she replied, sending the bolt towards him.

Yet what he did next, shocked even her, Azula. Instead of dodging the lightning, he jumped forward, throwing his red cloak at the lightning. She could even see him smirking mid-aid, as her lightning was blasted into the linen cloak, him flying over unharmed

"How-," she managed to say before he landed into a single hand-stand, and struck right at her. She managed a quick blast, yet he was aiming for her legs. A fast back-leg sweep, and Azula found herself in the air, time slowed, as she could the shock beginning to form on the guests faces, then she landed on the floor with ten blades at her face.

She could also finally see her opponent face-to-face, the boy had deadly beautiful ash-gray eyes, loose, shoulder length sun-golden hair and a charming, yet dangerous emmanating, striking face.

"Yield?" he asked, smirking at her, yet she would have the last laugh.

"You didn't win," she replied calmly, gesturing at the convinient hand near his chest, ready to send fire right into his gut.

"I think a blind eye, is worse than a stomach burn," he replied, re-drawing the blades into the gauntlets, before helping her up.

"Excellent fight, princess," he sayed, giving a bow, his metal gauntlet hand resting upon a metal fist, to her.

"You weren't so lame yourself," replied Azula in-kind, dusting herself off. "May I have your name...challenger?"

"You may call me Zhan, princess Azula."

XXX