38. Enemies Depart

CHAPTER 38: ENEMIES DEPART

Love is a strange feeling. Over the eons, humans have tried their best to understand it. Try as they might, they could never quite place exactly what it meant to be in love. For some, love was some thing that happened over time. For others it happened instantly. Everyone had a different opinion of what it meant to actually be in love. One of those people was a certain young man hailing from the southern water tribe. He was raised by the village chief as his first son and heir. The last warrior left in the Southern Water Tribe after the departure of all the warriors to fight in the war. His name, Sokka.

Sokka was quite the smart young man, when it came to academics. He had a fun brain that helped him with his ingenious ideas for all sorts of contraptions. There however was one part he didn't excel at that much, understanding human behaviour. You see almost a fortnight prior Sokka encountered a group of all female fighters known as the Kyoshi Warriors. He had a particularly special connection with one of the elite fighters of the group. A young girl of similar age by the name of Suki. The two quickly hit it off until a few random things happened with the Avatar and the Fire Nation. Two nights prior he and Suki were alone for the first time. As typical of hot blooded teenagers they couldnt keep their hands off of each other. Although the coitus itself was magnificent. Sokka wasn't exactly comfortable with the role he had in the act. The next morning he encountered Manori at the hospital. The two talked a bit. He had a few drinks and things escalated. He came in her so many times he expected he might really be a father sooner than expected.

The next morning he was once again sitted out in the garden at the back of the Generals mansion. As he sat alone he looked over at the pond and contemplated his actions from the last two days. He was sure that he was inlove with Suki but the events from the previous day made him question if he even knew what love was. With Manori, it all felt just so easy and comfortable, effortless. He barely knew the girl but he sure as hell liked fucking her. He shook his head in annoyance. He wanted them both and wanted them to be okay with it. It also annoyed him that this was going through his mind when his sister was probably being raped by that crazed Zuko.

"What's on your mind?" a voice suddenly interrupted his inner monologue. 

He turned to see the last person he wanted to see now, Manori. Even wearing a brown baggy dress, she still looked beautiful in his eyes. Looking at her he could just picture her body underneath. He couldn't help but get a slight chubby in his pants.

"I'm thinking of my sister," he answered. He wanted to say her but it would lead to an awkward conversation he wasn't ready for without having breakfast. In the end he decided half the truth was best.

"Well from what I saw your sister wasn't in much danger with him," Manori hinted. "In fact by the time I got there they were kissing."

Sokka's eyes widen in shock at the sudden revelation. He already had a gut feeling that Katara had feelings for Zuko. He at least hoped she would be smart enough to ignore those stupid feelings and help out Aang. He did need her help to escape from Zuko after all.

"She is just a kid," he tried to find an excuse. "Falling in love with the first guy who showed her any sexual affection."

"A child she may be but the heart wants what the heart wants Sokka," she retorted. "We do not choose who we fall in love with."

By her words they both looked away awkwardly. Neither really coming to term with the feelings that were bubbling up inside of them.

"Eheme so uhm, why are you here this early anyway?" Sokka changed the subject. "The sun is just barely heating up the earth."

"I actually came here to meet the General." She answered. "We need to get everyone briefed on our travels. King Bumi wants us to live as early as next morning. We cannot afford to waste any more time."

"Well good," Sokka agreed. "The longer we wait to depart, the further Zuko gets away with my sister and Aang."

"There is one other thing that I wanted to discuss with you," Manori continued. "At the council meeting the other day, you mentioned a war or something to do with spirits."

She grapped his serious attention by her statement.

"Ah so there you are Manori and Sokka," another voice suddenly called from the mansion.

Approaching from the mansion was the General with Jet and King Bumi slightly behind him. The trio walked up to them.

"Good morning your majesty, sir and uhm er Jet was it?" Sokka greeted.

"Morning!" All three returned the greeting in unison.

"What brings you here so early your majesty?" Suki asked the same question she was queried.

"I send out a messenger yesterday and he just returned with some news," King Bumi answered.

"Yes I was told of your change of time table. I was just informing Sokka here that we need to depart in the next morning." Manori assumed of his message.

"Actually everything has already being arranged." Tamutae revealed. "There are two carriages with the fastest birds ready for us. Sokka, you and Jet and Suki will use the Avatar's flying bison to scout while I come with the reinforcements. We have to depart now."

"The messenger was not to find the Avatar but to receive from our operatives of any movement in the Fire Nation ranks." Bumi added. "He tells us that our informants in the Fire Nation Capital reported in of a fleet of ships headed for the Hei Bei Province. Towards the base near the small coastal town of Lao Shu Ta . We need to get going before they get here and find the Avatar."

"Oh no!" Sokka screamed. "Is it Commander Zhao?" He asked.

"The commander of their operations in the Southern Provinces?" Tamutae recalled. "From what I understand the fleet is being let by a Commander Mui."

"The same Mui that used to be under the command of Prince Zuko?" Sokka once again asked.

Tamutae and Bumi looked to each other before turning back to the young warrior. They both nodded in unison.

"King Bumi is right," Sokka changed the subject. There was no time to waste any longer. They needed to move now before it was too late. "We have to depart immediately."

***

Thousands of miles to the Western hemisphere of the planet. The strongest nation in the world reigned supreme. The powerful and fierce, relentless Fire Nation. Led by the all powerful Fire Lord Ozai and his prodigy daughter. Strengthened by far the largest and strongest Navy on the planet. The Fire Nation was the strongest and most powerful nation on the planet.

One of their fiercest advantages was a ruthlessness they had. No one encompassed their ruthlessness more than a certain Commander Zhao. He was the culmination of all the rage, anger, determination and ruthlessness Fire Lord Sozin had in mind when he started the war nearly a century prior.

At the time he was walking through the Royal Palace after being summoned by the Fire Lord. His two trusted subordinates Captain Mui and Lieutenant Tau walked slightly behind him. As they reached the entrance to the council room they immediately halted their movement as they noticed a certain young woman standing infront of them.

"Commander Zhao," the young woman began. "Interesting news you reported about the Avatar the other day. Although you did fail to live out a few... crucial... details."

The young woman was the prodigy fire bender, Princess Azula. A true prodigy in the truest sense of the word. Born with an innate talent for bending. At the tender age of 14 she was considered in the top ten most powerful Firebenders around.

Considered by many as the reincarnation of Xu Ping An. The man who truly mastered the art of generating lightning. The outlaw and leader of the Yellow Neck Uprising. He used his rare abilities to gather an army and terrorize the Earth Kingdom.

Azula was beautiful with black long flowing hair. Amber gold eyes and a slightly pale skin. She was quite short and had a lovely hourglass figure. She was usually found wearing the red and black of the Fire Army.

"What do you mean Princess?" Zhao asked a bit taken back.

"My father is not pleased with the news that has just arrived Commander." Azula answered. "You do not want to upset him any more or you will sufferrrr... the consequences."

Zhao swallowed a loud audible gulp of saliva at her warning. Azula smirked at his obvious fright before she turned to Mui who was glaring at her. She walked up to the young man with a serious face. The air suddenly changed. Everything felt so intense that any wrong move now and a fight was about to break out.

"We should not keep the Fire Lord waiting." Zhao quickly intervened between the pair. "Excuse me Princess."

He proceeded to pull away Mui before things erupted. The trio opened the doors and walked through while Azula simply stood there still glaring at Mui. He too continued to glare back at her. This was her first time meeting him. She had heard of him. Mui was considered a prodigy himself at the same level as her Uncle Iroh but she considered him beneath her. She dared not step down with such a cockroach challenging her.

Mui himself held an obvious grudge. He saw Azula as the one who took all the attention away from him. He refused to believe that he wasn't as good as her despite all the plaudits. Despite all the evidence that suggested she was leagues ahead of him.

"Never again will you do that with the Princess!" Zhao threatened as they were alone in the corridor. "No matter how strong you might consider yourself, she is like no one on the planet. A ruthlessly cunning girl and not to mention her abilities."

"Commander Zhao is correct," Lieutenant Tau agreed. "Not to mention that she is a royal."

Mui scoffed at the two but didn't say a thing. Instead they proceeded through to the Fire Lord.

---

At the time they sat kneeled infront of the Fire Lord. His trusted subordinates Captain Mui and Lieutenant Tau kneeled slightly behind him. The air was hot and dry as typical of the flames that fluttered in the wind. The Fire Lord sat in the lotus in the pit of flames.

"The massenger bird has come in," Ozai began in his usual slow and low ominous voice. "Prince Zuko has captured the Avatar but things are not as you reported."

"My Lord," Zhao tried to explain himself but the pit of flames rose higher and intensely fluttered.

"Your excuses do not concern me!" Ozai revealed. "Prince Zuko has done the impossible. Not only did he find the Avatar but even after betrayal. After your subordinates went against my royal decree! He alone managed to capture the Avatar. He is now surrounded by enemies all around with no way to return home. You will take half a dozen of our fastest ships and sail for the earth kingdom Hei Bei Province immediately. You will wait for Prince Zuko there and return him home."

"Of course my Lord," Zhao accepted.

Himself and the trio stood up to live. They didn't want to spent any more time near the Fire Lord than necessary.

"One more thing Zhao," Ozai added. "Prince Zuko is still your Prince. If I hear of any funny business, there will be consequences."

Zhao halted a bit before continuing back out. This trip home did not go as he had planned. Things had changed and not to his liking. His plans were close to being affected. Fortunately he was returning to the Earth Kingdom where he could do as he pleased.

As they left, only Ozai was left in the chamber with an onlooker hiding behind the curtains.

"Show yourself Azula," Ozai ordered. The onlooker came into the light and revealed themselves as the young Princes.

"Why are you helping Zuko?" She asked immediately without any show of respect or any bow or honorific.

"You brother did what I asked of him," Ozai answered. "By finding the Avatar and then capturing him, he has proven himself as worthy."

"If he received a helping hand then doesn't that go against the point of the banishment." She insisted.

The room suddenly got even hotter as the flames surrounding the pit rose as high as the ceiling.

"Watch your tongue Azula!" Ozai warned. "Your brother accomplished a great deal by his lonesome. By doing what I ordered him to do. He is now stronger and more ruthless. He is finally my true successor, worthy to be my heir. When he returns Zuko will be the Crown Prince and proclaimed as your next Fire Lord!! HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR AZULA!!!"

The room almost exploded to show the rage of the Fire Lord. Not even Azula could think of going up against arguably the strongest Firebender on the planet. A ranking he competed with the Dragon of the West and a certain Deserter.

[A/N: There is no mistake about the rankings of Zhao and Mui. There was just an issue of miscommunication from the spies. Azula will also not play a prominent role in this volume. She was just added to build up her meeting with Zuko either in the next volume or the one following that. Most likely the next one. Also you can now read 20 chapters ahead on my patreon available right now.

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