Chapter 11: New Stuff

As boring and annoying the noble complaints and demanding the trainings were, Azula could care less about it now. She had a new and very personal activity to ease her mind now - creating white fire. A fire, supposed to be the epidome of firebending. She had read about it further and to her suprise no firebender in history had been able to form it, except the dragons of course. Not even the mighty Avatar or the ancient Sun Warriors, were able to create it. If the scrolls were true about white fire, then it was supposed to be: unbendable by another firebender, hotter than blue fire, more powerful and impossible to create...well almost. She was known to be a prodigy, but even she had her hidden weaknesses. Even Zhan had confessed he had a few embarassments he wouldn't want people to know. But now...this beauty...was her's to mold, to control, to bend and to cherish.

Her current daily rountine would be composed of the regular political meetings, training, then more politics. After all those, she would go down to the facility below. Zhan was busy on most of the time, yet he was always alone, when she would come.

The akward positions they had to take didn't bother her much anymore, when she got the hang of it. The closeness was weird at first, but it didn't feel threating or bad at all. It felt...sweet and comforting...two words Azula knew nothing about.

Her mother had showered Zuko with them, her father did something, but those two things she didn't feel. It was strange to her, because those feelings were supposed to be signs of weakness, according to her father, but they didn't feel weakening, now that she felt them. Oh...was it strange for her...was this supposed to be comfort, care...love? Azula didn't know what to think about it, for now she would prod these feelings, neither accepting or denying, just feeling them.

XXX

It had been two weeks later, when Zhan had announced he had a new 'prototype' weapon developed for the Tundra tank. As per request, he had wanted the demonstration to be held outside, since the weapon could, in his opinion, collapse the cavern.

They had arranged the testing in a remote island, far away from any spies or conspirators. The group consisted of: Azula, Firelord Ozai, Li and Lo, War-Minister Qin, a few Imperial Firebender Guards, two engineers, and Zhan.

They were currently staring at a Tundra tank, outfitted with a new contraption ontop, about twelve inches in height. Not very large for a supposed war-device, but they'd find out soon enough.

"Greetings to you - Royal Family, War-Minister - I have called this in order to demonstrate the new projectile weapon developed for the Tundra tank: the glaive launcher," said Zhan.

"The glaive," he said, one engineer handing him the larger tri-bladed projectile. "A round piece of metal, with three curved blades attached. Why you say? I ask you, what do you think is the worst thing about an Earthbender?

"They're stubborn and barbaric?" asked Azula.

"They're in their natural enviroment?" asked the War-Minister.

"Correct. An earthbender can pull earth from beneath them. A firebender can create it, but for some reason fire can't penetrate through earth...not anymore," he said.

Zhan handed the glaive, to the two engineers, who entered the Tundra tank with it.

"It can be loaded from inside the tank. Put here's the best part," he said, pointing at a field of wooden-targets, behind a large rock. "It'll go straight...through...the rock and shatter the targets."

Azula had raised an eyebrow at his statement, she knew that a sword or an arrow had great difficulty breaking a rock...even normal fire had difficulty, not that she would admit it.

"Ready!" he said, which she heard clicking and gears turning.

"Aim!" he added, a crunching sound following and another click.

"FIRE!" he yelled, upon which the glaive flew out.

Azula could barely see it, fast as an arrow, spinning through the air, then it reached the rock, a cracking sound was made, as it impacted the rock. She was shocked, when it flew out the other end, and sliced through the wooden targets.

"Any questions?" he asked, grinning and proud.

"When will it be mass-produced?" asked Ozai.

XXX

"Enjoyed the show?" asked Zhan.

"Very much," replied Azula, twirling the white fire around her hands. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"I can't dance," he replied.

"Seriously?" she asked, chuckling.

"I'm serious. I can't dance, as impossible as that might seem," he said.

"How could you not? Your fighting and combat skills?" she said suprised.

"They flow freely. I don't do control... too restraining," he replied.

"I like control. I'm perfection itself," she said, tilting her head towards him.

"Yes, but sometimes..." he said, adjusting her right hand, which held a slightly bluish fire. Relaxing it, turning the fire white again. "A little freedom, gives you more control."

"I guess," she said. "I was thinking though."

"Hmm?" he jested.

"Do you think we're ready enough, to show this to my father?" she asked, a bit nervous.

"I don't know that Wildflower, since it's your choice. I'd say developing to a higher level of firebending is a feat itself," he said.

"I guess so," she replied, before a word caught up to her. "Wildflower?"

"You don't like it. I figured spending this much time with you...and calling you Azula, might seem to...formal," he said chuckling.

"Come again?" she asked confused.

"Nicknames? Isn't that what couples call eachother?" he explained.

Azula blushed for a second...couple? She didn't expect him to take it this far or treat her like that, but all the signs pointed to it.

'Now that I think of it...' Azula though: all those mishaps, trainings, talking, hugging, kissing...guess they are a couple. And Zhan was a handsome one: striking gray eyes, charming face, gold hair. 'Oh were did those ideas come from?!"

But he wasn't all that bad. She hated to admit it, but she didn't know what to do if he suddenly left. He was an unknown variable that made her feel safe, secure...warmer.

'Oh...have I been an idiot,' she thought. "Wildflower, huh? Am I a savage beast?"

"Nono," he replied chuckling. "More like natures wrath, locked in a beautiful form."

"Flaterer!" she said, closing their hands and turning around.

"I try," he replied, giving her a quick kiss.

"I think we're ready," she said.

XXX

Ozai was quite impressed how Azula had progressed, her firebending seemed more stronger and refined, her physical form seemed more stronger, yet kept a feminine side to it. The boy was a great improvement, for Azula and for the war-developement. Xin Zho Zi's legacy was quite full of suprises.

Azula had finished her firebending forms, but had gestured him and the twins to stay put.

"I'd like to demonstrate something. Something that was thought to be impossible for ages, an unbendable feat...but not anymore," said Azula. "Zhan."

He walked over to Azula, taking their 'close' stance.

"Ready?" he asked, whispering in her ear.

"Yeah," she replied, intertwining their fingers.

'Relax,' she thought, starting the mantra in her head.

'Breath,' she added, matching her breathing with his.

'Release,' she finished, feeling the fire form in their hands. By the tiny gasps she heard, she could tell they were suprised. Opening her eyes, she could practically see the shocked expression on his father's and on Li and Lo's.

"Let's separate the fires now," he said suddenly.

"We haven't done that before," she replied, suprised by his idea.

"C'mon. A little show...it's easy," he said, distancing their hands slowly, breaking the white fireball into two smaller ones, one in each hand. "See."

"Let's see if we can actually bend it, instead of just creating it," she said. "All full?"

"If that's what you wish, Wildflower," he replied, bringing their hands closer, forming a single fireball again.

"Move," he said in her ear, adjusting their leg stance.

"Aim," he added, adjusting their arms.

"Fire," he finished, their hands moving unison, sending the white fireball soaring into the sky. "Oh yeah, we were ready...Wildflower."

"I couldn't agree more," she replied, squeezing his hand. "Ash-metal."

"Close enough," he replied, squeezing back.

XXX