Chapter 41

Tanya held out a hand, catching a black snowflake in her palm and watching it melt into a murky grey puddle. Who would have guessed that the pollution from her fleet would produce such a dramatic effect in snowy climates? She looked out across the sea, spotting a tiny dot of white in the distance that slowly grew as her ships drew ever closer.

"Zhao loved to imagine this moment. He was always theorising what words historians would use to describe him as he brought his fleet to The Northern Tribe's doorstep." She reminisced, drumming the fingers of her uninjured arm on the railings of her balcony.

"I don't think he ever considered that he would not be alive to see his dream become a reality.

Yet now that I stand in his place, I find myself pondering those same questions. How will history remember this day?" She looked aside at the companion standing by her shoulder. "What do you think, Prince Zuko?"

Zuko huffed grumpily, glaring at the ocean as if it had personally offended him. "Who cares what they say? All that matters is capturing The Avatar."

Tanya smirked sardonically. "Come now, Zuko. Is capturing The Avatar really all you think about these days? All work and no play makes for boring company, you know. A strong work ethic is an admirable trait, but it's healthy to take breaks for rest and relaxation now and again. Don't tell me you never took a day off during your search for The Avatar?"

Zuko's only answer was an annoyed huff. Tanya rolled her eyes. "Yeesh, no wonder you turned into such a grump. Once we return home victorious, the first thing I'm going to do is take a nice, long holiday somewhere warm and exclusively for rich people. You wouldn't believe how much an admiral makes these days."

"You? Away from the war?" Zuko huffed disbelievingly. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Tanya pouted fiercely. "How rude! How many times have I told you that all I've ever wanted was a quiet, comfortable life somewhere safe and peaceful? You make me sound like some kind of war maniac."

"People who value peace and quiet don't tend to lead invasion forces." Zuko countered.

"Well it's not like I had much choice in the matter, was it?" Tanya shot back. "I was born a firebender, and that means mandatory military service for those not born rich enough to weasel their way out of it. If I must fight in this war anyway, better to do it as a commander than as a common footsoldier."

Zuko shuffled his feet awkwardly, and went quiet for a moment. When he finally spoke up again there was a hesitant note to his voice. "Hey Tanya… if you didn't have to be a soldier, what would you be?"

Tanya looked back at him, narrowing her eyes curiously. "What do you mean?"

"It's just that I can't imagine you being anything else." Zuko continued. "You've always been such a gifted firebender, and a natural strategist. When we were young, you seemed like you were born to be a warrior." He looked out across the ocean.

"But if you could have chosen the path your life would take for yourself, what would you have picked?"

Tanya frowned at him. "Iroh's been rubbing off on you."

"Just answer the question."

"Fine, fine." Tanya closed her eyes and took a breath, savouring the sea breeze. "If you must know, I've always wanted to be a merchant."

"A merchant?!" Zuko parroted, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

"That's right." A smile grew across Tanya's face, but unlike the sharp, savage grin he usually attributed to her, this one looked far more gentle. Serene even. "It would be a much more efficient use of human resources to run an organisation that aims to make and sell useful products to the world, rather than throw people against enemy spears.

And with all the colonies we've created, the opportunities for a new, golden era of businesses is limitless! If you think my military strategies are good, just wait and see my marketing strategies! I'd be the richest woman in the world within a decade!"

Zuko scoffed, torn between disbelief and a strange sense of sadness. In his head, Tanya always had been the terrifying, ruthless demonette he'd met as a child, and his every interaction with her had only enforced that belief.

Yet that Tanya was the product of conscription laws enforced by his family. His imagination could picture a different Tanya, one who'd had the freedom to choose her own life, with startling ease. A Tanya who used her sharp wits to plot cash forecasts rather than battle formations.

A Tanya who grinned maniacally as she crushed competing businesses, rather than as she executed enemies. A Tanya who's hands bore the rusty smell of coins, rather than the scent of blood.

Tanya stared at the ocean, a faraway look in her eyes, before suddenly snapping back to reality. "Well, it doesn't matter. It's just a dream." She announced.

"What matters is what we make of our reality, and mine is to be the admiral who conquered the north, just as yours is to be the firelord who captured The Avatar. Speaking of which, you'd better go and get ready. We'll be arriving soon, and for the plan to be a success our timing must be perfect."

Zuko nodded and walked away, only shooting a glance back as he reached the door. A part of him couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt at the sight of Tanya, a girl younger than he was, standing alone at the head of an iron fleet.

How many other Tanyas in the making were there in his nation? How many of his people had been turned into the warriors they never wanted to be by the commands of his ancestors?

"When I'm Firelord, I'm going to give my people the freedom to choose back. I swear it!" He promised to himself as he stepped forward into the darkness of the ship.

...

Aang wiped a hand across his head, wincing at the grimy sensation the black snow left against his palm. He pulled his hand back to examine the grey smear across his fingers. This black snow was unnatural; something that should have never existed in this beautiful world, and he could not help but think it an omen of the future the Fire Nation sought to bring.

Would they stain the rain black too? Fill the sky with dark clouds all across the world? Did they not understand that they'd be blocking out the very sun they drew their own strength from?

"The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread." Chief Arnook murmured, staring out across the city from beside him. Aang couldn't help but sympathise with him.

Minutes ago he'd painted marks across the foreheads of Sokka and other young men as he sent them on a mission he knew very well they may not return from. It must be horrible to have to speak orders that sent his own people into mortal danger.

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people." Aang clenched his fist as a spike of resolve shot through him. "I'm going to make a difference this time."

"The Water Tribes need an Avatar now more than ever. I won't fail them. I swear it!" He promised to himself as he looked up at the black-flecked sky.

...

"Here at last. Agna Qel'a." Tanya muttered to herself as the city of ice loomed into view in the distance through her spyglass. The capital city of the Northern Water Tribes, and the only settlement that could allow safe entry into the arctic wastes beyond it where the other smaller settlements resided.

It was said that the city had first been built as a show of unity between the originally independent water tribes, long before the schism that saw many tribes migrate to the South Pole.

Its location made it the one and only economic hub for foreign countries to trade with the North Pole, and as such it had quickly grown to become the biggest of the northern cities and the seat of the Northern Tribe's power.

An inspiring story, but also a glaring weakness for the Northern Tribes. Whoever controlled Agna Qel'a controlled the North Pole. None of the other settlements had bothered constructing major defences of their own, content in the idea that Agne Qel'a would serve as a barrier between them and any foreign threats.

Once the Fire Nation captured it however they would immediately control all the trade routes between the other cities, cutting off much of their communication and allowing them passage directly into the other settlements. Without this one city, the north's resistance would crumble.

One of her commanding officers marched up behind her and snapped to attention. "Admiral, all ships are in position. The White Dragon is awaiting permission to advance and test the waters."

"Hmm…" Tanya lowered the spyglass and tapped it against her chin in thought. "The Northern Tribes will be mustering their defences, and if everything Zuko has told us about The Avatar is true he'll likely be eager to do his perceived duty. There's a good chance he'll be deployed to sink our first ship in an attempt to deter us."

"Should we not send it out then?" The commander asked.

"We will. It's important we check for traps before committing our full force." Tanya handed him the spyglass, then stepped up onto the railings of the balcony.

"But it would be remiss of us to not give the esteemed Avatar a proper welcome, now wouldn't it?" Fire erupted from her feet as Tanya took to the sky, hovering in place for a moment.

"Signal The White Dragon to begin their advance, then take over command of the fleet for me for a few minutes. I'll be joining The White Dragon to make sure we give the north a proper introduction."

"You're going to fight The Avatar! Admiral, I must insist against this!" The commander replied urgently. "Your arm has yet to heal, and we need you to oversee the fleet! There can be no invasion without you."

"I know." Tanya replied, a wild grin spreading across her face. "But you'll have to forgive me for a little showmanship. After all, today marks the beginning of the end of this war."

And with that she rocketed forward towards the ship that was steadily pulling ahead of the rest of the fleet.

"I won't lose to you, Being X. Not to your manipulations, or this puppet Avatar you've placed in my path. I swear it!" She promised to herself as she rocketed through a sky filled with black snow.

...

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