Chapter 230 - 15

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Burn the World Down by Infonticus

Cartoons » Avatar: Last Airbender Rated: M, English, Adventure & Fantasy, Words: 395k+, Favs: 5k+, Follows: 6k+, Published: Jan 30, 2023 Updated: Mar 13

2,585Chapter 15: Azula's Circus of Madness

Chapter 15: Azula's Circus of Madness

[Khan's Abode, 41st Division Encampment]

Ever since she had discovered masturbation, Princess Azula never came back to visit our encampment again.

... I'm still not sure if that's a good sign or not.

Nevertheless, it had allowed me to operate freely- completely unrestrained by the direct supervision of the Throne of the Fire Lord now that the only two people in the Fire Islands who could actually boss me around were indisposed.

The first one, Fire Lord Ozai, had been surprisingly easy to please for a monarchic despot. All I had done for him so far was to pledge to destroy his enemies and to give him the 'Elixir of Immortality' once completed; and as a result, he was already sending me encouraging little letters every other day like a strange combination of a machiavellian head of state and a doting soccer mom, particularly on the subject of working with his daughter 'on a long term basis.' I was hesitant about that idea of course- his daughter was after all the only other person who had the authority to boss me around.

Azula's title of 'The Chief Organiser of the Great War Commemorations' afforded her a surprising amount of authority; and between the Fire Lord and the princess, she would have been much more troublesome to deal with. Mostly because she was one more inclined towards directly exercising her rank over me than her father was. But now, all because Suki had -I quote- 'awakened the Princess' hidden potential to The Feminine Secret Art of the Hiding Finger', my political rival was currently too embarrassed to meet me face-to-face after masturbating to the thought of me.

At least, that was my estimation of the events based on the very obvious clues about her behaviour.

For forcing her through the heinous indignity of privately fantasising about your naked body...

{Azula} Reputation : -40 - -25

Oh, there goes another... And it's a positive change this time! Yesterday, it was a negative change for that same exact reason. Not that I let her incomprehensible reputation changes bother me anymore: I had long decided that I was not going to waste time and effort trying to understand how a crazy girl's mind works, especially when I was a very busy man. Speaking of which...

I looked up from the crafting bench to boom out with my deep voice, "Lieutenant!"

And like clockwork, the metal door of my abode promptly clicked open and allowed the armour-clad lieutenant to stride in with her freshly polished and laundered Fire Nation uniform. Her gleaming red armour plates and the black silk tunic she wore underneath looked ready to pass every parade inspection known to man as she presented a crisp salute to me. "Yes, commander?"

I nodded in approval. Hopefully, the rest of the 41st Division will look just as good in time for the Great war Commemorations parade. Spirits know how little we cared about pomp and appearance during our rampage through the Earth Kingdom.

"Looking snappy, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, commander!" She saluted, "Uh... You look deli- good too! Sir!"

I looked down to the trousers and blacksmith's apron that I wore, and paid her comment no mind, "How goes the distribution of Princess Azula's portraits?"

"We just finished distribution an hour ago, sir." She replied, "We're expecting all platoon leads to report back in a few hours that they've briefed their men and their indentured servants on what the Princess looks like."

"Good." My voice rumbled, "That'll be all, Lieutenant."

"Sir!" The lieutenant saluted again before leaving through the door to go back to her post.

I shook my head. Hopefully, that'll spell the end to any more misunderstandings with the Princess. I still wasn't certain that my Reputation with Fire Lord Ozai was high enough just in case Azula decided that I was to be removed. So, I could do nothing but prevent it from getting to that point. Her opinion of me was currently the opposite of stable.

But with Azula preoccupied with exploring the joys of being a woman, I took as much advantage of it as possible to seize whatever advantage I could.

I had directed the {41st Division} to practise their marching for the Great Commemoration Parade in the mornings and train wearing their snowshoes on the sandy beach in the afternoons- the closest we could get to simulating the lightly packed snow of the North Pole. I had {June} resume building her web of informants in the local pubs through drinks and gambling- the servants of the Noble clans all but happy to drunkenly reveal 'harmless little tidbits' about their masters that June was building into a complete profile. The {Kyoshi Warriors}, I had directed to continue with their skullduggery- traversing the rooftops of Capital City like Assassin's Creed characters as they scouted out important locations of interest throughout the Capital City and pilfered documents here and there.

As for myself, in the scant moments when I wasn't writing correspondence with Fire Noble Clans, I had been working my forge day and night to craft all the equipment my division will need for our North Pole expedition.

"... and done. Finally." I breathed a sigh of relief as my seven-foot-tall frame stepped back from the crafting workbench.

Skill Level up: [Smithing]! Lvl 23 - Lvl 24

Attainable Item Qualities

Poor - Shoddy - Common - Fine - Superior - Exquisite - Masterwork - ?

+ R +

I appraised the (Superior) [41st Division Frostguard Greatcoat] (Of Warmth) resting on my workbench... before tossing it into the pile where several hundred other identical red greatcoats lay. Each one, I had crafted over the past few days. It normally would have been physically impossible for one person to craft so many. But with my [Quality Assurance] perk, I was able to speed up my crafting speed at the minor cost of item quality. Such a slight drop in quality was very much worth it- my greatcoats were still leagues better than anything the (Common) quality winter gear that the Fire Nation Army was issuing to the rest of the invasion force. And with a bit more training, 41st Division will be ready to laugh off the blizzards of the North Pole... and whatever water tribe army that thinks they can take us on.

But just as I finished that line of thought, A notification blinked into existence as if to tell me that I was wrong.

New Quest:

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, AND INTO THE BLIZZARD

Main Objective: Prepare for the Siege of the Northern Water Tribe before the armada departs

Sub-Objective #1: Equip the entire 41st Division for arctic weather conditions (85% Complete)

Sub-Objective #2: Train the entire 41st Division to be competent in Arctic Warfare (13% Complete)

Sub-Objective #3: Double the Fire Nation Army's enlistment rate in this upcoming enlistment season (4% Complete)

Sub-Objective #4: Dedicate 70,000 Gold Pieces in war funds for this campaign (13,000/70,000 Gold Pieces)

Rewards:

Massive bonus exp

Perk Point x4

+ R +

I paused, resting my palms on the workbench as my mind raced.

For once, I was not interested in the rewards, because the quest had grave implications that were leagues more worrying. Either the quest was giving me a challenge to go the extra mile for extra rewards, or... it was subtly hinting to me that I didn't even have the bare minimum of manpower and resources to even think of winning this arctic campaign. And this was going to end with all of us freezing to death in the North Pole, or impaled on the icicles of the Northern Water Tribe or in a myriad other grisly ends.

Suffice to say, I couldn't risk it being the latter.

I was already in the process of preparing for the siege; but this quest was demanding that I do several times more in terms of preparations. Sub-Objective #1 implies that the heap of Frostguard Greatcoats and snowshoes that I had spent the last few days crafting apparently were almost enough to prevent being frozen to death. Almost. Sub-Objective #2 had the wording that says 'competent in Arctic Warfare' meaning that the 41st Division was still woefully incompetent and undertrained for arctic warfare. Given that we were going to be facing waterbenders on their home territory, the 41st Division may very well be on the receiving end of a battlefield massacre this time around. #3 hints that Zhao's main invasion force could use more troops which implies that the armada is going to be undermanned. And the wisdom of the battlefield dictated that in a conventional siege, the assaulters must outnumber the defenders 3-to-1. And #4 was asking for five times more money than I had!

I was about to plan how to achieve all of those objectives when the sound of an armoured gauntlet rapping knuckles on metal resounded from my door.

"Commander, sir?" the Lieutenant called out, "Mistress Yor and Lady Anya are here to see you."

"They're here early." I remarked with a sigh. I may as well hear their reasons for myself. "Send them in, Lieutenant!"

The metal door creaked open, and through it, walked in the most violent creature in all the Fire Islands.

"Khan, It's so good to see you..." Yor Briar smiled softly at me, red eyes sparkling under a soft fringe of silken black hair. She had changed out of her black dress that she used for 'business', wearing instead a red sweater with dark stockings. But there was still no mistaking the angelic face framed of a young mother who wouldn't trade gentle joys of motherhood for anything else in the world... and what it masked underneath: A blunt instrument of mass murder. If Suki and her Kyoshi Warriors were the scythe that cut down enemies, then Yor was the runaway combine harvester that mulched through entire crowds.

"It's good to see you too, Yor." My voice rumbled in congenial greeting, hiding my dismay. "You're back early."

And by that, I meant that they shouldn't have been here at all. She was much too dangerous and bloodthirsty for something as delicate as the political maneuverings that I was doing. It was the reason why- upon arrival in Capital City- I had handed her a pouch of gold pieces and told her to 'spend some quality time with her daughter for the next few weeks.' By that time, the 41st Division and I would have been far, far away from her... It would seem that I was not that lucky.

"Anya wanted to spend time with you." Yor replied with a smile as said daughter followed through the door.

"Anya is here!" A small six-year-old child with her pink hair and black dress scurried across the room towards me and wrapped her tiny arms around my leg. "Anya missed Papa Khan!"

"Anya, don't call Khan that!" scolded Yor, but her heart wasn't into it.

"Did you have fun with your mother?" I asked, picking the tiny child up.

She beamed at me with all the youthful exuberance and innocence of a normal six-year-old girl who did not have her schoolyard bully burned at the stake while she enjoyed her steak to the sounds of his screaming. Except, that's exactly what she did. Another bloodthirsty maniac starting out young.

"Yes! Anya had lots of fun!" She giggled in my hands, "We went to this nice beach house on the island and we got to play in the sand everyday! Mama missed you a lot too!"

"Anya!" Yor chided, a blush spreading across her pale cheeks.

"It's good to see you two after your little vacation." I asked with a smile to mask my worry. I doubt I could send them away again, and leaving them unsupervised will likely end with a bloodbath- the exact opposite of what my current situation needed. I'll need to stay with them and keep them from lashing out. There was nothing I could do at this point apart from playing the part of the father to this mother-daughter pair of murderous psychopaths.

"Papa, look!" The smaller of the two psychopaths smiled brightly as she held up a flyer. My eyes scanned the paper covered in colourful images of trained animals, silly clowns and smiling circus performers all under a big red tent.

"Where'd you get this?"

"They were handing it out at our resort." Yor smiled. "There was supposed to be a circus coming to the island, but they changed their minds at the last minute to head here in the Capital City instead. We followed them here because... well..."

Her red eyes glanced to her daughter.

"Anya wants to go to the circus with Papa!" the child beamed, waving the flyer in my face again.

"Sorry, Little Anya." I told her, placing her down onto my workbench, "I don't think I can take you to the circus. It's going to be a busy few days for me. Very busy."

Half of the [Out Of The Frying Pan, And Into The Blizzard] quest's main objectives could be easily completed. It was just the 70,000 Gold Pieces that was most worrying... A single gold piece was about enough to support a 41st Division soldier for a week. Wage, food, equipment and all. So, the fact that the quest was expecting 70,000 Gold Pieces was insane! That was more than enough to sustain the entire 41st Division on a protracted 5-month-long siege! That was a whole Battle of Stalingrad! Moreover, 70,000 was not going to be an easy procurement. We were in Fire Nation homeland after all, it's not like we can just pillage a few villages for the money like we did in the Earth Kingdom.

"Ah. Anya will help!" the pink-haired little girl announced, her tiny hand darting into the pocket of her black dress' and fished out a few copper pieces to hand to me. She beamed a happy grin up at me, "Khanmander Papa needs money!"

"We can afford tickets to the circus just fine." I reassured her, but she just pouted.

"But Anya wants to help!" she insisted, offering up her copper pieces in her pale, tiny palm... Until she realised that the copper pieces were sticking to her hand and shook them off- sending copper pieces flying through the air.

One of them stuck to my cheek.

"Sorry, Khan!" Yor apologised for her daughter, "Anya, Mama told you to wash your hands!"

"Sorry, Papa!"

"It's fine. You were only trying to help, just be more careful." I waved it off as I peeled the coin off my cheek. The regal copper face of Avatar Szeto coated with some gunk. Immediately, my level 5 herbalism perk [Weed Secrets] activated- allowing me to 'weed' out all the information out of the gunk.

(Exquisite) [Dew of the Mountain]

Bubbly and sweet to the tongue, yet soothing to the stomach, the Dew of the Mountain is a gentle, effervescent elixir with an emerald shine to its liquid- evoking the image of freshly-rained forests that drape over mountain slopes.

When consumed, it subtly but steadily reinforces the drinker's health as if imparting the serene endurance of ancient mountains. Those that imbibe the Dew of the Mountain find that perseverance comes easier: Their torn muscles and bruised bone from battle-worn injuries mend quicker under the elixir's effects; and the throbbing aches and soreness of long treks lift away with each sip of the elixir's bubbly texture. It also bears the uncommon distinction amongst usually bitter elixirs to be surprisingly palatable if not outright delicious to drink due to its sweetness.

For these reasons, the Dew of the Mountain has been known to see extensive use on the march. Whether it's skilled scouts drinking the elixir mid-patrol or their ordinary foot soldiers sitting down for a short breather, the Dew of the Mountain is a prized asset for anyone on the march where steady and sustained physical performance are a requirement.

+ R +

Made by: Khan (Herbalism Level 18)

Ingredients: Mountain Dew, Bacui Berry, Lychee Nuts, Ginger Root

Effects:

(+5%) Health Regeneration for (22) hours

(+15%) Stamina Regeneration for (5) hours

(+5%) Disease Resistance for (22) hour

+ R +

I considered the soda gunk on the copper piece. I had originally brewed 'Dew of the Mountain' as my Red Bull's milder cousin- a health tonic meant to speed up the afterbattle recovery- a process whose importance was often underestimated by commanders. Another point in its favour was that the ingredients for the regen components were also common and cheap enough that I had been able to put it on the division's commissary as a luxury commodity on the march.

It had been surprisingly useful, this [Flask of Refillment], supplying me and the troops with unlimited purified water and other drinkable liquids. In fact, it has been the most valuable item in my-

That gave me an idea.

"Let me see that flyer, Anya." I hurriedly asked, and she handed it to me. Then I held up the colourful flyer against the annotated intel scroll from the Kyoshi Warriors. It all came together. Yes, this could work: I can complete two of my most troublesome objectives in one move. I had the experts, the products, the massive untapped market with no competitors, and most importantly, I had a foot in the door with the Fire Nation Military in the form of the big man himself...

"What is it, Khan?" Yor asked, tilting her head.

The pieces all fit and the steps lined up. It was time to do a tried-and-true method of getting rich really quick, and I might be rid of Yor and Anya in the process as well. A simple three step plan already came to mind. I smiled with relish. First, we needed the product.

Step 1: Find distributors willing to move a sizable stock of 'Dew of the Mountain'

"Lieutenant." I called to the soldier who had been standing quietly in the corner. Her red-armoured frame saluted at attention. "Send a runner to June and the Kyoshi Warriors. I have a new assignment for them. I need them to source some alchemical ingredients for me. Report back when you're done, I have some sensitive correspondence for you to deliver to."

"Yes, sir!" She barked before double timing it out of here.

Seeing the Lieutenant rush out, Anya's entire face lit up with a smile, "Does this mean we're going to the circus, Papa?!"

"Even better." I said, and little pinkette looked like her mind was just blown.

"Even better?!" she whispered in awe.

"Yes." I nodded knowingly, "Anya? How would you like to help me run a circus?"

Her green eyes sparkled with wonder as if I had just offered her the entire world.

"You're the best Papa ever!"

(Later that afternoon) [Fire Nation Circus Grounds]

Azula's boots crunched on the gravel path, navigating through the maze of canvas tents as the the scent of sawdust and hay wafted all around.

She wasn't going to let Khan defeat her.

The texture of the small stones beneath her feet were a harsh reminder of her fall from grace. Khan had no doubt planned everything from the start with that Kyoshi Warrior to humiliate her and throw her off her game. Yes, he may outmaneuvered her, snuck behind her back to get to her father and then humiliated her with his disgusting display; but she wasn't going to just take it lying down.

Azula winced as she entered a towering circus tent loomed like a colossal firebender's flame, its red and gold fabric rippling in the breeze. The wording of her own thoughts made a lewd mental image flash unbidden through her mind, but she pushed the image out of her head. Khan did this: just one more reason for him to burn. And for that, she needed an old friend to level the playing field.

She allowed herself a small smile as she pretended not to notice passing by the flexible girl in the lychee pink costume who was doing her stretches. And she also pretended not to notice when the girl's gray eyes locked onto her.

"Azula!" Her old friend waved to her, "Azula, over here!"

"Ty Lee?! Is that you?" Azula gasped, widening her golden eyes in feigned surprise.

"The one and only!" She chirped before gently sharing a brief hug with her. It was a hug that had Azula frowning, her old friend had apparently... grown in their time apart judging from the feel of her soft chest against hers. Between Ty Lee and the Suki girl, she might get left behind... and that only made her more upset. A month before this, she wouldn't have spared it a thought. But now, after her disastrous visit to the commander's encampment, she was made keenly aware of such things now. Curse him for this.

"What are you doing here?" Azula asked her, pretending not to know.

"Well, you sort of invited me here!" Ty Lee giggled. "Did you miss me so much that you hired my entire circus to perform here in the capital just to see me again?"

"Oh, it was just a happy coincidence." Azula only half-lied this time. It was indeed a coincidence, but she wasn't happy that she had to call for help to handle a single Fire Nation officer that was supposed to be under her command. Nevertheless, she smiled amicably at Ty Lee, "I required a colourful performance for the Great War Commemorations- adding levity to an otherwise stiffly military affair for the peasantry and what not. Your circus just came highly recommended."

"Of course we are! We're the best circus in the Fire Islands!" Ty Lee winked. "But it is so good to see you again, Azula. And can I say that your aura is absolutely glowing! What have you been doing the past few days?!"

That stopped Azula in her tracks, the faintest blush powdering her cheeks.

"... I've been busy conducting Great War Commemorations after all." Azula said after only the briefest moment of hesitation. It would have fooled anyone else, but Ty Lee had been her friend since their early childhood. The brunette was quick to recognise that uncharacteristic hesitation in her, and that was all her friend needed. Her grey eyes widening in realisation.

"Azula..." Ty Lee breathed in soft surprise.

"Don't give me that look, Ty Lee!" She aimed an angry snarl at her, "It's not what you think!"

But the brunette was undeterred by her glower, her smile only widening in outright joy as she held Azula's hands, "Oh, it's a guy isn't it?! Azula's super fiery heart has finally been sent fluttering by a guy like some butterfly! Or maybe a flutterbat in your case! Is he cute?! Oh, he must be seriously cute if he managed to catch your eye!"

"No, Ty Lee! He's not cu-!"

Azula slammed her mouth shut as she realised that she had let slip something.

"He?" Ty Lee gasped before actual tears of pride began streaming down her cheeks as she shouted victoriously, "So, it IS true!"

Azula found herself swept in a big hug once again- the excited Ty Lee's cheek rubbing against hers.

"Oh, I knew this day would come! I knew it!" Her acrobatic friend, who Azula found to be increasingly annoying, gushed. "I kept telling Mai, but she was convinced that you were going to end up as a grumpy old spinster with a hundred cat-owls! I always believed in you!"

"Mai said what?!"

"Oh, that's not important right now." Ty Lee said with a brilliant smile, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve, "You have to tell me all about this guy! How did you meet him? Where'd you meet him? Oh, I know! Let's go out and chat over some dumplings! My treat!"

Waited on to answer, Azula was finally given the opportunity to set the conversation straight. Taking a deep, calming breath, she pushed down the urge to light her friend's braid on fire. Instead, she looked her in the eye, her gold meeting Ty Lee's grey and she spoke civilly, "I have no time for gossip over dumplings, Ty Lee. I'm here on official business to meet with the ringmaster. As Chief Organiser of the Great War Commemorations, I'll be inspecting that all the performances are in order, and extract some reassurances that wild animals won't suddenly get loose in the Capital City. After which, I have a few matters that I think you can help me with. And then, perhaps we can... catch up."

"Awww... so I guess you didn't come here to see the trained platypus-bears either, huh?" pouted Ty Lee, but that only lasted for a moment before she smiled back at Azula. "But ok! Let me tell you now that this circus is the best! You won't find inspect anything wrong here!"

Azula breathed a silent sigh of relief. The conversation was back on track, now she can-

"I thought that huge commander guy already did that earlier, but I'm happy you dropped by too!"

Azula's blood froze as she stopped in her tracks, and her voice came out in an horrified whisper, "What did you just say?"

Ty Lee just tilted her head in confusion.

"Uh... there was a Commander Khan guy who came here in the morning?" She answered, "I wasn't sure if he was an Army or Navy commander, but he was huge, maybe three times as tall as me! Ringmaster Shuzuma talked to him for a while before he announced that the circus made a kind of partnership with the commander."

"Is that so..." Azula hummed, but her mind was already racing in a panic. Was the commander already making his move to remove her? No, that shouldn't even be possible. The circus only arrived earlier today. It would be absurd to assume that the commander had already figured out her plans and outmaneuvered her yet again. Unless... he had been intercepting her messenger hawks and reading her correspondence all this time. Yes, that must be it. He would not have known otherwise and acted so quickly. She will have to interrogate the personnel in the Royal Messenger Aviary.

She had possibly found the intelligence leak, but once again, the damage was already done.

That was rapidly becoming a recurring theme in all her encounters with Khan: With her being put on the defensive as he struck in places she did not expect. And she hated it. She had always been the one to have others dancing to her tune- not the other way around. So, the fact that she had to keep responding to the commander's moves was not only immensely aggravating for her, but also very difficult just from how unused she was being on the backfoot. Why would he even pursue a partnership with this foul-smelling circus when all she had aimed to do was to discreetly recruit her friend? What was Khan planning? Or... has he already compromised Ty Lee?

Golden eyes swivelled towards her flexible friend who was doing a handstand.

"Ty Lee." Azula began, as innocently as she could. "You wouldn't happen to have met with this commander, have you?"

"Nope!" Ty Lee happily chirped, doing a handstand, "He left as soon as he and the Ringmaster Shuzuma finished talking. Whatever that whole partnership was about, the ringmaster seemed to be in a really happy mood since then. And the other members of our happy circus family have been talking about getting a pay raise from the ringmaster. Not me though, I'm just happy to do what I love! Being the one and only Amazing Ty Lee!"

Azula ignored most of the inane chatter. The important part was that Ty Lee couldn't lie to save her life and she just confirmed that she had nothing to do with the commander. Still, the commander's dealing with the circu's ringmaster was a concern. She spoke her observation aloud, "Gold has changed hands at least. Perhaps I can catch him off guard here..."

"Why?" Ty Lee chirped, "Do you think the commander is a traitor?"

"Traitor? Perhaps not. Reaching beyond his station? Oh, definitely."

"Politics... ugh."

"What else have you noticed about this deal with the commander, Ty Lee?"

"Nothing much?" Her acrobatic friend hummed, resting her feet on her head before her grey eyes widened. "Oh wait! The commander's wife and daughter came around, and the ringmaster said that we're supposed to treat them like honoured guests!"

Azula's breath hitched as she reconsidered her plans.

She had intended to take Ty Lee and immediately retreat to the palace to prepare for her next move. But... This could be the opening she needed: The commander's family was apparently here. True, it was strange to imagine a violent brute like him would have a wife and child, but at the same time, it wasn't. The wife was likely some pitiful, beaten down Earth Kingdom noblewoman who he had forcibly wed. And that was her opening: All she had to do was offer that pathetic woman a way out of her husband's grasp, and she'll have a little bird relaying the commander's every move to her. Then she'll retake the initiative and utterly destroy him for all those previous slights.

With her decision made, Azula put on a 'friendly' smile, "Are they still here Ty Lee?"

"Yup!" Her friend nodded, smiling as she flipped onto her feet, "I think they're still over at the animal trainer's tent."

The commander may have been a worthy opponent, but some frail warbride and her little girl?

"Excellent," Azula purred. "I think I'd like to meet them."

This was going to be almost too easy.

[The Animal Trainer's Tent]

Beady black bird eyes looked at her with interest.

'~ Small furless two-legger. Has cabbage? ~'

"Yuppers!" Anya beamed as she threw the piece of cabbage past the bars of the cage. The Lion-vulture snapped its great beak at the leafy greens, catching it mid air and gobbling it up excitedly. And she heard the animals in the other cages think the same thing.

'~ Cabbage! ~'

Anya liked animals. Their thoughts were easy on her head. Not like the people who thought too big and too fast- listening to them think made her dizzy trying to keep up.

"Look, Mama! It likes veggies a lot!" She tugged on her mother's red sweater.

"It looks like it does!" She smiled back.

That's why her Mama was really nice to be around too! Her thinking was fast and scary sometimes- full of ways of how and where to poke holes into people to make them unalive. But a lot of the time, it was also slow and gentle. Just like her! Sometimes it goes so slow that it's like she can't even hear anything, just nice music! Her Mama really was the best!

'It was nice of Khan to give us backstage passes for the circus. It's like we have the circus to ourselves. He's so sweet to Anya...'

Anya nodded knowingly. Of course, her Papa was the best too. He was big and strong and could make toys for all the good little kids like the Fire Lord Ozzy does! But she just wished she could hear her Papa's thoughts more. At first, she thought that it was just his helmet blocking her out, but even the times when he wasn't wearing it, she couldn't hear his thoughts unless she focused really hard. It made her think that her Papa might be special like her! And she tried to think really hard whenever he was looking- shouting it in her head that she wanted him to be her Papa. But it looked like he wasn't the same kind of special as her.

She tossed another piece of cabbage to the lion-vulture. She didn't know what her Papa meant when he thought 'Step 1: Find distri-somethings willing to move a sizable sock of 'Doo Mountain' but if it meant that she can play with the animals and watch the performers all she wants then she liked the plan! Her Papa's plans were always so fun!

And whenever his helmet was off, he was really...

Her brows furrowed and she looked up to her Mama, "What's the boy kind of beautiful?"

"Handsome."

"Oh, Papa is handsome!" smiled Anya.

"I-I guess so...?" Her Mama looked away, her cheeks going red like a cherry. "But Anya, you really have to stop calling Khan that."

Anya pouted. Khan let her call him Papa, but it still didn't feel like he was really her Papa yet. The people she'd asked said that they needed to kiss and hug so that they could get married and Fire Lord Ozzy could summon the fire stork and give them a baby. Anya thought that seemed like a lot to do. And she still wasn't sure if she was ready to be a big sister... But if that was what it took to make the Khanmander her Papa, then that's what she needed them to do. She tried a couple of times on the boat to get them to kiss and hug. So far, it was really hard... the Khanmander was always busy with Auntie June and Suki. And her Mama always ran away.

She'll have to think of something soon.

Anya went to throw some more cabbage at the lion-vulture, but realised that her hands were empty. She showed them to her mother, "Mama? I'm outta cabbage."

Her mother's hand gently grasped her as she smiled down at her, "Let's go ask the ringmaster where they store their cabbages."

"Can I stay here? There's a lotta people out there." Anya said back. And it made her head dizzy hearing all those thoughts.

"I don't like leaving you alone..." Her mama said as she led her to sit down on some hay. "But just this once, just sit still while Mama gets more, Anya."

"Okay!" Anya just nodded happily. "Oh, and can you ask the Lou Teni for more Mountain Doo?!"

"It's 'Dew of the Mountain.'" Her mama reminded her with a smile, "I'll go find the nice Lieutenant and see if she can get us a cask this time."

"Yippee! You're the best, Mama!"

Her Mama walked out of the tent- leaving Anya alone to think about what she could try next to get Khan to be her Papa.

Maybe getting her Mama on Khan's chicken will work? Auntie June and Suki were always thinking of riding his chicken. She still didn't know why they call it 'cock' but her Mama said not to use that word. So it must be a grownup thing. But she was already six-year-old, so she figured it out real quick: It was obviously like those ostrich-horsies that her Papa's Featherheads rode, and his chicken must be pretty amazing if everyone was thinking of how big it is and how good it felt riding it.

"Heya, Anya!" A familiar voice interrupted her planning.

"Ty Lee!" Anya shouted back with a grin as her newest friend strolled in through the tent entrance. She liked Ty Lee- she was as nice as she was bendy. And she was super bendy! She could even jump really high like her Mama or Suki! She was really cool! She was walking with another girl too. Someone that Anya didn't recognise. Black hair like her mama, but she walked like the Lou Teni, all stiff and soldier-like! Anya found her yellow eyes scary though- they looked sharp somehow.

Then a wall of thoughts hit her like a runaway sabre toothed moose-lion.

'~ Small. Frail. Her mother isn't in the tent. A possible trap then? No, Khan has too much of a War Hero reputation to maintain for him to use a Fire Nation child as bait. Why leave the child unattended then? Perhaps it's not really his? No, her Earth Kingdom green eyes vaguely resemble those of Khan. Around five years of age too- He must have sired her from before he joined the army. The mother was likely some Earth Kingdom trader or the sort. What a brute of a man to have done something like that even before joining the army. This only confirms that he must be put down. Yes, for the good of the Fire Nation Army.' Father will be pleased that I- ~'

"Owie..." Anya sat back down and gripped her head as she shut her mind closed as best as she could, like plugging her fingers into her ears. She didn't even catch any of that. Something about her Mama and Papa Khan? Anya just focused on making the thoughts quiet. She'd gotten a lot better at it ever since she started travelling with her Papa. But so far, it was a lot easier when there were just one or two people around.

"Anya, are you okay?" Ty Lee asked, noticing that she was wincing.

"Oh, yeah! Just a headache from the smell! Ehehe?" Anya laughed it off. She couldn't let anyone know that she could hear people think! But she did start sweating when the other girl stared with those golden eyes of hers as if she knew that she could read minds too.

"This is Azula, an old friend of mine!" Ty Lee smiled, gesturing to the girl who walked in with her.

"Nice to meetcha, Azoolah!" Anya smiled at the older girl, "Uh... are you here to feed the lion-vultures too?"

Her Mama did say that she should be more friendly! Now that her former bully, Hide, had learned his lesson from his burnt steak, she was free to make as many friends as she wanted. Ty Lee included! Maybe Azoolah will also-

"Don't get familiar with me, peasant." Azoolah snapped, "Do you not recognise that I am your crown princess?"

"Eh? Princess?! Really?!" Anya asked, eyes wide. She looked up at the stiff girl and grew confused, "But you don't look like your Papa is Fire Lord Ozzy?"

Azoolah's eyes narrowed as she said back, "What do you mean I don't look like his daughter?!"

Ty Lee stepped between them- waiving for the Azoolah lady to stop, "Er... I think what Anya meant was-"

"You're not pretty enough." Anya nodded. This was one of the lessons that stuck with her during her time at the school. She pointed a finger at the fake princess, "Everyone knows that Fire Lord Ozzy is the greatest, biggest, nicest and the most fire-est! You don't even look as pretty as Ty Lee! Your eyes are the colour of pee, and you look mean and scary!"

"You little-" She growled- looking really angry that she got found out to be a phoney. Her fists started burning blue but Ty Lee stepped between them.

"Hey, let's not get too hasty, Azoolah!" Ty Lee smiled very nervously. "Azoolah, She's six years old! SIX!"

"Stand aside! This brat needs to be disciplined!"

"Anya!" Her bendy friend shouted to her, "Azoolah really is the Crown princess of the Fire Nation! Can you please apologise!"

"Eh?! Really?! Sorry, Princess Azoolah!" Anya gasped. If Ty Lee said so, then she must really be the princess! She bowed low at her waist so that her back was flat like the floor, just like Mrs. Kwan taught them back in school. But if she really was the Princess, then that means her Papa's plan was working! "Uh... Are you here to help with step two of Papa's plan, your Hiney-ness?"

"Step Two?" Princess Azoolah asked as her hands stopped flaming, looking surprised again even as Ty Lee stepped out of the way.

"Yep! Papa let Anya help too!" She happily announced, smiling up at the princess. Because maybe if her Papa was less busy, he'll finally let her Mama ride his chicken!

"Maybe I do." The princess hummed, "But do you recall what Step Two of Khan's plan is?"

"Step Two -" She held up two fingers to Azoolah. "-is the yummiest step in The Plan! Papa said that it's going to be so yummy that Fire Lord Ozzy will get interested and invite Papa to the Fire Palace! It's so cool! Anya asked if I could have a whole barrel too because it's so yummy, but he said that it's not good for my teeth! But that shouldn't be a problem for someone like the Fire Lord! You're here to do that right? Papa's invited to the Fire Palace now? Can Mama and Anya come along too?"

"Perhaps." The older girl teased, her yellow eyes shining as she smiled. "And where is this barrel now?"

"Lou Teni said that she was going to give the barrel to the nobles and someone called the 'Taiclan'!"

Both of the older girls' eyes went round, and Anya would have giggled if Ty Lee didn't look really scared all of a sudden. Her bendy friend's knuckles went white as she held her braid, "The... Ty Clan? My family is here?"

"Ty Lee?" the Princess girl said with a smile that Anya thought looked a bit too sharp, "What sort of cargo is your family moving for the commander?"

"I don't know! I haven't talked to them in over a year!" Ty Lee said back, her brown eyes darting around as if she was expecting her family to pop out from haystacks any second now. She shuffled closer to Azoolah and said, "I think I'll lay low for a while. I'm not ready to go back! I've barely even been in the circus!"

"You can deal with your family issues later, Ty Lee." Azoolah waved off, cupping her chin as she thought, "This must be the deal between the commander and ringmaster Shuzuma that is facilitated by the Ty Clan. Could it be the Elixir? No, the commander wouldn't risk father's wrath like this..."

Anya didn't know what was happening. Feeling impatient, she stopped holding back her power with just a tiny smidgen so that she could take a peek into the Princess' thoughts.

'~ His daughter is a fool. This was even better than interrogating her mother. To think Khan would make such a massive blunder. ~'

Anya pouted. She was not a fewl! She didn't know what that meant, but it sounded mean! Maybe Papa should burn her at her steak too! Wait a minute... she was being tricked, wasn't she! Princess Azoolah wasn't really part of Step Two? So, that meant she was after her Papa. That confused Anya... They were all Fire Nation, weren't they? They were all the good guys, so why were they after each other- Anya felt all the blood run from her face as she realised what was happening. She'd heard stories about this. They tell them all the time back in her school at Toujin Island and they even read about it in class! So, she had to stop the Princess before it was too late!

Stepping up to the bigger and scarier girl, Anya gulped, "You- You're after Anya's papa, aren't you?! I won't let you get him!"

Princess Azoolah didn't even look bothered by her finding out; in fact, her yellow eyes seemed to glow brighter now that Anya knew that she was up to something.

"Perhaps you are smarter than you look." Azoolah smiled down at her, all teeth.

"Uh..." Ty Lee's gray eyes flicked between the two of them, "... What's going on?"

Ty Lee will help!

"Princess Azoola..." Anya whispered- not taking her eyes off the evil princess, "She's after Papa's..."

"Oh, this will be good." Azoola crossed her arms, her red lips in a smirk that looked extra mean to Anya.

"She's after Papa's chicken!"

"Indeed, I am after his- what?"

"His... chicken?" Ty Lee giggled as if she had told a joke.

Anya frowned at that. It wasn't a joke, it was very serious. The Princess of the Fire Nation had come to take her Papa to her castle and marry him! That'll mean that he'll never really be her Papa then! And she was sure her Mama would cry if that happened, so she had to put a stop to that!

"No. That's not what Anya meant! What Anya meant was..." She bit her lip, meeting the girl's golden eyes, "Azoola wants to ride Papa Khan's cock!"

A loud wooden crash made her jump along with the sound of cabbages tumbling across the ground. And Anya turned around just in time to see her Mama standing there with a dropped crate of cabbages... along with the ringmaster, the animal trainer and a couple of her Papa's 41st featherheads with their red armour and feathered helmets.

Anya nodded as the Princess' face went really, really red from getting caught.

"What lies are you spreading?" Azula shrieked, her face burning up. She could not believe what this irritating little pile of hippo-ox droppings was saying! She had never been so publicly humiliated before! Her reputation was going to get shot if word of this ever got out!

"Mama!" the little pink-haired devil ran to her mother before pointing back at her, "Azula wants to ride Papa Khan's cock before you can! We have to stop her before Papa d- Mmpph!"

"Anya! You can't say that!" Anya's mother whispered as she put a hand over her six-year-old daughter's mouth.

A sheepish smile on her lips, the older woman looked over to her- blood red eyes locking with her gold. And the moment the woman's red met Azula's gold, its tenseness filled Azula like a coil ready to strike. It was a reflex, she realised. But the source of the reason why was clear. Something in the colour of her eyes evoked a deep sense of wariness. As if she knew this woman from somewhere. The entire tent had gone silent as the tension in the tent escalated, their eyes flickering between her and the woman.

"Azula?" Ty Lee whispered, a hint of worry shining in her friend's grey eyes, "Are you okay? What's going on?"

But Azula barely registered her words, preoccupied as she was staring at the woman- racking her mind as she tried to remember where she had seen those eyes before.

"I'm sorry about my daughter." The woman stepped forward with an apologetic smile, "Anya gets excitable and says odd things."

Another step closer, and Azula's heartbeat quickened. What was she missing? Who was this person? And why was there a rising feeling in her gut telling her- warning her- that something was very, very wrong? Azula had come here to take advantage of some frightful Earth Kingdom warbride, but what she had stumbled upon was far more intriguing, and dangerous, than she had ever imagined. Her golden eyes narrowed as she tried to piece together the puzzle that was standing right before her.

"I'm Yor Briar." the bloody-eyed woman introduced herself, "I'm Commander Khan's administrative assistant."

Finally, amid the chaotic swirl of thoughts, a chilling realisation clawed its way to the forefront of her mind. Time seemed to slow. The flicker of realisation painted an expression of unease on Azula's otherwise composed face.

"You." Azula's whisper of realisation echoed through the silent tent.

Here standing before her was the woman who was no ordinary wife of a Fire Nation officer.

"Me?" The woman in question echoed, meeting her gaze with a guileless look of confusion, as if she were entirely unaware of the intense scrutiny she was under. She was a force to be reckoned with, this one. The woman's act was flawless, her facade unshakable. But Azula wasn't one to be easily fooled. Because such was to be expected of the spy who had managed to slip away from the Crown Princess herself.

"Are you one of Ty Lee's friends?" She tittered before stepping forward, "Nice to meet you!"

She extended a hand to Azula, who took a hesitant step back in turn.

Now that the woman was closer, Azula could remember it all too clearly. The memory of a night too long ago bubbling to the surface. The Royal Archives at night, signs of an intruder, a brief chase, a flash of blood red eyes, followed by a kick delivered with freakish strength. There was no mistaking that she was the spy that had attacked her and robbed the library!

But that was not the reason why her gut was doing somersaults in horror.

No, it was how she was connected to the commander.

She had introduced herself as his wife, but clearly that was just a cover. The brute must be having her pose as his wife for his schemes. The level of protection and access that the spouse of a Fire Nation commander possessed was substantial after all. And it could only mean that Khan himself had planned for that theft in the Royal Archives several months before Azula had even heard of him. To what end, and for what purpose? She did not know, nor did she know how he was able to plan all this as a lowly corporal in the Fire Nation Army.

A nervous bead trailed down the side of her face.

How long had he been planning this? How long had she been dancing in his palm, ignorant to the strings he used to pull her this way and that? How much of her actions had he already planned for? How deep has his influence compromised the Imperial City? And most importantly... Who else was under the puppetmaster's commander's strings?

Her golden eyes swept across the interior of the circus tent- across the silent faces of the armour-clad 41st Division soldiers, circus staff in their whimsy patchwork costumes, the unassuming spy/assassin and her daughter... and Azula realised for the first time that she realised that was quite possibly surrounded by enemies. But then, something else caught her eye- the cask that the woman was carrying- filled as it was with more tea from one person, and on the wooden cask's side was a single symbol emblazoned across it: The seal of the Ty clan.

Yes, this Anya child mentioned it before, but seeing it for herself...

A horrifying possibility struck her to the core, and Azula found her golden eyes looking over to her friend.

Was... Ty Lee compromised as well?

Her thoughts raced, recalling every interaction with Ty Lee and Mai in the last year they had been together before they went their separate ways. Innocent conversations, secrets they had shared, and the laughter that had once felt genuine- all now felt like part of a cunning act designed to lull her into a false sense of security. Each moment now tainted with doubt as they were all potential deceptions directed by Khan. Could Ty Lee have been manipulated by the commander in the twelve months that they had been apart? Or worse, was it in the realm of possibility that Ty Lee... in that same amount of time... for whatever reason... had finally decided that she didn't want to be her friend anymore?

Azula ignored that strange pain in her chest as she looked at her friend.

Feeling her gaze on her, Ty Lee nervously wrung her long brown braid and whispered to her, "Azula, you're kind of freaking me out here... What's happening? Why are you so quiet?"

"Um... Don't be angry at Ty Lee, Princess Azoola." The pink-haired demon-child reassured, "I'm sure that Papa made her part of the plan too!"

"Whah?! No, he didn't!" She pleaded, hergrey eyes wide, "I haven't even personally met Commander Khan!"

"But you were there when Papa introduced us to the entire circus?"

Azula's eyes widened in horrified realisation.

"Anya!" Ty Lee shrieked in panic before looking back to her.

That was what settled it. She did know where Ty Lee stood, she had just refused to see it until now. And what a fool she was for refusing to do so! The circus tent seemed to close in around her as the pieces of Khan's intricate puzzle fell into place. The commander's calculated scheme of deception and treachery clicked together to form a vivid picture in her head. He had beaten her at her own game. She had thought she was surrounded by loyal Fire Nation citizens and possible useful pawns in her fight against Khan. But they had been tampered long before she arrived at the board- poisoned pieces just waiting to come into contact with her touch.

Now, it was revealed what they all really were.

"TRAITOR!" Azula howled, her voice echoing through the tent as she pointed fingers at the bewildered circus staff, accusing them with a wild, accusatory glare fuelled with hurt and anger. "Every single one of you is a traitor to the Throne of the Fire Lord!"

Everyone in the tent recoiled at the sudden accusation- from the 41st Division soldiers to the circus staff to Yor and Anya- they exchanged nervous glances as if to feign innocence.

Azula knew better now.

"You!" She screamed at the ringmaster, "You have been spying on me all this time, haven't you?! That's why your circus has been in close proximity to the capital for the past year!"

The old ringmaster's wrinkled eyes widened in fear, and he stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about, Princess! And we had been operating in this region because of recent events that made it more lucrative to do so! Please, your highness, I just manage the circus! Ty Lee can vouch for me! She's been with us for the past year! I swear!"

Azula's accusing gaze then turned to Ty Lee, who had remained silent during the chaos. Her golden eyes met her grey ones.

"You..." She hissed as she met her friend's eyes, "You're a traitor too! How long were you working against me, Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee took a step back, her grey eyes reflecting the disbelief and hurt. "Azula, I promise I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"I knew you could do a lot of things, Ty Lee..." Azula's voice was but a whisper, just the slightest hint of hurt in her voice. "... But I didn't know you could lie to me."

Ty Lee flinched.

"Azula, I have nothing to do with thi-"

Angrily, Azula thrust a finger to the cask that had the Ty Clan's seal on it. "If you had nothing to do with this then why is that here?!"

"I don't know what that even is!" Ty Lee pleaded, "Or even what this is all about! We're all loyal Fire Nation citizens here! No one in the circus was doing any spying! Please, this is all just a misunderstanding!"

Azula's sneer deepened, refusing to be fooled by their feeble attempts to deflect her correct suspicions. "Enough of your lies and your treachery! I hereby banish you from the Fire Nation, Ty Lee!"

"No... you can't mean that." Ty Lee whispered, her voice trembling as she reached out to Azula. Her grey eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I'm your friend, Azula. You have to believe me. Please."

But Azula just batted the offending hand away. "You're more deluded than I thought! The princess of the Fire Nation associating herself with non-benders? As peers?! You were just a pet that I had bought from your mother! You were never my friend!"

For a moment, Ty Lee just stood there, her wide eyes in shock as though the weight of her words had to settle... before the floodgates of her emotions burst open. She didn't say a word as tears streamed down her cheeks, nor when she turned tail and dashed full speed out of the tent. But as Azula watched her go, for the briefest moments, she felt like a piece of herself had left with Ty Lee. But she ignored it.

The traitor was gone. Good riddance. She was lucky she didn't throw lightning at her.

"That goes for all of you!" Azula swept her gaze to snarl over the rest of them, "You are all banished from the Fire Nation! Show your faces in the Fire Islands again and I shall burn you all to ash myself!"

With the veneer stripped off and her trust shattered beyond repair. The air filled with an animalistic cacophony, mirroring the turmoil she had found herself in. Lion-vultures squawked, gnawing at their cage bars, while fire ferrets scuttled about their enclosure, their shrill cries a testament to the growing unease. Even the platypus bears roared in agitation, rocking their cages violently. It seemed fitting, Azula thought, that the chaos within the circus tent mirrored the web of treachery that had ensnared her city.

"You have until I return with my Imperial Firebenders to vacate Fire Nation territory!"

She was already storming out of the tent when she shouted that. Her mind raced as she weaved through the circus grounds, commandeering an ostrich-horse as she rushed back to the palace- a single goal dominating her thoughts: She had to warn her father! She had to warn him of the commander's plot and uncover the extent of the deception that had infiltrated the highest echelons of the Fire Nation and spread its tendrils to every corner of her Capital city.

Because if nothing else, she still had her father.

Her father still loved her. He loved her more than anything in the world. He'd never betray her and leave her for the commander like Ty Lee just did!

(Meanwhile)

Anya just scratched her head as she looked to where her hiney-ness had rushed out to.

"... Whajust happen? Why'd she make Ty Lee cry?" She asked. She was confused. Really confused. Even her Mama just looked confused, staring at her pale hand as she talked to herself.

"I don't know why she'd react like that though... I just wanted to shake hands with her." Her mama muttered, turning her hands over as if looking for something, "Was there a cabbage slug on my hand or something?"

"Mistress Yor... did you not know who that was?" Lou Teni asked and her Mama just tilted her head, blinking her red eyes.

"Wasn't she a noble friend of Ty Lee?"

Anya watched Lou Teni stiffen in her red armour.

"Did we not... give you a portrait of the Crown Princess upon your entry to the camp?" Lou Teni asked, suddenly sounding really nervous. And when her Mama shook her head, Anya watched as Lou Teni slapped her hand to her face like Papa did- it even made the same clang! Lou Teni groaned, "... the commander's going to have me on latrine duty for this."

"Uh, Lou Teni?" Anya tugged on the stiff red plate of the older girl's armour. "What did Azula mean when she said that we were varnished?"

"Being banished means that we have to leave Fire Islands and never return." Lou Teni shook her head, "It's a punishment reserved for serious crimes apart from treason."

Anya tried to get what Lou Teni had just explained despite the big words...

"Ah, I get it!" She smiled up at the Lou Teni, "So Banishment is something for really bad people like earthbenders and bullies like Hide. But Mama only kills people, so it doesn't count!"

"... Yes, Miss Anya, I guess it doesn't." Lou Teni's armoured head nodded, making Anya grin at being right, "Besides, only the Fire Lord has authority to do that. And Princess Azula isn't Fire Lord. Yet."

"Yay!" Anya cheered. She saved the day! Now that she made Princess Azoola run away, her Papa was definitely going to marry her Mama! Her Papa was going to be so proud of her!

[Fire Lord Ozai's tea room, The Royal Palace]

What the fuck was happening?!

For sending your wife against her months ago, siccing your demon-daughter on her and turning her friend against her...

{Azula} Reputation : -25 - -85

For ruining her friendship with Azula...

{Ty Lee} Reputation : 40 - -20

+ R +

What did Azula mean that I sent my 'Wife and daughter' against her? She was referring to Yor and Anya, wasn't she?! I didn't even know they existed in this universe before then! This was exactly why I wanted to give away the two maniacs calling themselves my 'wife' and 'daughter' to the circus! So that they can stop introducing complications like this into my plans! Like pissing off the crown princess and making it all my fault.

The seconds ticked away, each one intensifying the urgency. Because I knew that in a few short minutes, Azula was going to barge through the door and start hurling accusations or firebolts. And I only had until then to raise Fire Lord's Ozai reputation high enough that I could ensure that he would pick my side over his daughter. I had already been enacting a plan to do that, but now the pressure was on. My reputation perks- [Siren's Voice] and [Fire Nation War Hero]- time to put them to very good use.

Looking across the finely-carved tea table over to Fire Lord Ozai who was garbed in his grand red and gold robes and was peering his golden eyes out the window. I clenched my jaw.

It was time...

I dipped my head in a slight bow and raised the delicate porcelain teapot in my heavily armoured hands. "More Dew of the Mountain tea, O' Fire Lord Ozai?"

... to make this one hell of a dainty tea party.

"Of course." Ozai replied serenely, extending his little teacup. "Your tea is as fine as ever, Commander. It is no Red Bull, but it carries its own charm. And you say that you have brewed this from common ingredients?"

"Any woodworker can chop ashwood..." I told him as I poured more of the leaf-green liquid into his cup, "...but it takes a master carver to produce something as fine as this ashwood tea table. I am the same."

"Skilled workers are very valuable, that is true." He muttered, looking into his teacup in contemplation before sipping.

It was still slightly surreal that we were doing this: A warlord giant that had scorched a burning swathe across the Earth Kingdom and the megalomaniacal despot who was chasing after immortality were holding a dainty tea party. But I wanted that government contract to sell Mountain Dew to the military.

"Is the Dew of the Mountain to your liking, O' Fire Lord?"

"Yes, it is." Ozai nodded before looking me in the eye, "But commander... if you needed funding, all you had to do was ask. My generosity is limitless to my loyal servants and I would have gladly granted you whatever you needed for your alchemical research. Nevertheless, I am impressed by your initiative."

"Of course, I am loyal to the Fire Nation- to you." I half-lied with a smile. I was fiercely loyal to the current establishment, but that loyalty had a strict time limit, "Here to support your rule over the world... no matter how long it shall span."

For your reassuring pledge of allegiance to his eternal rule...

{Fire Lord Ozai} Reputation: 76 - 86

"Well said, commander. Well said." Ozai smiled into his teacup, and I drank alongside him.

Was 84 Reputation enough? The thought bothered me as I sipped from my teacup- my green eyes discreetly darting to the door. Any moment now, Azula was going to come bursting in. And that 84 Reputation was going to be tested, if it failed... No, I should definitely lay it on thicker. It was already a measure of great trust on Ozai's part for letting me pour his tea, especially since he had used poison to kill his own father and seize the throne. But I still needed more rep before I felt confident.

"My daughter has spoken to you, has she not, Commander?" Ozai began, his golden eyes locked onto me intently, "Have you formed an opinion of her?"

"I had found that Crown Princess Azula is... full of Fire. With all the intelligence and firebending potency to see it through."

"That she does. In our correspondence, I have mentioned the possibility of working closer with her. Have you given the notion some serious thought?"

"I have." I replied, already having prepared a mental list of bullshit excuses since he had first asked in our letters, "I fear that our areas of expertise do not have as much overlap as it first appears and we would have little to contribute to the other. Secondly, our work styles and strategies may not mesh well together, and both of our work may end up hindering rather than complementing each other for quite some time before we can find our appropriate rhythm. And that is not to say the scheduling conflicts that will inevitably arise in preparation for our Final Victory."

"Valid concerns, all of them." Fire Lord Ozai agreed a bit too easily. "But how do you personally find her?"

I smiled a pleasant smile... before lying through my teeth, "Princess Azula is pleasant to be around with, my Fire Lord."

For being so cooperative to his schemes...

{Fire Lord Ozai} Reputation: 86 - 90

"That is good to hear." Ozai smiled.

... what the hell did I just agree to?

(A little later)

Azula was panting for breath by the time she had reached the corridor outside her father's tea room.

There, her father's Royal Guard of Imperial Firebenders stood rigid at attention as they guarded the door. Their signature blood-red plate armour, polished to a mirror sheen, glistened in the ambient light, contrasting starkly with the luxurious finery of the palace's corridors. Each warrior clutched a spear in their armoured fists, and their spiked full helms betrayed no hesitation.

"Clear the way! I must speak with my father immediately!" Azula's order cut through the silence, her voice deathly serious. "No one is to be allowed inside while I meet with my father. No one. Not even one of your number."

The Imperial Firebenders glanced between themselves, wordlessly conveying their confusion. Once, she would have called them the Fire Lord's most loyal, but after Ty Lee's betrayal... Azula just didn't know anymore. She could not trust them. Could not trust anyone. But she could at least distrust them the least.

"If the Crown Princess commands it, we shall obey." the lead Imperial Firebender answered.

"Good. No one is to pass. I cannot stress that enough." She snarled, "Kill any who try to insist- this is a matter of national security! No, even more important than that, the Fire Lord may be at risk! Do you understand?!"

"We understand, my Princess." was the royal guard's reply, "However your father is already in a meeting."

"With who?"

"Commander Khan of the 41st Divi-"

"Step aside, you imbeciles!" She roared, pure panic rushing through her veins as she yanked the Imperial Firebender aside before immediately bursting through the doors.

"...And this one is the final work of the legendary artist- Azula?"

She picked them out the moment she entered the room- standing by the south wall in front of that painting of a burning tower. The hard metallic lines of the giant in his armour stood in direct contrast with her father's majestic red and gold robes as the brute stood beside her father like he was an honoured guest instead of the scheming traitor that he was! The sight of her father's surprise expression greeted her... alongside Commander Khan's disinterested expression. His green eyes looked at her calmly- lacking any indication that he was even remotely threatened by her.

"Crown princess Azula." Khan replied with a slight nod from his helmetless head.

Azula's fists twitched and her muscles tightened in anticipation. Forget how handsome his face was! She just a single thought away from launching into her favoured firebending kata and scorching away this man who had taken her friend away from her!

But...

... the rational part of her knew that she would not succeed, solely because that was what Khan wanted her to do. It was obvious to her that it was; because unlike her father, his expression betrayed not even a hint of surprise. Somehow and some way , he knew she would be here- staring him down and on the verge of violence. Khan had planned for this: He wanted her to assault him- to further disgrace herself in her father's eyes.

Her own eyes narrowed at Khan.

She hated this. Hated to be once again forced to a game of words when all she wanted was to strike him down where he stood. But as much as she hated this, Azula knew that she'd hate playing into his hands even more.

"Azula, what is the meaning of this interruption?" Her father asked- just the edge of a demand in his voice.

"My apologies for the interruption, Father." She spoke, not keeping her eyes off the giant, "But I have come to inform you that the commander is a traitor! The same thief that broke into the Royal Archives months ago was none other than his wife!"

"That is quite the accusation to make, my daughter." Her father remarked before facing the overgrown peasant to ask quite archly, "Care to address it, commander?"

There was a brief pause where nothing was said. Just the gold of her eyes staring into the disgusting Earth Kingdom green of Khan's eyes. With all the scrutiny on him, Azula sorely wished to see that large peasant sweat- to be given some sign that she had caught him off guard and on the backfoot, but much to her chagrin, he just glanced unbothered to her father and spoke in his deep, rumbling voice.

"I am sorry to say, My Fire Lord, that the Princess is doubly mistaken. Yor is not my wife, but I suppose rumours are bound to arise from how much her duties as my administrative assistant has her near me. As for the charge of espionage, she had not left my side since before Omashu." His green eyes glanced over to her as he levelled a pitying expression at her. "Perhaps the Princess has been relayed patently untrue rumours?"

Azula raised her eyebrow. That's it? 'No, I'm not married; and no, she didn't do it.' That was all that Khan's defence was? Her eyes went to her father. Surely he wouldn't take him by his word like tha-

"Tell me, Azula... where did you hear these rumours?" Ozai mused with narrowed eyes.

'From a six-year-old child she met at the circus.' would be a horrible answer, and Azula knew it. Left with no other option, she ground out. "From anonymous sources, father."

"I do not know what else to tell you apart from how I am unmarried." Khan shrugged. She didn't even let the sneer off her face as she marched up to him- craning her neck back to look him in the eye.

"Then explain why you have a 'Three-step plan' that involves my father!" She hissed lowly at him, pivoting to the next point she had. "Now this, I can confirm by simply questioning your Lieutenant."

"Ah yes." Khan actually agreed with a small smile, "My three-step plan was to stoke Fire Lord Ozai's in my Dew of the Mountain tea in hopes that he'll allow me the unmitigated honour of supplying the Fire Nation military in bulk with my tea. As you can clearly see, I have been doing my best to impress him with the quality of my work."

"Indeed it has." her father replied, his golden eyes shimmering with a hint of amusement. "And I have tentatively approved of this deal. The Fire Nation Army does need to fight longer and harder for our Final Victory. Anything less is unacceptable."

Azula couldn't believe how effortlessly Khan deflected her accusations. Her mind raced, desperately searching for a way to expose him. She had to prove to her father that Khan was not what he seemed. The implication of Khan's words gnawed at Azula. What was his true intent with this plan? She had to uncover his ulterior motives.

"I shall naturally reserve my finest batch for you, O' Fire Lord," Khan said with a respectful nod.

"As you should,m commander." Her father's pleased smirk didn't waver, and it frustrated Azula. She needed to get through to him, but Khan's charisma seemed impenetrable.

"Father, please! He's-" Azula's voice trembled with frustration, her words on the tip of her tongue.

"He's what, my daughter?" her father snapped impatiently, and it pained Azula to see how easily Khan had manipulated the situation. She saw it in her father's eyes. How she knew that could make all the sound arguments in the world and her father would not listen... because he had already made up his mind. If it had been anyone else, her father would have had his Imperial Firebenders cut them down where they stood! But Khan's stellar reputation blinded him to whatever wrong he had committed. And that fact stung. That he'd believe that massive tonic-mixing oaf over his own daughter!

Azula stopped that line of thought and squeezed her nails harder into her palm to prevent herself from lashing out with her firebending. No, she won't let Khan win. She can't give him what he wants. She'd already lost Ty Lee, she can't lose her father too.

"I understand." She begrudgingly replied.

"Commander, you are dismissed." her father nodded to the giant, "I shall have the Food Services Department contact you for the Dew of the Mountain arrangements."

"Your grace knows no bounds, O' Fire Lord." Khan said with a salute, then he picked up his helmet and just brushed past her. No taunting whisper, no victorious smirk. And Azula just watched as he largely ignored her as he strode towards the exit. She didn't want to let him go unscathed: she wanted to lob a great blue firebolt at him, scream 'You took my friend away from me!' and end him before he could corrupt her father any further. But she bit her tongue, and the fine door clicked shut behind him- leaving her father and her alone in his tea room.

"Azula, sit." commanded her father with a sigh, not even spare her a glance as he filled his teacup with some more of Khan's elixir- the Red Bull one.

She obeyed- sliding into the fine, hand-carved wooden chair across from her father. Both the chair and table was a relic from the time of Fire Lord Zoryu, while the century-old tea set between them was even older than that. Her lips tightened as she watched the amber liquid pour out of the teapot.

"That was patently embarrassing." He shook his head as he poured himself tea, "Accusing my most prized asset on nothing but wild rumours. I expected more from you."

"It won't happen again, father..." She forced out.

The apology tasted so bitter on her tongue- almost choking on it. She couldn't even nail Khan to the wall with his testimony. But how could she when their sole 'judge' was biased for him? When she was already explicitly told that Khan had her father's favour and his protection. She looked down at the bribe that had led her father astray. For its part, the tea sat in its cup ignorant to her immense hatred.

"Be grateful that I am in a good mood, daughter." He spoke before his eyes glanced at her for a moment, "... your punishment would have been severe otherwise."

She winced but said nothing.

"Nevertheless, such a slight can be easily overlooked, even forgiven, especially with what I have in mind. And there is no better way to make amends than pick up where you had last left off."

"Father?"

"I noticed that you had visited the commander's encampment the other day." Her father cut straight to the point this time around, "Had your discussions in a more private setting been... conducive to ensuring his loyalty?"

"I..." Azula hesitated. She wanted to lie- to tell him that she had marched in there and stomped the commander flat with her barbed rhetoric until he was docile and obedient just like she did with other Fire Nation officers. But that would be too big and blatant of a fiction to give to her father. So, she molded her expression into a serene smile as she supplied him with half-truths, "He had listened to what I had to say, but the initial building of rapport is naturally slow going if we are to secure his loyalty long term."

"As to be expected." He said with a nod of his head, and Azula breathed a subtle sigh of relief, but he was not done yet, he prompted her with another question, "I presume you have not informed him of our previous discussion?"

Azula recalled how she had been close to being Khan's direct superior- a missed opportunity that one was, "No, father. Should I have?"

"Hmm..." He stroked his dagger beard contemplatively, "Do you believe it would have helped in your attempt?"

Her golden eyes widened.

"Yes." She nodded eagerly. "If I had direct authority over him, this... 'misunderstanding' would not have happened. I can assure you."

Her heart beat fast. Her father still loved her! Yes, he may hold an unacceptable level of approval for Khan, but she was still his daughter! Yes... there was still hope for her to regain the advantage. She had favours to call in, a Life Debt as well. As long as she had her father's support, hope cannot be lost! She may see that unusually large commoner burnt to ash yet!

Her father leaned back, gazing out of the window at the sprawling Fire Nation palace grounds, "Very well, Azula, I shall expedite the formalities then. Perhaps now, it would be a wise move to let him know about your upcoming nuptials."

Azula blinked, all thoughts of victory coming to a screeching halt.

"Nuptials?" She parroted. The word struck out of nowhere like lightning from a cloudless sky. As in marry the commander? Her father turned his gaze toward her, his lips tightening with just a hint of annoyance for having to repeat himself.

"Yes, Azula, nuptials." he said, emphasising the word. "The commander is to become your husband as marrying him will not only secure his loyalty to the throne, but also allow you to bear strong, capable children so that I will have competent administrators of my own bloodline throughout my eternal reign over this realm under Heaven. We discussed this matter the other day, did we not?"

Azula's mind whirred, desperately trying to recall the conversation. She replayed her father's words in her head, dissecting them like a code she had to crack for any hint that might have implied such a drastic turn of events. And yes, it actually did. He said so. She had refused to believe at first... No, she refused to believe it now too! It was preposterous. She couldn't be reduced to a mere wife, subservient to some commoner, regardless of how influential and skilled of an alchemist he was! It had to be a jest or test! Yes, a test of her loyalty laid by her father to see if she was worthy of his aid- that had to be it!

"Father, this... this marriage." she stammered with a hesitant- almost pleading- smile. "I thought... I was meant to control him, ensure his loyalty and secure you the elixir that you want so much. Surely our discussion was about how I was to rise to a rank above him!"

Her father smiled at her reassuringly. "Oh, Azula, I never suggested that you wouldn't rise above him..."

Azula smiled along, fresh relief filling. Yes, it was indeed a test, and she had passed! Of course her father would never make her stoop so low-

"... After the wedding."

Her gold eyes widened, and the wall of denial she had built up now crumbled.

"No... nononono." Azula abruptly stood, her chair tipping over with a resounding slam onto the waxed floor of fine woods. The room seemed to spin around her as the truth became undeniable. Her father... he was serious! He truly wished for her to marry that brute of a man! First Ty Lee, then her father, and now even her own freedom... She had nothing and no one. Khan stole them all away from her.

"Azula?! Control yourself!" Her father looked at her with disbelief in his golden eyes that she would misbehave. Azula would have scarcely believed it herself, but the anger, the confusion, the desperation, and the hurt swirling within her drove her forwards. But mostly the anger.

Her slender fist slammed into the table with a crack; and perhaps for the first time in her entire life, she shouted at her father.

"NO! You can't do this to me!"

"You can't just throw me away! I'm not Zuko! And for what? Some fancy tea that some charlatan of a commoner claims will give you immortality?!"

"Have you taken leave of your senses, Azula?" He demanded, the rising anger tensing his face in a snarl, "You know how important this is for my rule!"

But as she looked down at their teacups, all she saw was Khan's face in the amber liquid of the elixir.

"And I'm your loyal daughter!" Tears slipped down her cheeks, "I'm more important than... than THIS!"

Her slender fist shot rose above her head, and in a great flash of blue that lit up the entire tea room, she brought it down with all the force of her accumulated fury and sapphire flames. The ancient table splintered and scorched, the centuries-old tea set shattered to a million pieces, and the accursed contents that had poisoned her father's love for her disappeared in her blue flame!

"MY RED BULL!" Her father shouted.

"Father, he's deceiving you! There's more to this plan than meets the-" Azula's words were cut short as a vicious backhand jerked her head to the side and sent her stumbling to the floor, her cheek stinging from the impact. The shock of the blow disoriented her more than she had expected.

Out of the corner of her eye, the Imperial Firebenders began flooding into the room in an armoured wave of red and gold before the sharpened steel points of spears pointed at her face as her father's imposing figure overshadowed her, his voice laced with disdain.

"I had expected more from you, Azula. First, you embarrassed me in front of the war council like your brother Zuko, then you threw your baseless accusation at my alchemist, and now... THIS!" He waved his hand at the ruined tea set before sneering back at her, "You turned out just like your brother- an utter disappointment. But where he was a sputtering ember of cowardice, you are a wild fire of irrationality. A shame. You used to be so obedient. But at least, you still have your... uses."

He glanced away from her to one of the Imperial Firebenders. "Summon the Commander back."

"Yes, sir!" One marched away in a rush.

"I shall inform him of your and his nuptials." Her father told her, voice holding a tone of utter finality in her ears.

"Fire willing, he shall... correct your attitude, he is skilled in that too after all."

"I'll never bow to him! NEVER!" Azula snarled back from her place on the floor. She swept her feet in an arc, forming an expanding ring of blue flame that forced the Imperial Firebenders to back off a few paces. Then the fight began in earnest.

"Place the princess in house arrest!" Her father called out and the surrounding squad of Imperial Firebenders rushed her- armoured hands reaching out to restrain her.

"Don't touch me!" She shrieked- retaliating with blasts of blue fire, "DON'T TOUCH ME! YOU'RE ALL TRAITORS WORKING FOR HIM! YOU'RE BANISHED! BANISHED! I'LL KILL YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME, KHAN?! I'LL KILL YOU! KHAN! KHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA–!"

[Outside the Royal Palace]

"-AAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!"

I watched in dismay as blue bolts of fire flew out of the new 6th floor hole that the Royal Palace now sported from my vantage point on a pleasant cobblestone garden path.

"Typical..." I remarked, "... But not my problem anymore."

Without another word, my seven-foot-tall armoured frame turned on its heel- doing my best to be inconspicuous as I tried to power walk out of there as fast as I could.

For taking *everything* from her...

{Azula} Reputation : -85 - -100

+ R +

Reputation with {Azula} at -100! New Companion Skill unlocked!

[?] - Recruit Azula as a companion to activate this Companion Skill!

Rivalry with {Azula} unlocked!

+ R +

... hard pass. I already had two homicidal maniacs in my camp. I certainly didn't want a third one that was actively trying to kill me. But naturally, the universe was going to make it my problem, and it was heralded by the metallic clacking sound of an Imperial Firebender catching up to me in his metal armour.

"Commander Khan, sir!" the Imperial Firebender saluted as he reached me, "Fire Lord Ozai requires your presence again."

"Of course, he does," I said with a heavy sigh, then gestured with my armoured hand toward the fiery spectacle above us. "At least tell me it's not related to that."

We both looked up just in time for another violent cone of crackling lighting exploded from the hole.

The Imperial Firebender glanced back at me,"... I cannot, sir."

"Of course, you can't." I sighed yet again. "Well, time to see what my Fire Lord wants with me this time."

- Azula's Circus of Madness End -

AN:

This chapter *still* occurs right at the start of the episode... (ATLA Book 1, Episode 18 - The Waterbending Master). Taking place after (The Northern Air Temple) and right before (The Siege of the Northern Water Tribe, Part 1). Because of the below reason.

By popular demand, more character interactions... I'll just put one more chapter of character interactions before the 41st leaves for the North Pole.

This chapter was pure pain... Rewrites went up to 3k 7k 12k 14k 17k 21k words... You know what? This chapter will never be satisfying enough for me, just take it. Aaaahhh! I don't care anymore. I just want to go back to writing something other than this chapter! I only got the motivation to write again after receiving some rather unpleasant news about how another's fic was going to go.

No, I was not paid by Mountain Dew to shill their product... I don't even drink Mountain Dew.

Again, Ozai playing some Crusader Kings... If a CK player's PC had to choose between his daughters' love and a chance increase that the mystic/alchemist will brew the elixir to immortality. It'd be the mystic/alchemist 110% of the time. The only time this won't be true is if the CK player was roleplaying a normal person with good morals. Which- if we're going to be completely honest- is a very unpopular way to play CK.

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