Zuko and Iroh walked in and talked about something of their own. In principle, nothing new, Zuko said one thing, Iroh said something else, but the first one didn't notice us, and the second one felt it from the street, it's clear from his gait that the man is ready to kill us right now. Dangerous grandfather.
- Look, what magnificent shells! "Iroh said gruntingly, dumping the shells out of the bag onto the table near the door, "I'll be admiring them for many years to come."
"We don't need useless things," Zuko stated as categorically as always, "have you forgotten?" We will have to carry them ourselves!
"Hello, brother," Azula greeted, "Uncle," she nodded in his direction. Oh, somehow she doesn't like Iroh. But what?
Most likely, some kind of family grievances, whatever one may say, Azula is her father's daughter, and it is unlikely that Ozai loves his brother very much, who almost became a ruler.
Plus, there are rumors about his uncompromising behavior in past years. I can't say anything here, but before he was a rock man, not a grandfather, who from an inexperienced eye seems just an old man, from a slightly more experienced one - a good bender, but he hides within himself very great power and knowledge, that's a fact.
- What are you doing here? - Zuko caught himself. Yes, it still lights faster than a match.
"In MY country," Azula emphasized, "it's customary to say hello before asking questions." Have you really gone wild so quickly, Zuzu?
- Do not call me that!
The dialogue goes somewhere completely wrong, a couple more phrases, and Zuko will start the fight and then who the hell will come out, that's for sure. Here, after all, are two stubborn sheep, one started right away with kicks, the other, immediately with the wave of an eyebrow, is already ready to shoot fire from all the cracks.
Apparently, Iroh also felt that things were going somewhere completely wrong, and tried to somehow soften the meeting. Although Azula herself is also good, Iroh is not expelled, whatever one may say, and even if he is in disgrace, who, if not she, should know that it is not worth quarreling with Iroh, oh, it's not worth it.
- To what do we owe such an honor? - he said. In general, if this were a more formal meeting, Iroh's question would also be quite rude. But in this situation, he could be said to be politeness itself.
"Good afternoon, Prince Iroh, Prince Zuko," I said, attracting the gaze of the two princes.
- You! What are you doing here!? — Zuko recognized me, looking at my mask.
"Good, Akimaru," Iroh burst into a smile and somehow seemed to calm down. Was it really my presence that relaxed him so much? Although my appearance did not seem conducive to this. The heavy cloak, rapier and mask, coupled with his rather tall stature, created a formidable, even menacing appearance.
But he said my full name, I'm sure, not on purpose, just as a member of the White Lotus, he is aware of my real biography, it's not just that I was chosen, damn it, by these old men.
As far as I could see with my peripheral vision, standing slightly behind the princess, her ears moved as much as she was surprised by this address, but she did not allow herself to express emotions on her face.
"And I'm here for the same reason Azula is," I said, without leaving the wall, "for you." And your experience and talents.
- In terms of? — Zuko even perked up somehow. I'm not used to people coming to him for talent, no matter how you look at it. But Iroh understood everything.
- Zuzu, maybe you also became dumb while you were wandering? - Azula put in her word, - or maybe...
"We have a plan, and for this plan we need people," I interrupted the princess, and I got away with it.
In the case of Zuko, Azula needs to slow down, and in hindsight she even understands this, so she will not be aggressive. This is not a conscious reaction, I have already studied this moment, when she is stopped on her skids, she does not see anything wrong with it, at most I will get a dissatisfied look. But if you interrupt her somewhere on business, then she won't like it very much.
This is the subconscious moment in which I found a pattern.
The truth is that both Zuko and Iroh at that moment looked at me as if I were a suicide bomber. Come on, why are they just like that?
- This plan is key in the war...
- We are not going to participate in any of your plans! - Zuko said pathetically, deciding immediately for Iroh. To which Azula already looked at me, saying, "I told you so," "I need to catch the avatar."
"Father is ready to forgive you," Azula said. "Initially, I just wanted to take you both to the capital, but a lack of resources forced me to reconsider this opinion."
I can see by the face that they both didn't believe me, but they know their relative, and they're looking sideways at me.
"Moreover, the avatar is still target number one," Azula continued to say, "he must be caught or at least killed." But concentrating a lot of energy on just catching an avatar is not rational...
"And knowing the luck of the avatar, most likely, he will, as always, be in the center of events," I picked up, continuing after the princess, who for a second lost the thread of the story, "and in any case, before the whole operation, the details of which we will tell later, we will try catch the avatar...
"With your help," Azula seized the initiative in time, "as far as I know, Zuzu, you chased a flying bison on a ship and quite successfully tracked it down?" We have better technologies and, most importantly, the team is much stronger than your previous one. Therefore, the avatar will definitely fall in front of our family! — the princess finished slightly pathetically, not paying attention to the widened eyes of both of them when she began to praise Zuko.
What is it, Lord? Even Iroh treats the poor girl like some kind of dangerous animal? It's clear why her character is the way it is, it's different in such a family.
They stand like two idols, are silent and shake their heads: they look at me, then at Azula, and with every word they seem to be more and more surprised. Well, what kind of people are they?
"People are like people," the spirit commented in my head, reminding me of its existence, "It's just that their patterns are breaking now, that's all. And if I were you, I would carefully think about the fact that our bitchy friend somehow very simply cursed the word "family", as if taking you into account"
"She just thinks of me as a subordinate," I waved him off, "Won't she consider every soldier who is with us now an avatar killer?"
"Ha," the spirit seemed to burst out, "Hope."
"We need..." Zuko answered less categorically. At least I was going to.
"Just think quickly," Azula interrupted him, "we need to rush to Omashu and let May know about our affairs." With or without you.
Ay, smart girl, it's good that I was wearing a mask - a devious grin crawled onto my face. How caught our prince.
Yes, the insidious beauty managed to tell me that there was something between Zuko and May, somewhere out there, like, some kind of Shura-Mura. What can I say? If this is my May, then I'll stuff my face, for prevention, if not, then advice and love to them, that's all I care.
"Oh, she's already a beauty?" - the spirit chuckled.
"It's useless to deny it," I mentally shrugged.
But nevertheless, Azula's words hit the mark, the disgraced prince's eyes lit up, and it seemed like he was ready to fly right now. Only Iroh had already intervened.
"I already tried to take Basingse once," he said, abruptly switching the atmosphere to a topic not very popular with many, "it didn't end very well last time...
"We still don't have the strength to storm the city," I said, "maybe in half a year, taking into account new developments, this would become possible, but there is no more time to wait." I think it's obvious that once the avatar comes into full power, we'll lose?
"That's not a fact," said Iroh.
"It's a fact, uncle," Azula said with some strange intonation. Too serious and with too little poison. Apparently, it is very difficult for her to admit that because of one boy, what she was raised on and what she made her goal in life could collapse literally within a year - this is an avatar. With all the ensuing consequences. He almost destroyed our fleet at the North Pole.
"And this was not even his avatar state, just a spirit wanting revenge, albeit strong, but he is very, very far from the spirit of light," I said, revealing some of the information... which I rarely disclose to anyone.
"Here you are wrong, of course, my friend," Vatu said somehow sadly in my head, "The Spirits of Water and the Moon have not gone far from Rava and me. Weaker, of course, but, let's say, the level of strength is comparable."
"I added it for the sake of words," I waved it off.
"Your half of your life is replete with these "criminal words"," the spirit sarcastically, "Soon you yourself will become confused about where and to whom you lied, and to whom you told the truth."
"Alternatives?"
Vaatu modestly remained silent to this question. That's what I'm talking about.
"And it's still unknown what Basings actually has," added Azula, "how many people, how many benders and what technologies." Our spies, whom we send there, very quickly disappear and do not get in touch.
Wow, this is interesting information that I have never seen anywhere before. Were there spies from the Fire Nation in the city? Interesting.
"In general, things are not going well, and now these spies will be the so-called "units," I decided to make a brief excursion, "these are pairs of people in whose strength we are confident." But we are still thinking about methods. It's better to discuss details when you agree," I added.
Somehow, by chance, during the dialogue, it turned out that Azula and I stood literally next to each other. I was half a head taller than her, which probably looked pretty impressive considering what we look like and who we are. Compared to the other two participants in the dialogue, dressed in rather... unremarkable clothes, we clearly looked very interesting and charismatic.
And somehow, it seems to me, the thoughts of these two princes were clearly not the same. Damn, not the best warriors, but some grandmothers at the entrance. Okay Zuko, he is basically emotionally open and the emotions on his face are more than easy to read, but Iroh? Although, on the other hand, the person is clearly on a kind of moral pension, and it may well be that he is not holding back his emotions on purpose. What I mean is that in ten minutes of our dialogue, the range of emotions on their faces changed three times.
As expected, they didn't think long. After looking at each other, they nodded to each other, and agreement was received. Without waiting long, we gave them time to collect their belongings and went back to the caravan, along the way telling a few details of the plan. Well, the ones that sound like a slightly more detailed version: "Who the hell knows, we'll sort it out on the spot."
I wonder if everything goes well, will they put us in the history books, telling us what brilliant commanders we are? And what? Two Dragons: North and West, the children of the current Fire Lord can only be geniuses, not a teenager with unhinged emotions, an old man who loves tea, a girl who is a bitch, and an emotional cripple.
Zuko and Azula hardly exchanged barbs; in general, Iroh and I did most of the talking, but a rather interesting fact is that Azula tried to walk next to me, and not with Zuko and Iroh.
God, how bad were their parents? Not as people, but as parents. Their children turned out to be too traumatized from different sides. Clearly they are trying to stay close to the conventional "comfort zone".
The fact that for Azula it's me is quite surprising.
When everyone was already seated, it turned out that in the main carriage, where we were all gathered, it was already somehow too crowded for almost round-the-clock travel for a good week. Five people with unclear relationships among themselves cannot a priori feel comfortable. Therefore, the moment to "go out for a walk" has become almost regular.
Often the speed of the column is not much higher than a normal human pace, so it's quite easy to walk alongside.
Once again, I decided to take a walk, maybe even retire to the woods and finally run around and release the bending of the air. To be honest, this is somewhat similar to arousal in men. So to speak, I want to let off steam. Not during a fight, I can handle it myself, leave the main thing alone. Haha.
But Azula volunteered to walk with me. Well, I rather informed him, and for about ten minutes we just walked silently next to the column.
- So Akimaru, huh? she asked.
"My hopes that you will forget are apparently in vain," I sighed, to which I received some kind of painfully... girlish laugh. Not the standard ridicule, but precisely this: "Hee hee." But I already realized that for Azula, psychologically, I am a rather comfortable character.
"Yeah, if only your emotions weren't at the level of a blockhead," said the spirit, "Soon you'll only think in terms of problems and solutions. Did you hear yourself? A psychologically comfortable character, what nonsense? You should use air bending more often - what's happening to your emotional state is not good."
"Definitely," I habitually waved away the spirit. I'm fine with emotions.
"In vain," the princess nodded, "having compared all the information, I come to the conclusion that you are an aristocrat of Fire who had the opportunity to vacation on the Coal Islands with a name that does not belong to your family." I don't know similar consonances among families, which means there are no such things.
"Not a bad deduction," I chuckled, trying to make it sound friendly.
"One family spread rumors that this same Kira was their son," Azula continued, as if by chance, "who was lost in childhood."
- Only one family? — I raised an eyebrow, trying not to show surprise. Those rumors were too... insignificant for them to reach the princess herself. The crowd did not like them; they would rather talk about the "spirit of fire", "Messenger of Agni" and so on.
"No," Azula looked away slightly, lifting her nose, thereby expressing some disappointment, "a little."
"I almost got it," I nodded.
I'm playing with fire. She can crush you. And, most likely, you will have to confess. But he doesn't want to. One feels that he doesn't want to, even if he seems to be afraid of making a mistake with this feeling. And I do not want to.
"Are you really thinking about taking... them with you," she nodded towards the carriage, where Zuko, as always, sat with his arms crossed and stared somewhere, thinking about everything and reacting sharply to stimuli, and Iroh was sipping tea with a smile. muttering something under his breath and looking at his new shells that he managed to take with him - was it a good idea?
"Yes," I nodded, "Who else knows that Prince Iroh can pretend to be an old man all he wants, but he has more than enough strength and intelligence."
"Sometimes... I forget about this," Azula answered me, slightly withdrawing into herself, "the Prince Iroh who was before and the modern one are two completely different people, and it's impossible to perceive them as a single whole." It seems that this is simply impossible. It's like taking Ty Lee and imagining that she would dress in black and be forever scowling.
"I understand," I nodded, "I've heard a lot about, let's say, the old version of Prince Iroh." But are you sure that this version is worse? Maybe he just finally found harmony within himself?
"Oh," Azula grimaced at this, "are you quoting him by chance?" Harmony is in force. And the power is furious.
- Yeah, Calmness is a lie, there is only passion. With Passion I gain Strength. With Strength I gain Power. With Power I gain Victory. With Victory I will break my chains, And the Great Power will set me free. Is not it? — I remembered something from my past life.
- Exactly! "I've never seen such clear surprise on Azula's face, "how... how well said...
"I didn't come up with this," I shrugged, despite the fact that the princess was still in slight prostration from these words, "I read somewhere in a book." You know, those people who preached this code always had a not very good ending. Passion, she's good in bed. And in battle you need a cool head and a clear assessment of the situation.
- Ha, maybe that's why you can't fully master Fire bending? — Azula said, twitching her eyebrows contentedly, "to cause fire you need passion." You need emotion and...
"I know the theory very well," I grinned mirthlessly, remembering how I read books on fire bending and hoped that I still had it, "believe me." But Iroh doesn't look like a person who follows his emotions. And I'm sure, as a fire bender, he is very strong.
"But I'm not sure anymore," Azula admitted, returning the poisonous notes to her voice. Obviously meaning that now the princess is stronger than her uncle.
"Well, we'll find out as soon as general training goes on," I shrugged.
It was a strange dialogue, because for the first time we did not practice grading poison in a sentence and did not get on each other's nerves. It was some kind of too friendly conversation for people of our position.
But somehow it turned out that Azula and I now regularly went out to walk and talk about this and that.
I try not to think why these moments, when we are just stretching our legs, make me nostalgic, I really didn't want to delve into the past now and draw any conclusions, but thoughts against my will crawled into my head like scolopendras. Fortunately, the nails are a suitable color for this matter.
Now is the time to look very carefully to the future and not miss the moment when a storm appears on the event horizon. Because you need to be prepared for it and ride it, and not get into the very center.
***
Well, what can I say about our journey there? Well, go to Omashu?
And who thinks how to describe being in an almost confined space with a bunch of fire benders with their temperament?
Ass.
There's no other way to say it. Zuko and Azula were sorting things out with or without reason, Ty Lee tried to reconcile them, and Suki was with her people, while Iroh and I just sat and looked at it all while drinking his tea, which he prepares beautifully.
Well, and a game of Pai Sho, which equally infuriated Zuko and Azula and started a new turn of debate.
But one thing is good, no matter how they argued, it was still like a simple dispute between brother and sister. They avoided really painful topics for each other, I don't know whether it was on purpose or not, but it was as if they just found something to do.
And where to allocate your energy, yes. My excesses go into calm, into icy calm, but they go into emotions. The truth is this is already exhausting me wildly. I don't know about Iroh, you can tell by his face, but by Ty Lee's face you can see how tired she is.
There was also something interesting: the bandits actually flew out at us. This was the moment when somehow we all came forward. It just so happened that, given the regions, everyone around was changing clothes and there were no signs of the army on us. Well, as for us, I was in my standard clothes. Temperature is not important for me; I ventilate myself quite calmly so that the temperature inside my heavy raincoat is always comfortable for me.
We were attacked by a dozen bandits while bringing up several archers.
"They're mine," I said, because I needed to relieve the tension.
Taking out two daggers from behind my back, I accelerated as much as I could so as not to burn naturally, two seconds and an almost one-step movement, during which I killed everyone who stepped onto the road and then four arrows flew at me, from which I dodge and follow with one click I send four fireballs and four scorched bodies fall from the trees.
- Uh... ah... where? Whom? How? - That's all Ty Lee said.
The rest were no less in shock.
It just so happened that it was too technical. Not fast, the speed is visible to almost every viewer, but the technicality with which I did it clearly impressed me.
Even Azula, in whose gaze something flashed... something like that.
"This is Kira," said Suki, who had already seen similar tricks from me, "did you see the residual lines from his daggers?" From a rapier there would be one solid one. I saw.
- Why don't my swords have such an effect? - Zuko was indignant.
"Because you're not Kira," Azula said to my surprise.
Well, shouldn't I tell him that it's because of the air bending that I generously lubricate my daggers with? Or a rapier? Hehe.
In general, this was the best event, because the emotions on the faces of the people usually holding the mask are priceless. Only Iroh, probably knowing that I was an Air Mage, I'm not sure about that, just grinned and looked with some kind of even... domestic pride? Well, why not, you can say I am the brainchild of the White Lotus.
The city presented a very interesting picture, a kind of multi-level cake. With large walls, which is interesting. I don't know how they took him, considering that there is one of the strongest earth benders here - King Bumi, who is now, like, a prisoner of war.
Initially, we went there with one purpose - to pick up May and find out if everything was fine in the city. But Zuko conveyed an interesting idea, the Avatar is looking for a teacher in earthbending. Attention, the question is, who can Aang choose?
Bumi seems to be asking for this choice. Plus, to be honest, I still have some memories of such a colorful character. But the butterfly effect works and whether to wait for it is still a question.
In any case, we will be there for some time. We have allocated it and we are ready to spend it on this.
It's also worth mentioning the amazing training, which took place with the presence of Zuko, who is a good swordsman, and Iroh, whose experience allows him to notice the mistakes of others much faster. Plus he is a very good bender.
Against four melee fighters, good fighters, that's me Tylee, Zuko and Suki, Azula can't stand up. Even when we prepared, we decided to fight at full strength. Did not work out. She tried to keep her distance, she threw fire in an area, but as soon as she lost sight of at least one, the position was lost and everyone else closed the distance enough to "kill" Azula.
As a Mage, I can't stand up against three fighters either.
In general, no matter how we twist it, we win in droves. Even when I used all of the non-"secret" powers.
But, excuse me, we have gathered a hodgepodge of very strong fighters, most likely only an avatar and maybe a hodgepodge from the White Lotus can fight against us. Whatever one may say, if we assemble a team in the form of Piandao, Iroh, Bumi and Paku, we have no chance.
Most likely, I imagine these matters only purely theoretically. In reality it is difficult to assess. Who is stronger than Iroh or Azul?
If you think about it that way? Looks like Iroh. Or maybe Azula after all?
So think about it. I haven't even seen them in a real fight yet, or rather in one that would make them need to bet on their lives. This is the only way in which I can say that I saw a "real fight" from a person.
In any case, we entered the capital with honors, we were greeted by soldiers standing on opposite sides, we, of course, got into the right carriage, which was small, but high-status, and we rode and waited until we reached the main building.
There we walked out into the corridor from the guard of honor, where we were greeted by the family of the local mayor and the mayor himself. We walked slowly and everyone maintained their dignity to the best of their ability. The children of the ruling family a priori showed everyone that they were in charge here, even Iroh made such an appearance, Ty Lee didn't worry too much and simply spun the wheel instead of walking normally, and I, straightening my back, as if they had tied a stick, walked with my hands folded behind my back.
And they looked for the eyes behind the mask. They looked for May and did not find her, because there was only one girl of a suitable age with a rather characteristic appearance. If the ordinary aristocracy for the most part was a mixture of Asian and European features, then it was almost pure Asian. And it was definitely not THAT May.
I directly felt as if the core had been pulled out of me. Still, hope dies last and I hoped. It's stupid to look specifically for May, this is the most popular name, as well as to approach each one with the question, listen, were you by any chance friends with me on the Coal Islands? Well, remember when the wolf almost ate us?
In a decent society, and this is what aristocratic society considers itself to be, they will find three double bottoms and will also make you feel guilty for everything. Well, in general, it's kind of stupid to lose your reputation like that.
"Princess Azula," the mayor bowed in a traditional gesture, "Prince Iroh, Prince Zuko," but the two of us were blatantly thrown out of the greeting. Something like "they'll be so hot on the side," the guards are local.
"This is Akimaru, better known as Kira," Azula introduced me without returning the greeting. Which is really a slap in the face for letting us through. On the other hand, it seems Azula doesn't like to say hello at all. After my name was called, the whole family focused their gaze on me. Right on the mask, and I still stood motionless for them. Now I'm not going to say hello," and this is Ty Lee, but I thought you already knew," she said the last two words with particular sarcasm.
- "Heh, cold inside, you say?" - said the spirit, - "She is their attempt to suck up to her and highlight her family, while humiliating you, the people actually dear to her, do you want to think in the literal sense, you want in the figurative sense, will she remember and still remember and see May's face? She understood that," Vaatu finished sarcastically.
- Ma-e-y, I'm so glad to see you! — Ty Lee said emotionally, rushing to hug.
In general, then there was a rather boring semi-official part, where we are taken to our chambers, where we have to change clothes from the road and get ready in the main hall, and May's father allegedly unofficially tells how everything is fine here and what a great fellow he is. Even Ty Lee, who is always having fun, was bored, let alone me. I felt like I was back in the dark room in Basings, where boredom was one of the methods of torture.
Even May and I didn't have a proper conversation, and to be honest, I personally wanted to take a bath and change clothes much more, as I think everyone did. Ambre, of course, was not standing, but I would like to communicate on important topics after a good bath.
The chambers were luxurious and he immediately took off all his extra wardrobe. The Cloak and Mask - the things that define Kira - do not get dirty. Well, more precisely, they won't smell of sweat, they can only get dirty on the outside, and that's why I put them aside, but I had to change all the clothes underneath them.
Washing and changing clothes on the go is not something that happens often; the last time I relaxed in the bathroom was about two days ago. To the joy of warm water, the body remembered that it was alive and splashing with hormones and wanted banal sex. Where can I really get it?
No, purely theoretically, maids, they are maids in Omashu, such a young handsome man will not refuse me, but it's one thing for maids at Piandao, another thing - who the hell is here. I don't want to take any risks at all.
A crazy thought appeared - we have to get ready in two hours, and given that, purely theoretically, we are waiting for an avatar here, it is necessary to know at least the basic structure of this city. It's just that I'm too lazy to walk alone, so I let my hair down from my ponytail, and it was already shoulder-length and, due to the constant tightening with an elastic band, was slightly curled, and putting aside the mask and raincoat, I put on something more... simple. In my opinion.
And he headed towards the princess's room, knocking on the door.
- What? Run somewhere again? — Azula even greeted me with some weariness in her voice. The guards wisely did not bother me this time.
The story there turned out to be funny, by the way. Well, at least for me, for these two idiots, no. From their point of view, it looks like someone is breaking into the princess's room, then knocks them out, but when the princess wakes up, no. What to do? It's right to raise everyone's ears.
By the time the personal guard had gathered, by the time I realized it, Azula and I had already arrived on foot. And when the princess found out the details and that they were going to save her for two whole hours, she gave such a scolding that mom didn't worry. And she singled me out, saying she might bother me. Nice.
"Well, you don't have to run..." I joked, lifting one side of my lip, "we can come in and we'll discuss it without unnecessary ears."
Azula silently stepped back a little saying come in and slammed the door behind me. What can I say? The room is like mine. And we'll pretend that we didn't see her underwear, which was lying behind the bed closer to the wall and which the girl obviously just threw away. It really seems like she realized what I saw and was a little embarrassed, but more angry.
The guards have a "don't let in" attitude for a reason, this is Azula's personal space and here she can relax a little from the shackles of decency and different norms.
And then I get wet. Which, by and large, angered her.
"You have ten seconds to explain yourself," she said.
— Shall we go explore the city a little in disguise? - I immediately said and immediately threw out arguments, - we are waiting for the avatar, but something tells me that it is unlikely that he will fly to the captured city on a bison. At least we will understand the structure of the infrastructure.
"Is that why you dressed like... like the local peasants?" - Azula asked clearly with a desire to offend. Apparently my outfit doesn't look like a typical local one, if the princess thought that it was just my home clothes, roughly speaking.
"Well, in general, yes, but it looks like you need to dress even worse," I answered. And yes, she understood that I understood that she wanted to tease me.
"We'll meet in the corridor in ten minutes," Azula nodded and opened the door from which she did not leave, clearly inviting me to leave.
"Okay," I nodded and, already standing in the doorway, said, "by the way, there's a special basket in the bathroom," and left with a quick step.
It seems like the swearing started to catch up with me.
* * *
- Remind me why I thought this was a good idea? — Azula asked me as we squeezed through another crowd of local peasants.
Which annoyed her beyond belief, because it so happened that we arrived in the morning, but went out for a walk at rush hour.
"Because we need to explore the city," I reminded her once again, "and for this it would be nice to see it with my own eyes." Get used to living like this in Basings for a month and something tells me we will meet a much worse layer of society.
- Probably, but remind me why I should hold your hand? Azula continued.
"Because we'll be a couple, my dear," I smiled falsely, "and it would be nice to practice for that too."
"Bullshit," Azula snorted, continuing to walk next to me and hold my arm.
"In my opinion, it would be more crazy if a guy and a girl of the same age just wander around the city, rent different rooms and stare in different directions," I snorted in turn, "and we have already discussed this." Our counterintelligence in the capital would have noticed such people and this is a fact. This immediately catches your eye.
- Maybe we are brother and sister? — Azula raised one eyebrow, turning to me.
"Hmm," I thought, "why not." Let's stick to this version.
"Because we won't be able to communicate as brother and sister without arousing suspicion from the supposed counterintelligence," Azula brought up my own argument from the previous argument, rolling her eyes, "and we're not so similar as to pass for them just by looking at us and it's much easier to quarrels or, on the contrary, attempts to find a secluded corner can be attributed to this.
"Well, you see, you know everything yourself," I chuckled, "I understand that renting one room for two and walking arm in arm with someone like me is hard for you as a princess, but I'm afraid you'll have to be patient for a while."
"With difficulty, but I will endure it," the princess answered in turn.
She answered without a twinkle, tea is not fifteen years old to turn red and pale, Azula is just in such a mood and she wants to grumble. About a couple, this is really the most inconspicuous option, experienced people give such advice, and Azula herself understands that this is the best option.
"Wow, there's a sewer here," I said, still looking at the counters and saying it in a half-whisper so only Azula could hear. Yes, we decided to practice how not to turn our heads in all directions, but with peripheral vision, which we have developed due to the specifics of combat skills, to note details and tell each other - dear, look at the decoration, do you want something for yourself? - I said louder. Well, louder, in a normal tone and almost immediately after a whisper, this helps hide the first sentence.
- Why do you think so? - the princess answered me in a whisper, - I don't want to! I told you where we will buy me a gift!
- Look in different places, there are hatches here and there. Well, whatever you want, I think this necklace would suit your eyes," I said.
We stopped in front of a shop with jewelry and seemed to just be discussing them at medium volume, but in general I stopped us on purpose, because it was right here that one of the hatches was nearby.
"I see, if this is so, then somewhere there are plum trees through which it is easy to climb into the city," Azula informed me, "And I don't want such a necklace!" Let's get out of here. — we must pay tribute to the role of a simple girl, the princess manages to play it and it doesn't look forced. Simple communication between a guy and a girl.
"I'm wondering, there are people here who were born in Omashu and will spend their whole lives here," Azula unexpectedly stated the fact, "really... don't they really want something more?"
- Oh, what got you into philosophy? — I raised one eyebrow.
- What does philosophy have to do with it? — Azula answered the question with a question and I bit my tongue, because by and large this word here is more associated with mathematics and exact sciences.
"I mean, what is this thinking about more?" - I clarified, - there are always and everywhere people for whom it is never enough and there are people who are satisfied with what they have. Ambitious and unambitious. And none of them will understand each other. In any case, it is their choice. Some people, in pursuit of power, are capable of any meanness, while others don't even need it for free. And this is good, otherwise we would all end up squabbling.
"Hmm," was all Azula responded to.
***
- Do you see this?
- No.
- You see it.
- No, period.
- We're going there.
- No and no.
- Yes and yes.
Such an interesting dialogue took place between me and Azula when we saw an interesting poster. I don't know what this theater was doing in Omashu, and to be honest, I don't want to know, but it was here, standing on one of the streets and luring visitors with an interesting name for the performance.
"The Legendary Kira and His Adventures"
Why the hell are they interested in me? I've heard a little about local screenwriters, and what's in vogue here... is a free retelling of events. Very free-spirited.
Well, it is, of course, understandable, how are they supposed to know how I live and exist? Just some rumors and retellings that they stitch together with white thread and try to somehow give it all a patriotic look.
But due to these factors, the desire to go and see what they came up with there and how much pathos they brought into my rather modest adventures did not appear.
Well, okay, I'm already being modest.
And if I saw this, I would simply forget about this moment, but Azula was with me. Who really wanted to see what kind of adventures I had there, a retelling, let's say. And despite my categorical answers, they simply pulled me by the hand, and before I had time to come to my senses, I was looking at a retelling of my own life.
And I didn't even resist, because Azula's face expressed some kind of childish joy and anticipation, which confused me so much, and I agreed to watch in the end.
Either she's such a good actress or I don't know what.
It all started with the fact that for some reason I became the most important person in the fleet and led the attack. Zhao was stupidly thrown out of the story, which is quite funny.
After all, jokes aside, this is exactly how it is shown and how it will go down in history, give or take. Because, well, who will remember the real chronicles of events, which, perhaps, are lying somewhere in the main palace, when there is such a lighter and more pathetic version? That's right - no one.
But Zhao really dreamed of remaining on the pages of history. Eh, if I hadn't been an asshole, I would have stayed. This is karma in action, haha.
My clothes were sorted out somehow strangely: instead of my cloak, some kind of black robe from Harry Potter, which develops from my every step or action, my mask, which is a masterpiece of steampunk, became some kind of typically Asian mask of some kind demon, also dark.
My rapier was turned into just a long katana. In general, they molded me into some kind of typical ninzyuk, one thing. Apparently, again, for better perception by ordinary people, yes, plus, it's not so easy to pick up a prop similar to my mask, which almost no one has seen up close, and a rapier, which is almost impossible for a simple blacksmith to make according to a conscientious description.
But I must pay tribute to their skill; they show good special effects. Given the current technological development, it looked interesting and even good. Various mechanisms, cables and a simply moving stage, it all looked quite dynamic and interesting. In general, the performance was good and of high quality.
Besides the plot.
They made me into some kind of Batman, who, on the wings of the night, scattered everyone around and stood over almost every corpse and said something with cheekbone pathos for two minutes.
Well, God bless him, they somehow managed to create a love line in the style of Romeo and Juliet. Scary at night, lurking in the darkness, Kira becomes, fucking, a simple guy, Lee, who goes to whom? That's right, he goes to the princess of the north, who is against her father's policies! And they secretly meet during the day, and generally love each other, and then it is revealed that Kira is Lee, and the princess hates him, and...
And what can I say? Fucking interesting. They were able to interest, if you look at it in isolation from real events, then it's absolutely perfect. I understand why they are so popular.
But if you remember that we are talking about me, then it's not so funny, because that's how fucking everyone will introduce me! And it ended with the princess, out of great love for both Li and the people, drinking poison right in front of her lover, unable to choose one. End.
But, to my great surprise, my personal character was conveyed. I don't know how, because Kira and Aki are different people in the eyes of most ordinary people, and this myth was not destroyed, but nevertheless, Lee's character was made painfully similar to mine. Even down to some small details, even Azula saw it.
And this already worried me, and my paranoia immediately sounded like something was fishy here. That's why Azula and I decided to look at the local writers and actors after the performance. Because her paranoia also sparkled with new colors after I presented my arguments.
I realized what was happening when all the actors, screenwriters, and make-up artists came on stage, and among the latter I recognized one of my poor fellows. Yes, I had several who, due to injuries or simply due to time, finished their service and went into civilian life. And now one of them, with a joyful smile, looks through the audience of his play and stumbles upon his eyes.
At my unblinking eyes, which looked steadily at him. And somehow the smile disappeared from his face, like all the colors, and he hastened to bow to the audience.
Well, now everything is clear. By and large, there is nothing to blame him for, just think, he made the image a little more realistic, in principle, the whole story is more than fictitious, and according to the law he is right. And from a moral point of view too.
But that didn't make me any less irritated.
Azula and I were met at the exit. It was this former private.
- Captain! - he said quietly, - how glad I am to see you...
"Major," I corrected him, "but I don't like you very much, why do you think?"
- Uh-uh...
- I'll give you a hint - it's about Kira.
"Uh-uh... well, you know," the guy's eyes rolled, "I just decided to give the image a little life, isn't it a big deal?" I didn't give away any secrets or anything like that, just some general points in your behavior...
"Well, besides the fact that such an image of Kira will be captured for centuries, absolutely nothing," Azula added, surprisingly a little bit sympathizing with me, however, she quickly corrected herself, "a gorgeous image!" I really liked the production.
"Mmmm," was all I said to this.
And Azula kept walking away, humming praises and still looking sideways at my reaction, but at a certain moment she realized that my face had frozen, and, apparently, she'd stop acting out here, and quickly completed her monologue. Quite strange from the outside if you think about it.
- Uh-uh, would you like me to show you the actors? - not fully understanding what was happening, the former soldier suggested, trying to somehow appease us - and who is this with you?
"Azula, nice to meet you," the princess supposedly smiled and introduced herself. So asking this is extremely rude, something like a slight spit in the face of my companion. True, he hardly understood this, but the princess understood, and that's the main thing.
- Oooh, your name is just like a princess! — the guy laughed, turning to Azula, to which she only raised her eyebrow. And who is he so bad at?
- Why how? — I asked calmly, looking straight at the guy.
"Ah-ha-ha," the soldier laughed at first, "ha... ha... ask for my disrespect," he bowed sharply, sweating within a second. Well, at least it's arrived now.
"Let's go show the actors," I reassured him, realizing that the princess did not want to put on a show now. In fact, he was saved from inevitable reprisal only by the fact that the princess was dressed inappropriately, and in general, we are on a secret sortie, so there is little desire to arrange a public "flogging" - most of all I am interested in who played me.
Because damn it, they chose some kind of closet. No, of course, that's why the dark cloak was chosen to hide the actor's massiveness, as it turned out, but why the hell choose such an actor?
I asked this question to our no longer young talent.
"Well, you see, he plays pathetic roles best," he began to justify himself, "and it so happens that we have certain... requests from different sides, the main character... should personify strength and power, they say, like the Fire Nation, and so…
- Azula? — I turned to her asking for confirmation.
- What? - she raised her eyebrows, - do you think I care about such trifles? Did you personally sit and study? Pfft, a lot of honor... this is the first time I've heard about such "applications," she admitted after a sarcastic rebuke.
- That's why... He's a little... uh... pretentious in real life. Don't pay attention, please," he almost begged.
"Hmm, I can't promise," I just chuckled. I wanted to channel my irritation somewhere, and if this actor gets impudent...
Azula only confirmed my thoughts with her chuckle.
"So, this is our back room, you could say," said our guide, pushing aside his robe and letting us in.
It turned out to be a fairly typical theater dressing room, only with a touch of mobility. It is clear that they turned around on the move. Many sat, took off their makeup, undressed, or simply talked tiredly about something.
- Lou, did you bring fans again? - "Kira" asked, smiling with some kind of Hollywood smile, "well, what are you really doing?" The meeting with me is scheduled a little later, let me change, I'm not going anywhere, haha. Well, okay, what do you have there?
I approached. Quite close to him and stared into his eyes. He was quite a bit shorter than me, but almost twice as wide. Still, I have a rather thin build, and like most Firebenders, in fact. It is in earth that stockiness and stamina are needed; in Fire, as in Air, agility is important. So my almost unblinking, appraising gaze stared straight at him. He didn't notice it directly. There weren't enough brains, apparently.
"Heh, you need to get pumped up, boy," he said, examining my body in baggy clothes, which did not emphasize my wiryness, but rather added to my overall thinness, I really looked affordable, "if you want, I can give you a set of exercises." The real Kira gave it to me! We are friends, almost the best, one might say, yes...
"Kenta, this is…" our guide tried to interrupt him.
- He's a bit of an idiot, isn't he? - Azula said, looking at this one-man show. Hmm, literally.
"Baby, I'll be anything for you," he switched from me to the princess, switching to the most standard tackle.
- Aww, really? "Be whatever you want within a few meters," Azula said coldly when she saw him take a step in her direction, "otherwise you'll just be a pile of ash."
"Well, well, it's bad to laugh at disabled people," I exhaled, "Lu, did you let him write Kira's speeches too?" - I added, showing the quotation marks on my nickname with my fingers.
"So, kid, you apparently mixed up something," the actor of the burnt theater switched again, and he, frowning, came up to me and grabbed the breasts of his shirt, "Who are you calling disabled?" Maybe I should make you like this? And nothing will happen to me for this, I just told you who my friend is...
He froze mid-sentence when a light from a nearby torch bounced off and, turning blue, sharply approached his face in just a second.
"This is Kira, Kenta," Lou said doomedly, "and this is Princess Azula... I tried to say this."
"You need to better select the composition of the troupe," I said coldly, looking into the eyes of Kenta, who was gradually realizing. I quickly hit him in the stomach with my elbow, knocking out his breath, and with a slight, one might say graceful movement, I throw him over me. After the blow, his hands automatically unclenched, which allowed him to intercept them and complete my maneuver. Placing both hands behind my back and straightening up, I walked closer to the center of the room while Azula, crossing her arms over her chest, watched the new act of the play, "I'm not happy with your performance." And more specifically, my image in it. Either change me to a fictional character, or reduce the pathos in every word. And replace the actor, I'm not going to have a portrait of an over-pumped awkward idiot. I'll come and check. If I don't like it, I'll burn it. Did you hear me?
- You have no right! — someone from the troupe spoke.
"By the way, yes, Akimaru, you don't," Azula added, clearly enjoying my anger and basking in it like a cat in the rays of the sun.
"They will retell our adventures in the same way," I turned my head in her direction.
"We'll come and check it out," Azula sharply cooled her tone, apparently imagining something in her head, "if we don't like it, we'll burn it all to the ground." For slandering the royal family.
- Oh, can I congratulate you? - Lou joined in.
- What?
- What? - Azula and I asked at the same time.
- Well, Kira is not part of the royal family, it seems, he was, which means you are planning...
"Kira is now the Dragon of the North, and this includes a lot," after a two-second pause, Azula figured out what to answer. "Such inappropriate assumptions towards the princess can already be considered as slander."
"Sorry, Princess Azula, I misunderstood," he immediately bowed.
"It's great that you understood and remembered everything," I said, quickly looking at the faces of those sitting, "and look at his right arm - I could have dislocated or sprained it."
And with these words we left without saying goodbye. By the way, in addition to the problems with his hand, it looks like Kenta will have a scar on his face near his cheekbone, because the fire was close for quite a long time. Why didn't he just move away is the question, I was counting on it, but apparently the blue flame scared him very much.
"Okay, we had a nice walk," Azula pronounced her verdict, having first seen that the sun was already slowly setting, and it was time for us to return, "it was interesting." And even funny.
"I agree," I nodded, "I liked it too."
We returned to our rooms twenty minutes later, and I immediately went for a swim. The dust here is a special substance, sand-like, and I don't like sand. It's rough, tough, gets everywhere... well, you know, in short.
I don't know what we'll do on the way to Basingse, but it looks like I need to invent something with the air so as not to turn into a dust collector. Excessive contact with the body irritates me, the consequences of being an airbender.
* * *
— Did I understand correctly, you have a crowd of partisans here, and you are only reporting now? — Azula asked the Mayor in an icy tone.
It was already in the evening, when we gathered in a kind of meeting room with a rather large table with various dishes. Where the mayor gave out the news that, it turns out, almost the entire Omashu army had escaped and gathered. Not a dozen idiots, but really the entire army, which is actually very, very bad. Because they took their families with them into the "underground", and on average this is a third of all residents of the city.
When he talked about the number of local partisans, the hair on my head began to stand up as I remembered how Auzla and I walked calmly. After all, it's absolutely no problem to see the face of the same princess when she arrived and to copy us in the city. And no one is protected from half a dozen stones on their heads in a narrow passage. And why the hell would we have time to do something against this, considering how relaxed we were wandering around the city.
And, apparently, this also dawned on Azula, and she also decided to somehow punish May's father - you can see it from her face.
"Yes, but everything is under control," the man assured, "security has been strengthened, there is a curfew, and everyone is thoroughly checked." The mouse will not slip through either there or back!
Who knew that it was at this time, while the Mayor was explaining the inaccessibility of Omash, a group of three people familiar to all of us had already climbed into the city through the sewers and were wandering around the evening city in search of something.
***
Azula's arrival gave May mixed feelings. On the one hand, at least something interesting, on the other hand, the events promise to be too serious and dangerous.
And also the very fact of Azula's presence... she, of course, is her best friend and all that, but May never lies, at least to herself, and understands how dangerous this is. The princess has a terrible character.
But to her surprise, Azula became...more bearable, so to speak. Even casual communication was enough to understand that something was wrong. In terms of appearance, she didn't seem to have changed, but the clear feeling that was there before, that you were in a cage with a tiger, and they could eat you at any moment, was gone.
And, it seems, Kira, who is always close to Azula, plays an important role. During the short time that May was in the city, she collected too many rumors about this mysterious "Kira". This is just some kind of semi-mythical character that everyone is interested in talking about.
And when she saw him in person, May understood where this note of mysticism came from. Kira stands almost motionless, wearing her rather scary mask, which seems to be looking right at you, no matter where you are. Smooth posture, a scary mask, plus unusual clothes and weapons somehow keep you in an incomprehensible tension. After all, she had heard him skillfully wield his strange sword.
And also blue flames. May didn't know whether he really possessed it or not, but if so, then this was already a terrible indicator, because Azula was only able to use blue flames when she had already become a master of Fire.
And somehow he subtly changes Azula, at least while he's around. True, he himself creates a worse feeling than the princess before. It's quite difficult to act at ease when you see his cold mask, which this time seemed to focus his gaze on you.
However, Azula's more normal behavior is worth it anyway. Because Kira, at a minimum, does not have the same power as the princess, not to mention the fact that he causes fear in others. Somewhat more... animalistic. Such, in the subcortex of consciousness, as if there was a slight constant anxiety.
But May was much more worried about the fact that between Kira and Azula there was... some kind of interaction, some kind of chemistry, something incomprehensible, intangible, intriguing.
How, where and from where, May does not know. This is very strange, but she clearly felt it, it remains to confirm it in practice. Or rather, to watch them for a longer time, and the opportunity for this could not have been better: the evening meeting where May's father reports to Azula.
He reports unsuccessfully, the resistance is there and no one is really trying to suppress it. This, of course, is a double-edged sword, try to defeat the earth mages underground, it is almost impossible, especially with the current forces.
And while Azula listened and read out May's father and all the local bosses, Kira modestly stood behind her and sometimes easily moved his head, looking from one face to another. And, apparently, he didn't like something in particular, and maybe Azula didn't either, although, most likely, they did it together, because the candles on the walls sometimes turned blue, and sometimes an icy wind blew through the enclosed space, which caused unpleasant goosebumps on everyone's backs.
"Yes, but everything is under control," said the father, "security has been strengthened, there is a curfew, and everyone is carefully checked." The mouse will not slip through either there or back!
— Is there any kind of sewer security? — Kira spoke up for the first time, focusing his gaze on the mayor, and this was felt even considering his mask.
- What?
— Does the sewer system have exits beyond the walls? Is there any map of it, and are guards posted? - Kira repeated his question.
-... Who in their right mind would climb through waste? - it's clear that May's father realized it, but he desperately tried to resist the idea that everything was not as good as he would like.
"A water mage and an air mage," Kira noted, "who are on the avatar's team."
"They'll get through there," Zuko nodded, confirming the mask man's words.
Zuko. Zuko is a different story for May. It was clear that they were trying to bring them together, but they weren't even against it at the time. Even though the prince was now in exile, neither she nor her father considered other options. In the end, no one took away Zuko's title.
And now, apparently, Zuko is getting his rights back, given that he came along with Kira and Azula. And he's quite present at an important meeting. This already says a lot for those who know how to think. But May knew how to think and was very glad that her betrothed seemed to remain so.
And, apparently, Zuko was also very happy to see her, judging by the fact that he glanced sideways at her. It would be extremely indecent to go to the prince immediately after they arrived, people might think the wrong thing, but now after this meeting they can... talk.
- What should an avatar do here? — the mayor still did not give up.
"Try to free King Bumi and learn earth bending from him," Kira said.
In general, this trio gave the feeling that they were some kind of gang, although, on the other hand, why is it as if? Each has an ambiguous reputation, achievements in bending and more, and high powers.
Azula sat with an arrogant face in front, and behind them stood Kira and Zuko together, one with his arms crossed and looking at everyone with an inquisitorial gaze, and the other, holding his hands behind his back, simply periodically moving his head a little from one person to another, and which of these is worse? , Who knows.
"But…" May's father was still trying to justify himself somehow, but it didn't lead to anything.
The general meeting lasted about three hours, and it was already dark outside by the time Azula finished going through the main reports on the rebels. Everyone looked tired, even Zuko gave up and eventually sat down not far from his sister, but Kira, as he stood, continues to stand.
At the wrong time, May remembered that, it seems, he was captured by the countrymen. From such thoughts the girl shuddered, as a fighter she had to meet people who survived this, and there are very few of them. Strawberries do not shy away from torturing with the most terrible instruments and breaking a person using various methods. But Kira not only survived, but also ran away. The report did not give details, but now it may be clear why he is constantly wearing a mask.
There was another interesting point: it turns out that Kira is a nickname, but this person's name is actually Aki.
- Aki, what do you think? Azula asked while discussing one of the plans to smoke out the rebels. May still doesn't understand whether they are ready to help practically or only theoretically, but in any case, their experience and knowledge are extremely needed in this matter.
So, at first no one even understood who the princess was addressing. Before Kira replied