Chapter 15: Gentleman Ch 15
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Overall, Azula could say that her trip to Omashu went well: 'she had acquired a small, elite team for her mission, namely her friends - Mai and Ty Lee.' Another addition to her mission was the Avatar, namely the capture of him. 'Seemed that the Avatar was after something in Omashu: the liberation of the former king of Omashu, or after something else she didn't know.' No matter the reasons, Azula had taken up the assignment of capturing the Avatar herself due to her idiot brother failing to do so.
They were currently following the Avatar's trail in a tank-train. 'A somewhat cross of a Tundra tank and a train, fast and large, it could keep up with Avatar's flying bison. Due to the peculiar design, she wondered if Zhan had a hand in making this machine, probably in some way.'
"What ya got, there Zula?" asked Ty Lee suddenly disturbing her pondering.
"What?" asked Azula, confused.
"That!" said Ty Lee, pointing at Azula's hands, she had her metal claws-glove.
"Oh, this?" she asked, raising the gauntlet up, to which Ty Lee nodded too. "Just a little trinket, made by an inventor."
"It's beautiful!" said Ty Lee, eyeing the glove. For something made by an inventor, it had the craftsmanship, color, and beauty of an artist.
"It is," replied Azula calmly, then got a funny idea in her head. "Ty Lee, may you get this off my hand?"
"Sure!" said Ty Lee. She took hold of the glove and pulled, yet it didn't budge. She tried again, nothing, trying again and again until she was putting her entire body-weight to the challenge.
"Don't pull my arm off," said Azula, feeling the weight pulling her. Ty Lee tried one more time to pull it off...only ending up, up-side on the other side. "Give up?"
"Yeah. Cool item Azula, even I couldn't get it off!" replied Ty Lee, getting back up again.
"It only requires..." said Azula, clicking the designates places to unlock it, and slipped her hand out. "...precision."
"Nice fashion-ware!" said Mai, having watched the event happen, a tiny smile on her lips.
"Who said this was purely for looks?" asked Azula, slipping the glove back-on, locking it. A few finger movements and Azula had five blades out of the glove, ready to strike. "It's a weapon...and a masterpiece."
"Woah!" said Ty Lee, examining the now lethal fashion-ware.
"Not a bad weapon," replied Mai, Azula retracting the blades back in.
"Indeed. It isn't," said Azula, smiling.
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Zhan's work had finally finished, the Drill was finally constructed and operating, in his opinion, he would expect the Drill to crash into the nearest fissure, before even reaching Ba Sing Se. Yet the War-Minister didn't listen to him, and he didn't show signs of changing his mind.
How the stubbornness of the Fire Nation seemed to amaze him, nevertheless, he had completed his assignment and work, ordered by the Fire Lord himself. As far as he was concerned, the Drill was stable - wouldn't crash in on itself, or explode.
Zhan had his hands clean, on this project now, whatever happened - win or lose, was on the War-Minister's head.
"I'd say this is a bad idea. But you made your choice," said Zhan to the War-Minister. Having gathered his belongings and prepared to leave.
"This Drill will be our greatest triumph, and you'll be glad to have partaken in it," replied the War-Minister.
"For your sake...I hope this works because the risk is as high as the reward," replied Zhan leaving the facility and the War-Minister. He couldn't quite feel it, but he had a knowing that the last words got under Qin's skin.
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Zhan had some time to himself now, the warship he was scheduled to depart in, didn't leave for another two hours. As such, he had about two hours to take a look-n-peek around the Fire Nation colony - Zu Day.
It wasn't much different from the regular colonies, Zu Day was a post-Azulon era colony, so there was an air of distance and nobility in the air. The town divided between higher-class Fire Nation citizens and the lower-class Earth Kingdom people. This crime occurred on regular occasions in colonies like this, mostly came from lower-class, yet that was being slowly-snuffed away.
Speaking of which::
[Wanted]
'The Shockwave Gang
The crime of harassment, destruction of property, and theft there is a notice of the disappearance of the citizen from Fire Nation Citizens.'
[Compensation]
'Dead or alive 300 Gold Coins, must bring proof of the extermination.'
'300? Must be a local vigilante group or a goody-rebel movement,' thought Zhan, taking the notice. The gang had a dozen members and was sighted in a nearby workshop on the other side of the colony, according to the ad. 'Guess they're more of a nuisance than the mayor of this colony is willing to admit, and I know just the thing for 300 pieces.'
He had made a stop at a nearby tavern, changing into something more, battle-ready. He soon left the bar, wrapped in a crimson cloak, yet underneath he felt just like home. Making his way to the Earth section of the colony, as soon as Zhan arrived, he could feel the many residents watching him.
'He knew that he wasn't welcome in these parts.'
He was only a few meters away from the local workshop, when twelve hoodlums soon appeared, wearing greenish-colored clothes and scarves covering their mouths.
"You aren't, welcomed here, tyrant!" declared a larger looking man, who seems to be the leader.
Zhan sigh as he looks at his surroundings, "isn't carrying weapons illegal for you...lower-class?" teased Zhan.
"You're a dead boy!" screamed another male, charging him with his spear. He didn't have a chance - the wooden spear-handle breaking on contact, a slight sting but he could, deal with any pain but not the attacker - a quick strike, jab, and elbow kick to the face and he ended up bleeding on the ground.
"You were saying?" asked Zhan, smirking at the hoodlums who were stunned for a sec, before they charged at him.
Zhan couldn't tell, when he last had a good fight, the battle-rush was exhilarating. 'One by one, they fell, - punch, kick - thrust, crack, flip - strike, dodge, blow - block, crack, hit.' Zhan couldn't keep up with the counting of each hit, didn't want to continue this farce. Soon the final punch was given the last hoodlum fell hurting they all were. "They weren't much of an equal to a hardened Earthbender soldier, and none of them were Earthbenders," he whispers to himself.
"...what...who...how..." asked a Fire Nation captain, arriving at the scene with his men - twelve knocked-out hoodlums and a boy who looked like a fresh recruit, standing over them.
"...sorry I didn't have any rope..." he replied, breaking the awkward silence.
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'300 gold pieces lighter and a special object secured - a good two hours spend.'
Zhan could barely hold his laughter back then, at the barracks when he came to collect the reward, the captain didn't expect a lone teenager to take down twelve armed hoodlums alone, even so, asked why wasn't he in the army. The look on his face, when Zhan had pulled a (token) of the Royal Family, he almost dies of a heart attack. The man went pale as snow, someone this young, who in theory out-ranked even him.
After that, the exchange went, smoothly and Zhan could be on his way 'although there was an arranged marriage with Azula, there wasn't any need for a formal statement so far, due to the political unpleasantries it might cause. Though rumors were circling about a supposed courtier to the Crown Princess.'
"How clueless and yet so close were they to the truth." Zhan took a big breath.
Zhan didn't waste much time with pleasantries on the ship, he showed the token, and went to his quarters below deck. Lying on the bed, and watching the sun-set. "An old day retires - a new one shall be born."
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Omake: A Challege to Forget#2
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It has been months since they departed from the Capital, and the physical toll on their bodies is becoming more and more prevalent. Zhan has been leaning more on his hiking stick, while Azula has been struggling more and more with the heavy pack she has on her back. Neither of their spirits has been diminished, however, and they are more determined than ever to get to Yin Rei for more than a few reasons.
"How much longer until we get there?" Azula asked between pants.
"About a week or two depends on how tight you keep your mouth shut." Zhan scolded as he looked down at their map.
"... you were the one who taught me how to detect lies, Zahn." Azula pointed out, halting in his tracks so that he could look at Zhan in the eyes. "Try again with the truth this time."
Zhan sighed. " I taught you that trick for more major reasons than just using it on me." He said as he took another brief look at the map in his hands. "This year's term for the great Fire Festival starts in two months, furthermore leaving us… one month to go if we keep traveling on foot." Zhan said with a grunt as he stuffed the map back into his pocket.
"This problem could have been avoided if we just took damn Fierychicken or any other way of transportation." Azula groaned as she hardened his glare at him.
"And another question, why even name it like that?" Zhan didn't even bother to look at her, "doesn't a Phoenix look like a flaming chicken?"
"..."
Zhan, kept notes of the surroundings and stayed vigilant during moments uncertain times you let your guard down it yields only a quick death or an ever-changing fate. This princess was the type that was quick to anger, and slow to calm down, all this negativity has resulted, after months of relentless travel, and damaged clothing.
"Still not so enthused by the idea of my birthday party is to be celebrated surrounded by lots of jungle and whatnot just a few weeks ago, and it seems like I don't have a choice in what I want to do for my future."
"Princess, stop that," Zhan ordered in his sage voice. "You know why you must do what I am asking of you. We mostly have one life, depending on circumstances one could live longer than others, lets put it this way your tittle and position gives you an advantage in life that not many could get."
"When advantage is at play disadvantage follow suit, you need to be strong enough to fend for yourself and surround yourself with loyal and capable followers."
"Yeah, little wonder why you sound just like my uncle," Azula snapped, spinning in place and glaring at Zhan. "What's the point of all this, Zhan? What's the point of lowering myself to this extent? We got plenty, more in the world to fill in those shoes, the world is going to be just fine without me to help protect it."
"Azula… you need to calm down," Zan warned, looking around for any signs of the creature surrounding them. They are like a beacon of negativity right now, and that does not bode well for the tinkerer.
"Screw that Zhan, I've been calm for the better part of nine fucking months, I think I deserve a little venting," Azula said.
"I thought you understood why I need you to do this, you need to control your emotion since in stressful situations one most have our head close to the ground and another thing to learn, is a kingdom does not work without is people.
Zhan explained, letting his stick fall to the ground and holding his hands out in front of him to calm Azula down. "Please…"
*Snap*
Azula's faces transformed from anger to pure horror, staring into the eyes of a red monster that threatens to attack his Zham from behind.
"Behind you!" Azula shouted as she drew, powerful lightning and was already on his way to defend his Zhan while damaging it not enough to kill it.
Zhan already spun around and used his gloves and unique explosive without thinking, heavily damaging the humanoid creature as it had its last breath.
"They have incircle us," Zhan looks at Azula, "run now princess, do what you know in your heart to be the right thing to do."
"What? No way, I am taking you with me we were supposed to see, Yin Rei together for the first time right?" Azula said in defiance as she slipped his head underneath his Zhan's arm.
Zhan just gave Azula a soft smile, "then try to keep-up princess," Azula just simply puff her cheeks.
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DriedSnug
DriedSnug Well, this is another update not much to say really, maybe give more stones this could help to get more notice and keep on praising me.
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