Chapter 78: Chapter 78
Ty Lee did not care much for politics, but she did find how Azula dealt with it rather fascinating. The way the military commanders and ministry officials bent over at the princess' presence was fine and all, but Azula was a radiant red-orange as she went straight to sternly exerting her influence on the men and women, instead of basking in their cowering as her younger self might do.
The funnily-dressed Chief Engineer was practically kissing the dirt as he immediately prostrated before Azula, his apron tinkling from spilt metal baubles. Ty Lee noted with interest at how the man's green-yellow of fear and eagerness clashed horribly with Azula's impatient deep orange aura.
"Get up, Chief Engineer."
"O-Of course, your highness. Th-thank you for coming today."
Azula rolled her eyes at the lanky man's bobbing head and shaky words, and then turned to the mountain of metal surrounded by hundreds of laborers.
"Yes, yes. You should be honored and so on, and so forth. I know that. I'm told I came here at an auspicious time. Does that mean you're ready to depart?"
"Just about, your highness! Just about! We're just finishing up the final details…shouldn't take too long now, yes."
To Ty Lee's eyes, the nearly completed Great Drill seemed quite comical with its vents and ports and various unknown extrusions. So much metal…and water, too. Dozens of bucket brigades carried water up to the top of the drill's carapace, where it was dumped into some unseen reservoir.
If it carried as much water as she thought it might, would the thing be a good aquarium? It'd be nice to have something large enough to hold whales and sharks, though they'd need to install windows to make the fishes visible…
Maybe cover the top with some sand to make a beach? It certainly looks big enough to hold a good stretch of it…
"Come, girls, let's find someplace to rest while we wait."
Contrary to expectations, Ty Lee and Mai followed Azula away from the War Ministry's tents, and instead strode purposefully towards the military camps. The soldiers welcomed her arrival with bows that poorly hid their surprise. The princess locked onto one of them, though her annoyance had receded to a paler orange by now.
"You there, sergeant. I hear Generals Hwa and Sho are around?"
The man visibly gulped before he replied. "Th-they are both currently inspecting the front lines, your highness."
"Oh?" Azula's head tilted cutely to one side, though it did nothing to reassure the soldier.
He nodded jerkily as he elaborated. "We saw off another attack yesterday. The generals are looking over the damage, and-"
She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I understand, sergeant. They're doing their jobs." Then, glancing over to Ty Lee and Mai, "Well, there goes that option."
"What option?" Mai asked.
"The one with decent hospitality."
The bored looking girl jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "What about the Chief Engineer?"
Azula scoffed at that, and the orange annoyance flared up around her. "Please, I'm sure even you don't want to tolerate the man's stammering and simpering so early."
"Point."
"Besides, I prefer reliable warriors over those tinkerers," Azula added, a little louder to make sure that the soldiers behind her heard it. "At least they're too busy doing a good job to be annoying."
That got the 'reliable warriors' to straighten a little, and the sergeant cleared his throat before speaking with a bit more confidence. "If you'd like, your highness, we can have a tent prepared for you."
Mai rolled her eyes, but Azula nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent."
They were led to a tent that had just had its occupants kicked out, but rather than resentment, Ty Lee saw how the evicted soldiers saluted sharply, proudly. Hosting the crown princess was a prestigious thing, then.
"Pardon the smell, your highness," the sergeant apologized, but again Azula cut it off with a wave of her hand while her quartet of bodyguards casually scanned the interior.
"I've been on campaign before, sergeant. This is far from an uncomfortable environment."
Ty Lee nodded along to her friend's assessment. "Yup. Smells better than the circus' back areas, that's for sure."
Mai groaned, but otherwise kept silent.
"Should I get you and your friends some refreshments, your highness?"
"No need. We'll be heading off soon, assuming Gunsou can keep his timing…auspicious." The princess then flashed a disarming smirk. "And besides, it'd be wrong to use the provisions of you and your fellows. I understand how important a good meal and drink is after a hard fight; can't have some unfortunate warrior miss out on his fair share just because some guests nipped off some of the good stuff."
Mai coughed at the unsubtle manipulation, while Ty Lee's eyes went wide as she saw her friend win the sergeant over instead of just intimidating him into obedience. "I would appreciate it if we could have some…discretion though? Some quiet before I have to deal with the robes of the War MInistry."
"Of course, your highness," he said, but otherwise bowed himself out of the tent, two of Azula's bodyguards following after him to stand guard outside.
From outside, the sergeant was far less courteous in bellowing his orders. "Right. Masa, Byung, go see if anyone's got an ETA on when the generals are coming back. You lot, keep a cordon around the tent. Everyone else, back to your post. Anyone comes seeking the princess, unless it's because the drill's ready, tell 'em to fuck off. She's wasting plenty of time as is already."
Azula's grin faded as she regarded her friends. "What?"
"I'm still not used to your new…you," Mai said bluntly, and the princess shrugged.
"I've learned that fear has its uses, but it isn't the only good option."
The other girl's eyes narrowed for a second. "Yeah… Don't think I'll be getting used to that too soon."
The princess huffed as Ty Lee couldn't help a giggle. "Well, be glad that I'm not my old self. I can't imagine how dull being intimidating all the time can be…"
Ty Lee didn't dare respond to that. She could very well imagine what kind of 'friend' Azula would be if that were the case; she had dealt with that for a few years already.
Deciding to quickly move on, the acrobat beamed a mischievous smile. "So, where's your Xing? I thought he'd be here waiting for you by now."
Azula rolled her eyes at the clear attempt at prodding for a reaction. "Xing and the 11th will catch up with us. It takes a while to travel, you know."
Deciding that her royal friend's aura wasn't pink enough, Ty Lee walked over with her eyebrows waggling. "But it'd be nice to have him around so you can both…spar again with all this time, right?"
Aha! Azula's eyes broke away from hers, and the aura turned into an almost perfect shade of pink that matched the blush on the princess' cheeks.
"You guys kissed yet?" Mai asked with a faint smirk, deciding to join in the fun.
The pink aura deepened with embarrassment, and Ty Lee almost squealed with excitement. Instead, she put on a vindictive grin. "I think the question we should be asking, Mai, is how often Azula's been snogging. Or how much of the rumors are true…?"
Hm, Azula wasn't as nervous about it as expected. So probably just some kissing then? That's a shame. Ty Lee would've loved to know the details. Still…
"So, how was it? The kissing?" Ty Lee asked, barely containing her curiosity and excitement. At her friend's annoyance and silence, she glanced up to the overly stiff bodyguards. "You guys seen any of it? No? Surely-"
Azula growled, taking the bait. "They weren't around when we- Shit."
Ty Lee grinned triumphantly, and nodded to Mai. "See? Definitely kissed."
"...fucking hate you…" the princess muttered, not meaning it at all as she shrank away and marinated in her embarrassing pink thoughts.
*****
"The drill will be deployed today, your majesty. Your daughter should soon send word back of what the chief engineer will accomplish."
General Bujing kept his silence as the courtier bought by Chief Engineer Gunsou played the role of sycophant excellently. Despite his misgivings about recent events, the old general was aware enough about the changes around him to not lose his post. He understood the importance of trying to break the Earth Kingdom to bring an end to the long war, but the desperate methods offered by the rival aspirants of the War Ministry were too reckless.
Yet, the Fire Lord, perhaps wishing to cement his place in history and regain some face after the fiasco in the North Pole, had agreed to the latest idea of using an oversized drill to breach the Impenetrable City. Worse, a number of Bujing's colleagues within the War Council had compromised themselves and went along with the plan, which then cascaded down to the other high generals like Bujing who wisely kept his protests shut.
Everyone knew of Fire Lord Ozai's impulsive temper.
"How long until we will receive reports?" the ruler of the Fire Nation asked from behind his screen of flames.
The courtier bowed low, but Bujing caught his smirk. "It should be within two weeks, Fire Lord. Thanks to your decree, all War Ministry resources have been redirected to ensure that the Great Drill reaches Ba Sing Se to perform its job."
Basically putting a pause on the selection competition within that department. Tanks, new brands of heavy infantry and cavalry, even the resurgence of chariots, all to be sent over to protect the ambitious megaproject.
All to regain credibility and honor after the failed siege, and to not lose out to the young maverick that was showing up the old guard.
Like his colleagues, Bujing disapproved of Colonel Xing's methods of war, but he was not so deluded as to ignore the boy's near sterling results. The unorthodox tactics, often weaponizing some form of cowardly and dishonorable attack or trick, went against the core of Fire Nation military doctrine of proving their superiority by facing the enemy head on. But the victories were hard to ignore.
That the young princess took to the Young Dragon's disreputable but effective methods was disappointing but understandable. She was too young to understand the nuances of honor, and chose to prove her worthiness as an heir by prioritizing results.
Bujing respected that of her, approved of her work as Colonial Minister even. But the fact remains that Crown Princess Azula needed a more moderating voice to counteract Xing's radical thinking with some common sense. Hopefully, with recent…incidents, Prince Iroh would prove to be that voice of reason.
Still, princess aside, it was even more disappointing that many of Bujing's peers felt threatened by the young colonel, enough to feel competitive about it. Despite the boy's eccentricities, he still served the Fire Nation, and remained generally humble about it.
After all, how many men would do as he did, and omit his participation in stopping Zhao's idiocy instead of using it to gain more acclaim? How many glory-hungry commanders would abuse the princess' royal patronage to assign themselves choice battlefields, instead of accepting her orders to deal with the chores of pacification and being held in reserve like the Young Dragon did?
Bujing did not like the young colonel, but he did not see him as an enemy that needed to be put down either. In that, he and Shinu were in agreement. The other high general was probably the one who teetered the most on indifference when it came to Xing, probably because Shinu could relate to the boy as a commoner rising through the ranks.
Along with two other high generals, they formed the new minority that tried to temper the Fire Lord's recent decisions in chasing glory.
Like right now.
"Fire Lord," Shinu voiced carefully, "perhaps some precaution should be taken in the event of the Earth Kingdom reacting in unexpected ways? Beyond the tanks, we will be committing unproven resources for the drill. I'm sure the crown princess has her Fire Lancers ready to defend her, but it might be prudent to at least have several regiments from the eastern front to serve as a reserve."
The simpering courtier rose up and grinned too haughtily. "Nonsense, high general! Chief Engineer Gunsou had already promised to conduct the operation without any deployed Army elements. It would be dishonorable to go back on his word."
No it wasn't, Bujing thought with a frown. At this point it'd be admitting his mistake and proving that his claims were far from what he had bragged about in court. Disgraceful and disappointing, yes. But far from dishonorable.
"Besides, what better way to prove the War Ministry's other new innovations and inventions? The Earth Kingdom might have their war trains, but I'm sure it would please everyone in court to show them which realm holds the mastery over innovation and industry." The courtier looked around grandly, arms raised to appeal to the generals and courtiers in the throne room.
There was silence for a few awkward seconds before the Fire Lord spoke. "Well said. I look forward to the Chief Engineer's victory, then."
Just like that, the cold, judgemental tone snuffed out the courtier's confidence, and he quickly bowed low and withdrew.
Bujing held back the urge to sigh as he shared an exasperated look with Shinu. They would have to waste a few days now planning for the likely consequences of the War Ministry's ambition.
Hopefully it wouldn't be as catastrophic as Zhao's idiocy, and hopefully the crown princess makes it out unharmed. At the very least so she might declare an Agni Kai against the Chief Engineer to send a message.
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