As Zuko rose to his feet, he wasn't surprised that Iroh rushed up to hug him, or that Katara rushed to hug Aang. He probably shouldn't have been surprised that Cadence rushed up to smack him upside the head. "Idiot!" she snapped. "I thought you had a plan!"
"I do," Zuko replied. "So far, it's working."
"...you planned to get captured?" Iroh asked, shocked.
"I planned to make sure Azula has no idea how I'm going to jump next," Zuko replied. "Her greatest strength comes from her ability to plan things out to take everything she can expect into account. The best way to put her off her game is to be completely stupid while acting like I know what I'm doing."
"Be a bit more careful next time," Iroh scolded through his chuckles.
With the warm reunions at an end, Zuko found himself face to face with the Avatar once again. Both stared at each other, uncertain what to do.
"Go help your other friends," Iroh instructed Aang and Katara. "We'll catch up."
As they left, Zuko turned to Iroh. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing," Iroh replied. "But you're right about one thing, Zuko. It has come down to you and Azula. All Cadence and I can do now is step back, and let you choose your future."
"And support you every step of the way, whatever you choose," Cadence added. Turning, she flared outward with her wings strongly, causing the wall of crystals the two Dai Li agents accompanying Azula into the chamber tried to imprison them with to part around them.
"Iroh's right about one thing, Zuko," Azula commented softly. "He's doing nothing at all. That's all he's ever done since the death of his son." Iroh tensed at that, but took no action. "But there's more to you than that, isn't there, Zuko? Prince Zuko?"
Zuko raised an eyebrow, deciding to hear what all Azula had to say.
"You're right about one thing, Zuko," she continued. "I have planned out everything this day. That is one of my greatest strengths, the shaping of events with careful consideration. And I have looked over these events, and know every way in which they can end. And there's one other thing I know: it's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself as Prince of the Fire Nation...as my brother."
Zuko let his stance relax, letting Azula think she was swaying his opinion as he gave her words careful consideration.
"Events are coming to a climax," Azula continued. "Whatever happens, today is the day Ba Sing Se falls to the Fire Nation...but without you there by my side, it won't be a true victory. Will you truly turn your back on your whole life? On Father? On Mai?"
Cadence couldn't help but admire Azula's tactics. Had Zuko not had his great conflict after freeing Appa, these were the buttons to push that would tear him apart and make him question everything. Even now, with his spirit still reassembling itself, the effect would be intense. She wondered what choice he would make.
Zuko stared at Azula for a time...and then smirked. "My choice has already been made," he replied softly, shifting into a Fire Bending stance. "Now it's your turn to make a choice. Surrender or fall."
"What?" Azula demanded angrily.
"You said it yourself, if I'm not with you, you have no true victory today," Zuko stated softly. "You may take the city, but you won't keep it. You've overplayed your hand. I stand against you, Azula...with the Avatar. Father is wrong about what the world needs, and so are you. I will bring this war to its end...starting with you. But you're still my sister...and as my last act as your brother, I offer you the chance to yield, to change sides."
Snarling in fury, Azula unleashed a wave of blue fire at Zuko, which he casually parted. "You think you can beat me?" she roared out. "You're pathetic! You can't even stand up for yourself without falling back on others! You're nothing compared to me, nothing!" She continued launching her flames at him from fists and feet.
Zuko calmly deflected each and every blast, feeling his spirit starting to come together, feeling himself grow more and more complete. "And yet here I stand against you," he replied, no true emotion in his voice.
"Mai will never forgive you for this!" she roared, drawing out lightning and hurling it at him.
Zuko shifted into a strong horse stance. Catching the lightning in one arm, he sent it down his stomach and leg, grounding it out in the earth, leaving Iroh and Cadence gasping in shock. "Then when I'm through with you, she can kill me if she wants," Zuko replied, his voice still mellow.
"You think you're better than me?!" Azula shrieked, charging forward to attack physically, only for Zuko to block or evade each strike as he shifted to a Water Bending stance. "After how hard you've had to work just to survive, to learn any technique, you think you can best me? I was born lucky! You? You were lucky to be born!"
Spinning, Zuko focused his fire into his arm, superheating the air around it as he swung the limb like a blade. Azula leapt back, stunned as her clothes and skin split from the strike. "I'm not the only one who was lucky that I was born," Zuko replied softly. "The whole world was lucky...because I'm going to bring the peace the world needs." Once more he shifted into a Fire Bending stance. "I'm done with you Azula. It's over between us."
As his spirit found peace, he raised his right arm, two fingers extended...and traced the arc of lightning.
Azula shot to her feet, trying to bend her own lightning to counter, but the slash to her shoulder prevented her from completing the arc. She could only watch as Zuko completed the circle, drawing the lightning into his two hands.
Zuko thrust forward, sending the lightning straight at Azula. But as it moved, he came to an unexpected realization. As much as he had hated her for so long, as much grief as she had brought him...he didn't want her dead. He didn't want her blood on his hands.
Iroh had told him that once the lightning was summoned, it could only be guided. Desperately, he sought one last guide, giving his hand a twist.
The lightning parted, blasting through Azula in five small points instead of one large one, knocking her onto her back as she struggled to breathe, her eyes wide and unseeing. The Dai Li agents moved forward, but were knocked aside as Cadence brought two large chunks of crystal hard against their skulls.
Iroh rushed up to Azula's side, checking on her. "How is she?" Zuko asked.
"She will live," Iroh replied. "But the lightning penetrated her Earth, Water, and Fire Chakras, as well as both upper arms. I do not know how much she will recover...but I doubt if her inner energy will ever be repaired enough to Fire Bend."
Zuko nodded. "Then we need to-"
"Go," Cadence instructed. "Help the Avatar. You've made your choice, now carry it out. I'll look after her."
Zuko nodded, leaning down to stroke her mane. "Thank you," he whispered softly. Turning, he raced off after Aang, Iroh close behind him.
Cadence sat calmly, keeping an eye on the cousin who hated her. She wasn't certain she agreed with Zuko's decision to not kill Azula. She couldn't help but feel that this would somehow turn into a huge mess someday. At the same time, she knew it was the right decision for Zuko to make.
As Zuko made his way up to the palace after Aang and the others, he was rather surprised to see Jong and Zhin fall in beside him. "Where have you two been?" he demanded angrily.
"Cadence let me know that Azula and the other two were in the city," Zhin replied. "After a little thing Cadence needed me for, we decided it would be best if we got you some backup."
"What sort of-"
Before Zuko could continue speaking, Jong pointed behind him...where all of Zuko's troops were gathered, fully armed but still dressed in their Earth Kingdom clothes, marching double time to keep up. "Oh," Zuko replied. "How'd you get them all past the Dai Li?"
"Private Grin," Jong replied. "...well, that's what everyone calls him anyway."
"Private Chin," Zhin clarified. "The one with the huge chin and the giant smile that never leaves his face? He...apparently has a way with animals."
"He got the Dai Li's attention when he cleared us a path to the Upper Ring," Jong explained.
At the Inner Wall separating the Upper Ring from the Lower, Earth Kingdom Soldiers stared, making sure not to get too close to the scene.
Huge numbers of Dai Li agents were being bounced around like toys by a massive Giant Honey-Badgermole, which roared and salivated as it devoured part of the wall. Sitting atop the beast's back was a grinning middle-aged man. He was skinny as a rail, his chin seemed to stick out too far, and his grin was physics defyingly wide. His hair had obviously once been crimson, but long hours in the sun had lightened it.
Between that, the blue eyes, and the grin...the soldiers weren't sure which was more terrifying: the beast or its rider.
PINKIE PIE CONFIRMED!!!!
I have to admit, this could go a few ways and I can't see quite what you'll do from here, but this is still quite interesting. I do hope Azula can be brought around, or at the very least find some sort of peace. Monsters aren't too often born, and there was little to guide her to a better path while growing up.
I-) can't breathe. To funny.
Another well done chapter
HOLY SHIT. I guess Cadance really helped keep Zuko's spirit balanced, since he betrays Iroh in this part of the show. As far as I can tell, Zuko never learns lightning bending, as even in The Legend of Korra he only uses Fire Bending. If Zuko's joining the Avatar this early, I'm curious to see how "Day of Black Sun" will go, and I imagine that Cadance, Zuko, and Iroh would be able to teach Aang Firebending, preventing that Dragon episode from being necessary.
6848610 It would be unnecessary, but it would be awesome to wee what he does with it.
6848637 Probably either sum it up in one chapter like he did with Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty in The Sparkle in His Eye, or completely blow it off like the majority of Mega Man X4 in Melody of the Future
Are we going to be seeing Sparky Sparky boom man?
That would be funny.
This did not parse for me. Causing the wall to what?
6848721
Fixed.
Now this is how it should've been. Zuko takes yet another level in badass.
6848664 if we do I imagine azula's gonna hire him to hunt zuko...and the avatar...but mostly zuko
[youtube=youtube.com/watch?v=P3ALwKeSEYs]
OUT OF SPITE!
HONEY BADGER-MOLE DON'T CARE!
6848802
Lightning fried one of Aang's chakras in canon, preventing him from entering the Avatar state until it got repaired during the Ozai fight.
Also, yes, you caught who Private Grin is supposed to be.
Tatsurou, what wonderful horrors have you unleashed this time? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
6848885
Yup. This very episode.
6848725 SO General CChin knows Animal Summoning?
6848918
Private, not General.
Damn, Zuko took several levels of Badass!!! Pure awesome, especially if he removed Fire Bitch's ability to bend forever.
I guess the big question is this: does the Honey-Badgermole care????
6848802 I was also thinking of Quagmire.
6848960 Nuh uh. He's the General of Animals.
I guess Private Grin was... Tickled pink.
Guess we now know that the Honey Badger Mole was... Drooling with excitememnt.
Zuko was quite... Grounded in his fight huh?
Earth bending for Cadance? She can wing it.
..... So private Chin is some sort of fusion of Pinkie and fluttershy? I swear I think I;ve seen that some where else on this site.
6848848
Shouldn't it be the rule63 version of pinkie and fluttershy since he is a he not a she.
still a terrifying combo with fluttershys animal control and pinkies never ending smile.
6849117
Hilarious
6849117 no....just no.
6849117
... Okay, I'll admit, this isn't the worst string of puns I've ever seen. But it's still pretty damn bad.
So.... Effectively Zuko dealt Azula one of the most crippling insults possible!
I like where this is going. Keep up the good work.
Wow so Azula was taken out now. I wonder if the the events of the comic the Search will happen faster now?
6849184
It's a tradition now.
You. Writer. I love this.
and now destiny truly takes a different turn
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
Okay, this chapter was PERFECT and the ending was AMAZING!!
very nice. Ba Sing Sea won't fall this time.
I can imagine him radiating smugness.
So, you have to improvise and do something she wouldn't expect.
Seems Azula won't be serving Aang's arrowed ass on a plate this time around.
Oh boy...
Bullshit! Given half a chance you'd put a lightning bolt through both him and "daddy dearest" just so you could become Fire Lord! Lady! Whatever!
Well played, if he hadn't recovered from his conflict earlier by freeing Appa and Cadence to help him become more mellow, you'd probably be tearing him apart.
Sorry about that, Tommy Wiseau just somehow got into my commentary and well, can't have that happen can we? I have actual standards.
One shall stand, one shall fall.
Why throw away your life so recklessly?
That's a question you should ask yourself Azula. (Admit it, you guys want the Transformers movie reenacted by the cast of the Last Airbender as much as I do.)
Ironic, she wanted to tear him apart yet she's the one being torn apart since she can't control herself, even Galvatron reacted better than you when his plans failed. And this is the guy who shoots his own troops for shits and giggles.
Doesn't lightning need spiritual balance? You know what, never mind, she was able to conjure it while breaking down in the Comet powered Agni Kai, she can do it now.
Using the earth to ground lightning, surprisingly clever of you. And a lot safer than redirecting it at Azula, then she'd do it too, and you'd be playing a deadly game of tennis with lightning.
Yes...
Yes yes yes...
Oh dear.
Probably for the best. She's too dangerous and mentally unstable.
Backup¿
Sounds like a cross between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.
You made a cross between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie scary. Nice work.
6849117
Dammit referee, I'm running out of clever clips to use! OK, what do I have... aha!
6850366 Running out so soon? And it's not even the end of the second book yet! ... Well, almost anyways. Still have the other two to go through. Each chapter. ONWARDS!
6850523
Damn yooouu! It's less running out of clever quips, and more running out of fitting clever quips.
Awesome. Zuko took a level in bads, and we get the return of the honey badgermole.
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/52/c4/84/52c484eac9af13c1994e7113b0b1dfa3.jpg
6851473
An excellent theory, which I can find no flaws in. I Shake your hand Good Sir.
So Azula had three of the seven chakras struck in what I see is a way that can only be described as debilitating, and her arms are gonna be mostly useless for quite some time. Electrical damage to muscles is painful as fuck, and if you ever get the twitching to stop, you've still got the perma-cooked flesh within your skin to deal with. Long story short, Zuko really fd her day up! Good job, Zuko!
I'm curious as t' what th' rest o' th' boy's plan is. We be needin' some popcorn fer th' next few chapt'rs.
Heart of the Dragon General: In which Tatsurou force feeds Zuko a can of badass pills, Cadence is there to, I guess.
6849605 love that production, thank you
6848991 No he didn't, Anng recovered the ability to go into avatar mode after getting one of his Chakras damaged AND DYING! So the Chakras can re... DID HE JUST GIVE HER MORE KINDS OF BENDING FOR THEIR FINAL FIGHT!?
6851933 you're welcome...I guess?
Let's see how well this does.
No, I'm pretty sure it was everything OTHER than that that made it so he wouldn't be questioning his morals... then again, the context of it was different, so who knows?
Is he doing a thing?... By Rava, he's doing a thing!... But will Azula do THE thing?... Come on, now, we all know the answer to that *cough cough* asddsefgxugtal *cough*.
And that, little fillies, is why you should always handle things maturely, and not jump to irrational behaviors when concerning others' personal lives. Sometimes, you just have to realize that maybe, just maybe, you should let the big kids handle their own problems. You know, without threats of death under the flag of drawn lines and politicking. Let the Naruto's be with their Sakura's, and the Ranma's with their Akane's. Don't be poised to kill the latters off just because they're Capulets instead of Montagues. (How did a metaphor involving anime go into Romeo and Juliet?... Then again, there IS an anime version. funimation.com/admin/uploads/default/spotlight_thumbnails/7556378/k_k15029y.jpg )
You know, that probably WOULD mean something... except for two things.
1. Ozai isn't a sociopath, and knows how to be a father, so there's no way he ever said that to Zuko.
2. The dynamic's been broken, so Zuko hasn't been spending the last couple years trying to prove himself. On the contrary, he's happy with who he is.
In other words... Zuko? You have my permission to WRECK HER SHYET!!!!!
Wait, if the only reason they even worked for Azula was out of fear, why would they try to retaliate? Shouldn't they be cheering that the witch is dead or something? Seems kind of pointless if you ask me... other than that, VERY good job; it's like stigmata of a sort.
Is that a reference to something? That feels like a reference to something. All I can think of is Prince Wu, but I KNOW that isn't it.
So congratulations. Other than that bit of skulduggery you pulled before, you did pretty well for this story... so far.
Shit.