As the end of Winter approached, Zuko found himself getting a bit antsy. He'd been in hot pursuit of the Avatar for nearly three months, but he was still no closer to capturing him than their first encounter. The careful balance he was struggling to maintain between aggressive and diplomatic wasn't showing the progress he'd been hoping for. Not only that, after what had happened with Cadence' fortune teller reading, he'd been forced to lend at least some credence to what Aunt Wu had said about him, and the approach of Spring felt significant. He couldn't shake the feeling that something big was going to happen.
As a result, he'd passed on participating in the 'music night' Iroh had organized on deck, and was instead struggling to meditate in his own quarters. The ship was in position to sail to the North on a moment's notice, in pursuit of the Avatar. However, there was the minor problem of the Northern Water Tribe. It wouldn't exactly be easy to charge in to confront Aang in the middle of that many skilled Water Benders.
Cadence had come up with a plan, however. She had a Water Tribe boat that she could control with her Waterbending, to guide herself, Iroh, and Zuko to the North Pole. The plan was to anchor the ship a good distance away from the Arctic Circle where the Northern Tribe defended its borders, and then have the three of them go in on their own. Then, Cadence would contact her Waterbending teacher within the settlement to arrange a diplomatic meeting between Zuko and Aang. With luck, talk in a place of peace - especially where Aang had so many allies, a clear advantage - would pave the way for peacefully escorting him back to the Fire Nation. If Zuko could deliver a willing Avatar to Ozai for a civil discussion of the war, perhaps a new solution could be found...and if nothing else, it would certainly block any and all plans Zhao and Azula had come up with.
Zuko's thoughts were disturbed as Iroh opened the door to his quarters. "My answer's still no, Uncle," Zuko replied gently. "I don't feel like music tonight."
"It's not about that," Iroh replied warily. "It's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem..."
As Zuko turned to see what Iroh was talking about, Zhao stepped into the room. "Prince Zuko," he stated calmly, though his eyes made it plain he was all but spitting the name, "you and your crew are...invited to assist me in an expedition of vital importance to the Fire Nation, and the War Effort."
Zuko's fist clenched as he ground his teeth. Zhao had phrased his statement well. If he'd tried to commandeer ship or crew, Zuko would have grounds to refuse, contesting his Royal Mandate mission against the Military one. Out here, that meant who could get a message to and from Ozai the fastest, and Mai still lived in the capitol. If the need was urgent, she could get in to see Ozai with a message from Zuko by noon the next day, while the fastest messenger bird at Zhao's disposal wouldn't get there for a week. But by phrasing it as an invitation, Zuko's refusal would be grounds to investigate his dedication to the Fire Nation and the Cause. He had no choice but to cooperate, but he wouldn't do so blind. Calming himself, he stood up. "What manner of mission?" he asked calmly.
"As I'm certain you're aware," Zhao replied, gesturing to Zuko's own maps, "the Avatar has been sighted heading for the North Pole."
Zuko snorted dismissively. "You still have clearance to pursue the Avatar?" he asked, feigning shock. "How did your last encounter with him go again? Failed to capture him, but you did succeed in destroying...three of your own river boats?" Seeing Zhao's temper rising, Zuko suppressed his smirk. Zhao was dangerous when calm, but predictable when enraged. If Zuko was to keep any control of the situation, he would have to keep Zhao angry.
Unfortunately, Zhao had apparently learned a lesson about controlling his temper, as he calmed himself rather quickly. "No, this isn't about capturing the Avatar," he replied. "This is about preventing him from mastering Waterbending. I've gathered together a massive fleet...with the specific purpose of the destruction of the North."
Zuko raised an eyebrow. "That's a rather ambitious endeavor," he replied. "I assume you have a plan?"
"I do," Zhao replied. "One I will share with my ship commanders."
"Then I look forward to hearing it." Zuko did let his grin show as Zhao flinched. Zhao had expected him to throw a tissy fit over being slighted, which would give Zhao grounds in this mission to remove Zuko from command of his ship. By staying calm and letting Zhao have his way, he pulled Zhao's teeth, forcing him to leave Zuko in command. And as long as Zuko commanded his own ship, he had a chance to steal the glory of this mission right out from under Zhao.
"Then prepare to sail for the north!" Zhao snapped out, spinning and storming out of the room.
Zuko let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Keeping himself under control around Zhao had been harder than he had anticipated. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked up.
Iroh rested a hand on his nephew's shoulder, smiling proudly. No words were needed. Zuko returned the smile, accepting his Uncle's silent praise.
As the ships approached the Arctic Circle in a massive fleet - Zuko's ship positioned at the back at Zhao's orders, officially to protect the Prince - Zuko staggered into his quarters, stunned beyond belief as he fell into his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Zuko?" Cadence called out worriedly. She had followed him after he'd returned from the conference of Captains to discuss the plan of action against the Northern Water Tribe. Seeing him staggering about as though his strings had been cut, she followed him into his quarters, only to see him collapse. Climbing up onto the bed beside him, she nudged him with her muzzle. "What's wrong?"
"Zhao's plan..." Zuko began, his voice barely above a whisper. "He doesn't plan to attack the Water Tribe directly. This entire assault...it's a diversion..."
"Then what is his plan?" Cadence asked worriedly. "Is it all to get Aang?"
"No," Zuko replied. "He plans to change the very shape of the world, and become a living legend. It's his intention to capture - or kill - the physical embodiment of the Moon Spirit, making it impossible to Waterbend."
Cadence gasped. "He's going to hurt Tui?" she whimpered, stunned and horrified beyond belief.
"And I don't have a political leg to stand on in countering the plan," Zuko concluded. "I know in my heart...this is the worst mistake anyone could make...but there's nothing I can do about it..." Rolling over, he faced the wall, staring into nothing.
Cadence stared at Zuko for a time, seeing how broken he looked...and a deep frown crossed her face. "Nothing you can do, maybe," she whispered, turning to head for her own quarters. Once there, she entered deep meditation, trying to stretch her magical connection to the Spirits. After all, Zhao couldn't capture or kill Tui if she wasn't there...
As the ships entered the range to begin the assault on the North Pole, Zuko was startled at his post as he saw Cadence charge out of her quarters onto the deck. "Turn this ship around!" she shouted at the top of her voice, panic and terror filling her words.
"Now hang on!" one of the crew objected. "You don't-"
"I didn't say talk!" Cadence snapped, spinning and launching a burst of flame at the poor sailor, who barely managed to duck. "I said turn this ship around! South! South as fast as we can!"
Zuko rushed to his cousin's side, grabbing hold of her. "Cadence, what's gotten into you?" he demanded.
Cadence spun to stare at him. Her face was pale, the color seeming to even have drained somewhat out of her fur coat. Her eyes were wide with terror, her mane frazzled, and she was practically hyperventilating. Zuko wasn't certain what was going on, but one thing was certain. If Cadence was this scared - scared enough to attack her friends - then immediate action was needed.
"You heard her!" Zuko shouted. "Turn this ship around! That's an order!"
"Yes sir!" the crew replied. While the ship had been recruited for Zhao's mission, the crew was loyal to Zuko, first and only.
As soon as the ship was turned around heading South, Cadence began to calm down, but she continued to stare Northward. "Now do you think you can tell us why we're committing treason?" Zuko asked, his words harsh but his tone concerned.
"I...I made contact with Tui and La," Cadence replied. "I thought...if they weren't there when Zhao made his assault, then he couldn't hurt either of them. But they can't leave their pool."
"Then why are we running?" Zuko inquired, now more confused than concerned.
"Because La had his own plan for handling Zhao," Cadence explained, shivering convulsively. "He called in...backup." Cadence looked to be on the verge of throwing up. "Since I was still in contact with him...I felt the mind he contacted..." At this point, she rushed to the side of the boat to give La a less than polite offering.
Zuko and Iroh were both at her side immediately. "Who did La call in that has left you like this?" Iroh asked, stunned and afraid.
"One older than La himself," Cadence replied. "One who watched the land and seas form from his home in the depths. One of a few who, with cruel wisdom, do their part to maintain the balance for their own reasons. One...who is rising to defend the moon."
The seas around the North Pole began to bubble, froth, and swell. Iroh stared at the sea in terror. "A...Deep One?" he gasped out.
Terror swamped the crew, and those tending the engines pushed them as hard as they could go to be out of range of what was about to happen.
"Yes," Cadence replied, staring at the fleet. "Or...as the scrolls of Wan Shi Tong call them..."
A massive black tentacle erupted from the sea, wrapping around one of Zhao's ships and crushing the metal like tissue paper. Another tentacle followed, and then another, until the fleet was hemmed in by a black forest atop the sea...and a massive head, the face of nightmares, rose to open a gaping maw, unleashing an unearthly screech.
"...a Kraken."
Hail to the kraken
SWEET BABY MONKEY JEEBUS! D:
*hides Cady below decks*
Sure. A kraken. (sigh)
Zhao done fucked up now.
Krakens aren't scary. It's their grunkle Cthulhu you have to worry about.
i love this change
*le gasp* you better get the next chapter our soon
Damn. That's why you don't mess with ancient spirits. They have even older and meaner friends.
6627730 yus
Wow that is awesome! But now Zuko & Iroh won't travel allowed in the Earth Kingdom.
Zhao has just stepped in it. He has angered the spirts, and envoked the wrath of the sea.
Moral of the story, don't mess with the spirit world. It never ends well for mortals, just look at LoK.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I swear the water tribe needs to build some sort of river way into that pool the moon spirit is residing in...could save them a lot of trouble if that thing wasn't locked in one place.
Better bring Zhao his brown pants.
I was expecting the Water Spirit being channeled by Aang, but this is much worse
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
6627760 you realize how fragile koi ponds are? They make an outward channel then the temp changes then the fish die. Seriously doubt the intelligence of their choice in forms.
See, Avatar Bound Water Spirit would do less damage to the fleet than the kraken would
The spirit wouldn't take unnessesary life. The kraken has 'cruel wisdom'. AKA: get rekt.
But... since the moon spirit isn't being killed in this one (You go Cadie!), what does this mean for Sokka's love triangle?
6627760 The pool is more a spiritual location than a physical one. They are locked there for... reasons.
6627788 That said, it's from a tactical standpoint, fairly important, the water tribe should probably consider contingencies for moving it to a temporary location at the least.
This mission isn't kraken up to be as advertised.
Mother of all things holy. I'm not well versed in tropes like the kraken, but even I recognize that Zhao really really really stepped in it. That's one thing I didn't like about Zhao in the first place. His head was too big for his own good. Those guys who think 'I'm so strong I'm more powerful than the gods and the world must bend to me'! Get a healthy dose of humility Zhao!! Oops! Too late. You've already pushed too far. Foolish mortal.
Well, this is new....
When they said Deep One i was thinking somthing like "Shit Cthulu's gonna kill ala y'll"
.....why did I suddenly imagined the kraken having a duck face? XD
And suddenly, this just got darker.
Clever.
Ah.
Indeed.
Oh dear.
What are you thinking?
What are you thinking?
Oh?
Oh dear.
Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no man look up at the sky with hope! And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake, the Kraken.
Well
Cue Davy Jones rising.
Ooh! IDEA!
Pony gets adopted by Jack Sparrow!
Lyra?
6627817 dammit Barb!
Is this kraken the spirit that attacked Korra in book 2 when she was headed to the fire nation?
omg Zhao meat Kraken.Kraken meat zhao. Kraken hear hav my hentai collection have fun boys.
6627856
You must be thinking of its lesser-known cousin, the Quacken
6627993 Then I had best continue fighting the writer's block dragon and get my story finished! I don't want to start posting my next story until The Jasmine Dragon is done.
O.o >.< 0.0 Nope! There's no way Zhao survived that attack. At least not without losing a limb or something.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
6627931 that...would be amazing
6627939
Y r u referencing RWBY here?
6627733
It's coming monday
HAIL HYDRA
idek
6628041 And so the rightful order is maintained...
i have read the description over and over every time it got featured. and only now, thanks to the cover art, have i realized that it is not, in fact, about a dragon. or set in equestria. this should be worrying to whoever wrote the description.
6628200
Considering the cover art, the 'Crossover' Tag, and the many blatant references to 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' in the description, I'm not worried.
6628079 Are you happy? Then PM Tatsurou with the idea!
Zhao... you done goofed. In other words, don't threaten La's girlfriend. I feel sorry for all the Fire Nation soldiers Zhao led there. In all honesty, I kind of want to see Zhao survive so Ozai can chew him a new one, demote him, and toss him in jail for a later confrontation with Zuko.
OOOOHHHH, will the Kraken not want to leave and require Zuko and Aang to work together to banish it??? Something similar happened in the first book of Tamora Pierce's Wild Magic series with a Kraken....
6627760 No, a back way out that leads to a bunch of branching paths so enemies can't find the spirits. They either go to the open sea and escape, or hide in the dephs of the maze where it takes forever to find them.
6627973 *passes the kraken a computer with an internet connection* use this to. Just don't kill the guy with everything you learn, make him suffer a long time.
Uhh. I can feel the terror that those soldiers would have had. They would have had some warning it was coming too. A being that large displaces a lot of water. It would have been like seeing a small tidal wave and them bam the Kraken breaches the surface and then everyone knows they are about to die. It also sets up the arrest warrant of Zuko and crew. They did inform the fire nation enemy that resulted in thousands of fire nation deaths.
Oh boy. Shit just got real really fast when a kraken is involved.
6628091 NOT SOON ENOUGH!!!!
Congratulations Zhao, you hatched a patently retarded plan, tried to escalate to the max and promptly got nommed by a giant tentacle monster from the abyssal depths, only without any hentai and a lot more crushing than is good for you.
There's a lesson to be learned here, I think.
Do not fuck with the Spirits.
6628253
Not necessarily. The only ones that know about Cadence tattling on Zhao are the Moon spirits, the Kraken (presumably), Zuko, Iroh and the crew of Zuko's ship. None of them is likely to be in a hurry to tell the rest of the Fire Nation what really happened.
And should Ozai ask how only their ship survived, they could very easily lie and say that Cadence sensed the Kraken's approach. Given that Ozai probably still believes that Cadence is a spirit herself he has no reason to think that they are lying through their teeth.
Hell, even if anyone from Zhao's fleet survived they have no way to know why the Kraken appeared just then. Why should they blame the cute little flying pony-thing that by all appearances is on their side? And in her defense, Cadence had no idea the Moon spirits would respond with such overwhelming force.
IMO, I think it might be interesting if Zuko and company didn't get arrested. It would derail canon even more than it already is.