White Hot Flames (ZukoxOC)

36

        They arrived at the meeting site a day early and without problem, if you ignore Aang's shortlived bout of insanity. It wasn't long before they were stood on the beach watching the ships file in. All but Rezalia had shed their Fire Nation garb. The first to arrive come via Southern Water Tribe Navy ships. Sokka and Katara bounce foward and hug the first man off the ships. "You made it Dad!" Katara cheers.

"Were you able to locate everyone I told you to find?" Sokka asks.

"I did. But I'm a little worried, Sokka. Some of these men aren't exactly the warrior type," Hakkoda says, glancing over at two swamp-men. Rezalia steps a bit closer to Sokka as they approach. "Ah, and who's this?"

Rezalia dips her head down. "My name is Rezalia."

Hakkoda smiles kindly at her but says nothing as one of the swamp guys speaks up. "Whooo-wheee. This place ain't
nothing like a swamp. What'd you reckon that is, Tho? Some sort of exploding Fire Nation exploding trap that would eat ya?"

"What?" Rezalia whispers as Sokka snickers.

"It's just a rock, Due."

"Well, I'll be."

Hakkoda leans toward them. "Is it just me, or are those fellas a little loose in the leaf head?"

Another water tribe man appraoches and Rezalia knew him to be Bato from the stories her friends had told. "I just wish they would wear pants."

"Pants are an illusion and so is death," a swamp man sniffs.

"Hot take," Rezalia mutters.

It would be a little under an hour before they all arrived, gathering in rows in front of a podium as they awaited the grand plan. After a moment, Sokka walks to the front. "Good morning, everyone!" is all he gets out before tripping over nothing and dropping all his scrolls.

"Uhm... So, as you know today we're invading the Fire Nation. I mean I know you know that. Because otherwise why else would you be here Anyway... The Fire Lord's palace is here. Uh no, uh wait, uh wait , uh wait. It's here and uh there's an eclipse today and Aang's going to fight the Fire Lord and the firebenders won't have any fire to use so that's good for us and uhm... I'm sorry, let me start at the beginning," Sokka rambles nervously.

"KataraandIdiscoveredAangfrozeninaniceberg.NowIdidn'tlikeAangatfirstbutIgrewtolovehimovertime.ThenwewentovertotheSouthernAirTemplewhereAangusedtoliveandthenwemetSukiwhoisaKyoshiwarrior.Shemademedresslikeawomanandthenshekissedme-"

Katara blows out an amused breath. "Wow, he says beginning, he means beginning, beginning." Rezalia grins.

"andthenAang'sfriendwasacrazyoldmanandthenKataragotHaruarrestedandthennowhe'sgrownamustacheandifyoulookinthefrontrowyoucanseehim-"

Hakkoda awkwardly pats his son on the shoulder. "Thank you, Sokka. It's okay, why don't you take a break? Let me just clarify a few points for everyone. Today is the Day of Black Sun and I want to thank you all for your self sacrifice and your courage. They're two steps to the invasion. A naval stage and then a land stage. To gain sea access to the Fire Nation capital, we have to get pass our first major obstacle here. The Great Gates of Azulon. Next, we hit the land and we hit hard. We must fight past their battlements and secure the plaza tower. Once we do that, it's up to the royal palace. At that point, the eclipse will begin. Now, Rezalia, I believe it's your turn."

Rezalia stands and takes Hakkoda's place. Before she could get so much as her name out, someone opened their mouth. "Why is she here, she's Fire Nation!"

"Hello to you too," the fire bender replies drly. "My name is Rezalia, though some of you may know me better as The Devil of the Fire Nation. I've been trained since birth to be the youngest and best general the Fire Nation has ever seen. Meaning, I know more about the Fire Nation army than any of you combined. But by all means, I'll leave if that's what you prefer."

Nobody says anything. "That's what I thought." Rezalia leans on the podium. "Alright, as I was going to say, the whole premise of the Fire Nation is intimidation. If you look like you can hurt someone," Rezalia extends an arm, holding a raging ball of fire in her palm. "They will believe you can." She closes her fist and puts the fire out. "A lot of people use smoke and mirrors to climb through the ranks to a comfortable leadership position where they get sent out to watch over captured territories and never have to see action."

"Of course, not everyone takes that route. Obviously, if they did the whole 'world domination' thing would've gone a lot differently." A few people snort. "However there is one fundemental part of bending education that will ultimetely be their downfall. See, in fire bending academies you are taught to bend with brute force, fight with brute force, win with brute force. Hardly anyone in the Fire Nation puts any real thought behind their attacks and honestly, it works for them. Because above all else humans are animals. And when cornered and attacked, animals will reliably attack back with brute force."

"But if you stop and think, their attacks really aren't that difficult to get around. They only use the one move, just in different forms. So, I don't give a shit if they come at you with a blast of fire that's eight times the size of your house, there's always a way around it. Especially now, due to the eclipse. Now, I also have the simply amazing privelage of practically growing up in the castle." Toph snickers at her sarcasm. "There are more guards scattered around the base of the small mountain it sits on. The idea is to stop the attack before it can begin. As such, the guards at the top never see any action. As someone who's had many conversations with them, they are the laziest assholes on the planet. So once you get past the outer defense it should be easy from there. Honestly, some of them might just turn tail and run when their bending stops working. Any questions?"

Haru raises his hand. "You're a strong bender, right? How will the eclipse effect your fighting?"

Rezalia smiles a bit. "Oh, I don't usually use my bending when I fight so I should be fine." Haru nods, content with that answer, and nobody else raises their hand. After that, Hakkoda delivers one last inspiring word of advice and everyone scatters, all doing their part to prepare. Before Rezalia knew it, she was boarded on Hakkoda's ship and the fleet was sailing toward her motherland, shrouded by artficial fog.

As they drew closer to the gates, Hakoda ushered everyone below deck. Rezalia sat against the wall of the ship and gazeds idly at the others. Though she had vanquished all thoughts of her being useless earlier, they still didn't trust her very much, which was perfectly understandable if you looked at the situation objectivly.

Rezalia may not have seen the front lines of war but she'd been trained for them. Hell, she'd practically been hunted for sport. She was no stranger to prying eyes and whispered words but she couldn't say she liked it. Rezalia's hand toyed with her dagger as her eyes moved restlessly around the ship's interior. They were on the same side for now but Rezalia had been blindsided before. She knew better than to get too comfortable.

"There they are, the Great Gates of Azulon," Hakoda murmurs as they grow closer. The waterbenders revive the fog as Katara makes her way to her father's side, Rezalia a half step behind.

"I don't see any gates."

Rezalia answers, causing the other two to startle a bit at her prescence. "With any luck we won't see them."

Neither Rezalia nor Hakoda reply to Katara's confused look, opting to turn and begin doling out instructions. "Try to spread the fog out as far as you can," Rezalia suggests. "It'll be hella suspicious if there's just a huge section of fog gathered in one area."

The swamp benders comply immeaditly, not caring about her reputation in the slightest. There was a high possibility they weren't even aware. The others frown for a moment before ultimately doing the same. Unfortunately, their efforts were for naught and the bell rang anyway. Rezalia curses as the flaming net raises from beneath the water, blocking their exit.

"Show time, boys," she calls as she skids past Sokka and Aang, the others not far behind.