The Officer And The Princess

Chapter 14

"Huh, Didn't think I would be called Sir by anyone but my son" Daichi said upon hearing the News of his Promotion. "Don't you think this is a bit much, I don't need to be an officer to do my job. Besides you said it yourself you ain't going to be gone long. Forgive me Cap but this seems like a lot of paper work for something that is Temporary"

"I don't know Lieutenant Diachi has kind of a nice ring to it" Sung said with a smile. "This is just a formality for the rest of the Royal Procession I would imagine. You just need to give the impression of an officer being present. Who knows If you do a good enough job which I am sure you will, this Formality might become a permanent one"

"I ain't no officer sir I'm fine just being a Staff Sergeant." Daichi countered with a huff. "And if it were to be permanent where would they send me once you get back. Platoon level units have only one officer and you're it"

"If this goes as well as the Princess thinks it will this might be my chance to prove to the Firelord that I am more valuable to the war effort on the front instead of hiding behind the lines. Yang's are not brought into this world to guard, we are brought here to advance"

"You know many in the Army would love to have a chance to join the Royal Procession. They see this as the career route of a life time. Yet here you are wishing only to get away."

Sung shrugged "What can I say, I wasn't cut out for this line of work. If I see an opportunity to get back in the field I'm going to take it."

"And if anything goes wrong then you will have to take the brunt of the responsibility for the failure, Ain't no Nobles gonna take that heat...no offense Sir" Daichi said with a half smile on his face

Sung gave a small laugh in response patting Daichi on the shoulder "Have a little faith...Lieutenant" He then turned and walked off toward his quarters.

"Been an officer for only a few seconds and I already hate it!" Daichi shouted as Sung rounded the corner. Within a few minutes Sung was on the deck reserved for officers stepping into the room given to him by the princess. Looking through his bags Sung grabbed a wrinkled and folded parchment from his bag, folding it out on his rooms desk. It was a map of the world, a bit of kit he had picked up before he left for his first tour of duty three years ago now. In his career he had looked over the map more than once the wrinkles and small tares throughout the faded paper. Proping his elbow on the metallic table he used his other hand along the map until he found what he was assumed was the Resort Village,Cherry trail was a rather fitting name. Looking through the roads and pathways Sung attempted to triangulate where Zuko and Iroh might go to lay low. Truthfully he still wasn't comfortable looking for his friend to bring him before his father but in some strange way he figured if anyone was to bring him in Sung would rather it be him than some solider who was looking for a way to speed up their career. He figured the trio wouldn't dare attempt to hide in any of the Fire Nation colonies where the military forces would be looking for them. If Sung were Zuko he would go further east towards territory still held by the Earth Kingdom, though in truth that territory was shrinking every day How the Earth Kingdom Army was able to hold the lines for as long as they had. From a tactical stand point the Military had pulled its Elite forces back to focus efforts in protecting Ba Sing Se favoring fresh troops and a few veteran units to attempt to push the Fire Nation forces back using them no more than cannon fodder at this point. Ba Sing Se wasn't called imperturbable for nothing, the city itself was more of a fortress with its great walls. That was it, if he were Zuko that's where he would go.

Hearing two sets of foot steps coming down the otherwise quiet halls Sung turned around in his Swivel chair for a moment before looking back to the map, if it was important his door was open and whoever it was could walk in. Just as he was immersing himself back in the map he heard a loud shrieking female voice which caused him to turn around back again just as his vision was blurred by pink and the aroma of some type of flower scented perfume a pair of soft arms wrapping him in a unexpected hug "Suuung!" The voice of Ty Lee filled his ears. Sung patted her exposed back awkwardly, his family had never been the touchy feely type which was in complete contrast to the bubbly girl that now grasped him.