Comprised of little more than four wooden walls a few worn out tables and uneven chairs the Madams Galore was the most popular drinking Establishment on this side of Yamagishi. In there a young woman with striking Ember eyes and long black hair pulled into a high ponytail, lived out her days serving drinks to drunken fools for less than ideal wages. How far she had fallen in such a short amount of time.
It always seemed to be busy in Madams Galore around the end of the week. Probably had something to do with the wages being handed out to the workers of the logging camp, what little money they made they quickly squandered on over priced drinks. A small distraction from the fact they would never get any higher in their stations in life. That was a feeling she new well, once upon a time she had power and influence over people like those that drowned their sorrows in this pub. She had commanded fleets it was she who had brought glory and Victory to the Fire Nation... now she was just- "Emiko another round to table six."
She suppressed the annoyance growing inside her as she stopped her task of wiping down an empty table. Turning she's made her way through the rows of tables to the back of the bar where a long counter was situated, behind the counter were sleeves lined with glass bottles of various different Liquors, Ales, and other drinks meant to dull the senses. Behind the counter stood a middle aged woman dressed in rather simple attire and apron wrapped around herself that was coated in various stains of unknown origin. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a Topknot, the back left to hand down on her shoulders. This woman was Homura, owner and operator of this "fine" drinking establishment. She had just finished placing three mugs of foamy golden colored liquid in simple tin cups onto an equally as simple Tin tray.
"Emiko" picked up the tray without a word and turned back around. Looking over the bar she spotted table Six located on the other side, this was occupied by three men around their mid thirties. One of the men being a rather heavy set individual. Sighing to herself she walked through the bar. Picking up bits and pieces of their conversation as she approached. "Their meeting again tonight, some kind of swearing in ceremony or something. I tell you it's something big."
"Bah." The big man said. "These kinds of thing's always die down eventually, ain't nothing going to happen except they are going to get too big for their britches and the Fire Lord is going to shut them down!"
They stopped talking as "Emiko" approached each one smiling at her. But one smile in particular wasn't exactly what she would refer to as "kind" it was the type of smile people gave when they saw something they really wanted. "Ah the Beer Angel approaches!" The fat man said with an over enthusiastic clap. "Just in time."
"Emiko" did her best to smile as she sat the tray on the edge of the table and passed out the drinks. "Here you go boys." She said in a chipper tone. She then gathered up the empty glasses.
"Thank you." One of the men said, his head was shaven, nothing but peach fuzz. "Say Emiko have you heard?"
She looked at the man and gave an expression of confusion. "Heard about what?"
"Those people going in and out of that Veterans Hall on the other side of town." Peach Fuzz said. "Quai here says that he was passing by there the other night and the people inside were talking all quiet like they didn't want to be heard. But he says he heard one thing real clear. He said he heard them say that a few days from now that they were going to attack."
The man who she could only assume was Quai scoffed as he picked up his mug and took a drink. "I didn't say that exactly, I just thought I heard it. They could of been talking about anything."
Peach fuzz laughed. "What other context could attack be?"
"Maybe they were... Hell I don't know." Quai said with a shrug. "All I know is the people that join that thing are nut jobs. I mean they tried to get me to go in there when they found out I was in the Navy. Said it was a "like minded place for like minded people", I went in there one time and they had a picture of Ozai hanging on the wall as clear as day. I high tailed it out of there real quick, I'm surprised the Chief Constable hasn't shut that place down yet."
Peach fuzzed laughed, taking a sip of his beer soon after. "Because the Chief Constable is a member. Didn't you know he was in the Domestic Forces once upon a time. Agni sake you ever get to talking to that guy and he goes on and on about how he was in the Capital during the Invasion. Guy didn't even fight, he was a damn clerk." The two men laughed at that the Domestic Forces always being seen as a Joke by the other branches. "I'd have loved to see what he would have thought of Kretin Valley ."
That bit caught her Attention. "You were at Kretin Valley ?"
Peach fuzz nodded. "I was. Nasty bit of business that was. I'll spare you the awful details and just say it wasn't fun."
"Emiko" lowered her head a little. "I...knew someone who was there...he told me about it once... he didn't like talking about it."
Peach fuzz let out a sigh. "Cant say I blame him. I can remember we were advancing into the Valley in tight formation when we got ambushed, I was about middle ways in and a bunch of us got cut off from the rest of the Army...I made it into this sort of box Canyon where a bunch of us had started to gather. Only had a young Fresh out of the Academy Lieutenant there to lead us and I thought for sure we were all going to die...but somehow we made it..." Peach fuzz trailed off for a moment. "But anyways what do you think about what Quai said?"
"I think it's a bunch of old fools who can't let the past go." She said, realizing the irony of her statement. She was one of those fools who couldn't let the past go.
"Well said." Peach fuzz said. "I don't know why these guys keep popping up every few years. I mean the wars long over let's just drink to the memories of friends lost and move on."
"Say...Emiko." Fat man said, suddenly interrupting the Conversation. "When do you get off work?"
Peach fuzz held up a hand. "You leave that girl alone now, I've seen her knock out guys twice your size for hitting on her. She's like a wild cat."
Fat man smiled. "It was just a simple question."
"Emiko" did her best to keep that friendly smile she was so used to flashing. "Not for a few more hours I'm afraid, and no I don't want to go anywhere with you, or be seen with you." With that she picked up the tray and turned to walk away, that's when she felt a hand touch her rear. The smile was gone now as she spun back around. Peach fuzz and Quai suddenly scooting their chairs back. Fat man had a self satisfied grin on his face. She flipped the tray sideways the empty cups falling to the ground and clattering. She then brought the tray up and swung it, hitting the man in the face so hard that he fell backwards and his drink went flying. The bar suddenly went silent as all eyes fell on her.
Fat man stood up, his nose pouring blood. "Ah, you...you broke my nose!" He shouted.
"Touch me again and I'll break your face!" She shouted at him.
Peach fuzz laughed. "I told you, they never listen do they?" He said looking to Quai who smiled and shook his head.
"Homura!" Fat man shouted as he covered his leaking nose. "I want this girl fired!"
She turned to look at Homura who simply leaned on the counter. "I told you once, look all you want but don't touch. Now pay your tab and get out, and if I see you in here again." She reached behind herself and withdrew a dagger, setting it on the counter. "I'll carve off those fat touchy fingers of yours real quick."
Fat man tried to stammered a response but couldn't find anything to say. Defeated he plopped two copper coins on the table and stormed out. His "friends" laughing all the while. Like that the entertainment was over and everyone went back to their drinks and conversation.
"Emiko" sighed to herself as she kneeled down and picked up the cups she had dropped, placing them back on the tray. She then picked the chair that had fallen up, and finally gathered the coins before walking back over to the counter. "I'm...sorry." She told Homura as she set the tray down.
Homura smiled and concealed her dagger behind her again. "Don't be sorry child, he had it coming." She said before her expression took a more concerned look. "Are you alright?"
"Nothing I can't handle." "Emiko" said. After all she had been through one groppy pervert was a cake walk.
Homaura sighed to herself. "Of course...I hope you're saving up that money I pay you so you can get out of this place. Yamagishi isn't safe for a pretty girl like you, you should leave. Go somewhere and find yourself a husband...or wife if that's the way your door swings. Start a family, make an actual life for yourself."
For the first time in a long time she thought back to...him. How she had almost started a family with him...though she did throw it on him last minute. He had been her rock those those hard times. Always close by when she needed him. But like all these others he turned on her...no that wasn't right, she drove him away. She should have listened to him more, he was right in the end. He usually was. "I can take care of myself just fine." She said giving a small smile. "Besides if I leave how will you attract business? I bet half of the people who come in here only do it because I work here."
"I'd manage." Homaura said with a laugh as she bent down under the counter and pulled out a small leather Coin pouch. Offering it to Emiko. "I put a little extra in there this week, just as a way of saying thank you for all the help...why do you take the rest of the night off, go and relax."
Emiko hesitated for a moment before taking the pouch, tucking it into her pocket out of sight. "I...uh...thank you."
"No thank you. Now get out of here child before I have you on dish duty." Homaura said with a laugh.
*
The night air was cool as she walked through the streets of Izui. Well streets was a kind word for it. In truth it was nothing more than well worn dirt roads. The town itself could be described as "well worn" truthfully, on either side of the road were raggedy buildings that looked as if a strong wind would blow them over. All around people shuffled about under lamp light, she ignored them all as she passed through the town.
She had moved into the area about two years ago after her last "grand plan" had fallen apart. It definitely hadn't been one of her proudest moments. She was under weight and suffering from a fever when Homaura found her, almost on the brink of death. The woman had showed her great kindness and helped nurse her back to health, she fed her, let her stay in the bar so she didn't have to sleep in the streets. Emiko couldn't explain it but she felt indebted to Homaura and asked if she needed help running the place.
Day in and day out she learned the trade of a bar maid, cleaning tables, serving drinks, giving a little flirt here and there to get a better tip. It wasn't an ideal life but it was a life, it wasn't long before she had made enough money to buy herself a house on the outskirts of town. To think she had once lived in a palace with hundreds of room...and now she lived in a single story with two. Again not ideal but in a way she was happy. She was trying to move on.
Sometimes the voices still called out to her, tormenting her dreams. But for the most part she had moved on in a sense...though not entirely. There were parts of herself that were still angry, parts that wished things had been different but she feared it was too late now.
Ahead of her two men stood on a corner, talking loudly to each other. Both clearly angry about something, one pushed the other and the other pushed back, a crowd was beginning to gather to watch the brawl that was about to commence. Fights were in no short supply in Izui. When people weren't drinking they were fighting, sometimes doing both at the same time. Since the logging camp had been set up and the town grew from a tent city into an actual complex, gangs had started to move in to hide from the law...no one paid attention to what happened on Yamagishi Island.
Just as the argument was about to come to a boil, a man wearing a red tunic and red pants and a black leather helmet with a small bronze plate on the center of it showing the Fire Lords Seal approached, pushing his way through the crowd. On his belt he wore a broadsword on the left and a truncheon on the right, on the back of his belt hanging on a small hook was a pair of hand shackles. A member of the Cities Constabulary service. The only sign that Izui was a town that ran by law and order though in truth they did very little policing outside of breaking up fights such as this and arresting drunks and petty thieves.
As the commotion died down she continued on until she reached the outskirts where the town gave way to forest, a single home was situated. Stepping onto the porch she pulled the sliding door open. Taking off her well worn shoes before stepping onto the floor. On memory alone she made her way through the darkness to a small table where a oil lamp and a pair of spark rocks sat. Picking up the two rocks she struck them together on the wick, sparks flying before she finally got the wick to catch.
The orange flame slowly grew until the room was bathed in the dancing light. It was a simple affair, in the center of the room was a fire pit that was used for cooking, a small sitting and eating area that was located by the far window consisting of nothing but a low table and a pillow, to the left was a rather small series of cabinets that held dried foods and jarred good, and to the right was a small bedroom of sorts. A kind description for a room that held nothing but a sleeping mat, a few blankets, a pillow, and a small chest. It wasn't much but it was home.
Setting down the spark rocks, Emiko walked to the pantry, opening up one of the cabinets and looking over her goods, slim pickings tonight it seemed, all she had was a small bag of rice, a even smaller bag of Komodo Rhino jerky, a few jars of fruit preserves, and pickled vegetables and a tiny container of jelly candy. She made a mental note to head to the market first thing in the morning and restock, maybe even stop by that food cart that made the teriyaki Chicken on a stick that she enjoyed and get her a few. But for tonight it was a gourmet feast of Jerky and pickled cabbage.
Opening another cabinet she pulled out a small glass bowl, and a pair of chopsticks she then fished out a good sized portion of the pickled Vegetables from a jar into the bowl, taking those items over to the small table she then went back and grabbed the bag of jerky, and finally she opened one final cabinet and pulled out a glass Bottle filled with water mixed alcohol, the alcohol itself had been watered down to the point it couldn't get her drunk but it kept bacteria and other such things from growing inside the water and making it unsafe to drink.
Finally she sat down at her table, opening the bag of jerky and pulling out thin cuts of dried meat, pulling the pieces apart and sprinkling them onto her pickled cabbage. She then picked up her chopsticks and ate in silence, her only company being the crickets that chirped outside. In this case not much had changed even when she was in a better position she had long since gotten used to eating alone, but back then she ate at a large table with exotic dishes full of meats and vegetables. It seemed times had a way of changing when you least expected them too.
She ate rather quickly, stopping only to take a few sips of water as she went, before long her meal was finished and her belly was full. Gathering up her now empty bowl and chopsticks she made another mental note to wash the two items in the morning. For now all she wanted to do was rest.
Picking up her lamp She walked into her "bedroom" and slid the door closed behind her. Setting the lamp on the floor, making sure it was somewhere she wouldn't accidentally knock it over and burn her home to the ground she went through the steps of preparing for bed. She unclamped her hair tie, letting her hair fall loose. She then undressed and put on a simple red dyed cotton sleeping robe. That was one of many things she missed, her silk sleeping robe that she used to have, something about the softness of the fabric made her instantly relax.
She sighed to herself as she removed the coin pouch she had been given dug through the chest, she didn't have much to her name, a few changes of clothes a couple of trinkets she had bought and a small wooden box. Picking up the box it rattled as she set it in the floor in front of her. Opening it exposed it's contents, copper and silver coins a few gold coins mixed in but those were few and far between. Opening the coin pouch she dumped the new coins into her hand. Twelve copper and five Gold. She actually smiled at that, Homura was a good woman. Putting her wage into the box she closed it and put it back in the chest, piling some of her clothes over top of it to conceal it.
That's when something caught her eye, a golden Sun necklace on a chain. She picked it up, the Sun dangling side to side by the momentum, he had given her this Necklace. One of the few things she had left from the life she had once had. She gripped the Necklace tightly, the memories coming back.
Those memories were cut short when she heard the sound of her front door sliding open, the sound of boots on hard wood soon following. Her heart suddenly began to race and her first thought was that the fat man had followed her home to get his revenge. But as she listened to the foots falls she realized something. They were light, from someone who had experience in walking without being heard. A robber maybe? This day was getting better and better. Dropping the Necklace and thrashing through her chest she found what she was looking for, a long, curved knife referred to as a Tanto. It wasn't her only means of defense but...people would know then.
Gripping the knife tightly she picked up her oil lamp and tried to compose herself as she slid her bedroom door open, and stepped out into the main portion of her house. There in her living room was a man, his hair was pulled into a military style topknot, his features that of a young man. He wore black Firebenders armor and a red cloak, on his waist was a Jian and a dagger, sword on the left and dagger on the right. What caught her attention most However was the insignia on the Pauldron a yellow bird it's wings outstretched...his insignia. "What are you doing in my house!" She asked the man making sure he saw the knife.
"We've been looking for you." The man said. Hearing this she immediately suspected this man hadn't come alone. But how many were their, Two, ten?
"Get out now!" She shouted at him. "I'll scream, the Constables will hear and come running!"
"You can drop the act." The man said with a friendly smile, or at least what she assumed was a friendly smile. "We know who you are...Princess Azula."
"What do you want?" She asked. "Did Sung send you?" No sense in trying to hide who she was anymore.
"No your highness." The man responded rather plainly. "We and Lord Yang had... differentiating opinions on a certain topic of conversation. We're on our own now, but not for long."
Azula narrowed her eyes at the man. "You keep saying "we" like I'm supposed to be impressed, so far I only see one man who is quite close to being a dead one."
"I am part of a growing Organization that will bring back the old ways." The man responded, stepping forward. Azula raised the knife higher now. "We have your father, the true Ruler of the Fire Nation. Even as I speak our forces are gathering...we want you to join us, to help us bring back how things are supposed to be!"
Azula did her best to keep her composure but hearing that Ozai was out of Prison put her on an edge she hadn't felt in a very long time. Once in a past life she would have done anything her father would have asked of her, she idolized a man who didn't deserve it. It had taken her years to realize that Ozai had never cared about her, he just saw her as a tool to be used. "Why would I want to do that?" She asked. "Your plan whatever it is will fail."
The man looked around at her home, less than impressed by his surroundings. He made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Princess...you deserve so much better than this, you're our Princess, the conqueror of Ba Sing Se, a hero of the Fire Nation. Join us and you will have everything you deserve!"
If it had been two years ago she might have said yes in a heartbeat. But here now she...somewhat enjoyed her life, she didn't have much but she did have a few friends around here...well maybe not "friends" but their were people here she enjoyed talking to. "No thanks, whatever you are trying to do you can keep me out of it." She pointed her knife at the front door. "Now get out of my house."
At that his smile vanished. "Forgive me Princess...but I have my Orders."
Ah so it was the illusion of a choice then? Alright if that's the game they wanted to play...then Azula would play it. She brought the Oil lamp up to her lips, blowing out the flame and bathing the room in darkness. She then let go of the lamp and threw her now free hand forward, a burst of pure blue flame sailing across the room towards the man. He brought his hands up immediately cutting through her Fire...should have guessed he had been a Firebender. Azula turned and ran into her bedroom, closing the sliding door behind her and stabbing her knife into the wood. It wouldn't stop him for long but it would slow him down.
She cursed under her breath at not having time to gather anything as she heard the door rattling behind her. Then the sight of a sword blade cutting into the paper like material. Without thinking she dove out the Window into the night, hitting the ground and rolling. By the time she got up the man was standing in her bedroom and she quickly discovered they were not alone.
On either side of the corner of her home stood a person wearing the exact same armor, one male and one female. They had expected her to attempt to flee....well she wouldn't disappoint them. Once Again without thinking she turned and ran into the forest. Azula held her arms up to shield her face as she cut through the trees. Even now she could hear them chasing her. Azula had thought about throwing some more fire there way but it hadn't rained on the Island in months, a single spark could start an out of control wildfire, the last thing she wanted was to be running from them an a blazing inferno at the same time.
Gasping she looked ahead to see another two figures waiting on her. Sliding she stopped for a split second and turned left. All she had to do was avoid them, then she could circle back and get her money and get out of here. Nothing else mattered. She ran as hard and fast as her legs could take her, ignoring the burning that was assaulting her lungs and begging her to stop. She was ahead of them now, but she could still hear them behind her and she wasn't about to waste even a seconds lead to turn around and look to see how close they were.
Her shoulder slammed into the side of a tree and knocked her off course somewhat but she quickly corrected her trajectory, all she had to do was keeping going that's all that mattered. Then suddenly the ground gave way under her and she fell, tumbling down an embankment into a shallow creek bed. She was Dazed, wet, and confused but still she stood up. By then she felt someone grab her from behind and hold her tightly.
Azula elbowed them in the side and they let of a grunt of pain but they didn't let go, instead they held her tighter and fell backwards as Azula thrashed about like a caged beast. "I got her!" The man holding her shouted. "Someone grab her legs before she knocks em out of the sockets!"
"Let go of me!" Azula shouted as the rest of the Capture party arrived, one of the women in the group reaching out and grabbing her ankles. "I said let me go!"
"Hold her still!" Another shouted as they held out a pair of hand shackles.
"I'm...trying!" The man said, the strain clear in his voice as he put all his energy into holding her. "Hurry up!"
"I'll kill you all I swear I will!" Azula shouted as two sets of hands grabbed her wrists and held them together, the shackles being locked in place. "You hear me, I'll kill you!" She was breathing heavily, all of the energy sapped out of her
The man she had first encountered stepped forward, a smile on his face as he looked down at her. "Save it for the war your highness." He then looked over his subordinates. "Pick her up, let's get her to the Airship." She didn't like the sound of that one bit.