To say Kang was upset was an understatement. The man was absolutely furious as Sung looked at the man he could swear that he saw steam rising off of Kang's scalp like a kettle about to boil over. "You not only embarrassed me, you embarrassed the Army, you embarrassed your House, you embarrassed your country, but worst of all you embarrassed your Fire Lord!" Kang shouted, slamming his fist on the desk so hard it caused a cup that was sitting on the edge to jump up half an inch before settling back down. Personally Sung didn't think what he had said was all that embarrassing maybe to Kang and Zuko but certainly not to the Army as a whole, certainly not to the country as a whole, and most definitely not to his House, he had done more embarrassing things as Lord in his sleep than he had with the comments he had made earlier. it had been the truth. Though Sung at least had the tact to keep that opinion to himself. "You specifically told me your personal feelings would be of no concern, then you turn around and start shooting off at the mouth like you're a first year Cadet who doesn't know his right face from his left face!" Throughout his career Sung had been yelled at by superiors for a number of reasons, ranging from minor infractions to things that he admittedly deserved to be yelled at for, but this dressing down he was receiving from Kang certainly was at the top of the list.
"General." Sung said standing at the position of attention and his eyes glued to the back of Kang's tent. "I acknowledge that I overstepped. But in my opinion the Avatar was being a hypocrite."
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR OPINION GENERAL!" Kang shouted. He was mad, madder than Sung had ever seen the man. And that was saying something because before this Sung had thought how Kang acted at Wan Hill was as angry as the man could get. "Maybe you have a point, maybe you don't." Kang had at least stopped shouting but he was by no means calm. "But that was not the time nor was it the place to say what you said. I have half a mind to remove you from your command and you can spend the rest of this war as a file clerk." Kang picked up his cup and threw his head back, drinking the contents in one gulp. "I'd do it too if it weren't a waste of a fine Officer, right now I need every man with experience I have and you are one of my best." Kang pointed at Sung. "But make no mistake General, this is your one and only free pass, if I ever catch you doing that again I will convince Fire Lord Zuko to demote you in rank and send you to do the most pointless and menial tasks that this Army has. Do I make myself absolutely clear?"
Though Kang and Sung were the exact same rank, Kang had two decades worth of experience in time and in grade compared to Sung, this making him Sung's technical superior. Kang was one of Zuko's most trusted Generals and if Kang said he would do something he would most assuredly make sure that it was done. "I understand sir." Sung said.
Kang sighed like a weight had been lifted off of him. "Dismissed." His anger seeming to subside.
Sung bowed and performed a crisp about face. Walking out of the tent, the shower outside had become little more than a fine mist, many of the Soldiers about the camp having taken the risk of going without their ponchos now in favor of comfort. The ponchos kept a person decently dry for the most part, but by the Goddess were they uncomfortable to wear, especially in warmer climates. He had sweated gallons of water out on Ma'inka during that rain storm he, Azula, and Ty Lee had gone through.
It was early afternoon, the Avatar and Fire Lord Zuko having left the camp for the Sei'naka mansion some hour prior. Sung of course figured they were wasting their time using words, the last person House Sei'naka would want to see is the man who had ticked them off in the first place, even if it was an orchestrated event. Though perhaps Sung was wrong, he was a Soldier after all his specialty was solving problems with force not words. Maybe at least in this case talking things out would win the day, he wouldn't hold his breath though. Sung doubted there would be very many instances in this rebellion where talking would solve more than fighting.
As he walked he caught movement from out the corner of his eye and saw Duru approaching, his helmet tucked under his arm as he held a hard tack biscuit in his other hand, a bite already taken out of it. "I must say sir." Duru said as he walked in step with Sung. "When you make people angry you certainly give the whole hog. I could hear Kang shouting clear across camp, his vocal pitch is quite impressive for an older gentleman I must say."
"Glad you found it amusing." Sung said.
Duru paused taking a bite of his biscuit. "Wouldn't say it amused me, simply giving my observation. That's what you keep me around for isn't it?"
Sung looked at the man as he chewed. "I though I kept you around to get on my nerves." Sung said, keeping a straight face before smiling.
"Sir if I didn't get on your nerves then your time would be rather dull, I do this out of love I assure you." Duru smiled back. "You know I'm just a commoner, my parents were farmers so correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't a Lord higher than a General?" He asked, crunching down on his biscuit.
"Technically yes, but in military service I have to adhere to the Military chain of command. I was a teenager when my father died, only place my title meant anything was on Sun Dao. To everyone else I was simply "Lieutenant".
"Then Captain, then Major, then you skipped a few steps and went all the way up to General." Duru commented. "As far as career paths go yours has been a successful one."
"Certainly doesn't feel successful." Sung said with a mumble as they passed through the tents and Sung made it to his personal quarters, pulling the flap back and finding it occupied. Some of the Avatars traveling band had set up shop in his tent Katara, Sokka, and Ty Lee. Why in the name of the great Goddess herself were they here of all places? "Hi Sung!" Ty Lee said with a wave.
Duru stepped in behind him breaking about three military codes of conduct and actually put an arm around Sung's neck and rested all of his weight on him. "Kang said that you could...watch over them for awhile." So this was Sung's punishment, babysitting? Duru certainly was amused by Sung's misfortune.
The water bender, Katara gave what Sung could only describe as an awkward smile. "I hope we are not intruding." They were in a sense intruding, this was his private quarters after all, but he wouldn't say that.
*
In that moment Sung prayed to the Goddess Amaterasu to give him strength because he would certainly need it. "Not at all make yourselves at home." Sung didn't really factor in how they would do that, Sung's tent was very spartan in its commodities, aside from his desk chair all he had to sit on was his sleeping cot. He had never figured he'd be entertaining more than one or two people at a time in here. "Can I get you anything?" He asked as he removed Duru's arm from his neck and walked across the tent towards a corner reserved for his sleeping cot and unlatched his belt from his waist and propped it against the tent wall.
"We're fine." Katara said with a smile. "We don't want to put you out any more than we have."
An awkward silence fell over them now. Sung didn't know what to say, apparently none of the of them did either. Why Kang thought this was a good idea was beyond him. To make it more awkward Sung noticed at some point that Duru had excused himself leaving him the sole person to try and entertain. "Sooo..." Sung said at least attempting to start a conversation. "I suppose you're enjoying the rain...being a waterbender and all."
Katara let out a small laugh. "I prefer snow personally, just because I'm a waterbender doesn't mean I like me clothes being wet." She looked at him almost strangely. "You look...how do I put this, brighter. Last time i noticed you looked pale."
"I...did some soul searching." Sung said, not finding a better explanation other then that. "I don't want to go into detail but...I had something to work through." He said.
"Whatever you did it makes you look better." Ty Lee said with a smile. "You look like the Sung I remember." If Sung was to be honest he felt like how he remembered as well, his mind was clearer, the guilt didn't hold him down as much as it used to. The nightmares still happened but somehow they didn't feel as strong. Maybe Sung had just finally gotten used to the nightmares? He couldn't say but he was somewhat happier with himself.
Sung sighed as he looked to Katara. "I've been going on a bit of an apology tour as of late and you're on that list, so I apologize for...almost trying to kill you."
Sokka's jaw dropped. "He tried to kill you?"
"No...yes...maybe." Katara said apparently not being able to choose between what to say. "It was a long time ago...just like what Aang did was a long time ago." Sung held no confusion as to what she was referring to, someone must have told her of Sung's little outburst. Had that been why Kang had sent them to his tent, to try to make him understand the Avatar?
"I see..." Sung said. "I understand the Avatar has done a lot of good in the world I will admit that. But what I saw him do...I'll never forget."
"I understand." Katara said. "But...doesn't that line of thinking, make you a hypocrite?" She asked. "You say you're trying to make up for past mistakes, but Aang doesn't deserve the same choice?"
"I never claimed to be a saint, I'm far from it." Sung replied. "I admit that over the years I have killed a lot of people, I've killed men who were far better than me. I'm sure somewhere out there their is a Earthbender who saw me kill his friends and he hates me for it. They have every right to hate me. I'm not an expert on Avatars, I only vaguely know of some things Yangchen did, I know Kuruk had a wild side, and I know Kyoshi started out as a criminal. But the way I see it the Avatar, be it Aang or whoever comes after him is going to have some that love him, some that hate him, and some that don't care either way. It's human nature."
"What category would you put yourself in?" Katara then asked. What was this? A game of twenty question? Some kind of spur of the moment therapy session. He didn't know what it was but he was ready for the conversation to be over.
"I don't hate him." Sung replied. "I hate what he did."
He was thankful to see the tent flap pull back and Mikan walked in. "Oh." He said looking over those present. "Apologies General, I didn't know you had company."
Sung gave a wave of the hand. "The more the merrier Lieutenant."
Ty Lee looked at him and smiled widely...a very seductive smile. "Well...hello there, what's your name?"
Mikan stiffed. "Lieutenant Mikan." He said, that nervousness he got when he was asked certain questions returning in full force. "I'm...the Generals aide."
"Cute name." Ty Lee said smiling wider and walking towards Mikan. "I'm Ty Lee." Sung just stared blankly at the woman who took note of his expression. "What, you didn't expect me to wait on you forever did you?"
"You're scaring the man." Sung said as he stood up.
"You're not scared of me, are you Lieutenant?" Ty Lee asked as she looked to Mikan with those big eyes that Sung had seen drive man a poor boy wild over the years. What Ty Lee did was less of flirtatious and more of an art form with how she preformed it.
Sung could see Mikan swallow hard. "N-no ma'am."
"What did you need Lieutenant?" Sung asked. At least trying to give the man a way out of the trap he had just waltzed into.
Mikan looked rather grateful as he held up an envelope. "This was marked for you Sir. It says urgent on it."
Sung walked over to Mikan and took the envelope. His heart sinking when he saw who it was from. It was a letter from Naomi. What could it be. Had Sun Dao been attacked? Had something happened to Nikkō? A million thoughts ran through his head as he with shaking hand ripped open the envelope. Unfolding the paper. His heart sank as he read.
"Dear Sung, last night Azula stole an Ostrich Horse from the stables and fled the Castle. Nikkō seems to know where she went or at least why she left but she won't tell me, she won't tell Kiyi either. I have tried and tried to get Nikkō to say but she refuses. Since the Sun Festival three days prior I have noticed Azula had been acting closed off but I had yet to ask her what had bothered her so. I have set up checkpoints throughout the city and I have patrols on the roads but I fear she may have slipped through my search grid. I suspect she did not act alone not counting whatever it is Nikkō knows. I'm sorry to drop this in your lap while you are on campaign but I know you'd want to be informed of it. I'll keep looking and I will inform you immediately if I find her but I fear she may have left Sun Dao entirely. I'm sorry brother. Love Naomi."
*
Sung read and re-read the letter over and over again. His legs felt like they were going to give out on him so he sat at his desk. Why would Azula run away? He thought she was happy on Sun Dao. He had just gotten her back and now he was going to lose her all over again? After they had talked about a future together. Sung's first thought was...desertion, abandon the Army and return to Sun Dao to look at her. But even though he wasn't in the right state of mind at the current time he knew that abandoning his men would bring a shame on him that he would never return from. That wasn't even counting that desertion during war time was a offense that could get one a date with the hangmen's noose. The love of his life had run off and he couldn't even try to look for her. He felt so helpless.
"Sung?" Ty Lee asked. Her amusement with Mikan taking a back seat, no doubt noticing the expression on his face. Or maybe she had picked up on his sudden Aura change he didn't know. "What's wrong?"
"I...She...I." Sung couldn't even string words together in that moment. He felt like he had been stabbed, the knife twisted and pulled out only to be plunged back in again with more force. "She's gone..." Sung forced himself to say as he handed Ty Lee the letter.
Ty Lee took the letter and read it. First there was surprise on her face, then annoyance. "Figures she'd do something like that."
"I don't mean to be nosy...but what happened?" Katara asked.
"Azula ran off again." Ty Lee said as she put the letter down on Sung's desk. "She stole one of Sung's Ostrich Horses and fled."
Sokka looked none too surprised. "She probably ran right to Kurn." Oh sweet Goddess above Sung hadn't even thought of that possibility. But why, after what they did on Ma'inka? After she made it abundantly clear in not only her words but her actions that she had changed.
Sung buried his face in his hands. "There's got to be a logical explanation." Sung said hopefully. "I must have missed something..."
"Sung." Ty Lee said softly as she kneeled in front of him. "Azula left on her own, don't even try to blame yourself. You did everything you could for her, she had us all fooled." Perhaps but she had fooled Sung most of all, no matter what Azula had told him, he had believed it without even a second thought. His love for her had blinded him to such an extent that he had been walking in circles and he hadn't even realized it.
"We will give you a moment of privacy." Katara said sympathetically as she took her brother by his hand and led him out of the tent. Mikan looked conflicted on what he was supposed to do, but he too had decided to see himself out without being dismissed.
Now it was just him and Ty Lee. Sung didn't know what to do. So he did the only thing he knew he could control in that moment. He dropped to his knees and he wrapped his arms around Ty Lee. She took to him immediately, gently rubbing the back of his head. He started to cry in that moment, a sort of silent whaling that caused his body to recoil with each hiccup that hit his throat. He deserved this, after everything he had done after all the blood he had spilled...he didn't deserve to be happy. "I love her so much..." Sung said with a gasp.
"I know you do." Ty Lee said softly as she stroked his hair and tried to give him comfort. "Everything is going to be okay, just let it all out."
Sung hadn't felt this down since his mother died. But then he had to keep a brace face so he could comfort Nikkō through her grief. But here and now Sung hadn't the energy nor did he have the self control to keep himself from breaking down. If she had gone to Kurn Sung didn't know what he would do if he ever found himself in a situation where he had to face her in battle. Sung hoped that she had just run off to live a quiet life some place, maybe even leave the country entirely and settle in the Earth Kingdom, or maybe even in the Republic...but somehow though he didn't want to admit it, Sung knew where she had gone...and he knew that she was his enemy now...he just hoped the Goddess would grant him the strength and the courage he needed to keep going forward.