Chapter 7
Title: The Double Agent
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Azula POV.
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Timeline: 95 AG (A few months later)
Do you ever have that feeling, the feeling that you have when you know you've missed something but can't quite put your finger on it? Yeah, I've been having that feeling for the last few days
As usual, after my morning spar with Zuko and Lu Ten, who I've learned the patterns by now like the back of my hands, I've freshened up and heading to the academy. The academy lasts for 6 years total, kinda like having elementary and middle school mixed into one. starting from 5 years old until you're 11 so, that leaves me with one more year before i graduate
As I'm sitting in the carriage, pondering on what to do now that I'm strong enough to act, -obviously we are WAY past canon with the differences I've made to the plot-, I'm pulled out of my reverie by Kuzon saying that we're here
Ah! Right, last time, the story of how Kuzon came to be in my life was postponed so let's start from there
[Flashback to 4 years ago, after the events of Azula awakening her fire bending, a few months later]
Apparently, Kuzon was an orphan who i ran into in one of my episodes of sneaking out of the palace to try and 'explore' the outside world -i was still into the high of denial about this world being real okay! -
So, as I'm wondering the streets of the poorer rural areas of the capital -which wasn't even that poor like, dude it was still leagues above other nations-, i stumble upon this scene where i see a group of thugs bullying a little boy, maybe 5 or 6 years old, so me, being the 'righteous' woman that i am, obviously butt in to try and save him
Except before i can, i see this kid who is probably in his 14 to 15's come in before me and, against the frail looking visage he has, beat the crab out of those bigger thugs
In contast of physique, it should have been impossible to best them, but i later on learn from Master that, in this world, there can be people who can unconsciously draw more from their chi to augment their physical stats than others
Ty Lee, Mai and June are good examples
So anyway, after kid Kuzon makes the thugs run away, of course not before they make their declaration of revenge voiced out, i approach Kuzon to hear him scolding the kid
"Ming, you know that you can't go this far from territory, so why did you? " Asked Kuzon, and in response the kid timidly answered. "But... Today is your birthday, isn't it, big brother Kuzon. I wanted to suprise you by buying that book you wanted so much... " Said the now identified Ming
"Sighhhh, i know, and i understand. But i want you to promise me something. Don't do reckless stuff like this again. Don't leave this far with atleast somone who can protect you" Says Kuzon before getting confused, "wait, how were even going to afford that book? " He asked quizzically
In response, Ming smiled brightly and said, " I and the others have been saving money from the errands father gives us. We've been asking for a little extra because of your coming birthday so father gave us more" He proudly declares. (AN/ they reffer to the orphanage caretaker as 'father')
As they are having their conversation i decided to make my presence known by stepping closer
Kuzon, seeing a stranger, although however small looking, but with a hood over her figure, quickly got infront of Ming to try and protect him
Me, not wanting to startle them further, just raised my hands in the universal gesture to placate the agitated teen, "i mean you no harm. I was just passing by and, seeing the commotion wanted to help. But i didn't need to since you came to the rescue" I said and, maybe it's because of my very young sounding voice that he let go of his guard and regarded me more casually
"Who are you? " He asked, "I've never seen somone like you around before", 'oh crap! I didn't come up with a dual identity! '
" I'm uhhhhhh... My name is... Kuzon! " I said in panic. At the time, the first thing that came to my mind when being in the atla world, and in this kinda situation, was when the gaang infiltrated the fire nation and aang, attempting to blend in, decided to take on his old friends name
So me, having remembered that scene, without looking at the gender difference and stuff, just blurted out that name. 'I mean come on! Should i have said my real name and risk being found out? ' nu uh! No way!
So anyways, as i blurted the half-assed lie, Kuzon's eyes along with the kids' shot up. "No way! You sound like a girl and your name is Kuzon? " Says the real Kuzon while the kid -ming- blurts out, "you share the same name as big brother? "
Already too deep into the lie, i had no choice but to go with the flow, "yeah... Hehe... Coincidence... Am i right?... " i wouldn't believe this if i were in their shoes!
So anyway, i later learn that Kuzon, and the kid, belonged to an orphanage. The orphanage were willing to accept kids whose families had died in the line of duty -meaning frontlines- and would, with the help of the military system, raise these kids to become soilders for the nation
Because Kuzon could firebend, he was looked up upon in the orphanage as the ideal big brother. His brotherly instincts to protect and care for those younger than him helped his position also. And the fact that he could firebend also added to him being more cared for as the only bender in the orphanage by the staff
People who get alot of attention like this usually fall into the 'young master' kinda attitude but i guess Kuzon was of a different breed. His parents must have been proud of him, wherever they may be right now
Anyways, i would later on frequest the orphanage a lot under the guise of 'Kuzon' and would even sometimes, in private, teach the real Kuzon some firebending moves, so he could better protect the little ones when they enounter similar situations to the first time
To Kuzon, i guess i just became a 'mysterious' teacher.
Maybe he had even thought that i was of higher status based on my appearance. But despite that, he never treated me differently than the kids in the orphanage
Sometimes, my older mental age broke out, making me seem older than him, so it became a little difficult for him to treat me like I'm younger. And till this day, that problem hasn't been solved
But despite our differences, i came to genuinely think of him as a good friend. Physically, he's older tham me but mentally, I'm older than him, so i guess those cancel eachother out somehow? I don't know
A year passed like this, with me frequenting the orphanage to have a companion, somone who cared and was genuinely good, as well as a training partner for me to enact the teachings i learn from Master. Kuzon, along the way, somewhat became my anchor, and somone who may have had an impact on my mentality regarding on how i see those close to me
He was the reason i recided to change the future of my family so drastically. It may sound a little unrealistic, but that is how people can impact another person's life sometimes. Maybe it's rare, or maybe it was my special circumstances, but he really did have an impact on my life
From that year i swore to myself, to protect those precious to me no matter what. And from there, i learned that, to protect them i needed strenght. Cuz at the end of the day, unless this was a normal world, it all comes down to personal strength. Politically, those higher ups may think that they are invincible, but before overwhelming strength, their illusion of invincibility becomes undone. That's why, no matter what, they answer to the fire lord. And that is also why, one of the special conditions for a royal to become a firelord is to have firebending. There has been cases of the first prince or princess not becoming firelord simply because they didn't have bending capabilities
Fire bending is power, it is strenght in the most simplest term. It is what sets apart the ordinary from the extraordinary. A normal person who has trained all their lives in the art of combat, no matter what, can never contest against a master bender. It is that simple
So, with the revelation of my path decided, i wanted to become strong. I luckily had the tools to climb to the highest as well. And my highest is when i am sitting on my grandfather's throne
Then, there shall be no one who can contest me. And i will be eternally the strongest
I am no fool to believe i can be at the top on my own either. Because at the zenith, if you have no one to share it with, is a lonely place. So i plan for those that are by my side to be able to stand on their own, even without my overwhelming strength to support them
[Present time]
Anyways, as I'm pondering the past, i get to class and the lessons start. With us first pledging our royalty to the fire lord and the fire nation, with me being completely on autopilot
'Anyways, after that first year passed, at the new year in 90 AG, when i was 5 years old, i snuck out of the palace again to attend the years festival. There i made a blunder that changed my relationship with Kuzon a little' i reminisce while idly playing with my pencil with my right hand, and my left under my chin
The teacher doesn't acknowledge this, probably knowing that there is nothing he can do to royalty. 'When sneaking out of somewhere, you should always have a third eye on your back -metaphorically of course- so that you may have no pursuers' i was, as always, able to get out of my room and into the gardens on my side of the palace, there, as i was moving to the great wall protecting the palace, i failed to see the pursuer i was so sure i was avoiding
'Once i was out of the palace, i took one the my many routes in order to avoid the guards and idly sneak into the fastival' i idly take notes from the board on my notebook
'My pursuer was apparently a spy for my mother, who later, after informing her, got her to come to the festival personally and, in the middle of festivities, find and apprehended me back to the royal palace' i remember the look of shock the stall owners and people had, when finding out that the sweet and lovely girl under the cloak was apparently their own princess, here in their fastivities, and apparently not with the consent of her family
'It was there that i got my first real taste of the mama bear scolding. Just remembering it makes my spine tingle' i shivered uncounsiously 'and it was also there that, amid the fastivities, i saw Kuzon's familiar face, looking shocked as he saw me being taken away after my real status got exposed'
From then on, a little bit of distance got between us, but it was nothing that got resolved soon after
[Flash back again, after the festival]
When i managed to sneak out again -this time being VERY thorough with my vigilance- and find Kuzon under that same spot we made as the randevue point, that's where i first felt his distance
He bowed to me when he saw me, and started apologizing for all the 'inappropriate' times he'd made me go through "i am deeply sorry! " He'd said, as if I've become a completely different person
I admit, it made me a little bit frustrated, but i guess i could understand him a little. Thinking you are of noble birth from appearance, versus learning that you are above even that, are completely different things
He later, seeing my saddened appearance, maybe felt guilty. So he promised me to get atleast on my level, before he could apologize and be friends with me again
[present]
The fool went and joined the war efforts, made a name for himself, and returned as a war veteran at the mere age of 18. Then he came and got a position is the royal palace as my personal bodyguard, and only then did his so called 'pride' allowed him to appoligize for his 'mistake' back then.
Then later on he got apparently approached by grandfather, thinking that he could buy Kuzon's royalty with the promise of elevating his status to a noble with the only condition to spy on me and relay the news back to him. 'Since then Kuzon has been my double agent on that front' i smirk just remembering the 'fond' memories
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Author's note/
Future me: quick question before Author's note -sorry- : do you guys who's reading this book find it entertaining at all? I mean, the whole point of writing a book is for others to read it and find enjoyment out of it. I myself am having a blast but it would really really REALLY help motivate me if i had more comments on my book. So please, share your thoughts about the story, I'm very active and have alot of free time on my hands so i will answer alot of questions. Thank you guys and Now unto the actual Author's Note
soooo, Kuzon the double-agent huh! Guess he wasn't a snich then. Cuz we know what we do with sniches! WE KI BLAST THEM TO OBLIVION!
Seriously though, here we learn that Kuzon's royalty rests with Azula and her alone.
OR WAIT! IS IT- okay I'll stop. that joke's getting too old 😅
Anyways, this chapter was kinda chill too with all the revelations. Honestly, every chapter comes with a revelation. What is wrong with me 😮💨 i should keep my cards closer to my chest
Next chapter, we'll get a time skip and see what happens on the current status quo.
Will the fire lord's position be changed at last? Will Iroh take on the mantle or will it be Ozai? Or WIL IT BE NEIGHTER AND SOMETHING COMEPLETELY UNEXPECTED?!?!?
FIND OUT HERE! ON THE NEXT CHAPTER OF DRAGON BA-
Thank you guys for reading my book and have a great day/night
𝓣𝓸𝓭𝓭𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓸~