8 Arrival

The coast of the Northern Water Tribe was alight with the glow of the sun, casting a serene aura over the tranquil waters.

In the distance, a fleet of Fire Nation ships cut through the waves, their ominous presence looming over the horizon. At the forefront of the fleet stood the leading ship.

Within the confines of the ship's metallic rooms, Admiral Zhao and Iroh engaged in conversation. The room was dimly lit, the only source of illumination emanating from the flickering torches mounted on the walls.

"General Iroh," Zhao began, his voice laced with a sense of authority, "I will be requiring your crew for an expedition into the North Pole."

Iroh regarded Zhao with a furrowed brow, "And what business do you have there?"

Zhao's lips curled into a sly smile. "Something legendary," he replied cryptically, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Will you join us, General Iroh? Your expertise would be invaluable."

Iroh shook his head solemnly. "I'm afraid not, Admiral. I have other matters with Prince Zuko that require my attention."

Zhao's expression hardened at Iroh's refusal, but he quickly composed himself. "Very well," he conceded with a dismissive wave of his hand. "But know that you are always welcome should you change your mind."

As Iroh turned to leave, Zhao's voice halted him in his tracks. "Oh, and one more thing," he added, his tone dripping with malice. "The Fire Lord has informed me that the Fire Avatar and Princess Azula will also be heading to the Northern Water Tribe in pursuit of the Avatar."

Iroh's eyes widened in surprise, a mixture of concern and intrigue swirling within them. "Are you certain?"

Zhao nodded curtly. "As certain as the rising sun."

Iroh fell silent, his mind racing with the implications of this revelation. The arrival of the Fire Avatar and Princess Azula could only mean one thing: trouble.

Nevertheless he mysteriously smiled as he headed for the exit, "I've wanted to meet the one called the Fire Avatar for some time," He muttered to himself, his voice tinged with anticipation. "Perhaps fate will allow it."

Zhao watched Iroh depart with a sneer of contempt. 'Fool,' He thought darkly, his mind brimming with spite. 'The Fire Avatar has already informed us of you and Zuko's betrayal. With his and Princess Azula's assistance, your defeat is but assured.'

****

The deck of Ash's ship slowly approached the coast of the Northern Water Tribe.

Azula's eyes narrow as she observes the towering glaciers in the distance, a glint of satisfaction dancing in her gaze.

"Finally, we've made it." She remarks.

Ash nods in agreement, his gaze fixed on the icy landscape ahead. "Indeed," he responds, his tone measured. "It's been quite the journey."

The voyage from the Fire Nation to the Northern Water Tribe had taken 3 weeks weeks, with varying weather conditions that affected the speed of their vessel. 

Azula's seemed displeased as she grumbled, "You didn't even teach me a single technique this entire time."

Ash raised an eyebrow as if it was obvious, "Your punishment for lying."

"But you said you would teach me!" Azula protested, her tone tinged with irritation.

"Yes, I did," Ash agreed, his voice firm but patient. "But I never said it would be now."

Azula's frustration only grew at his calm response, but she knew arguing further would be futile, 'Usually I wouldn't act so rashly, but being around him has me acting more volatile by the day.'

With a resigned sigh, she muttered, "Fine, let's just get this over with."

As they dropped down to the side of the ship atop a canal, they swiftly cut the ropes holding it, causing it to plunge into the water with a splash.

Splash!

Azula then looked at Ash expectantly before he picked up the wooden oars meant for rowing, rotating his arms in preparation.

"So because I'm a man, I have to do it. Sexist much?" He remarked sarcastically.

Azula lightly chuckled at his comment, but their amusement was short-lived as they both froze in place. Her expression quickly turned cold, and Ash pointed at her accusingly.

"Did the oh-so-cold Princess Azula just genuinely laugh?" He teased.

Azula's demeanor shifted, arms crossed defensively. "I did not." She insisted.

Ash's playful smile widened. "You so did! Don't tell me the baby princess is softening up to me?"

Glaring, Azula retorted, "Don't call me that! And if I said I didn't do it! I didn't do it!"

Ash raised his hands in mock surrender. "Whatever the mighty princess believes."

With that, he resumed rowing the boat, steering them closer and closer to the Northern Water Tribe, the towering glaciers drawing nearer with each stroke of the oars.

As they approached the Northern Water Tribe, Ash guided the canal as close as he could to the towering Glacier. Bringing the boat to a halt, he stood up slowly, taking a moment to stretch before focusing his attention on the glacier before him.

With deliberate movements, Ash extended both fists forward, a wave of yellow fire streaming out and engulfing the ice.

As the flames made contact, hot vapor rose into the air, melting the ice and creating an opening. He carefully controlled his bending, ensuring that the hole was wide enough for them to pass through but not too large to draw attention.

After a few minutes of precise manipulation, a passage had been carved into the glacier.

Nailing the canal to the ice, Ash was the first to step through, crouching down and extending his hand to help Azula out of the canal. She accepted his hand and leaped gracefully onto the ice, joining him inside the makeshift cave.

Glancing around the interior, Azula voiced her concern, "Hopefully it won't collapse on us." Her eyes scanned the walls and ceiling cautiously, wary of any signs of instability.

Ash waved away Azula's concerns with a confident smirk, "It'll be fine."

He reached into a sack slung over his back and tossed it onto the ground before her. "You'll need to change into your Merchant clothes."

Nodding in understanding, Azula began to change, taking advantage of the moment when Ash looked away. Once she was ready, she inquired about his attire. "What about your clothes?" She asked, eyeing his outfit with disdain.

Ash shrugged indifferently. "No need to change. This is normal attire."

Azula wrinkled her nose with a mocking expression, "You look like a homeless hobo."

Unfazed by her insult, both of them were prepared, as Ash took the lead, using his firebending to carve a pathway through the ice. Azula followed closely behind him, the only light in the dark path emanating from his bending.

For over an hour, Ash maintained a steady stream of fire, slowly but steadily melting the ice and creating a path forward.

As they neared the end of the tunnel, a streak of sunlight broke through the snow ahead, surprising Azula.

"How much Chi Energy do you have?" She asked incredulously, amazed by his endurance. To sustain such constant firebending was unheard of, even among skilled benders like herself or her father.

Ash offered his usual smirk, "Like I said before, I learned some neat tricks."

With that, he continued onward, poking a small hole through the ice to observe their surroundings. Seeing some children playing nearby, he waited until they were gone before swiftly pushing the ice outwards and jumping out, Azula following closely behind.

They quickly replaced the ice and covered their tracks with snow, disappearing into the bustling streets of the Northern Water Tribe.

Seamlessly blending in with the crowd, Azula glanced toward Ash as he suddenly grabbed her hand and walked with his eyes closed.

"What are you doing?"

"My eyes are quite distinctive, so it's best for me to act blind." He explained.

Azula nodded in understanding, forgetting about how his eyes are easily identifiable, "Let's go find an inn." She suggested, scanning their surroundings for a suitable establishment.

They eventually stumbled upon a modest inn with a reasonable price.

As darkness enveloped the sky, they decided to book a single room to conserve money. Inside their dimly lit chamber, they settled onto the bed, facing each other, mere inches away.

"Alright," Ash began, his voice low as he considered their options. "We've successfully infiltrated the Northern Water Tribe, but our main objective remains capturing the Avatar, along with Zuko and Iroh if possible."

Azula nodded, "Admiral Zhao and his group will likely be joining the fray soon, most likely with Zuko and Iroh in tow."

"For now," He continued, "we'll wait until reinforcements arrive. Once we have enough numbers, we'll launch a coordinated attack on the Avatar and his group. We'll need to be strategic about it, using the daylight to our advantage and retreating when night comes."

Azula furrowed her brows, her expression tense as she spoke. "I disagree. Killing the moon spirit would be the best action to disable the water benders and guarantee our victory."

Ash shook his head, his tone serious. "The Ocean Spirit's wrath would descend on the Fire Nation if we were to kill the moon spirit."

"Don't tell me you're scared," She retorted, her voice laced with challenge. "We could effectively defeat the Northern Water Tribe. What else matters?"

Ash remained firm, his gaze unwavering. "Don't be foolish, Azula. The spirits are mysterious beings whose powers know no bounds, especially ones like the Moon spirit and Ocean spirit. If we were to kill it, the consequences would be dire. The oceans would be permanently against us, leading to a poisoned water supply, disrupted trade, and inevitable losses in battles overseas. Can the Fire Nation sustain such losses?"

Azula's expression hardened as she processed his words. She wasn't the most enlightened when it came to spirits, but if what Ash was saying was true, then it would indeed be problematic.

"Alright, alright, you win." She conceded reluctantly.

With their plan set, they closed their eyes and prepared to rest, knowing that the coming days would bring challenges.

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