"War campaigns, internal consolidation, political scheming… the same routine as always."
Azula listed them casually, completely used to her father's behavior.
Then she raised an eyebrow at Kahn. "Why are you suddenly asking about him?"
"Nothing major." Kahn tapped his chin, deep in thought. "I just wondered if we've finally met the conditions we talked about back then."
He meant their plan to find Ursa.
Two years ago, after investigating her hometown, Hira, they were forced to stop because they couldn't leave the capital.
They agreed to continue the mission once circumstances allowed.
But so much time had passed that Kahn had nearly forgotten—until his talk with Iroh in the Spirit World reminded him of Zuko's previous actions.
"Conditions?" Azula froze for a moment, then understood instantly.
Her expression shifted, seriousness settling over her face.
"You mean… Mother?"
It had been a long time since she last spoke about Ursa.
As the name resurfaced, memories she'd locked away flooded back. Azula stared blankly for a moment, falling into a quiet, complicated silence.
After a long breath, she slowly regained her composure.
"It is time to address this again."
She had always vowed to find Ursa and uncover the truth of that night.
But now, compared to her previous obsession, she was noticeably calmer—less consumed, more steady.
The reason was sitting right beside her.
Ozai had shaped her.
But so had Kahn.
Since the day they met, she had been influenced by him in subtle ways.
And she didn't hate it.
Azula's stare lingered on him long enough for Kahn to become visibly uncomfortable.
"…Why are you staring at me?" he asked, checking his clothes.
Azula looked away nonchalantly. "It's nothing. I just suddenly realized you're actually useful."
Kahn: "???"
Back to the main issue.
The two immediately pulled out a Fire Nation map, marking the location of Hira.
The Fire Nation's territory was small—a narrow archipelago of burning volcanic islands. On the map, it resembled a whale.
The Imperial Capital sat at the whale's "eye," while Hira was located around its "belly."
Both were on the same island.
The distance wasn't far—less than their previous journey to the Earth Kingdom.
For covert travel, avoiding detection, they estimated a round trip of about ten days.
For Kahn, ten days was manageable. Ozai didn't watch him constantly.
For Azula?
An impossible mission.
Unless she was on an official assignment, she had no freedom to disappear for that long. And going to Hira during a mission would be suicide.
"…Let's wait a bit longer."
Azula sighed heavily. There was no solution. She felt reluctant but accepted reality.
She had already waited two years; waiting another one wasn't unbearable.
Once she finished school, she would gain much more autonomy. Then they could act for real.
Yet, shockingly—
Even after she resigned herself to waiting, Kahn didn't.
He became more persistent.
"No," Kahn said firmly. "It's better to resolve this as soon as possible. And it's not like we have no options."
Azula blinked at him.
"Before, whenever I asked you to take action, you always dragged your feet like a lazy turtle. Now you're more proactive than me. Did your brain get fried?"
She added casually, "Pure curiosity. Not an insult."
"I think it was absolutely meant as an insult."
Kahn rolled his eyes but didn't hold back.
"I want to find her soon—not just for you, but to uncover the truth of the night Ozai usurped the throne."
"This information will be critical for us."
The frustration of being forced into missions last time had left a deep mark.
Kahn no longer wanted to live under Ozai's thumb. Since returning, he had been planning how to overthrow him and what preparations were needed.
After much thought, he arrived at one crucial point:
The truth of the night Ozai murdered his father and seized the throne—
and Ursa was the only witness.
If he obtained this truth, he would gain something indispensable:
Legitimacy. A just cause.
Even if they built enough strength to overthrow Ozai by force, the Fire Nation's people would never accept a coup without righteous justification.
Kahn wanted a future where Iroh, Zuko, or Azula could ascend smoothly.
For that, public trust was essential.
Ozai's greatest weakness had already been exposed before them:
Patricide. Usurpation.
With this truth, they could raise the banner of rebellion with moral authority.
It was a weapon.
A foundation.
A Divine Tool.
Azula mulled over his explanation.
"Legitimacy… righteousness…"
She seemed to absorb the concept deeply.
She wasn't bothered by Kahn's motives. He wasn't doing this selfishly—he was doing it for both of them.
And she herself wanted to know the truth of that night.
Then she asked a question she had thrown at him once before:
"So—between Iroh, Zuzu, and me, who will you support?"
"Uh…" Kahn hesitated. "You could all draw lots?"
"Get lost!" Azula snapped, glaring, but didn't pursue it further.
Instead, she circled back to the important part.
"Let's continue.
You said there's a solution. What's your idea?"
"There is a special way," Kahn said.
He paused, then declared.
"Let me go alone."
...
Author's Note:
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