The Chong Sheng Trilogy: War by rachelthedemon

The Journey North

Disclaimer: I own not, you sue not.

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The Chong Sheng Trilogy

PART I: War

Chapter 9: The Journey North

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Sokka glared at the sticks in his hands, tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he once again rubbed them against each other vigorously, blowing on them with desperate heaves as a thin wisp of smoke rose from between. Only to dissipate a moment later when his hands and lungs grew tired. He dropped them in frustration on the pile between the stones, growling.

"Oh come on, can't I do anything right tonight?"

"You really want us to answer that one, don't you?" Katara snorted, helping Zuko and Iroh set up the tents. The former watched him with no-nonsense serious business written across his face, the latter with wry amusement.

"Well instead of making wisecracks over there, you could try helping," he pouted.

"Sokka? I'm a Waterbender. You want me to put your nonexistent campfire out?"

"You still have hands, yanno."

Zuko rolled his eyes, leaning the tent support against a nearby tree. "Oh for Laozi's sake..." He struck stance, launching a tiny pinpoint of a fireblast at the sticks.

Sokka shrieked, spinning out of the way and rounding on him once he was sure he wouldn't get singed. "What the hell do you think you'r--!"

The unmistakable crackling and smell of burning wood made him turn around, a hearty blaze greeting him with that bright orange glow and enveloping warmth. He stared for a few moments, before turning back to Zuko, who had moved on to the task of securing the tent supports.

"...That's useful."

Iroh smiled, turning to Katara and Zuko. "If you two can handle this, I'll have the tea and supper ready by the time you're done."

She nodded, grabbing the rope to secure the supports' meeting at the top, while he started pulling out the heavy tent covering. It seemed Fire Nation tent-making was a lot simpler than her own people. No four-corner things with a covering out front to stand under in the rain, no large two-room tents if you were lucky enough to know how to build it... Just a simple meeting of four large sticks tied together at the top -- with enough room for the cooking fire's smoke to escape, of course -- and a covering of heavy skin attached with hooks and fasteners to the rope holding the supports. Maybe a floor if they thought about it, which Zuko obviously did as he was fastening it to the supports underneath and pitching it to the ground.

"Crude, but effective," she murmured, hooking the covering through one of the spaces between the rope. He looked up at her from securing the supports on the bottom so the whole thing wouldn't blow down if they sneezed wrong.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You saw ours back at my village. Not the easiest things to put up. They look great, but you can't break for camp less than two hours before nightfall or you're screwed. And if it's raining, forget it." She sighed, kneeling down to help him after getting the top secured. "You can put yours up in a hurry if you had to. Gives you more time before dark to travel. Pretty efficient, no?"

He averted his gaze to the spike he was driving through the floor of the tent. "It's nothing to do with my people. It's a military thing. You have to be able to make and break camp as quickly as possible, because it could mean your life or the lives of other soldiers if you aren't where you should be on schedule."

She frowned, watching him as he drove in a second spike. "...I see."

He wiped the back of his hand across his forehead, standing up to survey the structure. "That should do it."

"Mmm. Tea sounds good right now, too."

A lopsided grin crossd his lips. "I believe our specials today are black lychee, white jasmine, and green spring cherry."

She returned the look. "Ohh, the white jasmine sounds lovely. I'll take a double shot with honey."

"Well, since we're so close to closing, you can have that cup on the house. Enjoy, and we hope to see you again soon," he said, bowing low to her.

She covered her mouth, giggling into her hand and having to grab a nearby tree branch for support. He smiled, watching her. She had a pretty laugh, he decided. Or at least one that didn't sound like she'd just stepped out of a horror play.

"Dinner's up!" Sokka called from the fire, as Iroh ladeled soup from the cooking pot into bowls for each of them. Zuko sat cross-legged in front of his, picking it up to blow on it before taking a sip. Katara followed suit, but went for her tea first, sighing contentedly.

"So..." Sokka started, looking a little nervous at bringing up an actual subject of seriousness. "Fastest way to the Northern Air Temple? Northwest? Any takers?"

Iroh set his soup down, reaching into the supply bag and pulling out a leather map scroll. He unraveled it, pointing to Ba Sing Se and running his finger up from it slightly. "We're here, and the Northern Air Temple is here." He slid his fingertip to the left, tapping the spot.

"Then...shouldn't we be heading that way?"

Zuko's brows narrowed. "Not necessarily." He ran his finger up the map from Ba Sing Se, stopping at the land's edge. "The northern coast is closer to us."

"Unless you're planning to dog-paddle through the shallows, I don't see how that's an advantage."

Iroh smiled. "Sometimes, the most direct route is not the quickest."

Zuko nodded. "If the temple's been captured, there would have to be a supply line coming in. And most likely, that line would be coming in by sea."

"And that helps us why?"

"The Fire Navy has the fastest ships in the world. It would take a lot less time to sail around than cross land on foot."

"But the line would be coming from the west, wouldn't it?"

"Not really," Iroh countered. "The Fire Nation controls Omashu. Rather than send supply lines upriver where they can be attacked and blocked off, it would make more sense to send them by land across the desert, then by sea past the Eastern Air Temple and Ba Sing Se. There would be plenty of ships skirting the coast."

"I don't mean to rain on your Fire Festival or anything," Katara ventured, "but I doubt you have the authority to obtain a ship right now."

Zuko dug in the pile of blankets and clothes beside him, pulling out one of his broadswords. "This is all the authority I'll need."

"We're going to steal one?" Sokka translated, quirking a brow.

"Mmm. I prefer the term 'commandeer.'"

"It's still stealing," Katara frowned.

"I know. 'Commandeer' just sounds better."

"And how do you propose we go about it?"

"Fire Navy supply vessels always travel in pairs. One with the cargo, the other for defense. It's a simple matter of sinking one and boarding the other."

"You have got to be kidding. That's simple?"

"Of course it is. I said 'simple,' not 'easy.'"

Sokka just stared at him. "I'm beginning to think insanity runs in your family."

* * * *

It was late night when Zuko finally woke for his watch, having put away three bowls of spring onion soup and more tea than he knew he really should've. Although it was that nice sleepy tea that always made him wake with a clear mind instead of being more tired than when he went to bed. The thought crossed his mind that he should ask his uncle to make that more often. Followed by the thought that he absolutely did not want to turn into another tea addict. Serving it was bad enough.

He threw off the covers, pulling on his tunic and ducking out of the tent, to find Sokka still sitting up by the fire. He hung back a minute, studying the boy's face. Expression heavy with that deep-thought blankness as he clutched his teacup, sipping at what smelled like Iroh's prized ginseng, thick blanket draped over his shoulders to keep out the late-night chill.

He sucked in a breath, barely speaking over the sound of the flames. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Sokka shrugged, taking another sip. "Can't sleep. No sense in waking you if I can go a few more hours, is there?"

"And you'll only trust me if I'm unconscious."

"That, too."

He sighed, wondering not for the first time why he was even bothering. "I busted you out of Dai Li custody when I could've saved my own skin and just left with my uncle. I've had so many chances to kill you, it's ridiculous. But you are free, and you're still alive, and I haven't run off on you. What more do you want?"

"To be honest? Nothing. What I want is for you to just leave us the hell alone, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. You're useful, at least, and I'll tolerate you for that. But don't waste your energy trying to get on my good side, because there's no way in hell that you or any of your kind will ever succeed."

Zuko came up closer, taking a space beside him. "You lost someone to the Fire Nation, didn't you?"

Sokka turned back to stare at the flames, lips set in a line.

He sighed, bowing his head. "I can't bring them back to you. Nothing can. All I can do is make sure you don't join them any time soon."

Sokka didn't move for a long time, but simply stared into the fire as it reflected off his cold, glassy gaze. As though his mind was already a million miles away and running fast. The pads of his fingers whitened on the teacup, and for a minute Zuko thought he might break it in his grip. But he didn't. Instead, he knocked back the last of his tea, standing up hard enough to roll the log he was sitting on back a bit. The blanket tightened about his shoulders as he headed for his tent without an answer.

* * * *

Dawn seemed to break way too soon as far as Katara was concerned, yawning as she helped to break camp and pack up all their belongings. It never really occurred to her just how much stuff they had until it all had to be crammed into smaller spaces. With Appa that wasn't an issue, because they had ten tons of bison to pile everything on. Being on foot didn't have that luxury.

Sokka was unusually quiet as he brought up the tail, letting her go ahead of him and behind Zuko while Iroh took the lead. She chanced a few frowning glances at him, noting that his expression didn't change at all, even as the sun climbed higher above the trees. The afternoon heat was back full force before noon, making them need to stop and rest after only a few hours of walking.

She sat back against a tree, taking a long draught from her waterskin and wiping her arm across her soaked forehead. "This is brutal. How do people around here stand it?"

"They're used to it," Zuko muttered, taking a drink from his own skin. "It's not all that bad. Least not to people who didn't grow up on an oversized ice cube." He snorted. "If you have trouble with this, Summer in my country would melt your flesh off."

She pursed her lips at him. "I think I'll pass, thanks."

"You'll have to do it at some point if you expect to win this war. Might as well start toughening up."

Now it was her turn to scoff. "Oh right. Like you would survive a Winter in my homeland."

"Fortunately for me, being able to withstand subzero temperatures for months on end won't be necessary to defeat the Fire Nation. You, on the other hand, aren't so lucky."

"When you're done arguing about whose is bigger, you can join us up the trail any time," Sokka groused.

They both looked at him in indignation, then snorted at each other, moving to catch up to their two companions who had already started forward without them. She downed one more sip of water before hurriedly replacing the skin at her belt and getting to her feet. Zuko brought up the tail behind her as she fell into step beside Sokka, whose expression hadn't changed all morning from its frozen mask of annoyance.

"Is there a reason you're being an utter grouch, or are the stars just aligned wrong today?"

"I'm not being a grouch."

"You're snapping at me."

"I'm not snapping!"

"You just did."

"Oh for the love of Momo will you just leave me alone already?" he barked.

She tugged at his shirt, glaring. "Not until you tell me what's eating you. Or am I not allowed to be concerned about my brother now?"

He shoved her hand away, looking ahead. "You should know by now when I don't want to talk about it."

"Sokka...I do it because I'm worried, ok? Not to be a pain in the ass."

"Yeah well, you're doing a bang-up job on the latter." He didn't wait for an answer, hiking quickly ahead of her to keep pace with Iroh. She slowed a bit, sighing and staring back at the ground, hardly noticing Zuko's shadow and feet catching up to her.

"What's he on about?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head. "I think I know. But...I'd rather have him tell me himself. I hate it when he gets like this."

He watched her for a moment, before looking back up to where Sokka was picking his way through the underbrush. "You...worry about him a lot."

She looked up, as though he'd just told her she was wearing a braid and a blue dress. "Of course I do. He's my brother."

That made him frown, looking back at the ground thoughtfully. She arched a brow, studying his face. "What is it?"

He shook his head, and for just a moment she could swear he looked sad. "...Nothing."

* * * *

It was hardly more than another uneventful day's march before the cliffs of Ba Sing Se's northern coast stood under their feet, ice blue ocean sprawling off toward the horizon while impressive waves crashed against the base of their perch. Zuko shielded the glare of the setting sun with a flattened palm, wind rustling their clothes as he scanned the water.

"Any sign of our meal ticket?"

He shook his head. "Not ye-- Oh speak of the Devil..."

They were less than two miles off shore, cruising like a pair of sea serpents, acrid black smoke rising from their stacks and black steel hulls glinting red in the sunset. Katara and Iroh caught up to either side of him as he stared them down, murmuring. "A cargo ship and a corvette escort. We'll be a skeleton crew after we take it over, but this shouldn't be too difficult."

Katara's eyes narrowed. "I can handle the sinking part myself. The trick will be getting over there without tipping them off."

Iroh stroked his chin for a moment, thoughtful. "To put it simply, we need a way to make ourselves unseen until we're ready to strike."

"How can we avoid being seen with nothing to hide us but miles of ocean?" Zuko asked, feeling something in him sink a bit.

Sokka looked out at the two ships, muttering under his breath. "We use what we've got."

Zuko blinked, giving him a look as though he'd swallowed seawater. "I thought I was the crazy one around here."

Katara stepped to the cliff's edge, looking down at the water. "If we can get something to stand on, I can take us within range to get the drop on them. Shouldn't be too hard."

Zuko blinked, turning to Sokka. "Do I want to know?"

He snorted. "It's my sister. Whenever she has a plan? It's just better not to ask."

* * * *

About ten minutes later found them gathered onto a crude raft of bound tree trunks, hurtling through the water at a dizzying speed. Katara stood at the head of it, bending them forward at a nice clip while the others tried desperately to get their sea legs. Water rushed by on all sides, over their heads against the round ice casing she'd created for the top of the craft. The rest of them hung on for dear life, crouching and clinging to the trunks as they sped along below the surface.

"I don't see how not asking would've made this less crazy," Zuko grunted, trying his best not to slip and faceplant, as splinters in the face did not sound particularly pleasant.

"Oh it wouldn't have," Sokka answered. "But you know what they say about anticipation..."

"Yes, I do. And it's a load of bull."

"We're almost there," Katara warned, and they felt their speed reducing as she began to calm her movements. "When I give the signal...jump."

Zuko nodded, hoping this wouldn't end nearly as badly as he was imagining.

She stopped the raft a safe distance from either vessel, concentrating on the much larger cargo ship and starting to go through those techniques he remembered from the Northern Siege, and for a moment his heart raced at the thought of being encased in a ball of solid ice so tight he could barely breathe, let alone move.

Outside the the thin shell of their impromptu seacraft, the ocean itself obeyed her.

He could barely see them at first, thin poles of ginting crystal, close enough to the surface to catch the filtering sunlight. And with each sweep of her arms, they grew. Until two gigantic spears of ice lay in wait ahead of the unsuspecting ship. He felt a sick knot form in his gut for a moment, thinking of what was in store for his countrymen on the surface.

She swept her arms. Hard. The spears followed.

He about felt the shudder as they punched through the ship's hull, and she fought to hold their position amid the water rushing in, eventually propelling them around the leading edge of the corvette escort. He knew they were safe, but that didn't make the sight of a ship's bilge filling with seawater any less disturbing.

The raft below them suddenly lurched up with the force of the water, ice casing melting away to reveal the black metal hull of the vessel in front of them, wind suddenly tugging at their clothes like it hadn't been able to do before. He shivered, chancing a look up as they rose past the railing, the thought of what they were about to do barely having time to sink in before Katara yelled the command and the water lift disappeared from under the raft.

He jumped as instructed, landing on the metal deck, shock running from his ankles to his hips. The others joined him a moment later, just in time as the rather surprised crew turned to receive them, swords drawn and stances struck.

"Well, if it isn't the two greatest traitors of our time, in person," one of them sneered, advancing with a drawn saber. "Can't say I haven't been waiting to bring back your heads."

"You'll have to wait a bit longer," he answered, drawing his broadswords. "Maybe you'll have a chance to settle it once you hand this ship over to me."

"And why on earth would we want to do that?"

"Because if you don't," Katara said, "you're going to have a bit of trouble on your hands. I'm sure you don't want that."

"Trouble?" he sneered. "From a couple of Water Tribe peasants, a retired general, and a banished prince? You're all so very, very precious." He shot a hand forward, palm blazing. "I'll be more than happy to prove you wrong, little girl."

She struck her stance, flinging a lightning-fast whip of water that Zuko just barely had time to avoid himself before it struck three of the men facing them onto their backs. The leader pulled himself back to his feet, seething.

"Kill them all."

Zuko leaped back over an incoming fireblast, releasing one of his own as he landed. His opponents dodged the carpet of flames, ducking under a second blast from Iroh as they advanced. He felt Katara's shoulder backed against his, Sokka's against the other.

"We just need to keep them occupied," she said. "This isn't going to take long."

"Believe me, I don't think we'll have any trouble in that department."

A moment later proved him right as she turned to meet a fire whip with a quickly-bended ice shield, freezing the water when it melted into a razor-sharp spear and hurling it at the soldier's head. He ducked it easily enough, throwing another blast her way, which she spun to avoid. That didn't stop him from leading her with subsequent shots, one making her bend her back flat with a bit lip as it seared the air above her face.

Zuko was busy deflecting swordblows from those who weren't benders, spinning and swinging and cutting down his fair share. Mostly knocking them out of the way toward Iroh, who was busy dealing out rather fiery pain. And that didn't count the ones he kept off Sokka's rather exposed back, gritting his teeth in frustration. Every so often he stole a glance to the cargo ship, waiting for the cue Katara was expecting.

Sokka avoided the brunt of one of those blows with a surprisingly dextrous swerve, sucking in a breath as the blade grazed above his hip. Only to have another whistle toward his neck with a clang as Zuko blocked it. He took the opportunity to duck under the struggling blades, skidding across the deck and grabbing the sword of an unconsious crewman. And in just enough time to meet another swing with a surprisingly strong block.

He flung the man off him, striking a low, ungainly stance as he came back for a second hit. The blow this time sent a sharp pain up his arm as the force of it bent his wrist at an angle it shouldn't, making him grunt and grit his teeth against it. He dodged to the side, aiming a lucky swing for the man's helmet and landing the blow before his opponent had time to move.

It was then that they heard it.

Shouts of distress from the neighboring deck, and the sound of buckling steel. Zuko turned as he ducked under a fireblast to see sailors scrambling for the lifeboats while their captain directed them. Their opponents took equal interest, watching in horror as the vessel began to tilt on its prow, water splashing up over the deck as it neared the surface.

"What the hell...?"

Katara grinned. That smug little smirk that Zuko found himself starting to like when it wasn't directed at him. "That vessel will be underwater in the next twenty minutes. The ice spears that sunk it are set to pierce the bow of this one, just below the water, in about five minutes at your current speed. If you don't want the same fate as your buddies over there, I suggest you hand over the ship like you were asked to before."

"You're bluffing."

"Try me. Go ahead and look."

He shifted his eyes nervously, before barking at one of his men. "You. Go do it."

The soldier swallowed hard, inching over to the railing and leaning over to peer into the water. His shoulders hunched with a grimace, shaking as he stood up again to face them all.

"Well?"

"She's...She's not bluffing, Sir."

He turned back to her with a sneer. "You're crazy. Where would that leave you? You wouldn't damage a vessel you wanted, now would you?"

"Of course I would. Unlike you, I can patch it or escape if I need to, any time I please." Her smile widened. "You're out of your element. The ocean is mine."

The sounds of the the other crew abandoning ship seemed to enforce her point as the two of them stared each other down, grin to scowl, while the vessel behind her continued to tilt into the waves. Until finally his weapon hit the deck with a clatter. The rest of them followed suit, raising their hands in seething humiliation once they were empty.

"This isn't over," he snarled.

Katara chuckled, and Zuko felt a shiver chase down his back at the sound. "It will be soon enough."

* * * *

Iroh watched the lifeboat with the former crew in it head off toward the shore along with the survivors from the submerged cargo ship, sighing as the others behind him started to make the initial sailing preparations. He took a long drink from his waterskin, shielding his eyes with a flattened hand and turning to look ahead of them from the ship's prow. To think, it had been months since he'd last been on a Fire Navy vessel, though sea legs were something one never lost once they were gotten.

Zuko stepped up next to him, swiping the back of his hand across his forehead. "We'll have to work twice as hard, but I think we can do this. Though it's not like we have a whole lot of options."

Iroh nodded. "What do you plan to do once we reach the temple?"

"We'll have to beach it and head up the mountain on foot. But at least we'll get there in days rather than weeks. Not to mention they're down a supply ship." He frowned, and Iroh recognized that lost look in his eyes all too easily.

"What is it?"

He closed his eyes. "Nothing important."

"Prince Zuko...You never frown over the trivial."

He let out a heavy breath, looking off toward the horizon. "Last time I was on a Fire Navy ship, I was headed to the North Pole to capture the Avatar, for the glory of my nation. Now I'm aiding him, against that nation. So much has changed, and I feel like I'm...not Zuko anymore."

Iroh smiled, resting a hand on his back. "In a way...you aren't. At least, not the same one your father tried to raise. Not the same one he banished. And most certainly not the same one he forced onto that miserable quest. You've chosen your own destiny. But...some things are still the same. You're still the Prince of the Fire Nation. The heir to the throne and the future of the country. No one, not even your own father, can take that away from you."

Something that tried to be a smile but didn't quite get there crossed his lips, and he bowed his head as his eyes closed again. "Thank you, Uncle."

* * * *

Sokka stretched a bit as he headed out to the ship's prow for watch, cup of freshly brewed ginseng in hand and finding that an evening talk with the crazy old man, as they took care of making sure the ship was in working order and on course, did wonders for the nerves. And the tea was good, too. The thought that things would be a lot easier if he stuck around the angry jerk's uncle and just avoided the boy altogether seemed simple enough. But he knew that wasn't possible with their current setup. He could dream, though.

Yet that dream died at the front of his mind when he saw him standing at the prow, looking out ahead of them as the sun hung low and red, staining the sky pink with the fading light of day. Great. Just who he wanted to run into. Not that he had a choice, as they were the only four on this rig. Somehow, that just mad him more determined to avoid the guy, no matter how much common sense told him it was impossible.

"You're early," Zuko murmured, before he was within ten feet of him.

Sokka scowled, sipping his tea. "I'm getting some air, okay? It's downright claustrophobic down there."

"Hmm. It can get that way, yeah."

He arched a brow, having expected the boy to take it more personal than that. "Guess you would know all about it, huh?"

"Mmm. Not all." He squinted into the distance, picking up the spyglass and putting it to his eye.

Sokka frowned, watching him a moment before looking off to the side. "I've been on boats most of my life. But hell if I really knew how to sail one until a few months ago. My father was supposed to teach me..." He closed his eyes, trailing off. "Not that it matters now. His best friend did the hon--"

"Damn."

He snapped out of his memories, ears perked at the tone of Zuko's voice. "Huh?"

He lowered the spyglass, scowling at the horizon. "I was afraid of that."

"Afraid of what?" Sokka growled, caught between worried and suspicious. Zuko motioned for him to come up beside him, handing him the glass. He set his tea down and took it, giving a wary look between it and him.

Zuko scowled harder. "Good God, it's not going to bite you."

Sokka's eyes narrowed, not entirely sure of that but raising it to his eye anyway. He adjusted the lens for the farthest distance, focusing until the view became clear enough.

Of everything that could possibly not go their way, there was nothing worse that even his pessimistic streak -- winner of the Southern Water Tribe's Annual Championships for six years running -- could dream up. A sick knot twisted his gut, threatening to make bring up the tea he'd just drunk, and he lowered it with shaking hands and wide eyes.

"Oh Hell..."


TO BE CONTINUED...

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