time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted.

[pyroelectric]

Who: Azula + y'all
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: HS MARSIVA BABY
When: Idk, now.

[Oh, she's furious at first. Waking alone in a strange place, with no one to answer for her predicament? Azula is not happy about that. But she refuses to lose her cool under pressure. She won't waste time throwing a temper tantrum. Instead she gets to work. When she can't find anyone, she looks for exits. When she can't find any exits, she finally resigns herself to examining the-- the "communications log", her augment helpfully supplies.

Hm. That's new. She absorbs that information and continues. Figuring out how to use the system is somewhat of a learning curve at first, but the augment helps her along until she has the gist of it. She snorts in derision as she reads and watches one log after another, published by individuals clearly once in the same predicament as herself. Every post the same as the last. "Where am I? How did I get here? How do I get home?" How ridiculous, she thinks. If only they had bothered to take a few extra minutes to figure out how to access the network records, all their questions would have been answered, and they would have been saved the indignity of looking like a fool. Well, no-one will catch her looking like that, that's for sure.

The more she reads, the less she likes. Her scowl deepens the longer she spends. After a while, few unpleasant facts make themselves readily apparent:

1) This is not home. Few here will recognise or respect her authority as crown princess of the Fire Nation.
2) Her ability to threaten or intimidate people into doing what she says while she's being held captive on a completely separate vessel to everybody else is virtually nil. First rule of thumb: don't give threats unless you can actually follow through on them. Otherwise you only look stupid.
3) She currently has no money with which to bribe people with, either.
4) Her brother is here, has been here for a while by the look of things. She doesn't understand how that's possible, but there's no point in debating the facts. He's also had time to make allies.
5) She, on the other hand, has none.

All in all, it's an extremely unfavorable position to be in. All her favourite tools have been summarily taken from her. Arms crossed, one finger tapping on her arm, she tries to think of the best way to spin this horrible situation to her advantage-- at least until she can leverage herself some bargaining chips, or isn't on the Marsiva. She reads further back on the network some more, until one particular post gives her an idea. A brother, separated from his siblings. The sympathy pouring in for miles. It's a masterful stroke, really. ... Well, that settles it. Mind made up, she uncrosses her arms and turns on the video feed, prepared with her most innocent smile.]



Good evening, citizens of this... ah, fleet. I am Princess Azula, of the Fire Nation. Your newest arrival, of course. Not to worry, I've already availed myself of the answers to the standard newcomer questions.

I'm addressing you today because I believe some of you may already be acquainted with my dear brother, Prince Zuko. I do hope he's all right-- ever since we were young, you see, he's had this knack for getting himself into trouble. If it's not too much to ask, I'd be extremely grateful to anyone who can put me in touch with him. Or at the very least, let me know how he's doing. From what I understand, apparently he's switched his message apparatus off to take a long nap. I wouldn't want to interrupt.

In any case, I look forward to ... co-habitating with all of you. [No, she absolutely does not.] I suppose if you wish to introduce yourself, you may do that too.

[If it's a competition the Atroma want, she doesn't intend to lose. But she can't do anything from her current position without backup and information. As irritating as it is to have to fake interest and politeness, this will help her get the lay of the land much more efficiently than causing a scene right off the bat. There will be time enough for that later.

Plus, it will absolutely infuriate Zuko, and that's always hilarious.]

Comments

private

[pyroelectric]

A man who won't participate in the defense of his own country against invasion doesn't deserve the crown. Yes, that's how it is.

private

[eyeforaneye]

Are you only being more honest now because I've made the conversation private? There's no real cause for deception between us.

private

[pyroelectric]

What gave it away?

Make no mistake. Knowing that I'm better than Zuko and knowing that he doesn't want or deserve to be Fire Lord doesn't mean I actually plan to usurp him. I wasn't lying when I said that. [And she wasn't. At this stage. As far as she's aware, she and Zuko are still a happy family again.] My opinions and my personal desires don't necessarily always reflect my plans. If Zuko comes into his birthright, I won't take it form him by force.

[In all honesty, Azula has never thought it would be necessary. She has always expected that Zuko would either fuck up and be exiled again or step down when it came to it. Certainly, nothing in his behaviour has ever indicated to Azula that Zuko wishes to rule.]

Rivals we might be, but he is still my brother.

private; whup 2/2

[pyroelectric]

[And then, more flippantly, because Azula doesn't really want to deal with genuine emotions:]

Plus, another state funeral so soon after Dad's would be so depressing.

private; 1/3

[eyeforaneye]

[ He wants to challenge her assertion that she'd never take it by force, wanting to say that she's young still and that the bitterness of watching a brother she considers unworthy taking charge of a nation that he might very well lead down a gentler path -- which she must suspect, given her assessment of his moral fiber -- would just grow and grow until it consumed her.

He wants to say all of that. But he also remembers the bulleted list that Zuko sent him. ]

Running a country involves getting used to depression.

private; 2/3

[eyeforaneye]

[ ... ]

private; 3/3

[eyeforaneye]

You say he's still your brother.

Do you love him? [ What a direct question. ]

[pyroelectric]

[Congratulations Sasuke, you are privileged to something that almost no person has ever seen before: Azula laughing non-maniacally.

It's a short, awkward, aborted sort of thing. Like a bark that dies in her throat. Because honestly, the question is so ridiculous, so unusual, so completely out of left field that it catches her totally off her guard, and she honestly has no idea how to react to it. Other than laugh. Who asks that kind of thing?]

... What?

[eyeforaneye]

[ Her laugh in no way seems to affect him, not flinching or hesitating in his steady stare. It's borderline unnerving how placid his expression is but somewhere in those eyes there's a deeper form of intensity, a true desire to hear the answer to this question. ]

You seem intelligent. You know that prioritization of your ambition doesn't exclude other emotions.

Do you love your brother?

[pyroelectric]

[Somehow, Azula manages to regain her composure. The awkward and genuine face disappears, replaced by the usual trademark disingenuous smile.]

Hmmm. That's a rather... personal question for a first conversation, isn't it?

Not to mention, you seem very intent on knowing the answer. Let me guess. Unresolved sibling issues? ... Older brother, I think.

[eyeforaneye]

[ Any flicker in his composure is momentary but not completely absent, consciously attempting to disguise it as a glance to the door before he looks back down to the screen. 'Unresolved'? That's one word for it, and though he's heard far, far worse things slung at him regarding his family and he's developed a thicker skin, just the reminder after separation from his own world is a painful one. ]

Does that have anything to do with your answer? You're quick to ask me something personal after claiming I'm the one pushing the limit.

[pyroelectric]

Of course it doesn't. I only wanted to see if you can take what you dish out.

In any case, if you think I'm going to bare my soul to a random stranger I just met, you're even crazier than you look.

[eyeforaneye]

[ How dare you, tyvm, I look totally sane. ]

Most people wouldn't consider asking a person if they loved a family member to be requiring them to 'bare their souls'.

[pyroelectric]

No? You'd be surprised. After all, family can be so complex.

... I'm sure you understand.

[eyeforaneye]

... love isn't complex.

Clouding it with other emotions you may feel for someone can make it seem that way, or dealing with circumstances that make those feelings seem invaluable or counterproductive to you.

Ultimately, though, that doesn't change anything.

[pyroelectric]

[Azula just snorts derisively.]

Love is for fools.

[eyeforaneye]

It depends on your priority in life.

Power for its own sake is much more idiotic.

[pyroelectric]

[And it's at that precise moment that Azula decides that Sasuke is a lost cause. Anyone who doesn't understand the value of power isn't someone who can be reasoned with.

So instead she just smiles and sighs.]

Well, if you say so.

[eyeforaneye]

[ Look, been there, done that, lost all trace of sanity, it's Not Worth It. ]

Power is just the means to accomplish something. If that 'something' isn't the most important thing to you, what's the purpose?

[pyroelectric]

You're wrong.

Power is control.

[And control is the most important thing to Azula. Both of others... and herself.]

[eyeforaneye]

What do you consider to be out of your control that you need more power to quell?

[pyroelectric]

[That's... actually a good question. Her eyes narrow for a split second and it looks like she's actually considering the question seriously, unsure. Like she's never thought about it before. Her driving and motivating force has always been the approval of her Father. Her desire for the throne only because her Father has been grooming her for it from day one, so she feels entitled to it.

But Azula is already the crown princess. With Father gone... it would only be Zuko who would be more powerful than her.

Ah. But there's the rub, isn't it? Zuko. Somehow, the thought of him lording his power over her, of him sitting in her seat that she deserves as the better child, of ruling the Fire Nation when he's such a miserable failure-- it chafes. And it's no secret that Zuko doesn't like her. He could make her life very difficult if he came to power and decided to enforce it. He wouldn't let her have free reign like Father. She would be on his leash, or so she imagines. It would be humiliating. The very thought of it disgusts her.

None of it shows on her face, though. On the surface, she still appears cool as a cucumber.]

I'm sure you'd like to know.

[eyeforaneye]

[ It isn't her words that gain attention but the twitches of facial muscles, the very faint narrowing of those eyes for that bare moment, something he almost misses... and thus his eyes lighten to red as he activates the sharingan, unwilling to miss any future signs of emotion. Humans are generally too difficult a puzzle for him to solve but it doesn't stop him from trying to gather as many pieces as he possibly can.

She's clearly trained in hiding them. ]

That's the reason people ask questions.

I didn't realize you'd become too uncomfortable to answer so quickly.

[pyroelectric]

I'm hardly accustomed to explaining myself to commoners.

[eyeforaneye]

... I'm nobility.

[ I mean. Just as an aside, if that helps you. ]