Violent Delights, ATLA

chapter seventeen, full moon gone maroon

17
FULL MOON GONE MAROON

MUSIC NIGHT HAD ALWAYS BEEN one of San's favourite moments spent on the ship with the crew. The musical vibrations resonating on the ship teaching her brain how to flow peacefully, as if the slowly changing tunes touched just the right parts of her mind satisfying her greatly. Tonight, the ship was docked in another port for another relaxing time. She played the shakuhachi, Lieutenant Jee the lute, Iroh singing as the cook and a non-bending soldier without his armour danced gracefully to the rhythm.

Earlier, San overheard Iroh attempting to invite Zuko for music night to play the tsungi horn. Of course, to neither of their surprises, he rejected. A shame, she thought, for she always wanted to see him play as the sheer image of the exiled prince professionally playing the tsungi horn was a difficult thing to conjure in her head from raw imagination.

Heavy steps climbed onboard. San stopped playing to see who was the uninvited guest, then Lieutenant Jee followed, accidentally plucking out an incorrect note, and Iroh quit singing. Zhao's face was a waxing crescent, the moonlight only shining on a quarter of his face. Good, she thought, even the moonlight didn't want to highlight his ugliness all that much.

"I have an announcement to make," He declared in an oddly smug tone.

"I'll go get Zuko." Iroh said, bowing politely to take his leave first. Nonetheless, Zhao continued, turning to San and eyeing the mark on her forehead with an intrigued expression.

"You know, I wasn't aware you had the sun spirit." Her lips curled into a small scowl, weary of where the conversation was going and why he was present. "Nor was I aware that you were a talented firebender. I believe you'd make an excellent addition to my expedition team."

"Expedition team?"

"Pack your bags." Zhao announced, a bold smirk claiming his lips. "We're going on a little expedition to the North Pole. Anyone who rejects may speak now."

The crew exchanged glances in the silence, no one uttering a protest. Zhao was, after all, an admiral and in that sense, people of their statuses couldn't disobey whatever orders he had for them, even though they were technically serving Zuko, a banished prince.

"I will need some time to think about it." San spoke up, surprising the crew of how daring she was.

"Oh? I knew you'd have some doubts considering how you and the exiled prince have become attached at the hip." Zhao responded, clicking his tongue in veiled disappointment and then shrugging. "Well, my offer still stands for you. I'll let Prince Zuko know."

Even as his back turned, a vestige of a frown made its way to San's face. Expedition to the North Pole so soon? Quickly, she connected the dots. Zhao was still after the Avatar and the North Pole was where the Northern Water Tribe resided, it was where the Avatar was going to find a waterbending master so he could master the element. But the tribe had immaculate defense as far as she was concerned, hence why their little ragtag crew were at another impasse. To get to the Avatar now was to declare an invasion against them, army to army. Zhao was recruiting anyone he could get his hands on to make history, or so he believed.

'I don't understand his obsession towards this vanity project of his. It's not like he has lost honour he needs to regain and the only solution is to capture the Avatar. It's like he does all this just to impress the Fire Lord.' San watched as the crew packed their things and prepared to leave, including the cook.