Dawn of a New Prince (Star Wars/Avatar Crossover)

Azula

Azula's lips pushed together as she looked at uncle, a subtle smirk on her face as she stayed silent for a few more seconds. But then the Girl sighed, acting as though Uncle should of understood something but didn't.

"He wont. Zareal is pathetic, like an Airbender in his philosophies. He wouldn't even eat the meat he was offered back in New Ozai. He talks about keeping balance constantly.... You'd probably love his company, Uncle."

"Aww... That sucks. Couldn't that Vader guy give him some time off?" Ty Lee asked Mai mischievously, "He needs to spend to spend some time with an old friend. And he looks more like a Zuko to me. Darth Helios sounds so... weird!"

Iroh

Iroh nodded and said, "I suppose I will simply have to trust in your judgement." In any other situation he would never have said that, but with time running out and allies thin, he was willing to gamble the trustworthiness of another who wanted Vader defeated. "So where is your ally now?"

((To get things moving again, I'll take over as Azula until Alec returns.))

Azula

"He is...around. Probably in the Lower District trying to help out the peasants, no doubt. He'll show up soon, though." Azula replied. He'd better, Azula inwardly added. That troublesome Jedi had disappeared the day before and had yet to return, though the Princess was confident he'd return soon enough.

Zareal

Zareal ran through the streets, much to the surprise and anger of the many people in his way in the Middle Ring. The Princess was close, he knew it, felt it, and needed to acquire her aid, the two of them having better odds than him alone. He stopped outside an apartment building, and felt it. "Another is with her," he muttered, and entered the building.

He climbed the stairwell quickly, after questioning some inside about where the girl with the scar was. An elderly man's room, had been the response, and curious, he took off. He reached the floor and made his way down the halls to the door, and quickly knocked.

Helios

Helios stood in an alley across from the apartment. The Jedi went in, for some reason, but he would have to come out sometime, and then he would fulfill his mission.

Iroh

Iroh didn't like how vague she sounded, either hiding something or not as sure as she tried to portray. He was about to respond when a knock came at the door. He shot a glance at Azula before walking to it and opening it, revealing a man in brown robes. "There you are," the man said, looking to Azula.

Azula

"Ah, Zareal. Good, you're here. Iroh, this is Zareal. Zareal, this is my uncle Iroh. I've recruited him to our cause to defeat Vader." Azula quickly said. She noticed that Ty Lee wasn't with him, which affirmed her suspicions of the girl's betrayal. The princess clenched her fists in anger for a moment, but otherwise displayed an outward appearance of being calm. Ty Lee--and Mai--would be for their betrayal in due time...but now was not the moment to think about such things.

"Where have you been the past few days, Zareal?"

Zareal/Iroh

Iroh nodded and said, "please, come in." Zareal nodded and walked in quickly. "This is good, but we've little time for pleasantries. Vader's apprentice has been following me since I entered the city." Iroh's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing as he let the strange man continue. Zareal sighed and said, "So much to explain and so little time to do so. While working with you, Azula, I heard and felt the Avatar's presence in the city, and found him.

I convinced him and his friends to trust me enough to join forces against Vader, and with one of the Emperor's Hands, a Force user not as powerful as me but more dangerous. We were captured by Vader and then escaped, which wasn't easy when a bounty hunter joined the fray on Vader's side. Now they are at a temple to the east with a Master of the Force, I came back to bring you so we can cooperate and share information and coordinate a better plan." He finished and added, "I can give more details on the way, but we've been here too long. I can lead us to the Avatar's Bison so we may join him."

Azula

"You know where the Avatar is?!" Azula's eyes flashed in surprise, which quickly turned into anger. How dare Zareal not tell her this! While killing Zuko was her top priority now, finding and killing the Avatar was still an important goal in her current mission.

Zareal/Iroh

"Yes, and I can see your upset," Zareal said. "I have my reasons for my actions but now is not the time nor place to discuss them." Iroh looked surprised and pleased with this knowledge. "Then we should join them soon."

Azula

"...Very well. If it means I can defeat Zuko and Vader, I'll join forces with the Avatar." Azula reluctantly said. But once that is over, she continued in her mind, the Avatar would be hers...

"So, with that out of the way, shall we leave?"

Zareal/Iroh/Helios

"Yes, though I doubt we will be able to leave without a fight," Zareal said. The apprentice was close, but Zareal wasn't sure where, so there was a possibility they could sneak by and get away without a confrontation. If only I had my lightsaber, I would not be at such a disadvantage, he thought.

As they left and got to the building's exit, Iroh taking provisions he needed, Helios stepped into view, mere meters from the trio. "I wondered what errand brought you back here, Jedi. Though I have to say, I never expected to see the three of you together," Helios said, talking confidently, though his attack plan had changed considerably. I can't test myself against him now, Uncle and Azula are both too powerful benders for me to take on as well as an armed Jedi.

Zareal's eyes widened in surprise, he was closer than he had thought. The apprentice seemed to have three lightsabers on his person too, one of which was his own. I see, he wanted to fight me alone, to test how far he had come, or simply strike me down with my own weapon I assembled. Either way, it is within reach and if I can acquire it, he will have trouble.

Iroh had not expected to see Zuko here, and in such a state. His nephew had changed, physically and spiritually, he was so pale, and felt dark. "What has he done to you," Iroh asked, unable to hold words back. "Uncle, are you still so blind? What I am is my own doing, Vader just gave me the opportunity," Helios said. "And Azula, I'm almost surprised to see you're still standing. After Vader gave you your scar and your two friends abandonded you, I thought you might have gone crazy or something." His smile was smug, the dark side making it seem much more malevolent than it would have before.

Azula

Azula's eyes flashed with rage at Zuko's words. The princess clenched her fists before sending a jet of blue fire at her brother.

"You have no right to talk to me that way!"

Zareal/Iroh/Helios

Helios' hand shot forward, and the fire was diverted to either side of him. "The truth hurts, I imagine. Such a high fall from grace, alone, friendless, and weak. You can't compare to me, Vader, even your allies are more of a threat." He drew his lightsabers, igniting them, his face now bathed in their red light.

"Zuko, you don't have to do this, you can find redemption," Iroh said. "Enough of this Uncle, I have no interest in your nonsense." "But is this what you want to happen to your home? Overrun by the Empire, ruled by fear and hatred, your own people exploited for their gifts," Zareal asked. "Your own spirit corrupted by the dark side? Never to find happiness or peace?" "Peace is a lie, there is only passion," Helios spat back, glaring at the Jedi.

Without another moment he leapt at Zareal, sabers slashing from different angles. Zareal fell back to the ground, the sabers missing him by a second. Iroh darted backward, and shot flames out at his nepheq.

Azula

Azula leapt to Zuko's side and sent short blasts of blue flame at her brother, snarling at him while she did so. How dare he! No one spoke to her in that manner! Zuko would die for what he had said.

All my Characters

Helios held out his hands, a barrier shielding him from the fire. This left him open to an attack from the front as Zareal pushed him back with the Force. Helios managed to roll with it and end up on his feet, smirking. "If that is the best you can do, no wonder your kind were annihilated," he told Zareal. For his part, Zareal ignored him and leapt toward him, while Iroh was right behind him.

Zareal tried to pull his lightsaber from Helios' waist, but Helios stuck a hand out to nullify his attempt. Zareal suddenly stopped and jumped to the side, while Iroh let a stream of fire go from his palms, catching Helios by surprise. He dropped to the ground to avoid it and rolled, getting back to his feet.

Azula

The Princess hung back from the fighting and prepared herself to use her best attack on Zuko. She attempted to calm herself, but Azula did not have much success. Azula let out a frustrated growl and proceeded on with the strike anyway. After a moment of gathering her strength the Princess stuck out one arm, and fired a blast of lightning at her brother.

((It's been awhile since I saw Azula bend lightning or whatever, so if I got anything wrong in the process, forgive me.))

My Crew

Helios saw the lightning coming and managed to absorb the power on a lightsaber. "I forgot how powerful your lightning was," he told Azula, but an evil grin settled on his face. "Try mine." He gathered the force, and sent a few bolts of Sith Lightning toward his sister. His evil smile faltered when he felt the Jedi's lightsaber fly off his waist and into the Jedi's hands. "Kriffing Jedi," Helios swore.

Zareal watched as the apprentice gathered the force to show off, and realized this was the moment to strike. He grabbed his lightsaber from the Apprentice's waist and ignited it, and the Apprentice seemed to realize that now he was in for more trouble. "You can surrender, and come to the light side," Zareal said, trying one last time to appeal to the head strong young man. Helios leapt at him, forgetting about Iroh and Azula for the moment as his objective became the most dangerous of his opponents.

Azula

Azula barely dodged the lightning, which ended up striking a curtain. The curtain burst into flame, and sparks from the fire were spread around as other objects in the room started to catch fire. Azula took a look around the apartment once before quickly retreating. The entire room would be engulfed in fire soon, and she didn't want to be there when the roof collapsed.

(I thought they were outside the building.)

My Roles

"Can you do anything to control this," Zareal asked Iroh, as the room caught on fire. "I'm afraid not, it is spreading far too quickly," Iroh said. "Then we need to go," Zareal said, and turned to Helios, who was torn between his objective and the risk. "Another day, Jedi," he finally said, and left the building, dissappearing from sight. Zareal and Iroh escaped the building as well, and watched as it spread throughout the structure. "So many lives will be hurt by this," Zareal said.

((Hm? I thought they were still inside Iroh's apartment.))

Azula

Azula watched with Iroh and Zareal as the rest of the apartment building caught fire. "It doesn't matter. Zareal, take us to the Avatar's bison. Now."

Zuko was lucky, but he wouldn't be next time, Azula swore that. Once they grouped with...the Avatar, they would be able to take on Zuko and his new master. And once the final battle began, the both of them would perish for what they'd done to her. Azula would have her revenge, soon enough...

Zareal/Iroh

"They will send more of their agents to keep us from leaving if we do not get their quickly," Iroh commented. "Right," Zareal said, and lead the way back out of the city. He would have argued the point about the lives upturned by the unfortunate event, but the Princess wouldn't understand, or would disregard his point, and she did have her own point. Thousands more would be thrown into the Empire's regime if they failed, and it started by leaving the city quickly.

OOC: I know we're not focusing on the Avatar group right now, but I've been itching to write something. I've been away too long.

***

In the hours following the group "chakra opening" session, Toph had slept. The past few days had exhausted her, in more ways than one, and the respite was a welcome one. She knew all too well that it was unlikely to last for long, so she appreciated the peace while it was still around.

Once she awoke, Toph found an empty area of the Air Temple. It was not difficult. The place was more or less a museum, an artifact all its own; there was no one around besides herself and the others. She stretched and did some light earthbending exercises.

She knew she would have to get used to her body sooner or later. She would have to learn to earthbend effectively without one of her hands. It was strange, but she soon discovered that she was not nearly as lacking as she feared she might be. She was a little off balance, and she kept trying to do things with her missing hand before she remembered the truth, but she still had her strength and ability.

Thank goodness Vader had not taken one of her feet. Then she might have been in trouble.

(Just letting you, after tomorrow, I won't be on for a week, so I might as well post something. My characters are free to be borrowed until I come back.)

Sokka yawned a bit as he sat up, shivering a little at his dream. That talk with Aang the night before had been rather uncomfortable. In fact, he had just dreamed of Katara being nine months pregnant. Personally, he was grateful he hadn't screamed when he woke up.

He stood up and left the room he was sharing with Aang, glaring at the Avatar for a moment before he headed for one of the old fountains and washed his face.

Hearing a noise, he look up and ran over to a balcony. He smiled a little at what he saw. It was good to see her being her old self again. Strange. He had always admired her earthbending, but was she always that graceful? His tan skin reddened a little and he continued to watch, hoping she didn't notice him watching.

Toph stopped her bending practice. She was unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Even though she was blind, she had that "eyes on the back of her head" feeling like anyone else.

She spread out her senses. It helped that the Temple was made of stone. She could see most everything nearby.

She grinned when she found what, or who, she was looking for.

"Hey there, Sokka."

Sokka grimaced a little. No one could ever take Toph by surprise. He ran down a nearby staircase so he could talk to her up close.

"Hey, Toph," he told her with a grin, "Couldn't sleep?"

After all, it was unusual for any of the two to wake up early. Katara was usually the one that woke them both up. For his part, Sokka had an excuse. Nightmares about pregnant sisters didn't make sleeping any easier.