[Gathering more allies.]
Zuko and June entered the bounty hunter organisation where Zuko had posted the bounty on his head. He wore his blue mask and double swords strapped to his back, while June just walked in as she was.
"Hmm? Sir, I am afraid the bounty is not finished yet," The guy who toook Zuko's bounty order last time spoke. His voice was cautious, his hands under the table clenched.
Many people demanded refunds after waiting for their bounty orders to be completed, especially when Zuko set a time limit. More often than not, a fight broke out.
"Don't worry, I am not here for a fight. Instead, I want to cancel my bounty order and talk to your leader, General Zadan," Zuko spoke in a calm tone, his hands up to show no hostility.
"General Zadan? I am afraid I do not know who that is," The man broke out in cold sweat, his pupils shaking as he looked at Zuko and June. He lied to them.
His eyes looked to the side, where a couple of bodyguards stood, asking for help. Zuko naturally noticed, and he instantly acted. His legs lit up in flames before he jumped up in a kick.
Swish!
Zuko kicked a perfect circle in the air, and a flame ring appeared around him. The flame ring slowly descended onto the floor, cutting through the desk and then peacefully burning the ground without melting it.
"Take a step forward, and I promise to get violent... But it doesn't have to go that way, as long as you take me to talk to General Zadan," Zuko looked towards the bodyguards, who had gotten into their firebending stances, his voice warning.
"W-What do you want to talk to General Zadan for? You are a fugitive, right? Prince Zuko," The bounty hunter spoke, and Zuko's eyes under the mask widened slightly before he returned to calm.
"So you know my identity, huh? Even better, if General Zadan did not tell the Fire Lord that I am here, then that means he could be talked to," Zuko said, the ring of fire around the three of them vanishing.
"Take me to him, I promise to not cause violence, I only want to talk," Zuko spoke with authority in his tone. The bounty taker nodded as he led the two towards the back, where a door led to a reinforced room.
[5 minutes later...]
Inside the reinforced and soundproof house. Zuko and June sat on a couch next to each other, while across the room sat General Zadan, a middle-aged man with long hair and armour reflecting his position.
"So, Prince Zuko. To what do I owe such a visit? I imagine it's not for a friendly talk," Zadan spoke with a deep and raspy voice, vigilant as he looked at Zukoa and June.
"General Zadan. I imagine you're not entirely satisfied with how the Fire Nation is going, especially with how the rest of the world sees us," Zuko spoke with Zadan, who merely raised an eyebrow at Zuko's tone of trying to convince him.
"And how might they see us, Prince Zuko?" General Zadan asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Tyrants, war mongrels who kill with pleasure, rape women, kill babies, and rob entire villages of money, and the worst is that it's not entirely false." As Zuko lay out all the things the Fire Nation soldiers ahd done in the past 100 years, Zadan sighed with a tired look.
"I know... Everyone knows, but there is nothing we can do. Without a strong leader, those who want to resist the Fire Lord can't unite, as they fear the risks of losing," Zadan spoke, sitting forward, his back bent as he rested his arms on his thighs.
"If we untied and fought the Fire lord, we could win. But the risks are too much for the people to unite, so we do nothing but curse in our minds as we commit atrocities. Of course, those who rape women, kill babies, and such are not one of us; people like that would rather die than give up the meagre power they hold," Zadan spoke, his tone at the end turning furious as he gripped his knee, his teeth clanking together.
"And what if I told you that I can take the Fire Lord, while the rest of us, like-minded people, unite to fight back against corrupt officials and generals?" Zuko said, and Zadan shook his head.
"You must be holding a big hatred against your father, but hatred should not blind you. You need to understand that everyone who could be the Fire Lord is powerful, only defeated by the Avatar." Before Zadan could finish his words, his face widened in shock.
CRACKLE!!!
Crackling of lightning appeared in the room, and the entire room was bathed in a cold blue light. Zuko stepped forward, and his two arms spun in a clockwise angle, and one arm anti-clockwise.
Lightning exploded from his arms, sending two lightning bolts flying past Zadan, hitting the reinforced walls of metal and creating two finger-wide holes, with the edges burned black and glowing a deep red.
"What?... Looks like you have some big plans, fine. What do you want me to do, Prince Zuko?" Zadan chuckled, massaging his forehead as he looked up at Zuko, acceptance and excitement in his eyes.
"I plan to form an army under the name of Rebellion Force. With this army, we will overthrow the Fire Lord, and then slowly make the country better, and respectful again," Zuko spoke, taking his rolled up flag out from behind him, and laying it on the table between he two couches.
"How many soldiers are under your command?" Zuko asked, and Zadan sighed before responding, his voice strained with anger.
"I had a total of 2,500 soldiers under my command before, but now it's only 750 due to the Fire Lord not trusting me anymore," Zadan said, and Zuko nodded with a smile.
"That's a good start. We only need to gather a total of 13,000 soldiers to start. After all, most of the Fire Nation's army is out on the frontlines, fighting other countries, leaving the country itself weak," Zuko spoke.
"There are currently 13 Generals under the Fire Lord, and I know that 6 of them are like me, but I do not guarantee them joining. You need to go speak with them, after all. You are the leader of the organisation," Zadan spoke up, writing names and locations on a piece of paper on the table.
June stepped forward and took the paper in her hand, to which Zadan looked at Zuko, who nodded. June grinned, taking the paper forcefully before slipping it inside her bra.
"On the 17th of the next month, gather in this location," Zuko said as he left the location of his cliffside cave.
The two left, on their way to the next General.
_______________________________________________________
Zuko is about his bag!
After the war, I plan to transform this organisation into a police force that maintains peace and order in the Fire Nation. Of course, its size will be expanded.
Leave a power stone!