Percy was having a dilemma. He couldn't decide whether to leave the awkward dinner and lose access to food or sit through it and finish eating. On one hand, the food was really good and he was really hungry. On the other hand, Kori wouldn't stop staring at him and it was starting to freak him out.
"I have a question." Azula suddenly addressed the room, gaining everyone's attention. "Some of your guards were earthbenders. Why is that?" The sharp glare she leveled at Kori's father told the mayor this was a loaded question.
The mayor showed more spine than most nobles Azula interacted with when met her steely gaze without flinching. "Yu Dao has been a proud colony of the Fire Nation for generations. As a result of this, many families have roots in both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. My wife and daughter are earthbenders princess. This diverse heritage leaves many young people who want to serve their nation at a loss as to what to do. Recruiters won't accept earthbenders. So we put them to work as guards for the city."
Azula took a moment to process this new information. Her carefully pointed nails beating out a steady rhythm as she drummed them on the table. The mayor and his wife exchanged weary glances. Both of them praying the princess wouldn't be opposed to their controversial practices.
"The idea has merit." She announced after several tense moments of thought. "Have you had any issues with disloyalty or defection from these earthbenders?"
Kori looked murderous at the princess' implications and was about to offer a scornful retort. "Well, maybe princess-" luckily her father interrupted her before she said something that could be considered treasonous.
"What my daughter was about to say was; we have had no issues with disloyalty among the earthbenders because they are Fire Nation and they view themselves as such. The element they bend is irrelevant, as you already know yourself." He said gesturing to Percy who was currently stuffing his face with food as Ty Lee elbowed him in the ribs for his manners.
"Hmm, you are correct, having a waterbender has proven useful on numerous occasions. I wonder if the same applies to an earthbender. I want reports done up on all the earthbenders in your guard, as well as statements from the other long-standing colonies dictating whether or not they have earthbenders in their guards, and if they believe they should be allowed to serve in the military. Once you have this information compiled you are to send it to the royal palace addressed to me. Once I will return home I will review the information and decide if your idea truly has merit or not."
The mayor and his family breathed a huge sigh of relief hearing the princess give her approval. All of them were eager to complete her orders and bring earthbending into a respectable light for their nation.
"Now on to the matter which we came to your city," Azula said, raising the mayor from his thoughts. "We require supplies and a faster form of transportation for our mission"
"Well we could provide you with some tundra tanks or mongoose lizards-" The mayor began.
"I said a fast form of transport tundra tanks are entirely inadequate and the mongoose lizards lack the stamina we require."
"Well, we have been using a prototype machine developed by war minister Qin. But the machine, while being fast, lacks maneuverability."
"Show me," Azula demanded
( - )
It was beautiful. A monster of Fire Nation ingenuity. The tank train as it had been so aptly named seemed to be the answer to Azula's prayers. Well if she ever actually bothered to pray. The only problem was the maneuverability issue. If all the Avatar had to do to lose her was make a few sharp turns then she was finished. Unless...
