In the two years that had passed, Azula plotted. She realised now that she had one more thing to be grateful of from her third life — all the languages she'd learned. She didn't have to think twice or worry about anyone coming across her scrolls. They'd be impossible for them to decode.

Azula used a mixture of Korean, English and Ceremonial Tsevhu. Her family was settled in Japan, but her mother was Korean, and Azula herself had gone to university in the United States. While she was most comfortable with Japanese, this universe used a lot of Japanese and Chinese characters. Azula wanted her notes to be as indecipherable as possible, so she tried to use as few Japanese characters as possible.

Her ideas were few. There wasn't much she could do with the time she had. She was already enrolled to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. Despite spending two years downplaying her talent, she couldn't pretend to be entirely dumb like she'd initially wanted to. Not when Ozai knew she was capable of more. At least one of his children needed to please him or he'd go ballistic. He hated to show it in front of Uncle, but his sense of inferiority ate him from inside out. Hard not to feel inferior when Iroh had slain a literal dragon.

Azula was just playing along for now. It was better for her to train her body and become stronger, sharper — enough to keep Ozai in check in the future. After two lifetimes, Azula was out of practice. This time, she would make sure to be even stronger than the last. Not just physically — mentally. She had to be strong enough to overthrow Ozai herself if it came down to it. This wasn't her most ideal plan. It was her emergency, all-else-has-failed plan. More than overthrowing her father, her goal was to be strong enough to protect herself from him.

Of course before it even came to that, Azula planned to prevent the throne going to her father in the first place. The first death flag was Lu Ten dying at war. If she could prevent Lu Ten from going to the Siege of Ba Sing Se and dying, then her uncle wouldn't have to give up his throne in the first place.

If Lu Ten didn't go, it would be a shame on the honour of the Fire Nation Royalty. It wasn't their culture to leave the wars to the soldiers. The Royalty were warriors themselves. But if Lu Ten wasn't fit enough for war...

"Azula..." Iroh stared into Azula's eyes with a frown, "It is your turn."

It wasn't every day General Iroh got the chance to play a game of Pai Sho with his weird little niece. She was clever, always had been. But the air about her had changed recently. Perhaps she had done quite a bit of growing up in the time he had been away at war. From the way her strategies had evolved, it was clear Azula had begun learning how to play the long game. How could a young girl show this much talent in a game of war and strategy?

Iroh worried for her. He thought he should have a word with his brother about reducing the expectations he had for this child.

Azula's eyes narrowed as her fingers hovered over a Pai Sho tile — the Chrysanthemum. Iroh sucked in a breath as she moved the tile behind the Wheel tile.

"Are you trying to protect the Chrysanthemum tile?" Iroh asked, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "It is strong. You could capture many of my tiles with it."

"I know." Azula responded simply.

He looked at her expectantly, awaiting an explanation.

"I just want to protect this tile." Azula said, expression unchanging.

"If you keep playing like that, you'll lose the game—"

Azula smirked, and goosebumps erupted on Iroh's neck at the sight. It had been a while since Iroh had seen his niece smile like that — a grin that promised something unpleasant was to come.

"Uncle, what do you think about Lu Ten joining you on the battlefield at Ba Sing Se?"

Iroh wondered what that was about. "Lu Ten is my son and my most trusted soldier. Of course he should be on the battlefield."

"Really?" Azula asked, "Is that really what you think? You want your son on a battlefield?"

Iroh sighed. He couldn't tell what went on in Azula's head a lot of the times, but these days it was more unsettling than concerning. He decided to make his move first to give himself time to think of a response. Iroh saw an opening for the Red Lotus tile and decided to capture it with his Dragon tile. Smiling, he gestured towards Azula to make the next move.

"How about we ask each other one question after every move?" Iroh suggested.

The little girl raised her eyebrow at the suggestion, but nodded. "You can ask first, Uncle."

It was etiquette to give respect to the elders.

"Why have you chosen the Wheel as your General?" Iroh asked curiously, "Though powerful, it is hard to control. It can capture any tile, but cannot move freely."

"What can I say," she shrugged, "I like the challenge."

I want to tame destiny.

Iroh laughed boisterously at that. "Do you now?"

Azula stared at the board, deep in thought. Come on, come on. You can do this.

Azula captured a boat tile from Iroh's territory and converted to her side, placing it in front of Iroh's Blue Lotus tile as a distraction. "Your turn." She said, "Tell me what you truly think of Lu Ten joining you."

Iroh's lip quirked up slightly. "It was his duty and choice to join the military. But as his father... I could never wish that life upon him. But he has made me proud. Although, he is—"

"Too young for war?" Azula asked. She was younger than Lu Ten was when she took down Ba Sing Se. Only now did she realise that wasn't something to be proud of. Besides, with the citizens dumb and controlled by the Dai Li, it had been easy. She didn't even have to do much herself.

It was interesting how both her and Lu Ten had been so desperate to live up to their father's legacies and yet it was only Zuko who prevailed. Maybe the Royal Family was cursed for hurting so many people. Maybe it was too late to repent for her sins.

No. Don't give up before you've begun, Azula. She steeled herself. You can win this. You have to.

Iroh didn't take the "bait" and instead used his Jasmine tile to go after her White Jade — but that was fine. Azula didn't need the White Jade. What she needed was to convert the Jasmine tile.

"Yes." Iroh said softly, "He will always be my little boy. But don't tell him I said that." He chuckled, placing a finger over his lips. "Why does it seem like you want to lose the game?"

"To win the war, one must lose some battles, isn't that right?" Azula replied, using her Wheel tile to convert the Jasmine tile.

There were two options in Pai Sho — you could either capture a tile, or convert it. Converting the tile meant you could use it as your own. But keeping that tile in the game meant that it could always be stolen back. But how could she capture her own brother? No, the only way to change her fate was to make him be on her side, willingly.

"It doesn't seem to me that you intend to win the game at all." Iroh eyed the board with confusion. "You didn't play like this before."

Azula smiled as she saw her uncle finally take the bait and capture the fleet with his Blue Lotus tile, placing the Blue Lotus at odds with her Dragon tile. This was it. She'd gotten what she wanted.

Instead of capturing Iroh's Blue Lotus with her Dragon tile, she moved her Wheel tile two spaces away from the Blue Lotus.

Similar to chess, Pai Sho was won when one party captured the King from the other. However, unlike chess, there was no traditional King piece. Every player could choose which tile they wanted to be their 'King'.

Azula used the Dragon Tile, just like all the members of the Royal Family did. Even Iroh was using the Dragon Tile as his 'king'. However, after Lu Ten's death, he switched to the White Lotus.

"Back then, if you had the chance to convince Lu Ten not to join the war, would you take it?" Azula asked.

"In a heartbeat." Iroh replied. Iroh placed shifted his Dragon closer as the end of the game neared. Only a King could capture another King. Dramatic, wasn't it?

Azula converted the Blue Lotus to her side using her Wheel, leaving her 'king', the Dragon, unprotected. Iroh shifted his gaze towards his niece in confusion.

"Are you letting me win the game?" Iroh asked, wondering if he was finally senile enough for a nine year old to go easy on him.

"Oh, Uncle." Azula said, "I was never trying to win the game."

Iroh swiped her Dragon tile and the game concluded with only the Wheel, Chrysanthemum, Jasmine, and Blue Lotus on Azula's side. Exactly what she'd wanted. She'd lost the game but won the gamble.

"What were you trying to do, then?" Iroh asked.

"I was simply testing a strategy." Azula responded.

"And what was the result?"

Azula's frosty smile returned, making shivers go down Iroh's spine.

"I got what I wanted." Azula said, piling up her remaining four tiles and showing them to Iroh. "My turn to ask a question now. Can you guess what these tiles represent?"

Iroh blinked. Even though he had won the game, he felt deeply unsettled. Whenever his niece got what she wanted, it spelled bad news. For her to say that those tiles represented people... Nothing good was coming out of this game.

Though he wasn't satisfied with how the game had ended, Iroh had to admit: he hadn't expected this game against a nine year old to be his most thought provoking one yet.

DO BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU SEE?
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 ─────────

Life was a series of gambles. Azula gambled wrong in all of her past lives, but alas, it seemed she was addicted to it. It was always all or nothing for her.

As the maids turned the corner, Azula hid behind the long curtains decorating the hallway. Her stomach churned with anxiety. This is for Lu Ten. She convinced herself. If I can save Lu Ten, I can save myself.

Yet another gamble. Even if Lu Ten survived, who was to say he wouldn't kill her himself out of pure hatred for what she was about to do?

But that was okay, anything was okay as long as it was different.

Once the maids were out of earshot, Azula quickly entered the pharmacy and shut the door behind her. Perfect. She'd gotten there during the doctor's lunch break. She only had a few minutes to do

The game she'd played against Iroh was a bet she'd placed with herself — if her strategy held out against Iroh, it meant she was smart enough to try to best her destiny. If she lost, she would give up and let destiny take its course.

It was crazy.

It was cruel.

Maybe she was out of her mind. She was using winning a Pai Sho game as justification to poison Lu Ten.

But what could she say? She was Azula. There was no grey. It was always black or white. All or nothing. Right now, she was betting all in.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

this was so hardddd ksdhfksdhf if the game doesnt make sense to you i apologise its late at night and i was attempting to be smart idk let me know what your interpretations are of this game !! this is actually one of the biggest brain things ive ever done itll make sense as the fic goes on. i hope it isnt too obvious tho or i'll just be sad haha anywayy enjoyy hope you like the chapter

theres a lot going on in this actually from the image to the chapter itself if its confusing let me know i'll try to explain!

'do you believe in what you see' is a lyric from zero 7 & sophia barker's 'in the waiting line'

─── ESME ✦