Avatar: The Last Airbender copyright Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

Azula's Choice

Summary: Azula questions her destiny when she impossably falls in love and, later discovers that the past Avatar Roku is her Great-Grandfather.

[Alternate Timeline/Universe]

[Set during "Book Three: Fire"]

[Fire Nation, Imperial Palace, Nightfall]

Azula sits alone on her bed, holding her legs as she stares out a window.
she narrows her amber eyes into thin slits as her mind races.

I still can't believe it.~ thought Azula in her head

Avatar Roku...THE Avatar!
was my Great-Grandfather, My Mother's Grandfather!

HOW could my father keep this from me!, HOW!
my whole life i've lived as The Decendant of Fire Lord Sozin

that I was to carry out his legacy, his Mission of conquering the world for the Glory and Honor of the Fire Nation.

only NOW...i discover that I am ALSO the Decendant of the Avatar.
the Protector of the Four Nations, the "Fire Nation Traitor."

Azula then pauses for a moment, thinking HARD.

"traitor..."
funny, that's what Hiro called US.

Azula then lays down on her bed, staring at the cealing.

Hiro Long...it feels like only Yesterday when i first met him.
a mysterious stranger who came to the Fire Nation shortly after "Zuzu" and "Uncle" went rogue.

His Firebending Skills were great...even (dare i say it) surpassing my OWN.
he easily impressed my father, and earned a place in the Elite Guard of the Fire Nation.

Azula then smiles to herself.

he had a Coldness and Brutality that even I could respect.
but, he also had a Sense of Honor and Nobility...one that Annoyed me at times.

he got angry when Fire Nation Soldiers got "violent" with certain prisoners.
he even burned one soldier to ash when he tried to assault an Earth Kingdom woman.

despite my "feelings" for him, we would always come in conflict over our differing beliefs.
yet, for some reason...I never could win any of our arguements.

Azula narrows her eyes as she recalls a memory

-[Flashback]-

[Fire Nation Ship]

Azula approaches an armored male with Dark Brown hair and Light Brown Eyes.
the male doesn't move from where he is standing...but, speaks Never-The-Less.

"what?"

Azula eyes at him, then speaks.

"our ship is nearing a small bayside town..." began Azula

"the Avatar and his friends are rumored to be there.
and, it's quite possible that Zuzu and Uncle are there, too."

Hiro exhaled sharply.

"how soon until we arrive?"

"Four Hours."

Hiro hums as he ponders this.

"then, we'd better alert the troops.
tell them to be ready to search the town."

Azula smirked.

"wouldn't be Easier just to fire at the town with our ship's cannons?"

Hiro turned and glared at Azula.

"THAT...would be a waste of Energy."

"but, it would be Fun."

Hiro suddenly grabbed Azula's wrist and squeezed it TIGHT.

"there is nothing "fun" about slaughtering helpless people.
especially when the reports of our targets being there are SLIM at best."

Azula groaned as Hiro continued to squeeze her wrist.

"If...they ARE there.
then, it will be a Quick and Easy Victory."

Hiro brought his face to Azula's, glaring at her.

"yes...a COWARD'S Victory."

Azula widened her eyes...then, glared at Hiro.

"are you calling ME a Coward!"

"no, YOU did...by suggesting we attack like one."

Hiro finally releases Azula, but continues to glare at her.

"I prefer an Honorable Victory over a Cowardly one.
where i defeat my oppenets the old fashion was: BRUTALLY!"

Azula growls in her throat as she glares at Hiro.

"isn't firing at them with Warship Cannons "brutal?"

Hiro growls at her.

"Only Cowards and Weaklings think like THAT, Princess.
and, I am NOT a Coward, NOR am i Weak!...but, apparently You Are."

Azula glared at Hiro, enraged.

"NOBODY SPEAKS THAT WAY TO ME!"

Azula charges ger fist with Blue Flames and tries to attack.
but, Hiro simply catches her wrist, fircing her fire blast into the air.

he then performs a sweep kick, knocking Azula onto the ground.
Azula looks up to see a flame charges first aimed right at her.

"if you are truely as good a Warrior as you claim.
then, you should need to reply on the ship's cannons to defeat our foes."

Hiro then brings his flaming fist CLOSER to Azula, letting her feel it's heat.

"unless of course...your AFRAID you'll be defeated."

Azula glared at Hiro.

"I fear NO ONE!"

Hiro just scoffs at this.

"i've seen Nothing to prove this to be fact." said Hiro, bluntly

"if your Truely "fearless", then why hide aboard your Precious Ship and, rely on it's powerful weapons to do your bidding?"

Azula wanted to argue...but, failed to find any words.
Hiro finally canceled his flames and help Azula onto her feet.

"Prove to me that your not a Coward, Azula...have your troops READY."

Azula eyed Hiro...then, finally exhaled.

"fine."

Azula marched off, silently fuming.

-[End of Flashback]-

I didn't understand it...
I couldn't understand Why he was the one person who DIDN'T fear me.

and, odder still...HOW is it that I had grown to fear him at times.
why did that one look in his eye ALWAYS make me feel Weak...like one of my soldiers.

maybe...Maybe we really ARE alike, me and him.
only, he was an Honorable warrior...while i was a, a-

Azula groaned as she held her head.

I'm starting to have my own doubts reguarding this war.
Hiro made it pretty clear that he thought it was pointless.

I remember argueing with him, saying that the war was meant to share the greatness of the Fire Nation with the other nations.

but, Hiro disagreed...stating that all the war proved was that the Fire Nation was a Nation of Destroyers.

it was shortly AFTER that...i discovered the Truth about Hiro.

that he was a human, born with an ancient Dragon Spirit.
which enabled him to transform into a Human-like Dragon.

but, not just ANY Dragon...a "Purple Dragon."
which (according to HIM) was like The Avatar.
a Dragon that could harness Other Elements besides Fire.

he was called "The Draco"

he eventually abandoned the Fire Nation stating that he Would Not support a Dishonorable Nation any longer.

the Fire Nation now hunts for him, seeking his destruction.
yet, i can't help but wonder if he was right about the Fire Nation.

what if this war WAS Dishonorable and Cowardly?
what if Sozin was the one who Really "betrayed" us all?

Azula covered her face with her hands, feeling tear well up in her eyes.

"someone please help me...i am so confused."

Suddenly, glowing smoke materializes in Azula's chamber.
the Fire Princess sits up and stares at the strange smoke.

it soon forms into what looks like a figure.
the smoke then fades, revealing the astral form...of Hiro.

Azula's eyes widen.

"h-hiro?"

Hiro's eyes open and look at Azula.

(("azula..."))

Azula crawls over and looks at him.

"hiro...a-are you alright?"

(("i am fine, i'm perfectly safe where i am at.
but, i sensed you were troubled...and, decided to contact you."))

Azula hangs her head low and sighs.

"hiro...i am sorry.
i fear that you have been right all along."

Hiro eyes Azula.

(("oh?"))

"i've just discovered that...that Avatar Roku the Avatar that came before the Airbender...he's...He's my Great-Grandfather."

(("i know."))

Azula looked at Hiro, surprised.

"y-you...DO?"

(("yes, i sent you Ta-Min's Testament."))

Azula was now shocked.

"but...but WHY!"

(("because he needed to know the Truth.")) began Hiro

(("that while you have Sozin's blood in you, you are Also of Roku's blood.
and, that you have a choice to Either Destroy the world...or, Protect It."))

Azula looked away, sighing sharply.

"hiro...there's something i need to tell you."

(("what?"))

Azula rubbed her arm, gulping hard.

"Hiro...i...i-"

suddenly, Hiro's astral form began to flicker and fade.
Hiro himself look startled, as if "something" was happening.

Azula grew worried.

"Hiro, what's wrong!"

(("somebody's coming...")) began Hiro

(("sorry, can't chat.
we'll have to talk some other time."))

"BUT-!"

(("goodbye, Azula."))

with that, Hiro's astral form disappeared.

"No, Wait...STOP!"

but, it was too late...Azula was alone, now.

"hiro, wait.
i...i love you."

Azula began to cry softly.
she then glanced over at an old scroll beside her bed.

Azula looked down...then, narrowed her eyes angrily.

Azula disappeared from the Fire Nation the following day.
Fire Lord Ozai didn't See or Hear From his daughter again.

at least...not until his spies reported seeing his "firebending prodogy" in the company of the Avatar and his friends.

after THAT, he was forced to brand her a Traitor.
and, was pretty much driven to Insanity.

Author Note: This Oneshot is a Preview at yet another Avatar: The Last Airbender AU story...
this time around, it's an Alternate Timeline telling of Azula joining Team Avatar during the events of Book Three.

This is sort of an Updaed Version of an Old Oneshot that i wrote.
so some things were "fixed", while others things stayed the same.

the Hiro Long character is an OC who is a fusion of Jake Long from Disney's American Dragon series
and, the Legend of Spyro version of Spyro The Dragon (in that Hiro transforms into a Purple Dragon with elemental powers)

I also based Hiro's personality a bit on Beast Wars Dinobot

For Azula, thought REEEEALLY hard on why she would betray her father and join Aang.
aside from Love, my best guess would be the relavation of Avatar Roku being her Great-Grandfather.

The "Reformed Azula" will play a BIG Part in other Avatar Stories
paticularly ones that involve "Trans-Dimensional Travel" and Literal Crossovers.

the idea of Fire Lord Ozai going Insane in the end
could possably be considered an In-Joke (given that Mark Hamil voices BOTH Fire Lord Ozai and The Joker.)