Zuko jerked up from his sleep. His breathing was heavy and his body was sweaty. It was another nightmare. The same one he'd been having for the past four months. It started exactly the same…
Azula was laughing somewhere in the distance. Zuko was sitting in the throne room, talking to his guards when he heard the noise. Upon hearing the distinctive laugh, Zuko ran outside to the courtyard. Azula had managed to escape from her prison in the catacombs of the Palace.
She looked crazier than ever, and acted like she was too. From her hands shot the same blue fire in every direction, setting the building to flame. Their eyes met, and Azula smiled. She wove her hands through the air, and then pointed two of her fingers at Zuko's heart. Then the lightening came, and Zuko didn't have time to react.
It was always the short dream every night, nothing was ever different. It felt real, probably because Zuko had already felt first hand the shock of the lightening ripping through his body. He still wore bandages over his scar.
Zuko lay back down and closed his eyes, hoping he would drift back into sleep. He'd barely had any because of the dream, and on top of all his duties as Firelord, it wasn't helping being sleep deprived.
He tried everything he could think of to fall asleep. He counted sheep, counted backwards, counted the number of squares on the ceiling, but none of that helped. He got up from his bed and shot from his fingertips flares to light the candles in the room.
His put on a shirt and pulled on a pair of pants before heading downstairs to the throne room. As he went down, he was greeted by one of his guards.
"Everything alright, sir?" He asked.
"Yes they are, thank you Lee." Zuko said. Lee was a new guard, barely younger than Zuko. Zuko had known him when he was a kid, and they were good friends. "No need to call me 'sir'" Zuko laughed.
Lee smiled and followed Zuko down the stairs. "You haven't been sleeping much." Lee said. He was concerned for his friends well being. Lee could see in Zuko's eyes there was stress, worry, and fear.
"No, I haven't." Zuko agreed. "I've been having bad dreams, I know that sounds childish. But it's true. It's actually just one dream, and it just repeats every night."
"And, what's this dream about?"
"Azula, her escaping, defeating me. It's always been a recurring fear of mine, I've just never dreamt about it until I was crowned king and she was locked away."
"Well, I can assure you that she's not escaping any time soon, Zuke. She's heavily guarded, and even if she does, she can't even match your power." Lee said encouragingly.
Zuko nodded his head, but didn't agree. "That's what I thought the last time I faced her, and I nearly died." Zuko's hand unconsciously shot towards his wound from the lightening and rested there.
"That wasn't because she defeated you, it was because you jumped in the line of fire. There's a difference." Lee said, trying his best to raise the Firelord's self esteem.
"I guess you're right." Zuko said. By now, the boys had come to the thrown room. "I'm going down to see her now." He was talking about Azula.
"I'll wait here." Lee said. He wasn't going to intrude on family members, and knew he would have to stand guard of the entrance way, incase Azula tried getting out, or someone else tried getting in.
Zuko nodded his head, and shot flames into the golden dragon's mouth on the back wall. The flames traveled the statue's frame and when it reached the end, the walls moved down, revealing the passage to Azula's holding cell.
The path was barely lit so Zuko had to hold a flame in his hand to light the way. He followed the intricate maze, passing guards who didn't move as he passed until he eventually came a metal wall. Seven guards stood post around it.
They bowed when Zuko approached, and opened the door, allowing Zuko access to their prisoner.
Azula's cell was made completely of metal. The metal was nine layers thick, no fire could break through it. And if any fire was used, a guard controlling the cooling properties of the cell turned it on so high, that even a dragon couldn't light a flame. The idea was inspired by Zuko's visit to the Boiling Rock, only this cell got much colder.
In the center of the room, which was at a normal temperature, lay Azula. She actually looked kind of normal. Her hair had grown back, and with the kindness from Zuko, she was allowed to keep it neat. She held it back and tied with her red ribbon.
The prisoner wasn't asleep, but didn't bother turning her head or opening her eyes when she heard the door open. Only the guards came in with food, and they weren't worth looking at.
"Hello." Zuko said sternly. Azula's eyes shot open.
"Zuzu!" She shrieked. She jumped to her feet and opened her arms. Zuko stared at her and didn't say a word. "Fine, don't hug your only sister. Whatever, I'm over it." She smiled at him, but it wasn't a kind smile.
"How do you like the cell?" Zuko asked her.
"I love it." She replied. They were staring into each others eyes, and each of them could see the fury burning inside them. "How's the palace?" She sneered.
"It's wonderful." Zuko boasted. "It's a shame you're not there."
"Yes, what a shame, because I would want to stay in the same palace as you." Azula crossed her arms, and turned around. She couldn't stand to look at the pathetic excuse for a Firelord. "What do you want Zuzu, because I know you didn't come for a friendly chat."
"Actually, I didn't. I came to ask you something." Zuko said.
"Oh?" Azula said. What could Zuko possibly want to know from her…unless…
"What do you know about our mother?" He asked quietly.
"Ursa," She spat out her mother's name like it was a foul word. "Ran away." She laughed, the way she laughed in Zuko's dream, the way she used to.
"Do you know where she went?" Zuko tried. He kept his voice calm, and his rage under control. He would not let Azula get it in her head that she still got into Zuko's.
"I might." Azula said. But the truth was, she had no idea. She'd already tried finding out years ago, when she still held on to a dream that her mother actually cared about her. That dream was long gone, and even though she's seen an apparition of her run away mother, she didn't believe a word that came from it's mouth. "No, I love you." That was just Azula's childhood dreams coming back to haunt her.
"If you did, would you tell me?" Zuko asked. He already knew the answer.
"Why on earth would I tell-" Azula couldn't finish the rest of her insult. She, for once in her life, was choked up. Tears came to her eyes, and she fell to her knees. She hid her tears well, but couldn't stop herself from saying, "Yes."
Zuko tilted his head. He hadn't expected that. "But you-"
"Hate you?" Azula shrieked. "Hate her?!" She stood up now, and Zuko watched the tears fall from her face. He hadn't expected that either. "Of course I do! But…"
Zuko wasn't surprised that she couldn't finish her sentence, so he finished it for her. "You love her." He said plainly. More tears came to Azula's face, and she started to sob, but this time, it was full of true feeling, not like the hysteretic sobbing and crazy tears that she produced when she was defeated.
Zuko walked forward and reached out his hand. He went to rest it on her shoulder, but was stopped. "Don't you dare touch me." Azula screamed. She waved her hand, and from it, blue flames flew in the air. The doors opened immediately and two guards rushed in.
"My lord, it's time to leave, we're turning on the cold." One of them said. Azula wiped the tears from her eyes, and instead of sadness, fear was present in them. Zuko saw it and spoke up.
"There's no need to activate the cooling mechanism. This is under control." Azula couldn't believe what just happened. Zuko actually helped her. The guards nodded and left the room, slamming the heavy metal door behind them.
"Thank you…" Azula whispered. This was another first for her, she actually thanked someone. What was happening to her…she was becoming like Zuko. No, she would never let that happen. She was born to be like her father, evil.
"You're welcome." Zuko said. He turned his back and began walking to the door.
"Wait," Azula said. She had an idea. "I heard dad say once that mom was somewhere in the earth kingdom, and while I was in the capital, I thought I heard one of the rebels say 'tell Ursa.' I looked, but I didn't find her there, maybe you'll have better luck." She was a good liar, and Zuko was gullible.
"Thanks." Zuko said. Azula ran up to him, and hugged him from behind. Zuko stopped in his tracks, and again, wasn't expecting what she did.
"If you see her, tell her I say 'hi,' will you?" She asked. Zuko nodded. She held out her pinky. "Pinky swear on it Zuzu." Zuko smiled, and Azula smiled back. It was a thing they used to do when they were young. Zuko attached his pinky to his sisters, and they shook.
"Actually, you tell her. You're coming with me." Zuko said.
"What?" Azula said, acting confused. She wasn't really though. She had Zuko right where she wanted him. He was going to take her out of her cell, and then, at the opportune moment, she would attack. She would finish the fight that was destined to happen. She would win.
"I can't trust the guards alone to watch you, so you're coming with me." Zuko pretended that was the reason, but it wasn't. He saw the light in Azula, and knew it was surfacing. She was turning good. He just had to be a contributing factor.
Azula lunged herself at Zuko and they embraced each other in a hug. Their first hug 'since they were just kids. Zuko felt his eyes water and closed his eyes. Azula felt nothing, except the sweet sense of victory that was on the horizon.
"Oh Zuzu, you're so foolish." She thought to herself.
Zuko ordered the guards to let him out, and he led Azula with him. The guards sprang to action, but Zuko told them to hold their fire.
Together they walked back into the throne room, where a worried Lee stood waiting. He saw Azula behind Zuko and freaked. "Zuko! What's Azula doing out of her cell?" He withdrew his broadswords and prepared to attack.
"Lee, put away your swords. Everything's under control. We have some family business to attend to. We'll be gone for a few days, I'm leaving you in charge for now."
"But, the prisoner-" Lee began.
"I have it under control. She's not going anywhere." Zuko said.
"But your dream…"
"Isn't a pressing factor. After all, it's just a dream." Zuko said. He felt confident in his words.
Despite better judgment, Lee agreed to Zuko's plan. He would be left in charge for the next few days and Zuko and Azula were headed to the Earth Kingdom in search of their mother.
Things were finally starting to turn for the better. At least, that's what Zuko thought. Azula had different plans. And they were more likely to happen than poor little Zuzu's.