Legend of The Postcard
Disclaimer: I do not own and am no affiliated with Avatar, these characters, or postcards. I am merely a fan.
A/N: It's not likely, but if Azula were to write the first postcard, it would go a little something like this:
"Hey, Ozai!" Ty Lee called across the street.
The former Fire Lord sighed, reluctantly turning around to face the young woman. She had a bright smile as she jogged toward him, a letter-sized paper in her hand. "Good morning, Ty Lee," he forced himself to say kindly.
"I found Azula," she reported, holding out the paper.
Azula had been missing for a couple weeks, with no trace. Several search parties sent out as far as the Gates of Azulon couldn't track her down.
Agni, she just keeps getting dumber and dumber, Ozai thought as he tore the sheet from her hand. To his surprise, in his daughter's clear and pretty pen, it read:
Ty Lee,
I'm writing from Ember Island; Haru and I decided it was best if we eloped. Only to keep violence out of the ceremony, reception, front lawn.
We were lucky enough to catch both Lo and Li, and Zuko and Mai out here. Mai found out the other day that she was pregnant. Unfortunately, it was the dawn her morning sickness started.
I can't give you all good news, however. Lo died last week from…most likely being ancient. We've been staying with Li for the past few days to keep her company and give Mai and Zuko space.
I'm not sure when any of us will return. Mai says early next week for them, but Zuko's determined to keep her on household lock-down until he's convinced she'll be okay for the ride back. Li talked about retiring and not returning at all, which I don't blame her for. Haru and I are the biggest question right now. I, personally, miss home, but I seriously fear for Haru. If Dad doesn't like him, you can only imagine what everyone else thinks. I know the war's been over for a few years, it just seems like there's still all that tension. We get strange looks here, and half the people aren't even Fire Nation. You understand, right?
Li's taken up painting; she's very wonderful at it. Though it'd be easier to appreciate her talent if Haru and I weren't her favorite subject.
Sincerely,
Azula
"This letter better be forgery, Ty Lee," Ozai snapped.
"Nope; it came with a couple legal papers Zuko signed, three paintings, and a letter from Mai." She quickly added, "Oo! Flip it over!"
Ozai flipped the page to a beautiful painting done in black ink. Azula stood in a thin-looking summer coat with that earthbender's arms around her waist. Both of them had smiles, almost like they had been laughing a moment before Li picked up her brush. "What kind of legal papers?" he asked, taking notice to the realistic shine in his little girl's eyes.
"Oh, Lo's death certificate and a marriage license," Ty Lee told him.
But Ozai wasn't listening. His focus was fixed on the grown woman standing in the picture, with the young man holding her. This couldn't be the little girl who got in trouble with her mother every day, could it? Or even the pretty teenager that mastered her element years in advance? Oh, but it was. It seemed like she'd been so small yesterday, was it tomorrow already? Where had he been?
He sighed, realizing that he couldn't go back to yesterday. Azula had grown and raised herself. She did better than I would've, was all the father had left to comment.
"You think something's wrong with that painting too, don't you?" Ty Lee interrupted his thoughts.
"He's an earthbender," Ozai pointed out with soft bitterness.
"Really? I thought it was his mustache."
A/N: Now that's somethin' you don't read everyday! Happy Valentine's day! Here's my gift to you! All I want this year is reviews.
And yes, this is say...4, 5, maybe 6 years after the war, assuming the Fire Nation loses (which of course won't happen...). Why Ozai isn't dead is a mystery, but I'm working on a therapy theory.