This is a remake of my old Azula and Zuko fic. It was written long before the finale so I suppose you can take it as an alternative ending of sorts. The old one was more of their relationship with each other and admittedly, it was kinda clichéd and too gooey to be believable.
This time, I added their relationship with their mother into the mix to give it another angle. Hope this is better!
No, Azula!' scolded an irate Zuko. 'But Zuko...' begged Azula, her devastatingly charming eyes peeking at her brother over her baby-fat cheeks. 'I really, really want them!'
'Then let me go fetch one of the servants to get them.' reasoned Zuko. 'But the garden is so big.' she waved her little arms in emphasis. 'I would take them forever to get here!' she whined, stomping her foot in childish anger. 'But you could hurt yourself!' said Zuko, trying to convince his baby sister not to climb up the tree to get the blood-red blooms. She was planning to pick a bunch to surprise their mother. Suck up, he couldn't help but think unkindly.
Trying to convince Azula after she had made up her mind however, was like trying to stare down a charging elephant. Impossible. 'I'm a big girl now! I can take care of myself!' And moving quicker than Zuko had anticipated, 5-years old Azula darted under his arm and proceeded to scramble up the tree. 'Zula! No!' cried Zuko as he tried to grab her.
She was too fast. She had already scrambled onto a branch that was beyond Zuko's reach. The fire princess was a smooth little monkey, swinging from one branch to another and clambering up the tree until she had come close enough to a flower on one of the lower branches. The little prodigy reached out with little fingers, trying to grasp the flower. Zuko sighed in defeat, making a metal note never to bring his sister into the garden unsupervised, and could only pray she wouldn't fall.
It was as though he had hexed her with that thought because she lost her grip on the branch as she made a snatch for the bloom. Gravity took hold and she came tumbling down. 'Azula!' Zuko cried, running toward her, trying to catch her. But he was too slow. He only managed to catch her upper body, her lower half slamming on to the earth.
'Ow!' she squealed in pain, teardrops clinging onto her lashes. 'Oh no! Zula! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?' asked a panicked Zuko as he cradled his sister in his lap. 'Here...' she whimpered, pointing at her left ankle. 'Oh you stupid, stupid girl! I told you you would get hurt! But you wouldn't listen.' said Zuko, his word filled more with anguish than anger. He had promised mother he would look after her! Mother would be so upset with him now...'I know, I'm sorry big brother.' sobbed Azula as she buried her head in her brother's chest, little fingers grabbing a fistful of his top. 'There, there.' he comforted her, rocking her gently. She had already learnt her lesson. 'We'll wait till it doesn't hurt so much. Then I'll carry you back to the palace. Okay?'
'Okay.' she replied softly, hiccoughing slightly. Zuko immediately felt guilty for scolding his baby sister. He gently wiped away the tear trails from her cheeks and said, 'If you behave, I'll give you a piggyback ride back, alright?' 'Really?!' she perked up visibly. 'Of course, you little monkey. Would I lie to you?' smiled Zuko. Said little monkey threw her arms around his neck and squealed. 'I love you Zuzu!' 'Don't call me that.' he said sternly but the look in his eyes gave it all away.
'No! Father, don't!' Azula cried. She latched onto his arm, throwing off his aim. He had been prepared to send a fire ball flying into the back of a preoccupied Zuko who was busy trying to fight off half a dozen firebenders. 'No! You can't!' cried Azula as her father shook her off. You promised me!
The place was a barren, rocky stretch of land, the time was the final battle between the Avatar and Fire lord Ozai. He was currently on top of a high rock pillar while Zuko was fighting for his life below.
'Stand back, you stupid girl!' roared Ozai as Azula once again attempted to block him. 'You promised me, father! You said I will be the one who finishes him off!' yelled Azula. I promised her he wouldn't die!
Yes. Azula was sick. Yes. Azula was evil. But no, Azula was not completely ignorant of love. Love was something she hated, something she feared, something that disgusted her; something that she thought was inferior. But it was also what she craved, something she never had. Her mother had never loved her as much as Zuko. She didn't understand why, why was Zuko so special? Why, Mother? What did he have that she didn't? So Azula tried to get Mother to notice her, by being better than Zuko in the only way she knew. Fire-bending.
But though she tried, Mother never cared. It was always Zuko. Zuko, Zuko, Zuko. Only Father noticed. So Azula gave up. She gave up on her mother. You think I am a monster. She grew to hate her brother for what he had. Mother's love. She became Father's little girl, always doing what she was told, never disobeying, always agreeing with what he said or did. He turned her from a warm, bubbly child into a hardhearted, unfeeling witch. Her love replaced with hate. Her innocence with evil. Her heart with a big black hole.
On the day their mother vanished, her life changed again. She would never again have a chance to try for her Mother's attention. But she decided to at least try to stay in her good graces, wherever she was, by caring for the one thing Mother had loved and that she herself despised. Zuko. She always followed her father's orders as well as she could and she fought her hardest whenever they met for her burning hate was still intact but the princess could never help but cut Zuko some slack, just enough, just so he could live to fight another day. Only for Mother. She always told herself it would be the last time she let him off, that the next fight would be his last, but it never was. Always for Mother.
'He is a traitor! He deserves death!' cried Ozai as he raised his arm once again. 'No!' screamed Azula, pushing Ozai away. 'Zuko! Run!' she screamed, praying her brother could hear her.
Zuko heard someone yell his name. He quickly dispatched a firebender that got too close and took a quick look around. He saw his sister atop a rock formation. What was she doing there? Why wasn't she trying to take him out? Suddenly, their father appeared and pulled her back. The two of them argued and he pushed her roughly aside. She's trying to help me? Zuko whipped around, took out another firebender who had edged into range with a well aimed kick, sent him flying, and turned back to his sister. Impossible! She was pulling at their father and this time Ozai pushed her a bit too hard, sending her toppling over the edge.
NO! Zuko blasted away the remaining enemies with a fireball. Not again! He whipped around, not caring what happened to his opponents. He hated her, it was true. After all she had done, it was hard, if not impossible, to forgive her. But in a tiny, hidden part of his heart, he still cared for his sister. He had promised Mother that he would take care of her after all. Mother. For a second, he fell through time and remembered how she had fallen off the tree. But this was no tree. Please, no... He ran as fast as humanly possible and time seemed to slow down as he raced towards her. The world had shrunk down to just the two of them, and yet she kept falling in sickening slow motion. Please, not her... She didn't stop. Save Azula. These two words thumped in his heart as he ignored the chaos around him. He only had eyes for his baby sister. Please... not her too.
But it was too late. Azula hit the ground and there was a loud crack as she landed on her back. No! Zuko ran up to her, cradled her in his lap. 'Ow...' surprisingly, she was still conscious. 'Azula! Oh, spirits help me... Where does it hurt?' cried Zuko. She can't die! Even if he hated the Azula now, he still loved the sweet girl that once was. 'Everywhere...' a bubble of blood appeared from her lips as spoke. It popped, sending tiny droplets of blood all over her face. He is truly upset. It surprised and moved her that he still cared, after all she had done. He was such a fool. Such a soft-hearted fool. Just like Mother.
'Why?' chocked Zuko. 'Why did you do it you stupid girl!' His words held so much grief it was heartbreaking. 'I couldn't... lose you...' murmured Azula sleepily. Her blinking was getting slower, her breaths shallow. The face above her blurred. Mother? 'No, please...' moaned Zuko as he held his sister close. Not my baby sister... Her eyes had lost the sharpness and darkness he was so accustomed to and she looked more like the little girl he once knew. Not her too...
'I'll go get help.' he said. 'No. Don't leave.' begged Azula. Don't leave me again. She pleaded in her mind, though to whom, she did not know.
'But -'
'Please...' Zuko hesitated but complied.
Azula buried her head in his chest, inhaling the smell of Zuko. Of Mother. They were so alike. So alike. Why him, Mother? Why not me? Her mind drifted back to the day when she had fallen from the tree. History did repeat itself after all... She was hurting so much, every breath she took caused a sharp pain to shoot down her spine. Suddenly, another memory rose unbidden into her mind's eye.
She was 6. It was almost her birthday but she had fallen very ill so she was forced to stay in bed. Zuko was barred from meeting her as she was contagious, and Ozai never cared, but Ursa, Mother, had sat by her side day and night, singing for her, reading to her, playing with her. 'I always loved your hair.' she had said once, as she slowly stroked her daughter's hair. 'Really?' asked the young princess. 'Of course.' and she smiled at the young girl. She had smiled.
And then Azula was brought back. Mother. Azula had repressed that memory after she gave up on her mother's love but now it was before her, like an old painting. Dusty but pristine, familiar. She coughed and gasped for air. There wasn't much time left, she knew. She looked back up at Zuko, his face a portrait of misery. So much like Mother. She had to let him know she didn't hate him anymore. How could she hate what she had tried so hard to save? How can I hate what Mother had so loved?
Cupping his face in her hands she managed to whisper. 'Zuzu...' every syllable cost her but she went on. Only for Mother. 'I'm sorry.' Mother. Tears leaked from her eyes, clinging onto her eyelashes. Her vision blurred further. So much like Mother... 'Don't call me that.' he managed a watery smile. He remembers. She almost smiled. 'And don't say that Zula-' She silenced him, placing a shaky finger on his lips. She couldn't quite see anymore. His face was just a smudge now. Where are you? I can't see you. 'It's too late.' she managed to gasp out. Her arms fell back, pulled down by gravity. She blinked once. Mother! She could see a face with hazy, unfamiliar features. Except for the smile. That smile. She blinked twice. You came. A final word, a final sigh. 'Mother.'
Her eyes closed for the third time but did not open again.
And so the fire princess, his nightmare, his sister, went limp in her brother's arms.
'No... Azula!' Zuko whimpered as he brushed her hair out of her blank face. 'No...no... NO! Please! Azula!' he held her close, grief overwhelming him. The tears gathered, blurring his sight. For a moment it was like he was holding Mother... 'Why you? Why you too Azula?! Why?'
He had thought her invincible.
He had imagined her going down in a big explosive battle, not falling off a pillar, pushed by her own father.
She looked so peaceful, like she was asleep. So much like Mother. 'NO!' Zuko cried. He screamed in pain, in grief. He screamed for his sister. He screamed for his mother. All who heard it stopped their battles momentarily, shivers racing down their spines. Never before had any of them heard such a haunting sound.
'No...' Zuko trailed off. Mother... 'Why couldn't I save you...' his voice was one of defeat. I'm sorry mother. I didn't keep my promise. 'Mother...' He was broken. 'Azula...' He was alone.
A single drop landed on her bloody cheek, the wet crystal mixing with the darkening red.
For the first time in a long time, the fire prince closed his eyes. And wept.
Okay, so it was still a bit clichéd and Azula and Zuko were OoC but death can change your perspective after all! Hope the erratic way I chose to write in is still understandable! Thanks for reading and please do review!