Azula's not really in character.. but you'll get over it. lol.
i don't own Avatar. etc. etc. etc.
"Hello Azula." Aang said with one of his trademark grins.
"How are you today?" He asked, a gentle tone in his voice. Very typical of him, Azula thought, always so kind, always so playful. Not to say she didn't enjoy it.. On the contrary, it was rather nice.. Uplifting… when one spends one's day holed up in a dark damp cell, ridiculed by guards and fed what normal people would most likely consider poison.
"I'm.. fine, same as always." She replied, still using her cocky 'I'm better than you' voice, but at this point both of them knew it was just a front. Aang knew she hated it in here, and he was so right. Azula wanted out. She could bend her way out, escape, but she didn't want to be a fugitive. Her time reflecting in the cell has sort of given her a new outlook on life. She saw the error in her ways, and the ways of the fire nation. But it was too late for her. She made the mistake of following her father, and as such she was doomed to pay the consequences. As were the rest of the protagonists of the fire nation plague. Her dad had been executed shortly after his defeat by the Avatar. Many higher ranking officials within the fire nation army were convicted of war crimes and to be executed just like her father, unfortunately she was also on this list, and would go just like the rest.
Of course Aang protested this, hell, he didn't even want them to kill Ozai. The war had ended enough lives as far as he was concerned, anymore death was unnecessary. But the Earth nation didn't see it this way. And Aang or Zuko weren't about to start another conflict over the life's of evil people. Although Aang had been able to buy Azula a bit of time, given his friendship with Bumi and various other higher ranking people in the Earth nation. Bumi himself didn't want the executions, but the people of the Earth nation wouldn't have it any other way.
So, it had been about a year since Azula had been put in this prison, and almost since the beginning of her sentence he had been stopping by, just making small talk with her, once or twice a week. She didn't really understand why, but she didn't really care for the reasoning either. She was grateful, although she'd never let him know that. She had kept her cold domineer.
"Well that's good." he replied happily. She grunted, and there was a silence. It lasted a little while before Azula broke it.
"How are things on the outside?" She asked this often. So Aang was expecting it.
"Same as they were, the earth kingdom is busy rebuilding, with help from the water and fire nation everything will be back to normal there soon." He retorted.
Azula nodded, "That is.. Good. I am glad." It seemed so awkward coming from Azula, Aang thought. He laughed.
"What's so funny?" She questioned angrily. "Hehe, nothing, it's just funny, you saying nice things, it just seems so forced." He replied.
"Yes well, niceness wasn't something I experienced much of during the war.. Concern and trust and all the emotions you throw around are.. well.. Were… considered a sign of weakness by my father and other soldiers, you had to scare people into respecting you, soldiers wouldn't respect someone who was weak.. Let alone a weak female leader." she reminisced.
Aang sighed.
"Well it's a good thing you've changed.. I like the new Azula." He said with a smirk, before realizing what he said and blushing. "I mean.. um.. Well you know.." Aang tried to cover what he said.
She grinned, deciding not to ridicule him.. This time.
"I'll just let that slide. But you really make it too easy Avatar." She was smiling now.
Her smile faded into a frown.
"What's wrong?" Aang asked.
"..How much longer do I have?" She asked sadly.
Aang hated this part of their meetings.
"…you leave in a week, you're to be transported to Omashu by a Fire nation ship next Monday. I'm.. sorry Azula." Now it was Aangs turn to be sad.
"Oh well, we both knew it was coming. Can't stop the inevitable I suppose." She added in a low voice. Aang sighed in response.
A few moments later..
"So.. How are you and the water peasant?" She questioned.
Katara wasn't really something they talked about a lot, Azula usually avoided the subject because.. Well.. Quiet frankly she had become jealous of her. She was a powerful bender, and she had Aang wrapped around her finger, at least that's what she was lead to believe.
Aang made a 'pfft' sound.
"We aren't. Haven't been since the festival after Ozai's execution." He replied seemingly angry.
"What happened?.. If you don't mind my asking, that is." She pressed.
"Well, she pulled me aside during the festival and started apologizing. I couldn't really hear her because of the loud music so I was kind of lost but she started talking about Zuko and how she was in love with him, then she started apologizing again. I was dumbfounded, needless to say. I just kind of said okay and walked away. At first I was really angry, at Katara and Zuko for stealing her from me, but then I realized that love wasn't something you could force on someone, it was their destiny, so I just kind of accepted it. I still try to avoid being around Katara if I can, but avoiding Zuko was impossible, seeing as how I have to mediate between the leaders of the Nations. eventually He apologized to me as well but I told him I didn't have any hard feelings, me and him are actually kind of best friends. Funny how that works, not long before he was hell bent on killing me haha." Aang ended on a light tone.
Azula smirked. "And I succeeded where he failed."
"That you did. Thank god for healing water!" They laughed.
Aang didn't hate her for.. Well.. Killing him, they actually kind of made a joke out of it.
And they sat like this for hours, talking about random miniscule things and enjoying each others company. But all good things came to an end, and Aang had to leave, the Avatar was a busy job and he had other matters to attend to.
"Well this was nice, as usual, but I've got to go. There are some rogue Fire nation soldiers that have been causing a ruckus, and I've gotta go teach them a lesson." Aang sighed. "My jobs never over.."
Azula frowned. She hated when he left. She would be by herself again, locked away in this hellhole.
"Will you come back.. Before.. Well… you know?" She asked with an air of sadness.
"Of course. I've actually got a little surprise for you." He replied with a smirk.
She cocked one of her eyebrows, "Oh? What kind of surprise?" She questioned.
"You'll have to wait and see!" He said before pulling her into a hug.
Azula was never prepaired for his hugs. Being this close to someone.. Well… was new to her, well, Ty Lee occasionally grappled her in what could only be considered a bear.. Hug.. If you even wanted to call it that, Azula thought hug was too light a word to use. It was enough to break you.
But being hugged like this, and by the Avatar of all people, well.. Was different. That's the only way she could explain it.
She awkwardly wrapped her arms around his upper torso.
He had grown taller, she noticed. He was about her height now, and his body had become fairly toned. He might still act like a kid sometimes but physically he was completely different. He was a warrior. And now even his body showed that.
A few seconds later and they broke apart, Aang was blushing.
"Uhh.. Well I'm gonna go now, see you soon!" He said while hurrying his way out of the cell into a hallway and out of Azula's view.
She smiled at where he had made his exit before laying down in her bed and thinking about their conversation. And the news of her execution time. She sighed, inwardly frowning. She deserved it, she thought, but that didn't make her any less scared or angry at the fact she was going to die, just when she finally started seeing things in a new light.
'I guess everyone has a destiny.. And mine.. Well, mines coming to an end.'
One week later.
Azula had grown worried. It was the morning of the journey to her end and she still hadn't heard anything from Aang.
'I doubt anything happened to him.. No one could stop him, not even Ozai.. I guess maybe he didn't want to have to face me again before I died..' She was depressed, needless to say.
Two guards walked in the room.
"C'mon get up Princess, time to go for a ride." One of them said in a smart ass voice. Clearly getting enjoyment out of ordering around the former however short ruler of the fire nation.
She shot a dirty look his way, and made her way out of the cell. One of them grabbed her collar, keeping a hold on her while they made their way through the halls, the other two trailing closely behind.
"So princess, you ready to meet the same fate your father did?" One of the goons asked.
She didn't say anything.
"I asked you a question princess I expect an answer!" He said before shoving her against the wall.
She smirked.
"You know boys, we've still got some time before the ships due to leave, what do ya say we have a little fun? Your looking rather.. Attractive." He ended in a husky voice before trailing his gloved finger up and down her cheek.
She laughed.
"As if you could handle me." She said before kneeing him in the groin.
He keeled over, groaning.
The other two pushed her back against the wall while the former lay on the ground in a pained heap.
"Besides, I don't think the Avatar would take too kindly to you hurting me before we reach our destination now would he?"
The other two looked at each other, then back at her, and sighed. Giving her room to back up and start making her way back down the hall again. The one on the floor got up shortly after and started making his way with them, muttering not so friendly words under his breath.
'Aang.. Where are you?' She thought as she made her way through the halls.
Eventually they came to big iron doors that opened up to a dock and the awaiting fire nation ship.
The Prison where she had been staying was surrounded by water, escape would prove futile unless one could swim extremely long distances, which was unlikely.
'Well.. Here I go.' She thought as they made their way onto the ship.
They took her into a room deep in the ship and chained her to a chair before making their way back out and shutting the door.
She vaguely made out a conversation some guards were having, something about walking funny, she smirked. Stupid guards.
About 15 minutes later she felt the ship start moving.
She began thinking about what life would have been like had she not done what she did. How life would be if she wasn't in the situation she was in now. About how her future could have been. She wanted freedom. She wanted to be able to live, she wanted to feel love, and most of all, she wanted a family. It's funny, the things one thinks on the way to their death.
An hour passed. She guessed they were about halfway to the Earth nation shores.
She had grown rather bored and uncomfortable, being strapped to a metal chair wasn't exactly nice.
A few moments later and she heard a loud crash, and the ship stopped moving.
'What's going on?'
Screams could be heard, it got hotter so she could tell bending was being used.
'An ambush?… but why?… ugh I wish I knew what was happening!' She thought.
"Oh my god what the hell is that?! Ahhh!! Take that you freak!!" She heard a guard say before she heard a loud bang and a grunt. After that everything fell silent for a few moments.
She heard something start messing with her door, the next thing she knew it was ripped from its hinges and thrown back.
'A… sea.. weed monster? What is this?'
"What do you want from me?" She questioned in a tone that meant business. Although she was rather helpless in her current situation.
It moved forward slightly.
She heard a laugh, and before she knew it Aang was standing in front of her, and rather large pile of sea weed behind him.
"Surprise!" He said with a stupid grin.
lolz