Honor in the Fallen
Chapter 1-The War Ends
Azula sat there, no longer struggling against the chains which bound her wrists to the water grate beneath her. She had watched Sozin's Comet pass, and that had to have been at least two hours ago. She had stopped crying only minutes ago. Katara had left long ago, unable to watch the former Princess in such a state of mental pain. Zuko stood a fair distance, ready to kill his sister if she should manage to escape.
It unnerved the soon-to-be Fire Lord to see his sister so still. She had made little movement since she had gotten herself up into an upright position, crossing her legs and sending their silently. Pity coursed through his veins, but he said nothing, knowing it was a trap. He didn't know how the Avatar had faired, and he was a bit scared to know if his close friend had been murdered by his ruthless father, and the Earth Kingdom claimed.
A brief mental image came to his head, full of people screaming, wives and warriors standing together in an attempt to protect their home from the genocide the feared Fire Lord was bringing upon their homes, blood on the street...Zuko shook his head, knocking the horrible images away. No, Aang did it somehow. He had to kill Zuko's father.
There was no future for the world if Aang failed. Hearing the wind being unsettled above him, Zuko looked up. A smile came to his scarred face as Appa landed beside him. Katara, who had been standing just inside the doorway, ran out, hugging her brother, Aang, Toph, and Suki.
"Aang, you killed the Fire Lord?" Zuko asked, hiding the shock from his voice as he realized the Avatar had gone through with what needed to be done.
"Well, not exactly..." the boy said. Aang gestured towards Appa, and Zuko noticed another human form, bundled up on the saddle. With a look from Zuko, Aang began explaining his trip, the Lion Turtle, the Energy Bending.
Using Airbending, Aang brought Ozai down from the saddle. Ozai couldn't seem to do much, except glare at his son.
This was the first time Azula spoke since she had lost. "Father!" she screamed, seeing how pathetic Ozai looked. Azula began struggling against her chains again. She had to help her father...he was all she had left.
Ozai's cruel eyes focused on his daughter, seeing the lopsided haircut she'd given herself. And also seeing that she was bound. She, too, had lost. "Shut up, you insolent brat," he shouted. "You failed to Zuko! If you had captured and killed Zuko before, this would never had happened!" he shouted at her. "You disgrace me!"
The entire Gaang looked at Ozai, appalled and shocked at his words to his own child.
Azula's eyes reflected that shock. Zuko took a moment to look at his sister, and for the first time in his memory, she looked hurt. She blinked and then looked down at the ground once more, ceasing her struggles as Ozai continued to assault her with his words. Azula looked truly and completely defeated, and Zuko hated what he knew he to do now.
"Sokka, can you shut him up?" Zuko asked. Sokka grinned-he was the most unaffected by Ozai's words-and shoved a loss piece of cloth into the fallen Fire Lord's mouth, effectively muffling his cruel words.
Zuko gathered up every ounce of hatred he'd ever felt towards his sister in preparation for the order. Seeing her now, though, it was hard to hate her.
"Aang," Zuko continue, gesturing the monk towards him. Despite the battle, Aang seemed full of energy. "Take away her bending."
The Avatar looked down on the broken girl, pity and sorrow rising in his heart. She just looked so weak. But Aang knew Azula wasn't weak, she was strong and a killer.
Azula looked up, hearing Zuko's words. Fear laced through her amber eyes. A glance at her father and then her brother made her understand what had happened-how the Avatar had won. He had taken her father's bending.
"No!" she shouted. She began struggling, harder than she'd struggled before. It broke Aang's heart. Ozai had been cocky when his bending had been taken. "Please! Don't take my bending! Stay away from me! Get away! Mercy!" Azula shouted, crying again.
Azula was being nothing like Ozai. She was begging him for mercy, begging him to spare her. Zuko kept his expression clear and neutral. He'd never heard Azula say please, or mercy, or even look so scared.
A voice in the back of his mind called him cruel, she was his baby sister.
A louder voice reminded Zuko of every wrong she'd ever done him, of her cruelty. She wasn't his sister. She was a monster.
Zuko just hoped that mentality would last, otherwise he may stop Aang.
"Do it, Aang! Now!" Zuko shouted.
Azula started breathing fire as Aang got close enough to touch her. She was acting as if she were fighting for her life. Tears still streaked down her face, reminding them all just how young she was. Aang quietly stopped the fire, using airbending to knock it away like he'd done with Ozai. Where his face had been calm and serene when he'd taken Ozai's bending, remorse and regret were all that showed on the young Avatar's face.
Steeling his nerves, Aang placed one hand against the fallen princess's face, and the other against her chest.
"Please," Azula whispered, tears still streaking her face.
But it was too late.
In much less time than it had taken with Ozai, Aang finished, removing his hands from the former firebender.
Azula leaned forward, weak and sick to her stomach, a hollow feeling in her heart. She began crying quietly now, for there was nothing left to do.
"You've taken everything from me." she whispered with a voice of hopelessness and dread. Aang would never admit how much those few words cut into his heart. He quietly removed the chains from her wrists. She didn't fight against him, only kept her head hung, silent tears falling. He helped her stand, and again met no resistance.
Azula didn't bother fighting back. It was over. She had lost her bending, and her honor.
For the fallen have no honor.