A/N: My first fic. This takes place at the end of atla,Here we go. It has been edited thanks to the help of the secret stranger and now it ready.
Azula sat alone in her dark, stone cell for two depressing and horrifying weeks after the debacle with Sozin's comet and her final defeat. Her hands and legs were bound with chains to keep her from hurting both herself and the guards who came by to feed her. The door opened and in walked Katara. Azula gave an exhausted sigh. She was the last person Azula wanted to be stuck in a cell with.
"What do you want?"
"It's time for therapy." replied Katara in a surprisingly calm, kind voice. Leaving the restraints on, Katara helped Azula to a chair in the middle of the cell and sat her down. Taking a deep breath, Katara began to bend the water around Azula's head. Which, if Azula was honest with herself, she had to admit that it felt good.
That first time was a little over a week ago, and since then, she's been doing better, physically at least. Due to her crimes in the war, Azula's life has been reduced to nothing but the harsh environment of her cell, and the short visits from the water bender. Katara leaves, and Azula goes back to her bed. It's there that the effects of the war and the solitary confinement begin to take their toll on her. She sees things. Unpleasant things that she simply can't separate from reality. Lying there, she slips into a state halfway between consciousness and sleep.
"You're a failure." The multitude of voices echoed around her. "A failure!" Tears began to flow down Azula's face as she lay on her pillow. Stressed and barely hanging on to the present, her hands ball into fists around the cloth covering her shivering body. A tall slim figure walked into the dark room and Azula's head lifted off the pillow slightly. "Grandfather?" She asked as his face slowly came into view. He was pale and his features thundered with anger.
"You dishonorable child, you dare bare my name? I am no kin to someone as unworthy as you!" he bellowed. "I shall teach a lesson, just has your brother was taught" Azula's eyes widened as she realized what he meant just before a wave of fire blasted out of his hand and the fire began to consume her. She wailed as the fire ate at her skin.
"Please forgive me!" she cried as tears streamed down her face only to be dried by the fire. Azulon ignored her pleas and the flames grew amidst her screams. Just as she was about to be swallowed whole by the flames, she awoke with a shout. Panting, she sat up covered with sweat. Another night, another dream.
The door opened and this time it is Ty Lee who visits her. "Get away from me" Azula said with voice rough from screaming.
"Azula I'm sorry, but it had to be done." Ty Lee replied sorrowfully. Azula merely stared at her with a look of loathing and hatred, though it was wholly ineffective due to the obvious exhaustion on her face.
"You betrayed me." Azula said, this time sounding more depressed. She was unable to hide it behind her anger; she was far too weary for there to be any fire left in her. Ty lee gave a sigh full of sorrow and pity as she walked closer to Azula.
"It's time for a bath."
Azula's body was submerged in water except her head. Ty lee slowly brushed Azula's hair Azula closed her eyes. For the first time in a long time, Azula was free of chains and fully relaxed. She closed her eyes, trying to pretend that the past year never happened, but soon it all comes rushing at her. Her muscles twitch slightly as she fights the memories.
"Azula?" Ty Lee called, voice full of worry.
Trapped in her own mind, Azula is unable to hear her. She is too busy reliving the final battle. Suddenly, the relaxing waters remind her of her defeat. She was trapped again by that damn waterbender.
"No, no, not this time!" The previous twitching turned into full on spasms as she began to fight and bend fire from her mouth. Trapped in the past, Azula could see only that moment playing again and again. Surrounded by water as that water tribe peasant stared at her with dark eyes as she smirked and began to freeze the water around Azula. Azula managed to hit something with her forehead and suddenly she was being held in a tight protective embrace.
"Calm down, it's me, Azula! It's only me." Shaking, Azula looked up to see Ty Lee staring down at her. Her breathing heavy, Azula slowly calmed down and noticed blood slowly seeping from Ty Lee's forehead.
She looked away.
Another week went by with the same routine: breakfast, lunch, therapy, supper, a bath, and then she falls asleep only to succumb to a new nightmare. But at the very least, she looked healthier on the outside. The water bender had been coming more often and healing her during those cold dark nights when she wakes to a nightmare. She was loath to admit how much she needed those sessions.
One morning however, there was a change to the routine. She was rudely awoken by a soldier (saving her from a steadily worsening nightmare) and remained silent as he removed the chains covering her hands and legs. He then stepped back towards the door and saluted as three people walk into her cell: The fire lord, avatar and the water tribe peasant.
"And to what do I owe this great honor?" she said sarcastically as she bowed to the three.
"It's good to see you haven't lost your wit." Zuko replied with a sad smile. "I'm here to make you an offer Azula. I'll move you to a better living space, where you will be allowed to go out on supervised walks." Azula waits silently for the price of such an offer. Zuko inhaled and lowered his eyes, "only if you allow us to take away your bending ability."
Azula's eyes widened in shock. How could he even offer such a deal? He knew what her bending meant to her. "I would rather die than lose my bending! You know that!" Azula hissed. "Unless that's what you're really here for! Otherwise leave, Zuzu. I'll rot in here for the rest of my days before I allow this to happen.
"Let me have a try" Aang said as he gestured for them to leave. Zuko frowned,
"Aan-"
"I know what I'm doing Zuko. Trust me". Katara shrugged, knowing that Aang could more than handle himself and walked out with Zuko.
Well and truly pissed, Azula sneered at the young boy. "Well this is a shock we've barely even met and yet you seem to think you could convince me to make such an idiotic deal."
"Well I have a better deal." Aang says and then continues to say the deal. Azula's head tilted in invitation for him to continue as she pondered what he could possibly have to offer.
"I knew this was a crazy idea, it would never work. There's no way my sister would ever give up her bending." Zuko said as he waited outside the prison.
"Well it wasn't my idea, was it?" Katara replied exhausted.
"No, but you encouraged it. 'Give it a try, Zuko!'" he mocked and Katara rolled her eyes.
"Well it was the best idea we had to get her out of there." She said glancing towards the cell "I just want to help her."
"Well I did it." Aang said with a grin on his face as he walked towards them.
"WHAT?! You mean you actually got her to agree to the deal?" Zuko exclaims as his both his and Katara's mouth dropped.
"How come there were no crazy lights this time?" Katara asked with a frown as Aang just grinned and scratched the back of his head. He shrugged and before Katara could question him more, Azula walked out of the prison cell, squinting after having not seen the outside world for 3 weeks. Zuko looked at her and noticed that even though she was not as bony as she was at the end of the war, she still looked far too thin compared to the last time he had seen her healthy.
"Well," she said blankly to the group staring at her, "Let's get going.
A/N: I do not own atla or any of the characters in this first chapter.