Chapter 1

It was like any normal day at the Jasmine Dragon: Busy! Customers were coming in one after another, Azula couldn't keep up. She welcomed them, seated them, and wrote down orders, which she would then bring to them. Azula always hated these days. She could never get a break.

Ding.

Another customer to tend to.

She welcomed the customer, sat 'er down, and took out her pencil and paper to jot down the person's order.

"I'm Azula, and I'll be your server. Please order when ready," she said in a legato rhythm, all the words strung together.

The customer had a devious smirk painted across her face. She took some time to look over the menu before finally ordering. "I'll take a jasmine…please," she said, practically forcing out the last word like it was some sort of poison.

"Yes, of course, right away," sang Azula, not yet looking up at the customer.

The girl's smirk turned into a frown. How dare her waitress not look at her. For this, she dug her long, claw-like nails into Azula's arm, grinning at the sound of her yelp.

"Do you know who I am?" the girl hissed.

Azula cringed, and then she looked into the amber-gold eyes before her. At first she didn't see it, but then her eyes grew large when the shock hit her.

"You…you look familiar," she squeaked as the nails dug dangerously deeper.

"You better know who I am like your life depends on it, peasant!" the girl stated, and then her anger turned to pity. "But I can see you're too pathetic to figure it out. I'm Princess Azula." The nails removed themselves from the girl's skin.

She held her throbbing arm. "That's crazy. I'm Princess Azula."

The other Azula laughed. It was slightly maniacal. "You're hilarious. You only wish you were me, filthy peasant. From where I'm standing, you're a pathetic loser; a weak, spineless, pathetic waste of talent. I bet you don't even remember how to firebend," she grinned as she examined her claws.

Azula furrowed her brow. "I can so firebend!"

The other rolled her eyes. "Yeah? Prove it."

Azula readied a fighting stance and punched a pitiful jab; the fire small, and it was a dim red color. She relaxed and crossed her arms with a satisfied smirk.

The other Azula was none too pleased; in fact, she was furious. "Red? Red!? Have you really become so weak?" her scowl deepened. "I can't believe you'd let yourself go. You used to be a prodigy. Your fire used to be blue!"

Azula was very confused now. What was this person talking about? Her fire had always been red, right? Suddenly, her head began to throb; a sharp pain pulsed at the back of her head and her temples. A pain that cut like knives; shocked like lightning.


'A true prodigy, just like her grandfather for whom she's named.'

'You'll never catch up.'


The other Azula smiled, wickedly. In one swift movement she dragged the pitiful girl to the backroom, locking the door behind her , and throwing the girl against the wall. "That's it," the evil Azula cooed, "let the memories flow back. Remember Mother? She thought we were monsters. She loved Zuzu more. What made him so special anyway? C'mon Azula, remember!"


'You're right. I don't have sob stories like the rest of you. I suppose I could sit here and complain about how our Mother loved Zuko more than me, but I don't really care….My own mother thought I was a monster….She was right of course, but it still hurt.'

'What is wrong with that child?'


'Don't pretend to act proud. I know what you really think of me: You think I'm a monster.'

'I think you're confused. All your life you used fear to control people, like your friends: Mai and Ty Lee.'


"No!" Azula shouted, her head pounding harder.

"Azula! Remember who you are! You're a princess! You were supposed to be Fire Lord!" the girl chuckled, digging her talons deeper; her smile growing more and more twisted.


'You know, father blames Uncle for the loss at the North Pole, and he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar. Why would he want you back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him?'


'You're right. The Royal Procession is dead weight. If I'm gonna catch my prey I need to be agile, nimble; I need a small elite team.'

'I would be honored if you were to join me on my mission.'

Í thought you ran off and joined the circus. You said it was your calling.'

'Well, Azula called a little louder.'


'You will not treat a Kyoshi Warrior this way!'

'But you're not a Kyoshi Warrior, are you, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation?'


'We've done it, Zuko. It's taken 100 years but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se.'


'I guess you don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated: I love Zuko more than I fear you.'

'No, you miscalculated! You should've feared me more!'


'You can't treat me like this! You can't treat me like Zuko!'

'Azula, silence yourself.'

'But it was my idea to burn everything to the ground! I deserve to be by your side!'

'Azula!...I've decided to declare you the new Fire Lord.'

'Fire Lord Azula? It does seem appropriate…'


'What am I holding?'

'A cherry-pit, princess…'

'Yes, it is…You are banished. Leave this palace immediately!'


'Why have you banished all your servants, and your Dai Li agents?'

'None of them could be trusted. Sooner or later, they all would've betrayed me…just like Mai and Ty Lee did.'


'What are you doing here?'

'I didn't want to miss my own daughter's coronation.'

'Don't pretend to act proud…you think I'm a monster.'

'…All your life you used fear to control people like your friends: Mai and Ty Lee.'

'But what choice do I have? Trust is for fools; fear is the only reliable way. Even you fear me.'

'No, I love you Azula, I do.'


The shattering glass sent her back to reality. Her brown eyes turned to amber-gold, filling up with rage. She fell to her knees. "I'm Princess Azula of the Fire Nation! I-I was supposed to be the Fire Lord…I-I…"

The other Azula grinned. "My work is done," she laughed and then disappeared, reappearing behind the girl. "Use your anger; embrace it. Your hatred supplies you with your greatest power."

"Azula's breathing deepened. She growled and huffed a breath of blue fire. "I want to be Fire Lord," she said. "I should be on the throne. It should be me!"

"Why stop there? You could be Phoenix Queen."

Azula smiled. "Yes, you're right…I could be Phoenix Queen and make up for my father's mistakes and weakness."

"Exactly."

"But to become Phoenix Queen, I'll need to take over the Earth Kingdom,"—a crazed smirk slithered onto her face—"And isn't it fortunate that we're already in Ba Sing Se?"