A.N. Created for Azula week 2017. You were never even a player
Two years after the war has ended Azula broke out of asylum and disappeared in a country side. This news greatly shocked Zuko. That fear was mostly fueled by Iroh telling that you can't let Azula roam freely or she will come and deal with you when you were sleeping and instead should be found and dealt before she has any chance to harm him. Iroh never liked Azula, or maybe it was that he saw Ozai inside that girl, so it was natural for him to think that it will be easier to deal with Azula if she was locked in some dark cell where everyone would forget she even existed. So after Zuko had talk with Iroh for any advice on how to deal with his sister, he was so shocked that he called Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Toph to palace to discuss this disaster and how they could find his 'deranged' sister. Those were his exact words that he wrote in letters asking his friends for help. Zuko was wolfbat shit insane that his sister may do something nasty and take his throne for herself while at same time Iroh was calmly sitting and drinking his tea. It was so funny to mess with his nephew. Zuko knew that Azula could be extremely clever and lethal and to get into her hands would be fate worse than death, but that was just his superstitions. So after all group has assembled in Fire nation royal palace, they started to think about plan to find Azula and how to deal with her after that. Zuko was the first to talk and offered to lock Azula in another mental asylum with bigger guard escort to make sure she doesn't escape this time. The gang were mostly silent on this topic expect for Sokka saying that if Azula managed to escape from previous place she may find way to get out from next too and to lock her in that horrible place may not be the brightest idea, but no one listened to him and instead said that they will think what to do with her when they found her.
It was easier to say that to do. All trails leading to places that Azula may have visited or stayed were already cold and would lead do dead ends or it would take so much time to get to other place than no trace of Azula would be found when any gaang member would reach that place to check it out. So after months of searching Zuko once again summoned everyone to Fire nation royal palace to summarize everything they have found until this day.
Everyone, that is Sokka, Katara, Aang, Zuko and Toph, were walking palace corridors and discussing their journeys through Fire nation before entering room where the real meeting was supposed to be. They all sat on cushions with huge maps laid before them.
"We have already searched entire capital island" Zuko pointed to one island map laid before them "Ember island and Black cliff" Zuko pointed to other maps.
"I have checked Jang Hui and nearby islands and can ensure that she wasn't there too." Katara pointed another batch of maps.
"And I have checked … " Sokka started to talk, but was interrupted when new voice have rang nearby.
"It's good that you all have met here." Sing song voice rung nearby and everyone jumped out of their place. "It was already getting boring to play hide and seek with you."
"Azula!" Zuko was the first one to speak.
"How did you get in here?" Toph demanded the answer. She was so sure that her skills in earthbending and her seismic sense would help her greatly to find the crazy Fire nation princess, but somehow that girl managed to sneak past her and was standing nearby. It was big insult to Toph who thought to be the greatest earthbender and that no one could hide from her all seeing feet.
"That's easy to answer! I was already here when you entered this room." Azula smirked at people standing before her. "And i could have killed you all if I wanted to do so!" Azula's smirk grew even bigger with those words at same time fear started to crept inside Zuko and other people minds.
"You were here all this time?" Toph asked unsure of what to do. She was sure the room and all corridors or other places leading to this room were empty and that there was no way that someone could creep behind her. Yet here she stood before them in all her glory; princess Azula of Fire nation.
"I came here today to say that you are wasting your time looking for me. While it was funny to play with you, it soon became boring. You weren't even a player in this game and it was so easy to mislead you on wild goose chase. It was even funny sometime." Azula turned to look at Sokka and Toph "did you enjoy trip through the sewers? I knew you had some funny experience with local dwellers there" and could see how they shrug their shoulders remembering this mentioned detail.
"What's your point?" Toph asked the question everyone had on their tongue tip, but no one dared to ask.
"I am glad that you asked." Azula once again smirked. "I would like to state that I made complete recovery and if you try to lock me once again in that horrible place. I will escape and kill you for that. So it's better than we settle this thing peacefully before anything bad has happened to anyone. Fire can be so hard to control sometime."
"You got better, so what? What are you going to do now? You can't attack us all. You are surrounded and there is no way out of it without causing huge havoc." Zuko stated and moved into position to defend himself or attack Azula if it would call for it.
"I came to claim what is rightfully mine!" Azula replied to her brother.
"Do you want my throne? You aren't getting that!" Zuko stated and moved another step forward with hands extended and ready to shoot fire and his crazy sister.
"Throne?" Azula looked at Zuko and ignored his unspoken threats. "You can keep it… for now, but I am sure we could find ways to work it out later. For now I am taking back everything that you take from me when you locked me in that spirit damn place. I am going to stay here, in my apartment, and annoy you like we used do before you did that stupid thing and got yourself banished!"
"You what?" Katara was unsure what was happening here, but to be safe she opened her water pouch and prepared to defend if the need arise.
"Who's to say you wouldn't start acting crazy and kill us all when we least expect it?" Katara asked Azula, who looked too calm when she was surrounded and outnumbered.
"It looks like this peasant girl has some trouble with hearing. Like I previously said, if I wanted you to be dead I could have done so when you were looking for me or when you entered this room." Azula answered the question. "It was horrible at first to hear the voices in my mind and the power that ran through my body when the comet was passing adobe didn't help at all, but I finally managed to work it out. I learned that the voices I heard weren't in my mind, but in other people heads and minds. You could even say it was ground breaking discovery!" Azula took small moment to stop and recount her memories. "But after I found out that thing, it was easy to find the solution to problem and what was happening to me. I was hearing other people thoughts in their heads and later learned how to block them. It is surprising what you can do when you are locked inside house with bunch of crazy or insane people, especially when you are the only sane. Even doctors there were a bit wacko!" Azula recounted her experiences. Everyone was stunned after hearing this explanation.
"You are lying! We all know that you are very good at it and are just messing with our minds now!" Zuko stated after his mind processed what Azula has said minute ago and then he slightly turned his head toward Toph as if waiting for her to disprove it.
"Can't accept that I can hear your thoughts or read your mind, Zuzu? Do you need a confirmation? Fine! Here it goes." Azula focused all her attention to Zuko.
"You have a dirty mind, Zuzu. I can see you are thinking about bunch of naked girls dancing with you and calling you 'Your honor' to get yourself distracted that your sister maybe telling truth and could actually read your mind." Azula told to Zuko who was fast to disprove it, but that just made situation worse.
"Oh now I get names connected to girls. Damn, Zuzu, I never thought you will be like that. I can see Mai, Ty lee, Katara and Suki there. I can understand why Mai and Ty lee would be there, but Katara and Suki? A peasant and too much makeup using girl? Really? There are also someone named Song and Jin and June, but I don't know who they are. Please think more about them." Azula continued to speak and Zuko become red like tomato. If someone saw him now it may even say he was burning from shame and humiliation after his deepest secret was exposed or that his face once again become one color, red, again. Azula continued to smirk and had a lot of fun. "Thanks for thinking about them now I know who they are. I can understand why Song, who was good for you, but you decided to repay her for it by stealing their ostrich horse, and Jin who was your Ba Sing Se crush could be here, but I never expected that you would like older woman like June too!" Azula was having lot of fun making Zuko sweat, but she was interrupted by Katara stating that if Zuko wants to think about bunch of naked girls dancing with him he has the right to do so and that she should stop this nonsense. At same time Katara and Aang were feeling uneasy.
"Oh just look who's talking! I know that you both, that is Aang and Katara, think nothing else, but how to make out at any given moment, but … how about you chill? I know that Aang was huge responsibility to recreate his nation, but maybe you wait until you grow up? The things I could see in your minds are … what was that word Sokka use? Oogies!" Azula turned her attention to Katara and Aang and if they weren't red before, now their faces were same red as Zuko's. Azula never imagined she would have so much fun by messing with these people today. It was fascinating!
Suddenly the ground shifted and Azula was now facing Toph who was cracking her knuckles as if reading to fight.
"I 'see' that you are having lot of fun with these dorks, but you wouldn't get me." Toph stated and pointed at Azula. "Let see if you can truly see what I am thinking now!"
"You?" Azula started to laugh while looking at blind earthbender. "You are even easier to read! All you think about is how to wreck as much chaos as possible and then there is something about melon lord. Oh it's your alter ego, like it was Blue spirit for Zuzu, Painted lady for Katara, or Wang Fire for Sokka." Azula's sight landed on Sokka and stopped there. Then her hand rouse in the air and slapped Sokka's cheek.
"Stop imagining me naked!" Azula growled and locked her eyes on Sokka as if trying to find out his deepest and darkest secret that she could expose and make fool out of him. They both stood one before another with their eyes locked looking straight at each other as if this was some unspoken battle where the first one to blink would be considered looser. One minute passed, then another, but nothing changed except Azula's face getting redder with each passing second. Finally Azula couldn't take it anymore and her hand once again rouse up and hit Sokka in the stomach forcing him to scream and fall on the floor.
"I am nothing like what you said! Nothing!" Azula screamed and rushed toward room's exit.
At same time, outside in the corridors, Suki and Ty lee were walking when they heard Sokka's voice that was soon followed by Azula's voice. So it was normal that they assumed something bad was happened there and they rushed toward its source. Ty lee was the first to enter the room and saw Azula coming toward her with Sokka lying on the ground. The acrobat jumped forward and tried to chi block the enemy, but Azula side stepped her and slapped Ty lee across face forcing Ty lee fall on the ground and hold her hand to her cheek before low growl escaped Ty lee's mouth. At same time Suki extended her fans and prepared to engage Azula, but Azula just ran pass her as if she wasn't here.
"What just happened here?" Suki asked everyone gathered in this room then after she was sure Azula wasn't anywhere close, she helped Ty lee to stand up. The girl was still holding her cheek covered with her hand.
"Are you ok?" Suki asked Ty lee and removed Ty lee's hand from her cheek only to stop there when she found four red stripes on it with some blood flowing out of them.
"Now you really need to tell me what is happening here and more importantly if I should alert all palace guards to help deal with this situation." Suki asked anyone that could answer her question. At same time Ty lee once again covered her cheek with her hand, but it was clear that it pained her greatly.
"Yeah, I too would like to know what just happened here, Snoozles." Toph replied while Katara moved toward Ty lee to inspect her wound. Looks like all this time Azula never trimmed her nails and they grew large enough to be used as weapon and Ty lee was unfortunate to be the first to test just how large and painful they could be. Katara put away Ty lee hand, summoned water, and started to heal Ty lee. Both Sokka and Zuko winced when they saw Ty lee face and four stripes on it.
"Don't worry! You will be fine and no scaring should be left after I finished." Katara ensure Ty lee trying to make her feel better.
"You are right. We should gather palace guards and move to confront Azula before she hurt anyone else." Zuko come to Suki and they both left the room.
"Just what did you say to that crazy spicy princess, Snoozles?" Toph asked Sokka after Zuko and Suki left the room.
"Oh, just some stuff. You really don't want to know it." Sokka casually replied to Toph.
o0o0o0o
Zuko and Suki gathered guards and moved to look for Azula to find the place where she would be hiding. Neither Zuko nor Suki had any idea where they should start to look for Azula since there were so many places where she could be, but one senior guard decided to speak and suggested to check princess former apartment where she lived before the end of war. Zuko decided that it was good place to start looking for her and everyone went there. After reaching Azula's former apartment Zuko decided that only he and Suki should go in and confront Azula there alone and would only call guards if there will be need for them. Zuko opened the doors, entered the room and surprisingly Azula was sitting in this room.
"If you really wanted to talk to me you really don't need to bring half of all palace guards or are you just so scared that your mean sister would do something bad for you?" Azula greeted the vistors. "And I also see that you brought one of those naked dancers with you too."
"You need to do some explanations, Azula!" Zuko growled.
"I don't see what I need to explain here? I am going to stay here and there is nothing you can do about it if you don't want huge scandal on your hands." Azula replied to Zuko in calm tone.
"What kind of sick game you are playing here?" Zuko asked Azula.
"It's not a game. I returned to the rightful place that i belong. Don't worry I already notified servants that I am going to stay here so you don't need to do anything, Zuzu." Azula relaxed in her seat and ignored two angry faces that wanted to burn hole in her face with angry starring.
"You know I could get you locked in mental asylum or trialed for the crimes you did during war and got rid of you." Zuko decided to turn conversation his way.
"Oh don't joke me. You wouldn't want to do anything like that. There is no crime you could blame me and even if you managed to create some fictional I would find way out of it or drag you with me. It's you who should be wary that someone from Earth kingdom doesn't decide to press charges against you for everything you did there while chasing avatar all those years. After all you always were the violent and not me." Azula inspected her nails to make sure she got all red skin out that was left there after her contact with Ty lee.
"So what now?" Suki decided to speak for the first time, but was completely ignored by Azula so Zuko repeated it.
"Looks like you have some problem with hearing, but that can be excused, maybe when father burned your face, he also damaged your ear. Or maybe you become so stupid after one too many times someone dropped you and you landed on your head. Ok, fine. I will repeat it. I am staying here, in PALACE, and going to annoy you like all those good old days, when we were still family." Azula casually replied to Zuko.
"What if I don't want for you to stay here?" Zuko asked his sister.
"Did that old fool once again got to you? You don't want any problem with me and I don't want any problem with you and could have killed you at any time if I wanted, but I don't. Don't force me to do anything that you would regret later and I wouldn't say Sokka what you do with his girlfriend in your room at night." Azula smirked and saw how both Zuko and Suki started to feel uneasy after hearing it.
"What about Ty lee? Did you really need to do it?" Suki asked Azula and this time Azula decided to reply to her.
"It is unfortunate that she appeared in wrong spot at wrong time, but she deserved to get bitch slapped and I don't feel sorry for anything I did." Azula looked at Suki. "Next time you visit my brother's room, you can also invite her. I know that you both would want to experiment with it. Please do mind and stop thinking what you are going to do later this night. I don't want mentally scaring image to plague my dreams."
Next several minutes were spent with starring at each other and trying to decide what to do next. Azula was casually fixing her nails while Zuko and Suki stood before her red face and unsure of what to do. Finally Zuko turned around and left the room and after he was out he dismissed all but two guards that should be posted to stay near door entrance to check on his sister if she decided to leave.
"What was that?" Suki asked Zuko when they were alone in palace corridors.
"I … She is going to stay here. That way we can always know where she is and see what she do. If we let her run wild there is no telling how much chaos she could do. It's better that she stays were we could see her at all time. " Zuko started to speak with Suki. " And looks like she learned how to actually read other people minds, not that she didn't know that already, but now she can Actually hear what we are thinking and … Ty lee? Did you really think about Ty lee?"
"No. I didn't think about Ty lee. Well I thought what has happened to her today, but nothing about her… and us." Suki started to fidget.
"Good. Me too didn't think anything about her… and us. Maybe we should postpone our nightly activities at least until we can be sure Azula don't do anything?" Zuko proposed to Suki who decided to disagree with him.
"I think opposite. This is perfect opportunity for me to perform my guard duty and stay with you all night to make sure you are safe."
o0o0o0o
Azula was playing with everyone and they weren't even player in her game. Well everyone except Sokka, but Azula was already planning to get this boy for herself. Happy with how things were going Azula decided to go and look for her prey. It was already dark and perfect time to further her goals.
Sokka couldn't sleep and decided to get some snack and went to royal kitchen. He was walking dark corridors with only light from torches illuminating passage ways and making creepy shadows play on the walls when arm appeared out of darkness and pinned him to the wall. Sokka wanted to scream and fight this mysterious arm, but decided against it when face appeared several seconds later. It was Azula so instead of screaming like small child and running away, Sokka decided to face the princess head on and hold nothing back.
"Did you really mean everything what you said earlier today?" Azula demanded Sokka. The shadows playing on her face, made her even scarier that anytime he ever saw her. Azula was master as scaring people wolfbat insane when it come to it.
"Yes! You are as smart as you are beautiful and you are drop dead gorgeous." Sokka smiled and decided to humor the princess and instantly saw how her features has softened and started to look more like regular girl instead of some scary spirit that came to claim his life. "You should know that already if you can read my mind. Hmm… Do you want to join me for some snack in the kitchen?"
"Thanks, I guess. I would love too." Azula was unsure of what to do. This wasn't supposed to be part of her plan. Sokka was supposed to run away screaming like a baby and making fool of himself, yet he stood up her challenge. So she decided to follow him to the kitchen.
"So do you really can read our minds or is this just another of your tricks?" Sokka asked Azula while sitting on table.
"Yes, fool I can actually hear your mind, but for now I am suppressing this ability since I don't want to know what everyone is doing." Azula answered the question.
"Cool! So what it's feels like?" Sokka was genuine surprised he could talk with Azula like regular person without sass attached to every word.
"It feels strange. Don't tell anyone, but when I open my mind i am instantly assaulted like a damn was breached and thousands voices start to ring in my mind and I need to filter all that noise if I want to reach someone special." Azula took a sip of glass of water. "Some minds are lauder while other are more silent. For example Zuko is extremely laud right now in his chamber with a girl. That's why i have to suppress my ability to hear other people thought for now." Azula didn't know why she decided to be open with this guy, but it felt relaxing to talk with someone about it without getting called crazy.
"Meh, that most likely is Zuko and Mai having fun. I heard they were couple or something like that." Sokka replied to Azula after taking bite of his meal.
"But Mai is here." Azula pointed to blade wielder who was fast to leave the room and could see that Sokka was surprised by this bit of information. It was strange how this guy could be clever at one point and clumsy and clueless at other. Looks like she would need to adapt her strategy to it and then no one will be a player in her grand game of life.