Takes place before the comet, after the Southern Raiders.
This is my first attempt at an Avatar fic, and I'm hoping to learn more about the characters as I write. We'll see.
Growth in wisdom may be exactly measured by decrease in bitterness.
-Friedrich Nietzsche.
Wisdom
Her eyes snapped open. Outside the rain was pouring. The sound echoed through the metal and canvas of the war balloon. She lay on her bed listening to the sound. Most people thought the sound was relaxing, soothing; apparently it calmed the nerves.
What a foolish thought.
"There is no rain in the fire nation."
Even in the absence of rain there was still lightening and thunder storms that blew through the nation. Especially in the winter, when the cold air met with the natural heat caused by the surrounding volcanoes.
The sound of rain was irritating and distracting but it was no where near the terrifying sound of thunder.
Azula closed her eyes again, there was a time in her childhood when lightening and thunder had scared her. She could clearly remember the house shaking and the sky lighting up.
The house rattled and then everything went quiet. The absolute silence that brought no comfort. The silence screamed louder than the actual thunder ever could. She slipped from the covers of her bed. Bare toes touched the cold wooden floors of the palace and she walked to the door. She hugged her arms closer to herself and crept down the hallway, feet quietly padding the well walked route. She passed her parents room, with the grand wooden door where the fire nation symbol was carved proudly and moved to the next door. This door was simple and bare. It was much like hers.
Her hand hesitated above the door knob.
"Come in Azula."
The voice was quiet, barely heard through the door.
Pushing the door in, she moved into his room. He was sitting up in his bed staring at her. He looked tired, dark rings around his eyes, but he was smiling at her.
"It's loud tonight." Maybe she said it to make herself seem stronger. Her brother wasn't scared of thunder and lightening; he was brave.
"It is."
He scooted over to make room for her on his bed.
She crawled into his bed and he covered them with the sheet.
"Why aren't you scared of thunder?"
"Because even the loudest thunder can't hurt anyone. It's just noise."
"What about lightening?"
He buried himself deeper into the warm blankets.
"Did you know that lightening is a form of fire?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, and some firebenders have mastered lightening. The great sages tamed lightening. They learned to control it and use it against enemies."
"Is that why you aren't scared?"
"If we can learn to create it then we shouldn't be scared of it."
In hindsight it was humorous. Zuko couldn't control lightening like she could.
Poor Zuzu, the poor boy couldn't create the most powerful form of fire. He had made her feel safe as a child but that was in the past when she was weak. He was the weaker bender. She had surpassed him. She had become stronger than him.
He was the weak one now.
Even though she had become the superior bender she could grudgingly admit that he had been a good older brother.
TBC
Well, that's part one of six. I'm hoping they become longer. Azula was a little tricky to write about.
Please read and review. Reviews are inspiration.