Azula's Retribution

by The Uranium King

Shortly following the events of Sozin's Comet, Aang discovers the horror of Azula's insanity. Remembering a strong, independent powerful girl who the world could not conquer, Aang is horrified to witness Azula's loss of humanity and descent into madness. He determines he can save her and, to the consternation of his friends, delves deep into Azula's mind to bring her back.

Azula's Retribution

By

The Uranium King

Water.

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

For centuries, the four nations lived together in harmony.

The balance was kept.

The world knew peace.

Then, the powerful Fire Nation attacked.

They destroyed the Air Nomads.

They shattered the balance and plunged the world into one hundred years of war.

The Avatar, master of all four elements, was the world's only hope.

It was believed, though, that the Avatar had been killed alongside his fellow Air Benders.

Without the Avatar, the world knew no hope and the Fire Nation continued unopposed.

In the late and final days of the war, the Fire Nation was nearing victory.

In an iceberg near the South Pole, my brother, Sokka and I discovered the Avatar, frozen.

He was just a kid, scared of his destiny.

He knew only Air Bending.

His name was Aang.

Together, Aang, Sokka and I travelled the world, our eyes set on the North Pole.

It was there that Aang and I would learn Water Bending.

Along the way to the North Pole, we made friends and enemies.

We were always fleeing from the incessant pursuit of the banished Prince Zuko.

After the North Pole, it was decided that I would be the Avatar's Water Bending teacher.

We left the North Pole to look for an Earth Bending teacher for the young Avatar.

We found that teacher in the form of a young, blind, stubborn girl named Toph.

She was brash.

She was loud.

At times, she was infuriating.

And she was one of the best friends we ever made.

As Aang practiced and learned Earth Bending and Water Bending, we formulated a plan.

We took our plan to the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se.

There, we discovered a conspiracy to hide all information of the war from the Earth King.

We fought against the best agents of the Earth Kingdom.

Unlikely alliances were formed.

Betrayals were made.

Unbeknownst to us, the daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and her comrades had infiltrated Ba Sing Se.

They dethroned the King, took command of the city and we were forced to flee.

All was not lost, though.

We hid within the Fire Nation, believing they wouldn't suspect us to hide within their borders.

Meanwhile, an army of family, friends and allies was being formed and sailing to meet us.

Under the shadows of an eclipse, we struck at the heart of the Fire Nation.

But Azula's machinations had uncovered our plan long ago and the Fire Lord was prepared.

Our elder allies were taken captive by the Fire Nation and we were forced to flee again.

For a time we were hopeless.

The eclipse had failed.

Our only hope now was for Aang to master Fire Bending and face down the Fire Lord.

Yet we knew of no one that could teach him the element.

To our surprise, one found us.

The dishonored Prince, Zuko, came to us and offered himself as teacher.

We denied him, not believing him and sent him away.

But through acts of selflessness, he proved himself and we allowed him to join us.

Slowly, he earned each of our trusts.

He and Aang learned the true secret of Fire Bending.

He rescued our father from a Fire Nation prison.

He helped me avenge and let go of my mother's death.

Under his tutelage, Aang took to and mastered Fire Bending.

The Day of Sozin's Comet came and Aang met Ozai in battle.

Their battle was long, hard and narrowly won.

Aang defeated Ozai.

But in a show of overwhelming mercy, Aang spared his life.

Using techniques learned from a great Lion Turtle, Aang took his bending away.

Sozin's Comet faded from the sky.

Aang repaired the damage done to the Earth Kingdom.

The war was ended.

Fire Nation armies laid down their weapons and surrendered.

The Avatar had set the world right.

There's one more story to tell, though.

Aang asked me to do it.

It's been years now, but the details are fresh in my mind.

It starts at the coronation of Prince Zuko.

The coronation of the future Fire Lord, Prince Zuko, the once dishonored son of the Fire Nation, was a convoluted event wrapped in issues. The guest list was long and filled with all manner of people. From the loftiest and most arrogant nobles to the lowest and dirtiest swamp people, Katara and Mai had put together a list of almost every person they had encountered on their long travels. Mai, with her rich and noble background, had supplied the half of the guest list reserved for the high classed individuals. Kings, businessman, governors, senators, chiefs, merchants and many a nobleman received invitations. Almost unanimously, every one of them not from the Fire Nation had refused. The palace had been in a panic for days. The first coronation of a Fire Lord not bent on imperialistic war and it was going to be missed by everyone that mattered? There had to be a way to get them to agree.

A second wave of invitations was sent out, following an idea from Katara. She had requested Aang to personally address all who had refused. Acquiescing, he had personally signed hundreds of invitations, personally vouching for the Fire Lord and telling the world he had assisted him in stopping Ozai. Two thirds of the invitees has responded positively but Katara and, especially, the Fire Lord's advisors weren't satisfied with that response. Katara had pleaded and begged Aang to send out another notice, who was reluctant, given the nature of the message Katara was asking him to send. Both she and Zuko assured Aang that the new Fire Lord took no offense and, in the end, Aang had grudgingly agreed to sign the notice. In the final wave of invitations, Aang assured all the naysayers that, should Zuko attempt anything suspicious, he would stop him before he got the chance. Almost everyone agreed to attend.

Despite that debacle passing, that was far from the only worry to do with the coronation. Usually, the coronation of the Fire Lord was a smaller affair, with fewer in attendance (and rarely any from foreign nations) and less ostentatious decorations and fanfare. This, however, was the coronation of the first peaceful Fire Lord in three generations. Everything needed to be bigger. Everything needed to be brighter. Everything needed to be perfect.

Some traditions were being ignored (Zuko would have the Avatar, his best friend, and Katara, his fiancé on the stage with him) but some were being enforced (Zuko had to wear the ceremonial robes despite the fact that they reminded him and made him look far too much like his father for his tastes). Aang had to describe in explicit detail every inch and stitch of traditional Air Bending robes to the best tailors of the Fire Nation. Katara, despite Zuko's protests, had to get Fire Nation garbs made for her. Toph, Sokka and Suki were standing in as the Fire Lord's "bodyguards". All members of the Team and almost every member of the world could easily recognize that the Fire Lord did not need much protection, particularly with the Avatar and his wife standing beside him, but it was the only way the three other members of the Team could be allowed to stand just below the pedestal where Zuko would be crowned. As such, they had to be outfitted for armor in Fire Nation colors, despite Sokka's squawking. The officials of the Fire Nation had stubbornly informed them that, so long as they were acting in the capacity they had requested, they were in the employ of the Fire Nation and had to wear the colors. The food took days of preparation due to the immense size of the incoming crowd. The entirety of the central square in the Fire Nation capital was swept, washed, dusted and cleaned in every other manner possible every day to be sure not a speck of untidiness remained. Certain areas of the palace had to be cordoned off, with guards posted and makeshift walls put up to prevent wandering guests. Despite his advisor's protests, Zuko had insisted the walls be decorated with the colors of all four nations, proclaiming that his reign would be one of unification and not division. Thus, Katara, Aang and Suki had to describe, in detail, the proper banners of the foreign nations to the tailors who were working overtime to supply all they had been commissioned to make. Entertainment was brought in from all the nations they could reach. From the North Pole, a penguin acrobatics act was hired. From the Earth Kingdom, a team of aerial aces were hired who used their Earth Bending to leap through the air, trusting one another to catch them on thin, floating slabs of rocks. The Fire Nation's best performers, who were known for fire breathing into one another's mouths, were acquired as the opening act. As a finale, Aang had promised quite a show involving air scooters, marbles and air wheels that was sure to amaze. Katara had confiscated his marbles.

This was not to say, however, that the complications surrounding the event had ended in the days leading up to the coronation. To the contrary, it was the day of the coronation that was the most hectic and stressful. Zuko's coronation wasn't until the late evening (as it was Fire Nation tradition for the Fire Lord to be crowned just as the sun was setting) so the guests had all day to arrive in the Royal City. Throughout the hours, they came as a trickle, a stream, a wave and a typhoon but they never stopped coming. Security (the security being Toph, Sokka and a number of Water Tribe volunteers as members of foreign nations were too wary of Fire Nation soldiers) was working overtime to catalogue every guest that arrived, keep track of who was still to come and make sure no unwanted guests attended. The coronation was a fairly public event but there was plenty of hate left in the hearts of foreign nations and even Fire Nation citizens, and so they were keeping a sharp eye on the motives of all who were attempting to attend. It was, in large part, the reason Toph had been selected to oversee, if such a word could be applied to the blind girl, the proceedings. Once guests were admitted into the palace, they were greeted by Katara, who was handing out gifts to all in attendance. They were told by an amalgamation of advisors and soldiers to enjoy the palace but not to wander off. Those found in restricted areas would be removed from the Royal City and sent home. This applied to everyone, nobles and beggars alike. For those guests who had arrived incredibly early, a banquet of breakfast foods had been prepared. There were pancakes and waffles, eggs and cereals, sausages and bacons, jams and butters, juices of all kind and dozens of trays of muffins. It was a neverending buffet with platters being continuously replaced whenever they emptied. Breakfast was served until eleven in the morning and, only an hour after the meal was done, the table was laden down with food once more. This time there were all assortments of foods. Half the table still held breakfast food while the others included a heavier set of meals, most of it meats of various origins. There were fruits and vegetables though, as well as salads and all manner of dressings. This meal stretched until two o'clock. The wait staff promised the disappointed crowd a feast fit for the ages following Zuko's coronation. Those unlucky enough to have missed both meals would have to wait.

It was humorous that, despite the ridiculous amount of fanfare and effort, the coronation was a simple and quick affair. Zuko had been walked out in front of the people, followed by his fiancé (who Aang had insisted go second) and then the Avatar who was, by far, greeted with the loudest applause. Zuko had taken that in stride and kneeled before the Chief Fire Sage, an enormous grin upon his face. The Fire Sage had, had him repeat an oath which had been short and not all that clear. Following the oath, the Fire Sage had removed his prince's crown and replaced it with the crown of the Fire Lord. Aang had clasped him on the shoulder and Katara had wrapped her arm around his waist as they bathed in the thunderous applause of thousands of people. The applause had actually lasted longer than the coronation itself.

Following the short coronation, Zuko had announced to all a surprise that had not been included on the invitation. The newly crowned Fire Lord was throwing a party. An enormous party. He had chosen the odd day of Thursday to be crowned so that his guests could better enjoy the three day and three night party he had planned for them. The audience had been ecstatic.

What followed was three days of pure and utter enjoyment by all who attended. Many would wake up on Monday with enormous headaches with no recollection of almost anything that had happened over the weekend save for a few brief flashes which would mainly contain information they wouldn't want public. Those who had refrained from that degree of enjoyment would be able to recall for the rest of their lives an unforgettable party. It seemed that, no matter what enmity lay between nations, a party brought all together. First and foremost there was alcohol and lots of drinking. Throughout the three day event, the staff worked tirelessly to never allow an empty tray to sit on a table for more than a full minute and, as such, the tables were constantly straining under the weight of mountains of food. A few had even broken. Yet, despite this abundance of food, there was surely more drinking than eating. Bottles of all shapes and sizes were opened and drained. There were little ones and large ones, round ones and square ones, skinny ones and fat ones. They came in all form of color, consistency and potency. Some would leave you woozy, some would leave you buzzing and some would leave you barely able to stand. A few would even end the party for you after only a few swallows. Those were the only alcohols that were almost entirely avoided. No one wanted this party to end. Next, however, there was food. A never ending flow of food that was never endingly consumed. People gorged and devoured platter after platter. There were finger foods that lasted only a bite. Full course meals laid out that could last for half an hour, foods that many of other nations had never even heard of or tried. There was savory food and salty food. There was sweet food and sour food. Many of the guests made frightening combinations of all the flavors and many more added quite a bit of alcohol to meals which had no business having alcohol added to them. The next most common attraction was, of course, sex. With so much alcohol in the premise, the building had almost no inhibitions. Most didn't even bother to find a room. A chair, a table, a desk, a bench, a hallway and, on more than one occasion, a person was all most party attendees required. Nobles and beggars mingled. Wives were swapped. Husbands were traded. At one point there had been an entire room devoted to the art of the orgy, wherein one went from one person to the next, not bothering to check social standing, age, marital status or even gender. There was no class system at this party. Sokka and Suki, who had given up on the "bodyguard" routine were frequent visitors of that room over the course of the weekend. Even Toph had partaken in the room once, although she had been blind drunk and would only recall the memory years later in a vivid flashback. The only thing missing from festivities were illicit materials, which Zuko had steadfastly refused to allow within his palace. To him, it didn't look like most party members were missing them. The entertainment hired was all but ignored by the party members who were far too preoccupied with their own personal forms of entertainment to bother with them. The entertainers didn't really seem to mind. They just finished their acts and joined in on the merrymaking. Even Aang had not been able to resist the call of the festivities, although this was due, in large part, to Sokka spiking his drink. His memories of Saturday night were fuzzy and vague but he was incredibly aware of how flexible Ty Lee could be.

Katara had been furious with Sokka and given him an hour long lecture about responsibility. She ranted and raved about how young Aang was and reminded Sokka that the Avatar was a monk and that, that was likely forbidden. She claimed Sokka had defiled Aang's culture. Aang, though slightly guilty about breaking his vows of celibacy, wasn't all that upset about it. He knew that, as the last Air Bender, he would have to have sex to have any hope of ever repopulating his culture. Also, he was a young boy. Though he was very careful to watch what went into his drinks for the remainder of the party, he had still high fived Sokka.

Suffice to say, by the time Sunday rolled around, even the hardiest of partygoers had lost much of their luster. What was once a cacophony of thunderous noise was now a dull hum, comprised of the subdued voiced of many hungover, euphoric partygoers, all far too drunk to handle much movement or immense noise. While much of the majority of the alcoholic and sexual cavorting had ceased (the orgy room had been completely vacated), there were still denizens here and there participating. Yet even they were more subdued. What alcohol was being drunk was the weakest that could be found and it was only being drunk by the sturdiest of party guests. Most others had chosen water, far too sick of the devil's liquid to partake. What little sexual activity was occurring, was generally done behind closed doors. Although Sokka and Suki had not yet seemed to have mastered locking their doors. Or, in fact, even closing them. By the observations of the rest of Team Avatar, it seemed as if they enjoyed being caught and watched.

Aang, whose only contact with booze over the raucous weekend had been last night's spiked drink, was most likely the most self-aware person that Sunday. He had woken up very early that morning, stirred by the piercing eyes of his old friend, Katara. She, as well as a smiling Zuko, a grinning Sokka, an expressionless Toph, a similarly grinning Suki and a smirking Mai had all gathered into one of the many rooms of the palace. It was, coincidentally, a room Aang had no collection of ever entering. Beside him had been a happily grinning Ty-Lee, her bare body tangled up in the silk sheets of the Fire Nation royal palace. What had followed was an hour long lecture from Katara who had not even allowed the two of them to get dressed. Almost everyone came under fire from the motherly figure of their group, save for Aang. Sokka and Suki had gotten the brunt of it, being berated and scolded for spiking the young Aang's drink. Zuko had received a death glare for 'coughing' behind her while she lectured her brother and future sister-in-law. Toph had received a scathing glare when she had mentioned how lucky Ty-Lee was. "I've never felt it before beneath those robes," she had said, "but Twinkletoes here is hung." Ty-Lee had also been attacked. Katara had blamed her for taking advantage of a drunk Aang who was both young and not in control of himself. Mai had won a glaring contest with the mortified Water Tribe teen when Katara had turned on her after she had defended Ty-Lee. Subsequently, Katara's loss also ended the discussion. She had stormed out, throwing her hands above her head. Zuko had followed after her, still attempting to smother his grin. Mai had left next, bored of the proceedings and off to find food. Sokka and Suki had congratulated Aang and Ty-Lee respectively before leaving to do some cavorting of their own. Toph hadn't left, using her blindness as an excuse to stay and 'watch'. Ty-Lee hadn't minded and Aang had gotten over it. With her unique sense of sight, it wasn't as she hadn't already seen everything anyway. He had turned beet red, however, when Toph had offered to join him and Ty-Lee for another round. Aang had sputtered out a no but Ty-Lee had eagerly said yes so the girls kicked him out and wasted no time generation sounds that made Aang slightly regretful he had said no. Nonetheless, his nightly activities with Ty-Lee had left him tired, lacking energy and slightly sore. He had, in fact, only slept a couple hours. He had eaten, drank just a plain water and set about looking around for his friends or someone to talk to.

Aang had to say he was slightly happy to be surrounded by so much alcohol. Under normal circumstances the absurd amount of dignitaries, nobles and people of higher class would never leave him alone, desperate to get a chance to rub shoulders with the Avatar. Here, though, they were all far too drunk or hungover to even acknowledge his presence. They just sat around, talking lowly and slowly with their friends in various states of undress. As for his friends, he knew where two of them were and he didn't intend to interrupt the Earth Bender and the gymnast. Mai had disappeared to somewhere deeper in the palace. Katara and Zuko were at the head table in the Main Hall, eating breakfast and talking. It didn't seem as if their argument had lasted long. He found Sokka and Suki in a very innovative position in one of the bathrooms. They had both said hello and Aang had merely slid out of the room, off in search of someone else. Alas, the only one left was Mai who Aang knew from experience was not the best conversational partner. Still, she was the closest thing he had to a friend who didn't want him to be involved in a threesome. Well, there was Katara and Zuko but their lovey-dovey behavior often got annoying to him. With no other option, Aang set out to comb the palace for Mai.

He asked many a noble and beggar as he passed through the palace if they had seen the broody Fire Nation noble. A few pointed vaguely in random directions but most didn't even know who he was talking about. Sifting through the drunk ramblings of everyone proved difficult enough on its own, but following the many directions he was given turned up no results. He finally had success when he took a bathroom break. At this point, he was in the far back left of the section of the Palace that had been authorized to guests. As the Avatar, and the best friend of the Fire Lord, he had free run of every inch of the Palace, but he didn't suspect Mai had left the party so he kept his search concentrated in those areas. It was on his way to the nearest bathroom in one of the dancing halls that he saw her. There were very few party guests in the room. Only half a dozen perhaps, counting Mai. This, in and of itself wasn't odd. This room was in the far back of the Palace and difficult to get to. At this point in the party, hardly anyone had much motivation to move so it wasn't entirely illogical that this back room be nearly empty. The few guests that were here were mostly asleep or looked very nearly unconscious. What was odd about the room was the litter in the corner of it. The method of royal transportation was not currently held aloft by any servants. It just sat in still in the corner. Again, this in and of itself was not odd. There were plenty of royals (and nobles that considered themselves royals) from the Earth and Water Nations in attendance who would have litter such as these. What made it odd was that it was currently occupied. Aang could tell by the silhouette it was a feminine form and that she was slouching where she sat. Very unlike a royal or noble. Even odder were the pink sheets and red wood, the color of the Fire Nation. Most odd of all were the four, perfectly sober Fire Nation guards positioned at each corner.

Aang was confused. There were plenty of guards in this palace but not a single one of them was still sober. Most had long since shed their armor and joined in on the merry making. Those that hadn't had only kept it to convince women to sleep with them. Yet these men stood perfectly still, at attention, their eyes attentive and their hands clenched, as if ready for a fight. Mai was currently peeking into the litter, speaking softly to its occupant. Curious, Aang walked over.

"I'm sorry, sir," the front right guard lifted his hand, stopping Aang as he approached the litter. "By decree of Fire Lord Zuko, this litter is restricted."

Aang raised an eyebrow at the formal guard. "She's talking to whoever is in there," Aang pointed out, gesturing to Mai. Said broody teenager had not yet acknowledged Aang. She had not even exited from the litter.

The guard on the left coughed uncomfortably. "Ah, yes," he conceded. "But, you see…"

"With respect, sir," the right guard assisted his friend, "she's a lot more intimidating than you are."

Aang laughed despite the underlying insult and was joined by the deep chuckle of Mai as she sauntered out from behind the guard.

"You aren't wrong about that, guardsman," Mai smiled. It wasn't a particularly nice smile. In fact, it was rather vicious. "But this is the Avatar. I suggest you do as he wants."

"But…Fire Lord Zuko –"

"Is best friends with the Avatar," Mai cut him off. "I doubt he will mind his best friend seeing the…guest he has in this litter. And if he does!" she raised her voice slightly as the guard opened his mouth to argue again. "I will take the blame for you."

"I…ah…yes, ma'am," the guard said defeated. "Go ahead, Avatar Aang. Just," he hesitated, "be prepared."

Suitably unnerved by the uneasy faces of the guards and the blanker than usual face of Mai, Aang stepped forward and parted the curtains of the litter. The figure that rested inside made Aang gasp in utter shock.

Azula. Zuko's sister. His enemy. Infinitely more cunning than her brother. A thousand times more terrifying than her brother. Far more competent than her brother had ever been at stopping and hindering the Avatar. That was who he had thought it was at first. But the figure slouched within this litter was not the Azula that Aang knew.

This Azula was vacant, her black eyes glassy and distant. Her skin was a pasty pale and no longer the perfect sheen it had been. Her once lustrous and perfectly kempt hair was stringy, growing at different lengths as if a five year old had taken a pair of scissors to it. Her mouth hung, just barely parted. She was breathing shallowly, leaning forward. When Aang had last met Azula in personal combat, it had been atop the drill bearing into Ba Sing Se. Aang, humble as he was, recognized that, at the time, he had not been all that skilled in Earth Bending and was barely above average with Water Bending. It had been a fight for survival, not victory, against Azula. That hadn't been the last time he had seen her though. He had also caught a brief glance of her when she had attacked the Western Air Temple where they had been hiding with her war zeppelin. Her hair had lost its perfectly controlled aspect. It had been flowing, uncontrolled then, and she had been wilder but no less deadly and no less in control of herself. To see the remnants of a girl, only barely older than himself, who had been so in control and so powerful was heartbreaking. Aang harbored no illusions regarding Azula. He knew she had been evil. He knew she had been hell bent on ending him and his friends. He knew she had not been a good person.

But no person deserved this fate.

He didn't know if she could leave her to it.