She sat in a field of fire lilies. Surrounded by red flowers, she dreamed of what could have been. Images of a conquered throne, a lifeless body and a burned world danced through her head.
It was all she had wanted. Power, respect and fear were her goals and her tools, and she used them to devastating effect.
She didn't want it now. Her lust for control had cost her dearly; her humanity, her friends and her crown had turned to dust. Her mind had shattered, overburdened by the strain put onto her by her father.
But Ozai was gone, his power stolen and his body rotting away in a dark pit from which he would never escape. She had been freed from his corrupting influence.
But she wasn't whole. Even though the Avatar had chosen to spare her from Ozai's fate, her bending was weak. Where once deep azure flames had writhed in her palm, there wasn't even a wisp of smoke.
She stared out over the horizon, watching the orange glow of the sun sink into nothingness. It would be replaced by the moon, a harsh and cold light. The enemy of her people.
But her people had no enemies any more, so said her brother. And neither did she. In her moments of lucidity, she thought this naïve at best. The war might be over, but feelings had yet to cool. A hundred years of bloodshed was hard to forget.
"Azula, what are you doing out here alone?"
Ah yes. Her self-appointed minder. At first the Water Tribesman had sought to keep a close eye on her to ensure she wasn't planning anything unsavoury. But after a while, he had begun to help her out with small issues, and ensure she was healthy.
She had rejected his efforts at first, but eventually she had grown slightly fond of him. He was... a friend. It was a foreign concept. She'd never had a proper friend before. Ty Lee and Mai had been kept in line through displays of her strength and viciousness, and it lead to her downfall.
Sokka was not afraid of her. This was a novel concept too. Her brother, the mighty Firelord still quivered slightly when she was close, memories of ancient pains and barbs welling up inside him.
Even the Avatar, though he had eventually forgiven Azula's crimes against him (to the Waterbender's slight disgust) was wary of her. Not even his childish desire for peace in all forms could entirely quash old wounds.
But Sokka no longer saw an enemy. He was a tinkerer by nature, and she something he might be able to fix.
She smiled to herself, before turning to him. "Just enjoying a moment to myself." Her voice was soft, her once razor-sharp edges blunted by time and duress.
"Come on, it's getting dark out." He reached a hand out toward her.
She studied him for a moment, before grasping it and allowing him to pull her up. He squeezed her hand almost imperceptibly, before letting it fall. Then he turned and began to walk back.
She reached down and picked up a fire lily, bringing it to her face and breathing in the sweet scent for a moment. And then it began to smoulder, before bursting into blue flame and turning to ash.
She let the incinerated remains slip through her fingers, before smiling again and heading after him.
Perhaps he might be able to fix her after all.