The war is over and Princess Azula has been sentenced to prison for treason against the crown. A month has passed since then.
"Your highness the princess isn't doing too well," says a worker.
"What do you mean she isn't doing too well?" asks Zuko
"The princess has lost her senses, she is talking like you are there and is laughing constantly. She is talking about your late mother." says a worker
"Take me to her now." says Zuko
"As you wish Fire Lord," says a worker.
He leads Zuko to the asylum where Azula is in a straight jacket in a wheelchair.
"Oh Zuzu! There you are! See! I told you, you think I'm crazy but my brother is here. Oooo Zuzu it's mean to keep your sister waiting. I have been trying to talk to you have you heard?" asks Azula
"No I haven't. *to a nurse* Why is my sister in a straight jacket?" asks Zuko
"It is just precaution to help her," says the nurse.
"She isn't crazy." says Zuko
"Sire...she snapped she is acting like she doesn't have fire bending. She doesn't even know what that is," says the nurse.
"Fire bending isn't real! Zuzu tell them!" says Azula
Zuko looks at his sister sadly and confused.
"Leave me with my sister," says Zuko.
They don't want to but they know better then to argue with him.
"Yes fire lord," says the workers and nurses.
They leave him to his sister, he brushes a lock of her hair out of the way.
"Azula, fire bending is real," says Zuko.
"No it isn't! They can't do it! So it's not!" says Azula
"Shh shh. Look here, watch me," says Zuko.
He fire bends a little flame in his hand, she blinks and it brings back a little bit of her memory.
"It is real..but Zuzu..the moon took it away," says Azula.
"For a little bit."
"I don't like it here. You have to get me out of here! They keep on shocking me! It hurts!"
"I will do what I can. Just do as they ask for now. Mom's gone Azula. You know that."
"Dad showed me where he took her. I don't know if she is alive but mom. *She shakes her head* Ooo Zuzu mom was so beautiful."
"Yeah she was, you have her eyes."
He places his forehead to hers gently.
"I will get you out of here."
"You promise?"
"Yeah. Hang tight."
"It's scary so scary."
"I know shh."
The nurses come back and leave with Azula. Who looks at it as a ride for a long time, Zuko didn't even have time to say goodbye to Azula. He sighs and goes back to working on the reports he has to do, then gets to his father's report, he has been pushing away his fathers reports. Here he has to come too, he looks and sees that he has tried to escape on multiple occasions to the point that they had to bind him.
"Father...if you just stay there, your sentence won't be as long as it is now," says Zuko,to himself.
He knows he has no room to talk as he was an escaped prisoner at one point, he shakes his head. He finishes those reports before getting to his sisters reports. He sees that she has self harmed with her hair piece to try to get into the infirmary to escape. They took away her hair pieces, which makes sense why her hair was down when Zuko saw her. He does wonder if she was faking it to try to escape then his eyes go into shock when he reads more reports.
Reports:
"Azula has refused to eat until she sees her mother. We have told her on multiple accounts that her mother is dead. She has called us liars and attacked the guards on more than one account saying over and over 'Zuko just played with her' 'Mommy just played with me! Let me see her! Cowards!'"
"Azula has stopped using firebending to escape."
"Azula has stopped calling for her mother and is now calling out for her father. When she sees her father, she hugs him like a child and asks him to tell them that her mother is alive. Ozai reports to her that her mother isn't here anymore and he doesn't know where she is. She isn't coming back and the princess gets into a bigger fit calling her father a 'mother killer' and jealous. Ozai slapped her for her fits and it only made the fit worse, he now refuses to see her."
"Your prized daughter is nothing to you?..." asks Zuko
Reports continued:
"Azula has been calling for her brother feeling lost and doesn't understand why he won't see her. When seen a psychologist about the calling out, she refuses to bend fire or lightning bend: saying everything is fake."
The reports have remained the same for five more reports.
"Princess Azula is moved into the asylum where tests are going to be performed on her to bring her out of this state. Or until she stops faking."
"Princess Azula's results have not changed in the past six days. Maybe a visit from her brother will change things."
There is a knock on the door that brings Zuko out of reading the reports.
"Sire, I have a report on your sister. Would you like me to add it to the others?" asks the worker
"No! Bring it at once. My sister's health is important," says Zuko.
"Uh..alright," says the worker.
He brings in the reports and leaves Zuko to read the newest report on his sister.
Report:
"Seeing her brother has made no improvements. She is now fighting treatments. Two nurses have been hospitalized."
Zuko burns the paper outraged, she needs proper care and isn't getting it there.
"You're majesty?" asks the worker
"Bring me to the asylum again right to the person in charge." says Zuko
The worker does just as asked and the worker knocks on the directors door.
"Who is it?" she calls
"Lord Zuko here to see you." says the worker
"Come in," says the director.
Zuko does and slams his hands on the desk.
"Let my sister out now, she isn't insane," says Zuko.
"I am sorry but until she improves she can't be let out. Her time is almost up as you know. Her time has been cut short because of her health. However, she is getting worse," says the director.
"Then put her on house arrest. I can look after my sister," says Zuko.
"With all due respect, Fire Lord we were open to that months ago but you didn't report in," says the director.
"Is it my fault that my father abandoned his reports?! I had a backlog of reports! I'm here now. Let me take Azula home," says Zuko.
"I apologize but that can't happen," says the director.
Zuko zooms out and goes to the prison straight to his father, where he decks him hard.
"You don't come to see your father and the first thing you do when you do see him, you hit him? I brought you up better if your uncle didn't," says Ozai.
"Shut up! Azula needed you and you just abandoned her?!" yells Zuko
"What about you? I don't see you checking in on either of us," counters Ozai.
"She's your daughter!"
"She's your sister! And I didn't abandon her, I just didn't have what she needed. She was being a child wanting Daddy and I took that away from her so she could grow stronger and learn on her own what she did wrong. Like a parent taking away a toy."
"You aren't a toy and she's sick! She's your precious flesh and blood!"
"You aren't in a way to lecture me when it comes to abandoning family!"
"You have no room either! You kicked out your wife! You kicked out your son! Forget it, I'm done here! Guards!"
The guards come and lead Zuko out of their quickly. He decides on his own that he needs to get Azula out of there. His first attempt is dressing up as a nurse, he dresses up and gets her outside of the door but has to turn around and wheel her right to the room where they do what won't be known until later as shock therapy with a fire bender who also knows lightning bending. It kills him watching his sister being shocked over and over again. Every escape route ends him kicked out or Azula shocked. He has to take time away and finds his mother where he is reunited with her own room. He tries again and again after getting reunited with his mother to get his sister out but it hasn't been to any avail.
"Mother...Azula. I don't know what to do, she isn't crazy," says Zuko.
"I know baby. She really isn't. But think about what you are doing wrong," says Ursa.
"What do you mean?" asks Zuko
"Everytime you escaped it wasn't alone. It was with your friends. I know being the avatar takes time away from free time. However, for you I think he would help get your sister out. I would go but I doubt that would do any good. I need to rest for now," says Ursa, kissing Zuko's forehead.
Zuko nods and lets her go off to bed for now. He sighs and sends a messenger to grab Aang, Katara, and Sokka. He knows that it is a long shot but he relaxes for a couple days, visiting Azula normally and letting her know that she will be out soon.
"You have been saying that and saying that! But every day I am still here! Zuzu stop promising and get me out of here!" says Azula
"I know. I know. You were right, mom isn't dead. I know where she is." says Zuko
"Where is she?! Is she here?!" asks Azula
"Yes. But not here she is home." says Zuko
"Then...does she not love me?" asks Azula
"No she loves you a lot." says Zuko
"Then why isn't she visiting me?" asks Azula
"She doesn't want to make the situation worse. Wait and you will be out of here." says Zuko "Be good."
"Alright," says Azula.
He leaves and awaits for the gang to come. When they do come Zuko cuts to the chase as usual.
"It's good to see you guys again, I know you are wondering why I called you in today. I will just cut to the chase. My sister is in the asylum. I know you don't like her but she really needs help. I need your help please," says Zuko.
"After everything she has done?! Why would we help her!" says Sokka
"Zuko come on she's just playing your strings it is what she does," says Katara.
"That's what I thought too, until I read the reports. Here. I had to have a new copy of the latest report redone..I uh might have burned it in rage.." says Zuko.
"You might have or you did?" asks Sooka
"Sokka!" says Katara
"No he's right. I did," says Zuko.
He lets the gang read the reports, they do getting sadder and sadder as the reports get worse as the days, move on. The three look at each other before Aang looks up at Zuko.
"For you we will help her. No one deserves this treatment," says Aang.
"Zuko? What's going on?" asks Ozai
"Mother. It's alright. *he turns to the three with a smile* Would you like to meet my mother?" asks Zuko
"I thought your mother was dead?" asks Katara
"Yeah i did too, then I did some research. Azula wasn't lying. Mother wasn't dead after all. She was banished like I was. The death I saw was all a show. Azula saw her being shipped off. So I did more research and found her. I brought her here not to long ago. It wasn't long after you all left that I found that out." says Zuko
"Then we would love to meet your mother, Zuko," says Aang, with his same old smile.
Zuko smiles and brings her in where intros are made and there is some tea. Where Zuko is red the rest of the day from embarrassment. Later that evening they make up a plan where Aang is the distraction with the director, Sokka would distract the nurses while Katara and Zuko gets Azula out of there. When Azula is safely out of the asylum, Zuko will give Aang the signal to get Sokka, then get out of there. The next morning they go out to the asylum where Aang goes in first and after ten minutes, Zuko walks in casually with Katara. Sokka follows in after five minutes going to each of the nurses distracting them. He gets them to show him around the place. Zuko and Katara start heading upstairs where Azula is at.
"Fire Lord Zuko, you have brought a friend to visit your sister today?" asks a nurse
"Yes. She is an old friend of mine," lies Katara, with a smile.
"Great do have a great day and don't cause a ruckus," says the nurse.
"Of course!" says both of them
They head into Azula's room shutting the door, Zuko hushes Azula quickly.
"She's here to help," says Zuko.
"Zuzu, she doesn't even like me why would she help me?" asks Azula
"Because she is a friend of your brothers now hush," says Katara.
Zuko and Katara get her binds, they wait inside keeping her straight jacket on her for now. Zuko scoops her up gently into his arms, it would be easier to carry her out over using the wheelchair she was bound too. Aang works on the director to get the paperwork done so that this escape is legal. Sokka in the meantime knocks three times on the door and has the ladies lead him more. Zuko and Katara start heading down the backway that Zuko has tried in the past but with the wheels not drawing attention to the three, it is easier for them to escape. They get her down the stairs hiding when a doctor comes out from downstairs. They then make it to the courtyard where Azula's bounds are released. She hugs the two happily, which shocks Katara and Zuko but they do hug her back.
"Thank you." says Azula
"No problem" says Katara
"Now Azula you do know you have to carry out your rest of your sentence at home." says Zuko
"Of course." says Azula "I'm no idiot Zuzu. Any place is better than there."
Zuko nods knowing that bringing her back to normal will take a while but over Azula he is up for the challenge. He uses firebending to signal Aang, just as he is getting the papers signed.
"Thanks a lot! You won't regret it, I know where to go if not Zuko will help me. We will get Azula out of your hair. I am sure he will be visiting Azula soon! So I will go get her and everything will be okay!" says Aang
"I hope there will be no more issues, Mr. Avatar." says the director
"Nope! She will be fine at home better even," says Aang.
"Good," says the director.
Aang grabs the papers, and Sokka's shirt they head out the door to the courtyard where Aang hands over the paperwork.
"All you have to do is sign. Woo," says Aang.
"Thanks. I really owe you one." says Zuko
He reads the agreement before signing the papers over and Aang puts the paperwork on the desk. They head back to the palace where Azula is reunited with her mother happily.
"Let's leave them alone." says Zuko
The others nod and they go over to where they talk and say goodbye.
"If you need anything don't hesitate to get me." says Zuko
"Yeah same here" says Aang, with a smile
They smile before everyone but Zuko climbs up on Appa. Zuko gives Appa a pat and sends the trio off before heading in to get Azula ready for her house arrest. The first thing he does is hug his sister close, showing her her hair piece. She smiles sadly and cries, Zuko doesn't reprimand her just holds her close.
The End