Chapter Two
011. Innocence
Her sudden shift from dangerous, insane, homicidal sociopath to guileless childish lost girl of six was always unexpected and scary. One moment she was practically foaming from the mouth, still gorgeous as ever, and screaming at the top of her lungs for her brother to release her so she can destroy him, and the next she was crying pitifully, alone and scared, demanding that her mother love her as much as Zuzu. Sokka only watched and fought the urge to embrace her.
012. Wet
Firebenders didn't hate water, they just despised being wet. They're like cats in that aspect. One would sooner find an Earthbender flying than see a Firebender wet for more than three seconds. Sure, they loved soaking—Iroh was proof of that—and they loved their liquids—Hey, Firebending is hot work, you know—but they wouldn't purposefully become wet more than necessary.
Or that was what Sokka thought. However, while he was busy teasing Zuko and calling his manliness into question while he was in the safety of water, a place Zuko wouldn't dare go into, another Firebender decided to break the rules.
He wasn't aware of Azula's presence behind him until he was prodded with two manicured fingers and a shock went through him. Zuko chortled happily from his perch away from the water. Sokka, on the other hand, was livid. He whirled around ready to lecture the Princess—who else would intentionally shock him with lightning?—for using electricity while in water when his jaw dropped. "Guh—Buh—Guh—Azula! You look delicious—I mean pretty!"
"Hey! No hitting on my sister!"
"Hello, peasant." Azula purred. "Wanna go swimming?"
"Azula! No fraternizing with peasants!"
013. Blood
"Why did you do it?" Sokka watched Zuko scream frantically at his sister. She gasped for breath, desperately clutching to his shirtfront. Aang was trying to locate Katara to heal the fallen princess. "WHY!? AZULA!"
Her eyes fluttered shut and opened again after a tedious long pause. She gasped once more and coughed. Blood spattered everywhere. "Blood…is thicker than water."
"Father was blood too." Zuko frowned, confused. Azula cried out and shook her head impatiently, offering him a disapproving glare. "Azula, why did you save me? You're dying."
"Well," She rasped, "You're always the unappreciative one, weren't you, Zuzu?" She laughed, only to choke on more blood. She covered her mouth that time and cupped her hands to keep the blood in her hands. "Blood is thicker than water." The blood seeped through her fingers and cascaded into her lap.
"You're going to live." Zuko swore heatedly. "You're going to live, and we're going to start over. We're finally going to be happy, understood?!" Sokka watched, enthralled at the raw fear and anger on Zuko's face. He felt like he was intruding on a private scene. His own heart pulled. Instead of seeing Zuko and Azula, he saw himself and Katara.
Azula nodded weakly. "I'll still beat you in everything, deadweight."
"I'll still try to push you into the turtle-duck pond." Zuko smiled slightly. A sound caught their attention, and Katara was suddenly rushing towards them, water encasing her hands, ready to heal Azula.
"She's going to be okay." Sokka said awkwardly. Zuko nodded.
014. Betrayal
Azula was loyal. She was loyal to herself, first and foremost. She was loyal to her father, then her nation, then her friends. She never had clashing interests or goals. It was simple. Capture the Avatar, destroy the Avatar, win the war, and become the Fire Lord when the time comes.
It wasn't until much later that she finally found a kink in her plans. She had another loyalty added, albeit reluctantly, to her short list. Protect the Water Tribe boy. As long as she never showed particular interest in him, then no one noticed then he was no longer in danger. If her friends had noticed, none of them mentioned it.
Unfortunately for her, he was part of the Avatar's merry band of do-gooders. And therefore he was always in danger. Each meeting, Azula always watched out for the boy, subtle and quietly, but she watched. She knew the clock was ticking, and soon, oh so very soon, he would die, whether it was by her hands, her friends' hands, or by her father's. He will die.
So in the midst of battle, Ozai shot a lightning bolt at the Avatar's turned back. (It was silly of the boy to be distracted by his water wench—she can handle a few fire nation soldiers) The Avatar wasn't aware of it, Zuko saw but was too far away to make it in time to redirect it, the blind girl, Toph, was busy fighting off her own hoard of soldiers, and Sokka was the only one left.
But before the lightning reached Sokka, Azula shot her own lightning, and redirected her father's fire just slightly. But slightly was enough. Azula sighed in relief. Everyone stared at her shell-shocked.
She chose him. Her father unintentionally called her loyalty into question. And she chose him.
015. Courage
She feared nothing.
No, she was lying to herself again.
She feared loss (mother. Her sanity. Family.)
She feared disappointment (Zuko. Father. Weakness).
She feared loneliness (No one loves you. Monster.).
She feared. She feared her humanity.
"Azula, it's time to get up. Zu—whoa!"
Blindly, she had lunged at the male and grabbed onto him in a vice-like grip. A few moments later, she realized, this wasn't her brother. She didn't care. She clung closer to him, sobbing weakly. She didn't know how long they stayed like that. But it felt nice.
016. Pride
She had too much pride left in her to ask for help. Even though she was now the exiled princess of the Fire Nation, and is pretty much against Ozai as they were, she will not go to them for help. It was disgraceful.
So she wandered, she travelled to places she had always wanted to see as a tourist instead of a conqueror. First stop was Ba Sing Se. Her stop there was brief and definitely not pleasant. She went to the Misty Palm Oasis. It was dry, boring, and sandy. She went to Gao Ling. It was quiet enough, if not on the dreary dull side. She didn't dare go to the Southern or Northern Water Tribe. After travelling around the Earth Kingdom and finding everything depressing or dull, she decided to go back to the place she had the most fun at. Ember Island.
What she hadn't expected was to find Zuzu and his little buddies hiding out at their old home. She had planned to use their summer home as well. Their reaction to her presence was pathetic at best. They had all gotten lazy; Zuko and the Earthbender were the only one really serious enough to get into their stances. "Relax," She said, "I've been exiled so I'm not really obligated to kill you all."
"What are you doing here, 'Zula?" Zuko demanded.
"You know, I'm on vacation." Azula smiled easily, "I've been banished for saving one of yours. Daddy wasn't pleased."
The water tribe boy she had saved looked affronted, "So you mean you've been banished for how long? And you didn't come to any of us to help us with our plans?! Aang still needs to learn firebending!" Ungrateful whelp, Azula thought.
"I'm right here, Sokka." Aang and Zuko snarled.
"No offense to you both then." Sokka dismissed, which only pissed them off more.
"I'm on vacation. I've had enough trouble chasing you. If I actually sided with you I'll have grey hairs before I'm twenty. I can easily live here for the rest of my life." There was a pause and a row of incredulous to affronted faces stared back at her. "Well…as soon as you all move out, of course. I like my space."
"I think having another firebender here would be good." Sokka said, and gave the rest of the group a 'don't-argue-with-me' look. "Why don't you help us, Azula? You probably know all of Ozai's plans."
"I'm an exiled princess who hopes for redemption. So therefore, I will have to kill one of you, put your head on a spike, and make my way back home." Azula droned, "now which one of you would be so kind as to die?"
"We need your help, Azula." Sokka said empathetically. "We can't pull off the plan without you. We need more fire power." She contemplated the idea. They were asking her for help, she supposed her pride would allow her to help them. She nodded.
"As long as I don't have to teach that lack-wit Avatar."
017. Lust
With Yue, he felt unworthy and shy. Yue was a soft-spoken, cultured princess of the Northern Water Tribe. He was just a peasant from the Southern Water Tribe. Their love was short but sweet.
With Suki, he felt adoration, dedication, and admiration. Suki was a warrior and a confident young woman. She knew her boundaries, knew when to charge and retreat, she was a natural born leader. He admired her, he adored her, and he was faithful to her. Their love was nice and safe. It was fun.
With Azula, he felt need, desire, lust, power, anger, happiness, frustration, he felt so much. It was all consuming. Like her element, she made him thirst for more. Soon, his thirst for her turned into lust. Every thing she did drove him mad. Their love was comforting, safe, dangerous, wild, and fulfilling.
018. Envy
Envy was one of the seven deadly sins. Envy was also one of the sins that Azula never associated herself with. What could a beautiful, intelligent, and strong woman like her ever want or envy? She had suitors at her beck and call, an army of servants, and enough control over her nation to rule the world if she so wished. She was rich, she was famous and people envied her, not the other way around.
So why did she feel such longing and hate when she spots those water tribe siblings play fight and laugh together? She couldn't possibly be envious. She glanced back at her own brother, busy with signing documents, then back at the happy pair in the garden below Zuko's office. She was envious.
019. Wrath
Her father's wrath was something she was unaccustomed to. She had saved him over conflicted loyalties and she paid for it. She was forgiven eventually, and was sent out to rectify her mistake and kill him. She couldn't and she paid for it again. And again. And again.
It was her last time. Her last betrayal and refusal to end his life. She was going to be executed tomorrow morning at dawn. "I've faced my father's wrath for you time and time again. Do you realize how loyal I am?"
He was probably getting fresh with his Kyoshi Warrior.
020. White
"I am not wearing white for our wedding."
"It's the colour all Water Tribe brides wear!" Katara protested. "It's tradition! It'll symbolize your willingness to join our tribe and embrace our culture." Hakoda nodded.
Azula shook her head. "I am going to wear red."
"You always wear red!" Katara sighed in frustration. Azula smirked and pointed at her clothing. "Okay, so you're wearing blue this time, but you can't just wear red at your wedding!"
"Whose wedding is it?" Azula questioned coolly.
"Yours." Katara groused, crossing her arms.
"Then I'm not wearing white."
Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Azula cut her off. "White symbolizes the colour for mourning and death in the Fire Nation. I don't think the Fire Nation guests would appreciate the gesture."
Hakoda sighed, "Sokka, what do you think?"
Both women glared at him, willing him to take their side. "Eh…well…Azula looks beautiful in everything." Azula smiled smugly at Katara before leaning over to kiss Sokka.
