So i said I'd upload it before the week ended and so here it is as promised, a revised and better version of chapter 1
I don't own A:TlA
It had taken over a hundred years, but the war had finally ended. Relationships between all the nations had reached a steady and peaceful stage, and trade between the three nations had improved greatly. Under the rule of Zuko, the Fire Nation had made up for all the treacheries they had committed during the war. Of course there were still some people who hated the Fire Nation as well as some people who wanted Ozai to once again rule, but for the most part everyone had accepted the changes with open arms. For the first time in over a century, peace had returned to all the nations.
0o0o0o0
Zuko sighed as he left yet another meeting to discuss trading between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. These meetings tended to be long and boring, consisting of old men arguing back and forth, and this one was no exception. He made his way to his room, occasionally stopping to talk to nobles, or to give instructions to the palace guards.
After a few minutes of walking, Zuko reached his room. Once he closed the door he relaxed his posture, slouching a little. "I swear one day those meetings are going to drive me insane," he said to himself as he undid his top not and took of his formal robes, opting to wear more casual clothing. As he finished putting his shirt on, he heard the door knock. "Who is it?" he asked, hoping it wasn't another noble who wanted him to meet their daughter.
"It is your uncle", said one of the guards positioned outside his room.
"Let him in," said Zuko with a small smile. He was hoping to talk to his uncle sometime today before he had to leave. Zuko shuddered a little at the thought of where he had to go in a few hours.
"Good morning nephew," said Iroh as he entered the room. He quickly thanked the guard who closed the door behind him before he turned to Zuko and smiled. "How did the meeting go?"
Zuko let out a long sigh while he pinched the bridge of his nose. "The whole time all the nobles argued amongst each other, and in the end nothing was solved."
Iroh let out a small chuckle at his nephew's misfortune. Maybe Ozai had done him a favour by taking the crown. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Iroh decided to tell Zuko the real reason he had stopped by. "Are you sure you want to go visit her?" Iroh asked a hint of worry in his voice, "I know she is family but you must understand that she's not the same girl you knew as a child, and in her current state she could be even more dangerous than usual."
Zuko let his gaze drop to the floor. Every time he went to visit her, Iroh would tell him the same thing and Zuko would always give the same response. "I can't just leave her uncle. Crazy or not she's still my sister. I know she's tried to kill me multiple times, and I've also put her in dangerous situations, but at the end of the day she family." Zuko took a pause before he added something new to his usual answer. "I know she's broken, but I believe that there's some hope for her, after all she has both Sozin's and Roku's blood in her as well, so maybe she has some good in her too."
Iroh looked at his beloved nephew sadly. Ever since Azula's break down, Zuko would try to visit her once every two weeks. It pained Iroh to think this, but he knew his niece was beyond any redemption. Ozai had taken any good the child had and crushed it the moment she began to Firebend. However, Zuko still kept faith that Azula had some good inside her, and would not give up on her. Iroh could not bring it upon himself to destroy any hope Zuko had for his sister, and so reluctantly he said, "Well then I hope you have a pleasant journey. Please give her my regards."
0o0o0o0
"Welcome my lord," said Li, the doctor in charge of Azula, as he bowed.
Zuko gave a curt nod before sitting down in Li's office. He looked through Azula's file for a moment before asking, "So how is she, and please don't sugar coat it."
Li looked sadden and said, "Unfortunately my lord, your sister is getting worse and worse by the day. She is always yelling, and it's getting harder for her to distinguish dreams, or in her case nightmares, from reality. She still believes that her mother conspired against her and helped you become the Fire Lord."
Zuko kept his neutral face and asked, "Is there anything else?"
The doctor looked even sadder, if it were possible, before he spoke solemnly, "Just today she attempted to hang herself by tying her bed sheets into a noose."
That was the news that pushed Zuko over the edge. His eyes grew wide and he lost all sense of calm. He quickly shot up and slammed up fists onto the desk in front of him. "She tried to kill herself!" he yelled. "Why was I not informed of this sooner?" he asked Li.
Li shrunk back into his chair, shocked by the sudden outburst. "It happened a few hours before you arrived so I thought it'd be best if I told you in person," he said as he wiped the newly formed sweat off his forehead.
"I want to see her right now," demanded Zuko, towering over the poor doctor.
"Of course my lord," said Li as he quickly got up and led Zuko out of his office. After a few minutes of going through gray brick halls, they reached a room that had two guards stationed outside of it. For everyone's safety, the room was kept far away from anyone else's, and instead of the normal wooden doors had thick metal doors. When the guards saw Zuko approach the saluted him and then quickly went back to their former position. "Would you like a guard to accompany you while you're inside," asked Li as he unlocked the door.
"No I would like to speak to her alone," said Zuko.
"Just remember she is still in a fragile state of mind. The smallest things could set her off," warned Li.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you," said Zuko and he entered the room. Once he heard the door behind him close he looked around. There was still another set of bars in the room, but he could see Azula behind them. Simply looking at Azula was enough to make Zuko sad. Her bangs were uneven and messy. She had dark bags under her eyes, and her mouth curled upwards into a twisted smile. Her once golden eyes now looked much paler, and she had various red lines on her face most likely from scratching it with her own nails. She had a straight jacket on and slumped against the wall in a way that made Zuko unsure if she was awake.
Zuko took a step closer to the bars, and said in a soft voice, "Hi Azula."
The woman behind the bars shifted at the sound of the voice. She slowly lifted her head until she locked eyes with her brother. In a harsh tone she spoke, "What do you want Zuzu, or should I say my lord." Her voice dripped of venom.
Zuko took a deep breath, trying not to show any emotions in front of Azula. "I just came to see how you're doing? I hope you're still eating," he asked, not looking away from her.
"You want to know how I'm doing?" asked Azula in disbelief for a moment. She quickly snapped afterwards. "Why would you want to know how I'm doing? You hate me! You took the crown away from me, you and mother! You both hate me!" Azula continued to yell at Zuko for another five minutes, saying that he and their mother plotted against her and that Zuko is once again plotting against her.
Zuko waited till Azula calmed down before he spoke, "Azula I'm not plotting anything against you, I just want to see how you're doing. I re-"
"Just leave me alone," yelled Azula, interrupting Zuko. Azula trashed around violently while yelling at Zuko to leave her alone.
Zuko knew that if she continued to trash around she'd end up hurting herself, so with a heavy heart he left the room, without muttering a word.
0o0o0o0
Zuko tired to go to sleep that night but he couldn't. Azula's words constantly rung through his head, 'You hate me'. The truth is Zuko should hate Azula. She tried to kill him and his friends multiple times. But no matter how Zuko could even remember a time when Azula wasn't evil. Before she knew how to bend, she and Zuko had been best friends. They'd always play together, and when Azula was scared by storms, she'd come to sleep with Zuko.
Zuko got out his bed, knowing that he wasn't going to fall asleep with all these thoughts going on in his head. He walked to his balcony and stepped outside, letting the cold air fill his lungs. He looked up at the sky and saw that the moon was full. His thoughts drifted towards a certain Waterbender for a brief moment before they went back to the topic at hand. "Yue, please help my sister. Give her a second chance," he begged the moon goddess. He stared at the moon for a few more moments before going back to his bed.
0o0o0o
"Zuko wants to take me down again, but this time it won't work," said Azula as she looked around nervously. "Mothers in on his little plan too, but they won't get the drop on me this time. No one can get the drop on me," she said as she laughed nervously.
"You're wrong," said a voice behind Azula.
"Of course you'd say that to hide your plans mother," said Azula without turning around. There's no way her mother could trick her this time, she was determined not to let them win.
"It's not your mother," said the mysterious voice, "But believe me when I say that Zuko only wants to help you."
Azula panicked. If it's not mother behind me then who is she thought to herself. She quickly turned around and was shocked that it actually wasn't her mother standing behind her. Instead, there was a woman with mocha skin, blue eyes and hair as white as the moon light. The mysterious woman wore a white dress and seemed to float above the floor. The panic in Azula grew and the woman began approaching Azula.
"Stay away from me!" yelled Azula as she tried to back away from the woman.
From the outside of her cell there was the sound of her screaming, a bright flash of white light, and then nothing.
0o0o0o
Zuko was just starting to fall asleep when he saw a bright flash of white in his room. He quickly jumped to his feet and got into a Firebending stance, ready to fight the intruder. However, once he saw his intruder, he dropped his stance and had a dumbfound look. In front of him stood Yue the goddess of the moon. She was holding a small bundle wrapped in a blanket.
"Hello Zuko," she said with a smile.
"What are you doing here," asked Zuko, greatly confused.
Yue laughed at Zuko's confusion before saying, "For the important role you played in restoring the harmony between the four nations, the spirits have decided to give you one wish, and today I have granted you your wish. Your sister has received a second chance."
Yue placed the bundle on Zuko's bed and just as quick as she appeared, she disappeared. Zuko, still absorbing what Yue said, made his way towards the bundle on his bed. When he picked up the bundle he was shocked. Inside of it was a baby, and not just any baby. The baby was Azula.
And there we have it, thats the end of chapter one. I hope you guys enjoyed it and please make sure to R&R