CHAPTER TWO: DINNER WITH THE FIRE LORD
It was strange to consider, but Zuko and Azula could've been twins. They shared the same pointed chin, defined cheekbones, and most of all the same startling golden eyes. As Zuko peered at Aang across the dining hall table, the similarities between the two were becoming more and more apparent, and especially now with Zuko growing his hair out.
"Let's skip the formalities." The Fire Lord requested as he set down his chopsticks. He purposefully diverted his eyes to the golden windows; he didn't want to face the bad news, "How did it go?"
"Not so well." Aang wasn't eager to admit defeat, but there was no way around it. "She knows what she's doing."
The Fire Lord sighed, and Aang could detect his disappointment blowing through the air. At the same time, Zuko understood. "The psychiatrists tell me she's getting better." Zuko stated, "The problem is that she's returning to her old self. And I'm beginning to think... I don't know if there's a way to help her."
"What do you mean? You changed didn't you?"
Zuko returned his gaze to Aang, "It's like my uncle said, she's crazy." He held out his palm and ignited a small flame. It writhed in front of him, dancing across his golden eyes. "You see this?"
"It's a fire." Aang realize how foolishly obvious he must've sounded.
"Most benders produce red and orange fire," Zuko explained as he twisted the blaze between his hands, entranced by its elegance, "The sign of a stable inner-flame."
Aang understood what he was getting at, "Azula's inner flame is unstable."
"Blue firebending has been seen in rare cases throughout history. The children would always start out normal, producing the regular orange color you see in all firebenders. But during puberty, their fire would turn cold and blue. All these firebenders had one thing in common, a cruel and violent social behavior. An inability to connect with other people. Blue firebending is the symptom of a disease." He let his flame die.
"Did your father know about this?"
Zuko chuckled lightly, "Nobody would dare tell the Fire Lord that his favorite child was mentally unstable. More likely, Ozai thought Azula's firebending was a gift from the spirits, but she belonged in a hospital not the war. What made Azula more dangerous than other blue firebenders was the way my father raised her. He wanted a child who was dangerous, who would kill at his command, and combined with her disease she became a monster. Not to mention that the blood of our royal family guarantees a master firebender."
This was interesting and all, but Aang couldn't help but feel helpless discussing the dilemma with Zuko. He wasn't a doctor who could cure Azula. All he could do was take her bending away, which would just be healing the symptom of her disease. "There's only one thing I can do Zuko."
"I know." The Fire Lord's voice wavered. "She's dangerous. Even though the guards have secured her arms and legs, for the sake of keeping her alive we have to let her mouth free."
"Yeah, she mentioned that." Aang felt that unwelcome sensation creeping up his spine again.
"The guards may not like it, but I've insisted. She still needs to eat and drink. I don't want her to decay in there either. When someone isn't in the cell, the guards can loosen the chains and let her walk around. Again, by my request."
Aang wondered how much Azula would really appreciated Zuko's care, or if she was still bitter that he'd locked her up so tight in the first place. He wanted to find out…
Zuko went on, "She's clever though, and with her mind regaining strength I have no doubt that she's planning an escape."
"Yeah, but what will that even accomplish? She doesn't have power anymore." The look on Zuko's face was already enough to tell him that he was sorely mistaken.
"Don't underestimate her. The Fire Nation still has loyalists, people who want to see things go back to the days of war. Even some higher-ups in the the Defense Force want to see me gone, and with Ozai rotting away in prison the only other person they'll turn to is Azula. I think we can agree that she's the last thing the world needs at this point." Zuko leaned over the table, making sure to emphasis his point, "Eliminate her bending and we eliminate her followers, as well as insure her security."
Aang nodded dubiously, "Just like I did with Ozai."
"Yes." Zuko grinned, pleased to see that Aang was on the same note.
"You understand the risks don't you?" Aang was sad to see that smile go.
Zuko leaned into his seat and folded his arms, trying to assume a smug and confident position, but Zuko was still too awkward to look like royalty. "I know it's a lot to ask of you Avatar, but trust me when I tell you it's for the best."
"Right…" Aang rubbed the baldness of his head, "I'm still new to energybending. I don't understand how to really control it."
"You're referring to the side effects on Ozai, aren't you?"
"Do you really want that to happen to your sister?" Aang stabbed the question, making sure its implications really hit Zuko. When he'd performed energybending on Ozai, he'd only done what came naturally. He knew it would take away his firebending, but he had no idea it would weaken Ozai's muscles to the point of paralysis. The man had to be carried into his cell where he sat in the same position for days on end, barely managing to crawl around the cage in between. Despite all the evil thing's he'd done, it was honestly sad to watch. Aang hadn't seen him in two years, and he was afraid to ask what had become of the living corpse.
Meanwhile, there was no telling what other side effects might emerge the next time Aang used his skill.
"It's worth the risk." Zuko admitted.
"Yeah and what about the risk to me?" Aang quickly brought up, "You know how energybending works right?"
"You've tried to explain it once before. If I recall, you gave up halfway through."
To be honest, Aang didn't understand how or why the strange events of energybending took place. He just did them. "So, the Lion Turtle gave me the ability to bend the energy within other people." Despite the number of times he'd said that, it wasn't getting any less ridiculous to hear.
"Yes, that's chi." Zuko decided to add.
"Right, so I tap into the chi of another person's heart and mind, then the process begins. Try to follow along, because this is where even I get lost. Our physical bodies are replaced by energy, the spiritual image of ourselves. Our souls. When one soul is in the presence of another it can influence the other soul to its will."
"That's how you were able to manipulate my father's energy."
"And destroy the part of his soul that let him firebend. Of course the problem is that by exposing my soul to another's, they can influence mine. Like with Ozai, he wanted to destroy my entire mind."
"And you would've died."
"In a worst case scenario, the Avatar spirit could've been destroyed."
That revelation seemed to hit Zuko hardest. His eyes were easy to read, debating with himself whether beating Azula was worth risking the Avatar spirit.
"That's why my mind has to be unbendable when I face Azula. I need more time with her."
"How much more?"
"Multiple visits to the cell. I need to find a way to defend my mind from her's, and find a weakness in her own. Ozai's energy was easy to bend. His mind was weak and small, only concerned with power, and once I got a grasp on energybending I easily overpowered him." Aang sensed the slightest trace of a smile on Zuko's lips.
"Azula's different though." The Fire Lord explained, "Her condition buries any emotions deep inside her conscious. All we see is a mask."
"So I need to exploit those weaker emotions." Aang was beginning to feel the exhaustion of this conversation weighing down on him.
"Last time they were brought on by betrayal. She saw the unpredictability of human nature. A nature she lacks."
"Yeah but now she doesn't have anyone close enough to betray her."
"I don't have the answers. It's like you said, spend more time getting to know her." Zuko decided it was time to pick up his chopsticks and bring this conversation to a close. His lemon duck wasn't going to eat itself.
"I have a feeling I'm not going to like what I find."
