(Note if you're satisfied with the ending of the last chapter, I don't mind if you stop reading. Lmao I should take this more seriously because when I proof read it's as if I'm reading an actual fanfic so I forget what I'm doing, and you know authors bias doesn't help either.)
A/N: Whaale wail wale, this chapter is such a mess in my opinion, and the recently written chapter even more so. It seems a lot is going so fast like chap 3 and 4 could be split into multiple, longer chapters instead of these shorter, error filled things. As you've already guessed, this fic is a lot AU I think, hopefully I'm getting that correct. Anyways thanks for reading so far and hope you enjoy!
Chapter 3 – Renaissance
"Katara, please help her" Zuko bellowed with pure agony. Tears freely rolled down his cheeks.
The master waterbender nodded briefly, knowing there was nothing she could do. "I'll do what I can." Her hands infused with the pond's water and glowed as it was transferred onto Azula's fatal wound.
"Zuko there is nothing I can-"
Katara could only continue in pity as Aang's fire bending teacher whimpered, cradling his sister in his arms.
Iroh could only watch as he felt very responsible for the recent turn of events. If only I could have done the same for my niece, as I did for Zuko. He bowed his head in regretful shame.
(x)
Azula awoke to find herself alone on hill surrounded by a foggy mist. As she stood up on shaky knees, she realized that she wasn't alone. Behind her dressed in robes of deep red sat Avatar Roku and her mother, Lady Ursa.
"Hello Azula, I am Avatar Roku."
She could only stare with caution and confusion. Before she could speak, Roku spoke with a sense of urgency.
"Your questions will be answered later as there is a more important matter. You will be returned to the mortal world with a quest of redemption. An evil has risen and only you can bring it to an end." His voice beckoned. "A similar soul shall be brought forth to aid you in this quest as well.
Azula responded with a bitter laugh. It was cut short as she gazed at Ursa's smile. She could feel her heart ripple and suddenly fainted into familiar darkness.
(x)
Azula opened her eyes once more only to see darkness. Her warm breath could be felt against a familiar smelling cloak. As she pulled it off, she recognised it as part of the Firelord's attire.
"Zuko..?" Her voice is soft against the desolate silence. Using the cloak against the cold night air, she examined her surroundings.
The turtle duck pond was the first thing she could see. Its once clear waters have now been clouded with a red mist, her blood. Then she realized what had happened and checked her injury. It was gone but blood stained her clothes. As she looked around again several thoughts struck her mind.
Something is off, where was Zuko and his friends, or any servant for that matter.
Even at this hour, daybreak, there would be servants preparing today's breakfast, or running errands. But there was just an unwavering silence. Still very weak from the recent turn of events, Azula fell back and fainted. Just as she passed out, she spied a figure next to her.
"Uhuhm what time is it, wait, and hold a sec." A strange figure was lying next to Azula. He felt his surroundings and realized he wasn't in his Republic City apartment no more, or was lying next to a princess. His gaze shifted into a curious browse with devious intent as it met Azula's.
"And who might you be, pretty lips." The strange man seductively queried Azula.
She could only respond with a mountainous gaze, grievously furrowing her brows in in contempt.
As he noticed her vindictive gaze he introduced himself awkwardly.
"Anyways, the name's Tahno, 3 Time probending champ, Captain of the Wolf Bats-"
He narrowed his eyes slightly and licked his lips.
"-and a killer in the sack, if I say so myself." He gloated generously as a smirked formed across his sleek face.
Azula only felt dizzy and weary at his attempts of banter. Before she could think some more, a relentless scream wailed from inside the palace. As strange as it sounded very feminine, she could sense it was Zuko. She sighed as her legs propped up with speed that rivalled Ty Lee and precision of Mai.
"Hey babe where you goin'?" She walked off without a word. From the looks of things he noticed there too wasn't anyone around and decided it was best to follow the mysterious yet elegant girl. Before he followed her, he made twirled his hair to achieve max style and flawlessness. His first attempt yielded poor results so he tried again. After this he distracted himself and lost sight of Azula. "Hah-"He twirled his fabulous hair once again.
"Emo Tahno?" The slender fingers pulled and straightened. The waterbender regarded himself in an adjacent mirror hanging from a wall.
"Sexy Tahno?" His fingers twirled his hair in the ordinary manner. "Hahah I'm always sexy, oh wait…" He examined his surroundings and noticed the colour scheme was blood red and remembered.
"Ah crap, where'd that girl go-"He walked further into the palace cautiously.
"Zuko! What the Roku happened here?"
Tahno ran to the voice and found himself with the elegant girl yet once again. Only to find to witness something very disturbing, a chill went down his slender figure. He braced himself and slapped his fingers over his eyes in attempt to shield himself from the horror.
"I don't know what happened, I just found her like this." Zuko splurged as he couldn't fathom this either. He was cradling a young girl's upper half, the lower twitching a few feet away.
At once Azula was at the prince's side and applied fire bending to the fallen young bender of earth. The blind girl could only shout in pain as Azula applied her rich fire. She grabbed Zukos robes and muttered out.
"T-Tell m... my parents … I-I'll be... Okay" Zukos hand clasped her trembling cheek and bent down to softly kiss her forehead. "I will." Toph's trembling lips finally wavered and stopped.
As the young bender fainted from blood loss Zuko added. "We need to find Katara ASAP. Only her healing capabilities have a chance at saving Toph." His façade was utterly detached from reality.
"What, the peasant?" Azula spoke before vomiting to the side. This caused Tahno to run out from the room swiftly, to do the same. When he recovered himself he saw the girl walk out from the palace and sit next to the ruined pond. As he walked towards her, she threw bits of bread in the pond.
"Hey alright, what's happening, and I also did not catch yah name." His puzzled expression betrayed his once cool exterior. Her eyes wistfully gazed the clouded pond with lifeless eyes.
"…I am princess Azula, daughter of Fire Lord Ozai. I cannot… imagine what put these events into motion."
She paused after her bread supply depleted and stood up gently. Her voice spoke with unguided melancholy.
"I assume you're not-." Tahno met her eyes examining his stylised hair. He interjected.
"I guess, also, I assume I'm in the Fire Nation. But this is something I've only seen in history books or paintings." He gazes around the palace. "I already said I come from Republic City."
As he spoke he didn't notice the princess advance and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Not real." She raised an eyebrow in surprise, but her stoic face kept unreadable.
"Since I have hallucinated my dear mother many a time and Zuzu didn't recognise your existence. Although… I guess the unprecedented injury sustained by the young earth bender did cloud his attention. I hope her condition improves, or not, to save further agony and despair." Her eyes looked straight into Tahno's, causing the waterbender to look away. As his gaze fell he noticed the excessive blood stain on her robes.
His voice wavered as he thought of the worst. His gaze clung onto the damp blood, overshadowing the colour of her robe. "Are you okay? I don't know what is going on but-"
Azula only sighed and shrugged it off as her body ached from exhaustion, already overtime on her energy reserves. Her body needed food to recover and sleep to repair. She gestured Tahno to follow her into the main kitchen for food. He reluctantly followed and as they entered deeper into the behemoth that is the palace, he noticed the blood stains splattered, and wiped across the prestigious floor. The putrid smell entered his lungs and instantly brought his arm to his nose. His act of defence came unnoticed from the princess as she casually advanced unhindered by the stench. As they ventured deeper it was apparent there was multiple layers of blood and flesh. By this time Azula had produce a small flame as the torches around haven't been replenished for quite some time.
Just before they reached the kitchen, Tahno decided to take a breather and sit down on a nearby bench. His arms instantly covered his face to in an attempt to safeguard himself from sensing the nightmare. Azula sensed this and turned sideways for a moment before walking forward and arriving at one of her objectives.
(x)
As Zuko gently lowered the delicate earth bender, he pondered where the master water bender could be. His quick pondering was cut short by indiscrete muttering and rambling. The voice was heavy in care in kindness but otherwise strained and weak. By some miracle it was the young master water bender, Katara.
"Aang… A- Ah- Aang… h-how could yu-you l-l... let this… hap-p-p-"Her apathetic gaze shifted from the dark corridors to his own. The robes covering stuck to her slim body, the cause; they were soaked with rich, freshly pasted blood. Her boots squished as she aimlessly walked. Her once cool, responsible, motherly attitude is no more. Now replaced with a disconnect from reality and utter hopelessness and despair. Zuko's eyes widened in pure shock, he couldn't fathom or reason this situation.
"Hey, Katara… do you know what has happened?" His grainy voice trembled with fear. "I found half of… Toph, so could you come and help?"
At first there wasn't a reaction from Katara. There was nothing just her longing tired gaze directed at Zuko himself. After a few tense seconds she abruptly let out a cry of pain that sparked malicious laughter.
"THIS is-isn't REAL ZU...KO… oh" Her eyes watered. "ONLY… I… know… b-blood bending-"Small cuts appeared on her dark delicate features, her laughter tearing them up slowly, turning the small precise cuts into larger indirect gashes.
Her kind mouth grizzly transformed into a vindictive smirk, which hungers the blood of innocent flesh.
"So Zuzu-"His heart spiked "Where is our dear Toph. I would love to catch up once again." Her eyes flashed pure madness and decay.
"She… somehow escaped me some time ago, and we weren't finished with our little… experiment."
Zuko staggered back.
"Oh don't leave, dear brother; it would be ever so fun to join us."
Zuko staggered back once more, muttering in extreme caution. "Brother?" His mind searched for the name. "Where is Sokka, Katara?"
Somehow Katara's smile grew wider.
(x)
Azula looked in dismay as the kitchen was in ruin. It looked like a horde of hog monkeys stormed in, ate all the food and suddenly exploded. Blood was utterly everywhere and bits of flesh scattered the floor and exterior design. She tiptoed around the kitchen with great care to not step in anything unsavoury. The large doors of the pantry were closed and revealed the stocks of ordered food still plentiful. Her eyes wavered to the preserved section and politely picked out and stuffed her pockets. After her pockets were well furnished, she decided to eat.
As she made her way to her quarters, Tahno was still sitting on the bench cradling his face in his hands. Tear drops plummeted from cracks in between his fingers. Azula decided to stride close and tap his shoulder softly.
"I just… want to go home. Okay?" His voice cracked as his hair drooped thus covering his withered face, raw from crying, recovering from despair. "Where am I exactly, I sense this is Fire Nation from the bracing colour scheme." He looked up to meet Azula's nonchalance eyes. She replied with mild concern highlighting her insufficient sleep.
"You're in the Fire Nation palace a few days after the second coming of Sozin's Comet." She sighed blissfully. "My only concern now is rest; you can join me in my quarters if you wish." Her voice resonated sweetly emphasizing her noble status. Tahno managed a weak smile at this development. Azula narrowed her eyes slightly in reply causing Tahno to scowl lightly. Pleased with this, the princess smiled sweetly and gracefully walked to her luxurious chamber.
As the pair walked quietly through the palace they encountered Zuko rocking the late Katara in a bloody embrace.
(x)
Zuko found himself in a very undesirable place indeed. The wicked smile smeared across the water benders face only grew wider and more menacing. He froze when she walked across the short distance separating them. As she advanced, blood flowed from the many small incisions on her face. The blood freely rand down her cheeks to her neck, then mixed with the blood already on her robe. Strangely Zuko saw something strange in her deranged eyes. She wanted him. Oh spirits no. He could only gasp in shock as she nodded just if she read his mind. Well there is only one thing I can do… As the brief distance came close, he lunged and embraced her bloody lips. This shocked Katara greatly, causing her to lose control and inevitably explode from her bloody prison. Shortly after the putrid explosion, Zuko found her on the ground breathing lightly.
"I'm so…-"She gurgled. "-for… this. "The fire bender grasped her tightly as her body went limp in his arms.
Zuko could only feel very confused and cheesy regarding recent events. He sighed in contempt. Wishing things could go back to normal, whatever that may be.
(x)
Zuko's ears slightly pricked at the tone of nearby footsteps.
"Evening, Zuko. I suggest taking a bath then rest. We'll deal with this mess tomorrow." Azula walked past her weeping brother. "Good night, Zuzu."
Tahno followed her without question, trying his best not to impede or touch the prince and his business. After a short while later they arrived at the princess's chambers. As they entered Azula took off her gown without warning and hanged on a hook behind the door. Tahno gasped buy instantly recognise the pale bruise marks and scrapes. He immediately asked for a source of water and Azula gestured to the bathroom politely. When he returned, he suggested she should sit on her chair next to her dresser. He didn't take any notice of her bareness and bended some water from the basin and started to work on her injuries. After a few minutes he relinquished the healing water and asked the princess to rest. She agreed to share the bed with him after this. During the process Azula kept silent but as they got comfortable in bed, she whispered thanks. Tahno could only smile as Azula reminded him of a friend back home.
(x)
A few minutes passed from his encounter with his sister so Zuko decided it was time to rest. He walked silently through the palace to be greeted by no living person. When he arrived at his quarters he immediately set forth a bath and new change of clothes. After getting cleaned up the scared prince walked to the balcony facing east overlooking the capital. But just as he was close his nose curdled at a putrid stench. After this he cautiously entered the balcony space on light toes. Next to the railing sitting in a chair was Mai sprawled over a lawn chair. Her eyes solemnly closed surrounded by a peaceful façade. But her wrists were cut with precision, only something Mai could do. Zuko fell to his knees and cried into her lifeless body. As he recovered his senses he got up and kissed her cheek, and whispered a sincere good night to his fallen betrothed. During this he noticed a small scroll on the table adjacent. He slowly grasped and unrolled it to carefully inspect its contents.
Zuko,
It is time for me to say my goodbyes.-
Reluctantly he read further, knowing it would hurt very dearly. The serenity portrayed on his love's face expressed enough detail. He couldn't endure any more. The scroll burnt quickly in his hands and its ashes fell away in the wind. Only then he made it back to his bed and rested quietly.
In the distance, the small city burned quietly, not a whisper could be heard, only the crackling of fire and the rumble of a distant memory.
A/N: I've seriously got like um… no idea. Trust me there is a plan for the story, just I've got no idea how to implement it right now. Hopefully this introduces everything and stuff. \\ Aaand you know, life, so I've got no idea when I can update. (I could update like every day if I really wanted too though I guess… just it'll be as rough as Toph's calloused feet. But I guess some people like that stuff, the dull odour fills your senses ecstatically as her screams fuel your lust-WHAT, ghet outtha here, get out of here stalker!
Sigh my rough as dried nutsack Russian accent betrays its purpose… I could write some cheesy hilarious lemon if someone requests, more like begs for it. It won't be too hard I guess, just ask Tom about err… his tales with Bruce Willis I've developed. Whatever gets your kink going…oh monkeyfeathers! Who what no probably going on it is, elephant cloud!….
UMM YES, Have a Flamin' day, Mai your fire within burn brightly.
Chapter 4 is *complete*. But it feels very incomplete like this chapter.
