[Big Sister]

They have a house now. The blind earthbender gave her money after Kiyi cried about her and her big sister living cold and hunger after a firebender killed their parents in a robbery. One of the metalbending trainees remarked that such a tragedy was strangely a common occurrence, but hopefully it would fade since the war is over.

Kiyi had left with the story of her dead parents and a big sister struggling to provide for them – and with a good deal of yuans to please her sister. Azula had complimented Kiyi for her work, and the young girl's cheeks had grown hot with shame. She lied to a nice person, and Mom always said that you should always tell the truth.

Somehow, Kiyi doesn't think that her big sister ever took that lesson to heart. It's as if she's meant to lose everything her parents taught her and take on these new rules. Azula asks her if she would rather be homeless again.

This financial boost certainly means that Azula doesn't have to engage in manual labor for a few coins. Azula does not mind working, per se; she engaged actively in most of her past plans, not trusting anyone else to pull off her ingenious schemes. However, any menial job here would be far too undignified for someone of Azula's skill.

The house is small, with a simple kitchen, living area, and a single bedroom. They sleep on separate pads with their backs facing each other. For the first time in a long while, they both sleep soundly.


[The Past]

Kiyi rarely has true conversations with Azula. Once, she asked her big sister if she felt sorry for anything, and Azula admitted that she regretted the fact that her father had saved Zuko from drowning when she was young, and then Azula admitted that watching Zuko suffer throughout his life was amusing (though more trouble than it was worth, really).

They are sitting at the kitchen table when Kiyi says, "I need a new doll."

Azula doesn't lift her eyes away from the scroll she's holding. "What's wrong with your old one?"

Kiyi narrows her eyes and glances dolefully at the headless doll on the wall shelf, then looks back at Azula and raises one brow pointedly. I'm not weak. I'm not weak. I'm not weak. She refuses to cry because her sister will make fun of her – tell her that she is pathetic, useless. They are sisters from different fathers and they look nothing alike. Can't cry. Can't cry. No, no, no.

Azula says, "As I've said before – " Kiyi rolls her eyes. " – you have no need for such childish toys. When I was your age, I could have taken on a man twice my size."

"I'm only five!"

Azula replies curtly, "And you're lazy and spoiled."

"You lived in a palace," the petulant child says, her bottom lip protruding.

Azula puts down her scroll and orders Kiyi to follow her. The little girl groans. They go to an unpopulated grove. Kiyi has logs and stumps and tree trunks to hit and balance herself on. Azula only teaches the bare basics of chi-blocking. She says nothing of how it can stymy bending (how it feels like emptiness).

There's only brief talk of how it limits mobility, and most of what Azula teaches the girl is how to outmaneuver an opponent. Firebending techniques are often about exerting power and taking the offense, but that, of course, can grow tiresome. Azula never knew how to perform the chi-blocking skill as expertly as Ty Lee, and it infuriates her that such a dull-headed person could have a remarkable talent. Yes, remarkable, as much as she loathed to admit it. What had Ty Lee done besides suck up, cower, make stupid remarks, and become a traitor? Well, she'd been able to take down a force of trained earthbenders.

(She caught you off-guard and struck you down. Because she's a coward, a coward. She was made to be subordinate to someone with a greater mind than her own. Then again, that describes everyone you've ever met. As oblivious as koala-sheep. Except Mother. She always sawalways knew.)

One day, out of nowhere, Kiyi surges forward and jabs Azula's left elbow. It's the first sign of initiative she's shown in awhile, and Azula does not know if she's angered or impressed. As half of Azula's left arm loses feeling, the firebender uses her knee to knock the girl back.

Kiyi falls in the dirt. She expects Azula to laugh at her or to be furious, but her big sister merely scowls, then her eyes have a faint trace of something akin to pride – if Azula can feel something so warm.

"Admittedly," Azula says, "I'm impressed that you have any fight in you at all, but I'm here as your teacher, not as your enemy. I saved you from a life of having nothing." She almost sounds conversational.

The young girl, this less refined version of Ursa, stands awkwardly. "My mom and dad loved me," Kiyi argues, her hands balling into fists. I liked that life. I want to go home. I want my mom and dad and big brother. I don't want you. Kiyi feels a bit guilty to let that type of resentment sting her heart; it seems that Azula must be used to that sentiment by now, but can anyone really blame Kiyi?

Azula tilts her head. "As I said, nothing." Darkly, she adds, rubbing her limp arm, "Though it's impressive that someone as clumsy and inexperienced as you can even attempt this, I doubt you'd ever want to try that again. I've fought and practiced long before you were even a traitorous idea in my mother's mind."

Kiyi's eyes are sharp and judgmental. This is a child – just barely school-age, not even a decade on her since she could not talk, since she would have defecated on herself like an animal because she did not know otherwise. Because all infants are powerless and repulsive, and, Azula notes, little changes for many people as they grow.

Azula is free, and yet she is living with Ursa's shadow. It's a darkness that consumes like fire, but Azula will endure. She will last.


[Mirror Images]

It has never escaped her notice: Azula looks just like her father. Her hairline, her chin, her eyes, her nose, her mouth – it's all Ozai. Ozai, the man Ursa claimed had threatened her, had taken away everything from her past that had made her happy.

And here Kiyi is, her mother's darling little replacement daughter who has no trace of Ozai in her, who is every bit Ursa's daughter. Sweet, gentle. A product of love, not enmity. Someone born from willing affection, not entrapment and a forced sense of duty. A simpering, soft-faced little girl who loves dolls and can't (won't) burn them to a crisp.

When Azula first laid eyes on Kiyi with the knowledge that she was her half-sister (she's trying to kill me, destroy me, take every trace and replace it with this perfect little child who knows nothing, nothing), she knew that she'd either break or kill this child. However, dead accomplices are useless, lacking potential for anything besides acting as fertilizer.

She recalls how well Kiyi and Zuko got along. Oh, I'm sure he was more than happy to embrace youhis new little sister who is all smiles and vapid stupidity. You'd get along, and he can forget all about me, go back to his throne and lock me up.

(Kiyi is a small, innocent shadow of her mother, and Azula couldn't wait to steal her away and corrupt every last trace. For her mother to see two monsters, to know that Azula has won. All of those who had humiliated her would be driven to their knees and they'd have to see.)

Azula – firebending prodigy and the person who should be the rightful heir to the throne – does not lose. She may wait, may disappear, but she will never give up.

Kiyi asks for a doll again, and Azula asks, "Why should I indulge you?"

"It makes me happy," Kiyi explains simply.

Unimpressed, Azula crosses her arms."And?"

"If I'm happy, I won't tell." Oh, so the child thinks she can threaten Azula now?

Azula's eyes darken. "You think I'm scared of these peasants? I drove the Earth Kingdom's veteran generals to their knees as their world crumbled before them. I would have gone to the skies and sacked the villages of the Earth Kingdom swine and let their homes go to ash, have them scream as they watched their children burn. I would have laughed at that victory, and you think I'm scared of these crude, illiterate, slack-jawed cretins who aren't worth the air they breathe?"

It unnerves her that this child has a look – a look that is wholly her – their mother's. A look that knows. Well, Azula had wanted the child to gain some sense, and yet it was like her mother had followed her here, still conspiring. Logically, Azula tells herself that Ursa is far away. No, she isn't here. She's mourning her missing child. Azula smiles.

"I could tell the tough girl with white eyes," Kiyi says.

Azula waves her hand dismissively. "And I could kill her without flinching. There was once a ship captain who was responsible for my brother and uncle escaping, and my crew had to dump his charred corpse overboard."

Kiyi doesn't understand how Azula can just say things like that – talk about killing others like it's nothing. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. "She's the Avatar's friend – "

"How many deaths are you willing to cause until you put me down? You know, she would have left you. You were nothing but a distraction to her. She gave you to me, and she'll forget about you eventually."

Kiyi sniffs and wipes her nose on her arm. Scrutinizing the girl, Azula lifts a corner of her mouth in disgust.