Part 4

The Present

"Who do I hate?" Azula repeated, the message spat from her lips like a cherry pit. "What kind of stupid question is that? I already know the answers."

Right now, there was only one person that she hated- Ozai. All those years she had served him, done his bidding, spread his name across the world, and all because of a lie. If Azula ever got out of here, she would make him pay for making her waste her life. For making her forget all about her mother, and what could've been.

"Mother." Azula murmured. All those years, and only now she was finding out that her mother had been right all those years. She was a monster. But it wasn't her mother's fault. Azula was what her father had made her, but she couldn't just blame her father either. No, Zuko had played his part too. He had always been Ursa's favorite, always needing coddling and understanding, never able to do for himself. He'd taken her attention, made Azula go to her father and be made into his image. And Azula might be a monster, but she was at least a strong monster. She would show Zuko that, when she took back her throne, and went on to make the world in her image, under her rule. Azula smiled then, as she thought of the strong, powerful world she would create, free of those who needed coddling and those who whined. They would be strong like her, or they wouldn't survive.

Top that one, Father. Azula thought to herself, as she rubbed her arms against the cold. But as she did, Azula suddenly realized that it actually wasn't that bad. In fact, it seemed warmer in here then it had before. As she sat there, she actually felt the ice on the walls begin to melt and run down. As Azula watched in confusion, there was a suddenly a burst of flame from the floor, a burst that swirled around the room like a tornado. Azula put up her arms to shield herself, but as soon as they'd come, the flames vanished. But they had left something behind. Azula looked out to see her cell lined with food. Sugared plums, roasted chicken-duck, goblets of wine, and more all lined the floor. And sitting atop the pile, was a chubby, bearded man dressed in red robes. He looked down at Azula and let out a hearty laugh.

"Good evening child! Welcome to the feast!"

"Are you one of the spirits that was foretold?" Azula asked slowly approaching the food, still unsure if it was real.

"That I am." The man replied. "I am the Spirit of the Present."

"And do you always travel with such a spread?" Azula asked, holding up a plum. "I'd think you would have a hard time getting around after a while."

"Ahh, but this is not my feast Azula. It is yours."

"I'm sorry. Do I look like I need to be rolled around?" Azula asked.

"This is the Feast of Generosity, which you have long denied your fellow man." The Spirit said, as he made his way down from the food.

"And why should I?" Azula sneered. "No one has ever shown me generosity. Not even my family. And I don't need it anyway; I can take what I want, without permisson!"

"By their standards, they have." The Spirit said, gesturing around the cell. "But there are still those who have kindness in their hearts for you."

"And where would they be?" Azula snapped.

"Take my hand and find out." The Spirit said, extending his palm. Azula looked at it, then sighed and took it. Instantly, the flames surrounded them again, and then faded, revealing an all too familiar room.

"This..this is the Palace ballroom." Azula said, looking out at the huge, elegant room before her. It was filled to the brim with guests, all laughing and eating as music played around them.

"A fine party, I think." The Spirit said. "It's being held in honor of the new Fire Lord."

"Then I'll know what mine will look like." Azula sneered. "Zuko doesn't deserve this pomp. He won't last a week; he's too weak."

"I don't tell the future." The Spirit said. "But come, let us mingle and hear what the people think. We are but spectators here, after all."

The Spirit descended into the room, and after a moment, she followed. The people around her spoke and moved without noticing her at all. Azula heard many words spoken, mostly about her brother.

"I thought this war would never end. Thank heaven for the Avatar!"

"Fire Lord Zuko has already promised to help repair my farm after my son was killed. Ozai would've never done that!"

"And did you hear about his sister? I heard she banished a girl for feeding her a cherry with a pit in it."

"Oh she was always cruel and nasty, even as a child. I only put up with her because of her father."

"Can you imagine her as Fire Lord?"

"You won't have to soon." Azula said through gritted teeth.

"Strange isn't it?" The Spirit said. "For one so weak, your brother seems to be quite loved."

"Because these people don't know any better. Weaklings like this should be wiped from the planet." Azula replied.

"And what would you know about it?" The Spirit asked, spinning around to face her. "Did you not spend your life in this very palace, being waited on hand and foot while these people and their sons and daughters fought the war on your behalf? How many died while you sat and had servants wash your hair and clean your feet? How sad it is to hear the insect on the leaf, claiming life is wasted among her brothers and sisters in the dirt!"

Azula was stunned by that, but before she could even begin to sputter a response, she heard an all too familiar voice ring out.

"So what are they saying about her Zuko?"

"Ty Lee?" Azula said, looking past the Spirit to see Mai, Ty Lee and her brother standing before them, speaking.

"No change. She refuses to even talk to the doctors." Zuko replied.

"Oh… I guess it's too early to hope for a change, right?" Ty Lee said sadly.

"Do you actually want her to get better?" Mai asked. "We have enough problems right now."

"Well, not like she was, but I still feel kinda bad. I mean, she really came unglued after we left Mai."

"She was unglued for a long time." Mai replied.

"But come on. She wasn't always a bad person. Her father did a lot of that to her. And even if he didn't I would've been happy enough if she got imprisoned. I didn't want her to be crazy too."

"…….. Yeah, I guess you're right." Mai said after a moment. "Maybe it was going too far."

"Apparently they've afforded you some mercy.' The Spirit said.

"Yeah. They might." Azula muttered. "But not him!"

Indeed, Zuko had remained silent throughout the conversation, neither siding with Mai or Ty Lee. And before he could interject, a General came to him, holding a pair of goblets in his hands.

"My Lord, I wish to thank you for all you have done. Because of you and the Avatar, I have been able to see my children again. Would it be too much to ask that you share a toast with me?"

"Not at all." Zuko said, as he took a goblet.

"Then to the Avatar, and Fire Lord Zuko, mat they live forever! And may Ozai and Azula stay in the hells they made for themselves!"

The General started to drink, but then stopped when he saw the angry expression growing on Zuko's face.

"My Lord? Have I offended you?"

"I will drink to everything you said, but one. Leave my sister out of it." Zuko replied, his voice tight and hard.

"I..I.. But sire, I would think.."

"You'd think wrong." Zuko said. "Just because I fought my sister doesn't mean I didn't care about her. I never wanted to have to fight her. I never wanted her to go mad. I hope that someday, the doctors can undo what my father did to her. But until they do, I will not tolerate comments like that. Is that understood!"
"Y-Yes. I'm sorry sir." The General said, bowing down.

"It's all right." Zuko said, taking a deep breath. "I would've thought the same thing. Let's drink to most of what you said, and the hope that people can change."

"A good oath sir." The General said, as they clinked goblets and drank. And as they did, Azula stared at her brother with expression not unlike those who have just witnessed a miracle right in front of them.

"As I said, there are still those with kindness in their hearts for you." The Spirit said, as he placed a hand over Azula's shoulder. "Come, we must leave now." But Azula just stood there, staring at her brother, and feeling a strange ache in her chest that spread like wildfire.

"Are.. Are you doing something to me? I feel pain," Azula said.

"It is called guilt." The Spirit said. "Now come child."

Slowly, the Spirit took her hand, and then the two vanished into flame again. When they reformed, they were in the middle of a large, empty field.

"Where are we?" Azula asked, looking around.

"The place where you and I depart." The Spirit said. "For here you will meet the last of us."

"What? Why can't you take me back to my cell?" Azula snapped.

"He moves in his own way. But I do have one final lesson for you."

"Wha… wait a minute. What is that, that thing moving under your robe?" Azula said.

With that, the Spirit pulled open his robe, and Azula gaped in shock. Beneath them were two ragged, dirty children, a boy and a girl, that clung to the Spirit's legs.

"These are two of the children of man, who work towards their father's destruction." The Spirit said. "The boy is Hatred. The girl is Want. Beware them both Azula, for they cling to you as well. And if you do not deny them, if you acknowledge them but do nothing, then they shall consume you."

With that, the Spirit and the children vanished in a burst of flame, leaving Azula all alone in the field. But the Spirit's voice echoed one last time across the sky.

Who do you hate?


"There goes number two." Desierto said, as Fuego appeared before them.

"Looks adding the kids was a nice touch." The Fire Knight said, as he pulled of his robes. "That scared the crap out of getting us into the party was a nice touch too."

"Yeah, but it wasn't easy keeping you guys hidden." Oscuridad said, wiping his forehead.

"You sure that you can keep doing this?" Agua asked. "It's taking a lot to maintain these illusions."

"Oh I can't stop now." The bat said, looking up at the cell that was to Azula, a large empty field. "I've got to play my part."